Letter: Protest is about equality

EDITOR,
Interesting analogy Mr. LeBlanc chose to use, though terribly inaccurate (Letters, “Wall Street occupiers rewrite fable,” Page 6, Nov. 11). The implication that the “occupy” movement is about the lazy grasshopper wanting to be fed by the industrious ant is pretty off base. Those who have lost their jobs, savings and homes because of corporate greed worked just as hard as those sitting with fortunes made on the backs of the working class. The trickle-down economy hasn’t provided one job yet; but the rich seem to be making some record profits. Taxing the rich at the same rate as the rest of us is unfair? Calling it stealing is not only wrong, it’s insulting to the American people. The collapse of our economy was not caused by the common person on the street. The manipulation by those higher up the financial food chain squeezed yet another few million dollars out, for their own benefits.
I’m a Vietnam veteran and retired, having worked all of my life and paid my fair share of taxes. I have a small piece of the American Dream but am negatively affected by the greed of large corporations and banks. I won’t bother with specifics, because this grasshopper doesn’t like to whine about his own circumstances. Occupy Wall Street is a protest about corporations and banks controlling our government. It’s not about people wanting handouts; it is about people wanting equality in the decision making of our country. TV, radio and newspapers (with exception of the Press-Banner) are owned by the wealthy, who can control public opinion. I’d like to believe that people are smart enough to see through the façade, but history continually proves me wrong.
This country exists because we escaped the tyranny of the rich royals. Is history repeating itself in this land of plenty?
Bob McMurtry, Felton