Occupy Walnut Creek

Last week no one thought anyone would show up at the protest planned in the affluent suburb that I now live in, Walnut Creek. But they were wrong--200 people showed up. And the protests are planned every Wednesday at 4pm. This is not quite the die-hard protests you see elsewhere in the country, where people are actually camping in front of public buildings and banks, literally occupying the space. This one is a more moderate affair, lasting only a few hours, and yet still considered noteworthy in that it is happening at all. This is not a place known for protests. And unlike some other protests, which have an aggressive edge to them, this protest is being organized mostly out of the peace organization in the area.

I am planning on going. I have been drafting slogans and think I finally decided on what I want to put: "Billions for the Banks!  Trillions for the Military!  Nothing for the Middle Class!" but I am worried that has too much anger in it. This protest is not about being angry, or wanting someone to remedy my anger.

The current economic priorities in this country do not make me angry. They make me sad. They make me less hopeful about my son's future than I would like to be. And for a die-hard optimist like me, that is actually saying a lot.

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