Progressives gather to discuss protest plans
More than 100 people of all ages, races and backgrounds circled up at Finlay Park Sunday afternoon to organize an “Occupy Columbia” progressive protest. Columbia residents and college students discussed the conduct of their forthcoming city protest set to start 9 a.m. this Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Statehouse.
“We want to end a culture in which money equals representation,” said Travis Bland, who facilitated the meeting.
The rally mimics the on-going politically left–affiliated “Occupy Wall Street” protests that grabbed nationwide attention last month. So far, occupy protests have spread to other cities including Charleston, Charlotte and Greenville.
Focusing on corporate accountability, people said they were concerned about the top 1 percent of the country not paying its fair share of taxes while they, the other 99 percent, have to do so.
“It’s not just about poor college students,” said third-year political science student Jared Marr. “It’s about anyone who is not a millionaire.”
Elaine Cooper of Columbia said she is committed to the movement in order to get the influence of money out of politics.
“We’re a military-industrialized town, and now they’re cutting funding for everything else — education, health care, housing,” she said of Columbia.