My Letter to the Obama Administration

This is the letter I'm going to mail to the White House on Monday.

I know it's a bit long (and I was tempted to put a TL;DR at the end) but it says what I want to say.

I would encourage all of you to do something like this if you feel the same way.

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November 20th, 2011

Dear Mr. President,

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. It warms my heart to know that the most powerful individual in the free world takes time to listen to the citizens he represents. It's communication like this that makes us feel closer to you.

However, it is with a heavy heart that I type these words.

First, a little background. I work at a car dealership in Indianapolis. That's not what I went to college for, but I'm doing my best to pay back my government student loans and make a living as best I can in these tough times. My family and friends are doing the same; each having varying degrees of success.

In 2008, during the now historic run you made for President, I voted for you. My father helped organize here in Indiana to help you win our electoral votes. When election night was over, I felt so alive that someone who championed real change for our country was elected. You reinvigorated not only my faith in our country's future, but the faith and hope of countless others.

Fast forward to 2011...

Though great strides have been made in the areas of health care, rights for veterans, education and more, it seems there is much more to be done. I could give you an itemized list of things I think need to be worked on (campaign finance reform, re-instating the Glass-Steagall Act and repealing the "Citizens United" ruling with a constitutional amendment, legalizing the use of medical cannabis, ETC.) but I'm sure you and your staff are well aware of those issues.

Plus, you have an election coming up and I'm still planning on voting for you. So that's one vote you don't have to worry about.

But now I get to my reason for writing to you. I've never done this before, so you will have to excuse me if I seem a bit heavy handed. However, all of this needs to be said.

In September of this year, a small group of protesters gathered in New York City to denounce the cold hearted and morally inexcusable dealings taking place by the big banks and financial corporations. You and I know these folks as "Occupy Wall Street."

Over the course of two months, the movement has grown from a ragtag bunch of kids to a international phenomenon made up of people from all walks of life. They have been talked about, parodied, praised and denounced from multiple angles and sources. No matter what we may think about what these men and women have to say, we can certainly admit this movement has changed the subject on what's seriously wrong with our country. Namely that corporations are not people and that there is a serious disconnect between those "with" and those "without."

Of course, the problems are much more deep seeded than my above generalization could ever make it, but you get the picture. There are problems going on and the Occupy movement has helped bring them to life.

But not without pain and sacrifice.

Around the country, thousands of Americans have been exercising their rights under the first amendment to make their opinions heard, gather peacefully and request a redress of grievances. Time and again, however, they have been met with police brutality and scorn from local governments and officials in power.

From New York City to Oakland, police in full riot gear and taped-over badge numbers have used tear gas, pepper spray, LRAD sonic canons, less-than-lethal bean bag shotgun loads, and good old fashioned batons to quell these peaceful protesters. Let me stress again, these protests have been PEACEFUL. Any violence or riots have been instigated only by the authorities that are sworn to protect the citizens and the rights granted to them under the constitution.

Even the recent activities at universities like UC Berkeley and UC Davis are tough to watch and read about. It churns my stomach to see my fellow citizens being harassed in such ways just for demanding change from their government. It's disgusting.

Go back further to the incident in October when Iraq veteran Scott Olsen was brutally injured by police with a tear gas canister shot at his head. This man truly deserves to have his voice heard thanks in no small part to his service to our country; Mayor Quan of Oakland and her police force apparently had other ideas...

Honestly, I could scour blogs, independent news media and other internet sources for days to find more incidents of our citizens being harassed and beaten simply because they are wanting to exercise their rights. I could go on for another five or six pages detailing the problems the Occupy movement has brought to the forefront for all of us to talk about. I could ramble about how disgusted I am at Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mayor Jean Quan of Oakland, Mayor Michael B. Hancock of Denver, UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi and many other leaders who have tried to silence free speech and other first amendment rights simply because they are afraid of what those people have to say...

But you know what hurts me the most Mr. President? The fact that you have said NOTHING to denounce these heinous actions.

Your administration was quick to support the citizens of Egypt, Libya, Syria and other nations whose governments were denying peaceful protest and using similar violent actions. But what about your own citizens?

How many people need to be hurt by police? How many need to be needlessly arrested? How many voices need to cry out to you before you'll say something to help?

Mr. President, I challenge you to be the change we want to see in the world. Be the man of power and conviction I and so many others fought and voted for in 2008. I request... nay, I BEG YOU to say something to quell these violent police actions against your own citizens.

Because if you don't, history will judge you very harshly... and so will I.