Ryan Cahill Explains Occupy Boston

10/1/11: Iraq vet and college student Ryan Cahill tells ThinkProgress why he's participating in the Occupy Boston protest in Dewey Square Park in the heart of Boston's financial district.

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News & Politics

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• occupyboston
• occupywallstreet
• occupytogether
• Ryan Cahill
• news
• politics

[blaynemd]

Second, this is what you are fighting for opportunity and change! I support the idea of this movement but change doesn't happen by camping out in tents and complaining. Become an active member of society, contribute, work, work hard at whatever you can, no job is beneath anyone! This country was built on people having a strong work ethic...that is what's been lost. Graduating from college doesn't mean that you don't have to start at the bottom somewhere and work hard to get where you want to be

[blaynemd]

First, I am a server, not because I have to be but because I choose to be. So don't you dare dismiss my job by saying that you could do it but you choose not to because, what? you're too good? You have skills that wouldn't be utilized? I graduated from BU with a Political Science degree, yet I choose to work in a restaurant, I work hard and I love my job. Most people don't have careers in the field that they studied in college, you're not a child being asked what he wants to be when he grows up.

[gracewriter]

@dowutado I'm glad to hear you are doing so well. But tell that to the 68 vets a month who are trying to kill themselves and the ones living on the streets, and the ones finding out their college really isn't paid for. I've seen some only get money for books. Unbelievable. Maybe you can do something about all this. You are a vet in a good place. Help the ones who are falling through the cracks.

[dowutado]

@gracewriter I'm a vet, a student, and have a job. The system is much better than Vietnam but you will always have some people struggle. The programs are out there you just have to put in some effort. The system sucks yes, but its NOT like Vietnam. I know people who struggle for a variety of reasons, but I also know people doing very well.

[odat83]

I didn't find this video very informative. My take on this movement is that there is a sense of frustration over matters ranging from the burden placed on taxpayers without their consent to fund corporate/government agendas that do not represent the interests of the people, to the consolidation of wealth and widespread abuses of power that have been taking place in America for some time but have simply become apparent to more of us lately. Doesn't sound so bad to me...

[gracewriter]

17 attempted suicides a day by these Vets. IT'S SHAMEFUL we do little or NOTHING for them. We did the same dam thing to the Vietnam vets. Now we got Iraq vets living in the streets, to????!!!??. When the fuck are we going to really together and make some serious fucking changes???

[deddlem]

I get really mad when people focus on cutbacks for social services. Want to pay down the deficit? Make these rich corporations pay their fair share. That's where the money is. It's such bullshit!

[deddlem]

I love this movement. These greedy corporations with their big bonuses, make huge political donations, pay no taxes and then get huge bailouts paid for by the working class. Then they turn around and lay Americans off, outsource the jobs overseas, so now even those employees won't be paying income taxes..and they certainly won't be spending money in our economy! Why should these big corporations be able to circumvent paying taxes when they are making their money in America?

[deddlem]

Otis you are an idiot!

[thenewyorkyankeessux]

stay strong. its time for us to finally show the government were done with there bull shit