Tech in the Trenches

Carl T. Holscher fights for the customers.

Tag: Occupy

Disbelief

By

On November 21, 2011

In Observations

Today, I watched a police officer pepper spray a chain of college students sitting with arm-in-arm. I watched a police officer calmly step over the chain of students with his pepper spray. I saw him take aim at their bowed heads and unleash a cloud of burning pepper spray directly into their faces.

Is this what democracy looks like?

Are these the violent protesters that needed to be subdued?

I am sitting here in disbelief. I am disgusted.

Two officers have been placed on leave and the Chancellor has created a task force to look into the event.

All of this seems too little too late. Two students were hospitalized and 11 others were treated at the scene for injuries relating the pepper spray. All of the actions of violence and aggression were taken by police in riot gear.

I find it hard to believe a peaceful solution could not be reached. Even if it meant physically removing the protester if they were blocking a public walkway. Just pick them up and separate them. They might have bumps and scratches but no burning pepper spray in the face and no hospitalization.

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. John F. Kennedy

This is a dangerous road we’re heading down and the destinations are terrifying.

Occupied

By

On November 9, 2011

In Observations

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Communications.
My speciality is Creative Advertising.
I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University.
I’ve worked as…

  • Assistant Production Chief
  • Production Chief
  • Lab Monitor
  • IT Support Intern
  • Freelance Web Designer
  • Web Designer & Event Promoter
  • Electronic Printing Manager
  • Desktop Support Technician.
  • Help Desk Technician
  • Sr. Desktop Support Technician
  • Computer Analyst

My life plan didn’t really pan out the way I had expected when I enrolled in a college with a stellar Advertising and Design program.

I thought I would be a designer. I’ve worked in print and the web. I know the quick printing business from front to back. I’ve worked on the web and promoted car and bike shows.

I’ve worked at Help Desks and as Desktop Support Technicians in city, state and federal governments. I’ve worked for some of the largest corporations in the US. I’ve worked for a tiny print shop.

I’ve had a confusing and random path through my adult life. I’ve worked a lot of jobs in different industries.

Looking back, there is no cohesive plan I followed to get me to where I am. There is no master scheme at work. I didn’t sit down and decide my fate and my future when I was a teenager growing up in a two-stoplight town surrounded by cows and apple orchards.

I followed one guiding principle.

How will this help me better my situation?

This is what I don’t understand about the Occupy Wall Street protests. I’ve been in desperate places living in my parent’s house. Driving 90 miles round trip to work everyday. I’ve lived pay check to pay check. I’ve lived on unemployment when a round of budget cuts left me out in the cold.

Throughout all the hardships in my life I’ve always worked to better myself and my situation. I am a firm believer that no one is going to help you if you don’t first help yourself.

I’ve gotten some lucky breaks. But to be in the position to get those breaks I had to work hard. Nothing in my life has come easy and has been the result of hard work. Even when I worked as hard as I could, I still lost out. I’ve been the number three-man for two open positions. I’ve had a job taken away that I was a lock for because the hiring manager owed someone else a favor.

This is where my disconnect comes in the Occupy Wall Street protests. What is hoped to be gained there?

Is getting up in the morning and standing on a street corner with other angry, frustrated and uncertain men and woman the best thing to better your situation?

While they’re out protesting, why aren’t you applying to jobs? Why are you not teaching yourself a new skill?

Will protesting Wall Street put food on your table and commas in your bank account?

Will protesting the corporate CEOs finance your lunch?

I can understand the anger. I can understand the hurt and deception. I understand the injustice. I understand that it’s wrong.

But how are you going to better your situation?

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