STATE COLLEGE, PA- What can you say about a legend? A legend has succeeded in some form or another in the field of his/her choice. A legend has a considerable amount of time participating and doing what he has dedicated himself to as well. A legend in some fashion, has a tremendous amount of respect coming from many in his related field and elsewhere on a grand scale. Recently, it seems as though clouds have been looming over the legend that is Pennsylvania State University’s head football coach, Joe Paterno. Although the scandal that has been occuring at the school for over the past nine years has been happening under the nose of Paterno, it is widely seen by many that his involvement in it was not directly and shares no role in its occurence.

Penn State’s longtime assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, has been accused of sexually assaulting young boys in the university’s football locker room shower after all the players and officials have vacated the premises. Also, athletics director, Tim Curly, and senior vice president Gary Schultz, have been arrested with charges of perjury and the failure to report what they knew was occuring between Sandusky and the children. In a case of this magnitude, officials presiding over the Sandusky case tell the press that Paterno did what he was suppose to do, by following protocol of going to Curly regarding the matter when a youth sexual abuse was claimed to have taken place in the Lasch Football Building showers in March 2002. Although officials say that Paterno followed protocol by taking his concerns to coach Curly, Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner, Frank Noonan, turned up the fire on Paterno by saying, “Paterno has failed in his moral responsibility to push further on the shower allegation”.

Joe Paterno arrived at Pennsylvania State University in 1950, as an assistant coach of 23 years of age. In 1966, he began head coaching for the university. Paterno has produced for the school, an undefeated season in 1994, and national championships in 1982 and 1986. Four years prior to these allegations, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and his image is adorned in statues across the campus of Penn State. In the entire 52 year history of Beaver Stadium, Coach Paterno has been held as the head coach of Penn State’s football program.It is reported that Paterno will step down as head coach of Penn State football by the end of the season. Tuesday night, huge crowds gathered outside of his home for support and backing of the coach that they love and admire.

The Philosophy:
This is utterly rediculous. I believe the police commissioner has it out something personal for Joe Pa. I cannot understand why he is to be juggled around in the same jar as Sandusky and other officials who had personal ties to the sexual abuse that was occuring. Whatever the reason, Paterno did what he was suppose to do at the time, by following the protocol that he was so aware. I believe Sandusky should spend years behind the slammer without a chance for release. How can a lengthy time in jail cure a pedophile or someone who has a fascination with little boys in a sexual manner? It just cannot. I fully support Joe Paterno in this case, and I mean come on,the man is 84 years old. Let’s just let him stay and coach the remaining time that he is blessed to live on this earth, and continue his success at the school that he loves so dearly. I believe they owe that to him. All charges or claims or allegations against him need to be dropped, and everyone else who first hand, knew what had occured needs to be dealt with in a severe manner. Let Joe Pa stay, and coach his Nittany Lions to victory.
-Justin Gibson

Don’t worry this will not be an article about red and green Christmas tree sweaters, elaborate Christmas broaches, cornucopia headbands, or darling little turkey earrings. For anyone who knows my style they know that I am not one that is very “festive”. By festive I mean, you won’t see me wearing stars, stripes, and red, white, and blue on the Fourth of July or catch me with Christmas tree earrings, not saying anything is wrong with this. Well…actually, if being over the top festive is your thing then by all means do your thing but please try to avoid looking like Thanksgiving and Christmas regurgitated all over you. This article will be about how to remain sexy and holiday inspired while attending the holiday dinners and parties that I’m sure so many of you have planned.

So many times when the holidays come around our go to outfits are those that we consider comfortable so we can eat as much as we would like and also, those that seem to fit in with the theme of the holiday. I absolutely love the holidays because they actually give me an excuse to dress up. These are some simple steps along with a few pictures (as always) to help you be stylish, comfortable, and holiday inspired this year without doing a little too much.

Step 1: Play with color.

As many of us want to stay in certain color schemes for each holiday we must remember that these color schemes can become monotonous and boring. The color scheme for Thanksgiving usually ranges between the oranges, yellows, and browns. Don’t be afraid to throw a pop of color into your Thanksgiving outfit. If you want to stick to the autumn colors for this day, try throwing in pinks, blues, and purples to stand out from the drone of the thanksgiving color scheme. Who really wants to blend in with the table cloth anyways? The pop can come from your shoes, jewelry, handbag, or even in your clothing. Personally, I love a cute pair of colored tights; they always give just enough pizzazz to jazz up any outfit. Play with it, have fun. Stand out!

Step 2: Remember that a little goes a long way.

Wearing a nice pair of skinny jeans paired with a winter white sweater and a pair of emerald or red shoes is a stylish way to bring a little bit of festive into your wardrobe without overdoing it. Heck, even throw on a pair of naughty or nice undies and keep that little secret between you and your personal Secret Santa. Always be aware that these suggestions can be tweaked in your own personal way in order to show your personal style. You can always slip in small “festive” items like socks, undies, even jewelry but try to remain tasteful k?

Step 3: Don’t be afraid to shine!

With the holidays we have an excuse to sparkle, sparkle, sparkle and a woman like me doesn’t need any excuse to pull out the sequins and tasteful glitter but it’s nice to have one . Channel the sparkly ornament on the tree with a sexy sequin dress or stunning glitter stilettos or booties to bring in the New Year (not to be worn together). Sequins never lose their place in the wardrobe, I don’t care if someone tells you they do, believe ME your style guide, they don’t. You do have to be careful however not to pair too many sequin or glitter items together (try to stick to one) and not to purchase an item that loses the sequins throughout the night. You’ll end up leaving a trail like Hansel and Gretel everywhere you go and believe me there is nothing more embarrassing than accidentally transferring the sequins or glitter from your outfit onto the face or clothing of someone you’ve had a crush on and finally worked up the courage to talk to. He’ll end up thinking you purposely left it there to leave your mark and he’ll never end up being your Secret Santa {no this is not a personal story }.

Step 4: Have fun!

This is not necessarily a fashion tip besides encouraging you to be daring with your wardrobe and colors of choice but overall just have fun. One who can let their guard down and enjoy the festivities is one who exudes the most confidence, which as I have mentioned countless times is a key proponent in expressing and enhancing your sexy. Let your hair down, grab some egg-nog, and slip into something you might not have the chance to wear anywhere else.

Happy Holidays readers!

WASHINGTON- As 21-year-old Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez of Idaho waits calmly for his court hearing in Pittsburgh, he previously noted that he was on a “mission from God” to fire ammunition from his assault rifle at the white house. The night of the shooting, gunfire had been reported around 9 p.m., and it’s origin of direction came from Constitution Avenue towards the white house across the south lawn. One bullet struck the living quarters of the white house and was stopped by a ballistic glass, and another bullet wedged into the exterior of the building. Hernandez was arrested Wednesday in Pennsylvania with connections to the incident, and was taken into questioning thereafter.

At the time of the shooting, President Obama and the first family were not there. Later Friday night after the arrest had been made, secret service and police said that they found an abandon car and an AK-47 nearby the premises. Hernandez had been reported missing from his Idaho Falls home since Oct. 31st, and Wednesday morning, before Friday night’s shooting, while staying in Washington, he was stopped by police as he was reported as being a suspicious character in the area. At that moment, police had no reason for arrest, but did however take photos of Hernandez and let him be. Hernandez has had an arrest record in three other states, but police say that he has not been linked to any extreme or hostile organizations that they know.

As the investigations continue, so does the state of Hernandez’ mental health. There are also claims that Hernandez might have become “obsessed” in some fashion or another with President Obama and the first family, according to two officials who are currently investigating Hernandez’ past. Upon arrest in Pennsylvania, Hernandez did not resist, and was taken into the care of the Indiana, PA authorities. His court appearance begins Thursday.

The Philosophy:

Terrible. If there is an issue that you do not agree with, or some form of governing that seems to not settle well with you, or whatever the case may be as it relates to the Office of the President of the United States of America, firing an assault rifle at the building is not the way to handle the issue. Make it known in a respectful manner in some form or another, but not with violence. We do not have all the facts yet, so I cannot speak in great detail on this. What I can say though, is that I’m certainly glad that the president and his family were not home, and that they were safe away from this guy’s crazed actions. At the time President Obama was in California, before he traveled to Hawaii and then Australia. So, it’s nice to see that he was safe at the time.

-Justin Gibson

NEW YORK- Yesterday, New York City police cleared out Occupy Wall Street camps across the city, including the headquarters of the New York City movement Zuccotti Park. The reasoning for the clearings and the arrests were linked to reports of violence, vandalism, death, and illness. Now a thin line has been drawn in the sand between the first amendment rights and public safety enforcement, as it relates to the police and the Occupy movement. Many protesters believe that certain smaller incidents regarding singular individuals will result in the establishment attempting to deny them their freedom of speech and bash them with curfew ordinances.
Just recently, the protesters have been ordered to leave Zuccotti Park by local New York City authorities that deem the park as too unclean for their stay. Police have told the protesters that they will be able to return to the park, after it has been cleaned. “The more evidence that we see of problems in the way of safety and health concerns, the more ammunition the government has to support enforcement of the curfew ordinances”. Says First Amendment attorney Lawrence Walters.
After the clearing of Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan at 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, police told the protesters that they could return in several hours, just without their tents, sleeping bags, and tarps. A short time later, Mayor Bloomberg’s office noted that, the protesters should temporarily leave.
The protesters in the Occupy Wall Street movement have full intentions on returning to Zuccotti Park, after the clean up procedure has been underway, yet it is uncertain how they will react to the demands and orders being placed upon them by police and the mayor’s office.
The Philosophy:

B.S. That is what I think the evacuation movement from Zuccotti Park was all about. It is an excuse to raid the home of the Occupy Wall Street movement, and it is an excuse to place awful demands upon the protesters. You can’t bring your sleeping bags, tents, or tarps back to the park. Then they know that many of the people involved will not be able to sleep, or spend time overnight in the park. I hope this B.S. coming from mayor Bloomberg’s office doesn’t deter the efforts and mission that the Occupy movement stands for; financial and economic equality. They want a chance, and I can’t blame them, to live a decent life and be happy. Those rights are mentioned in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. You have to understand that the establishment are billionaires, like Bloomberg and many other law enforcing officials, that do not want to see an educated public stand as one. For if they do, no amount of law enforcement, procedure, or policy can stop a wave of the nation’s people determined to gain equality.
-Justin Gibson

UNITED STATES- As tuition hikes continue to be a factor with regards to college enrollment, and the value of a college education has somewhat declined, foreigners to U.S. shores, by the numbers, have continued to enroll in the nation’s most successful colleges. Last year, the amount of total contribution from foreigners to the U.S. economy through higher education, estimated an average $20 billion. Since the 9/11 attacks back in 2001, the enrollment of international students to U.S. universities declined briefly, yet a few years later beginning in 2006, that same number increased by 3.9%. Over the past decade, the number of foreigners attending American colleges and universities has jumped significantly by 32%.

This same observation also noticed that many American students attendance in foreign colleges was on the rise as well. Over the past two years, the number of U.S. students studying abroad has increased by nearly 3.9%. “Young people studying abroad gain the global skills necessary to create solutions to 21st Century challenges”. Says Ann Stock, assistant secretary of state. The State Department determined that earlier declines in tuition were just short-term trends, and this in itself could be the reasoning behind the attendance of more foreigners in America and vice versa. Stock continues once again, “In turn international students globalize our campuses and communities”.

The amount of undergraduate international students increased by over 157,500 last year, and graduate students numbers swelled to over 23% from foreign lands. Jason Baumgartner, an official at Indiana University, notes that nearly $28 billion in spending by international students was basically offset by $7.7 billion in U.S. support or a private American sponsor. The Department of Commerce notes that nearly $21 billion is contributed to the overall welfare of the United States from foreign students attending American colleges.

The Philosophy:

This number is staggering, in a slightly good perspective. It’s wonderful to have students attending from all over the world, it is very surprising though, that quite a few Americans have decided to study abroad rather than in the U.S. Now, I understand studying abroad gives you the opportunity to attend very honorable, well to do universities, Cambridge, Oxford, etc., yet I still believe that America has the greatest colleges on the planet, especially the Ivy Leaguers. There is something wrong when young people, or prospective students in general believe that attending a university abroad is the only method to take in order to be able to solve 21st Century challenges and issues that face the world. There is also something wrong when tuition hikes are constantly increasing, and a huge majority of students cannot attend college due to the high cost, also they figure in times such as these, “Why would I attend? After graduation the market is so bad that I wouldn’t be able to find a job in my field”. There are some kinks that need to be worked out, but there is hope. I continue to believe that foreign students enrollment in U.S. is a positive. It gives many Americans the chance to see different perspectives and understand cultures from around the world, yet I do not feel that the value of foreign colleges is better than the value of American colleges. There is a factor of endowment and status that goes along with someone’s choice of a college, but the value of an American collegiate education is still high.

-Justin Gibson

NEW YORK- Wednesday night Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show held in New York City offered a variety of fashion and entertainment, that spiced the ceremony well and added a touch of flavor and taste to the fashion titan. Making appearances at the show were rapper/ entrepreneur Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, and Maroon 5, all of whom had tremendous performances that were intended to enhance the overall quality of the show. The annual lingerie extravaganza, held at the Lexington Avenue Armory, blended the best in hip hop, R&B, and light rock with models advertising the best that the company had to offer.

Glitz, glamour, and wealth were displayed from Miranda Kerr’s fantasy bra, which displayed over $2.5 million worth of diamonds in a portion of the fantastical show called “Angels Aquatic”. The portion was a parade of mermaid like temptresses, covered in pearls and their wings crafted in the shape of shells. A total of 69 looks, 38 models, 31 pairs of wings, and six themes appeared on the runway, in an effort to showcase one of the most glamorous Victoria’s Secret fashion shows in some time. The appearance from the majority of the singers and musicians was staged simply for the enhancement of the show, yet many veteran models made appearances on the runway, including Adriana Lima. She garnered a red and black attire at the end of the passion number.

Altogether, the show drew a crowd of many high-profile names and celebrities alike including, Cuba Gooding Jr., Russell Simmons, Michael Bay, Tyson Beckford, and Stephen Dorff.

The Philosophy:

I’m not a huge consumer of fashion and I’m not very in “the know” when it comes to fashion and anything related, yet I’m glad that this year’s Victoria’s Secret show is more lavish, glamorous, and glitzy than ever. Glamour and glitz period is something that, exterior wise is very charming and attractive, but at times very shallow and false, yet it is not something that you see hardly at all in today’s society. I associate glamour and glitz to only award show nights where the elite of arts and entertainment make their faces seen to the world. It is an aspect of society that I relate to the Golden Era of Hollywood of the 1930s, and the peak of the Broadway craze and the Great White Way of the 1920s before the market crashed. It’s just something that most people do not buy into in their normal lives, and to see a fashion show with that much sizzle and appeal, is something that is very interesting. Plus, beautiful, sexy, women in the lingerie fashion show could never be a minus.

-Justin Gibson

WASHINGTON- Recently, Republican contender for the 2012 presidential election, Herman Cain, has been involved in a slew of sexual harassment claims that have surfaced now after 14 years of his political and business career. “He suddenly reached over and put his hand on my leg, under my skirt, and reached for my genitals.” Said Sharon Bialek, a hopeful employee or manager for Cain’s “Godfather’s Pizza” chain. According to Bialek, the incident occurred back in July of 1997, when she was seeking employment after being terminated from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Cain’s representatives deny all sexual claims against him.

Gloria Allred, Bialek’s attorney, noted that at the time, she (Bialek) was a college graduate seeking employment after a quick termination, and that Mr. Cain preyed upon her vulnerability and youth as a young woman new to the workforce. Bialek described her meeting with Cain at his restaurant when walking into the back room as, “very, very surprising and shocking”. She later continued by saying that, “He also grabbed my head and brought it towards his crotch. When I asked what he was doing he replied, “You want the job don’t you”? Bialek is not alone in this matter, she is the fourth woman to come front and tell the press that she was violated and used sexually by Cain’s unwanted advances in the late 90s. Allegations about Cain’s sexual fiascos arose back on October 30th when a report by “Politico” surfaced reporting that two of Cain’s former female employees reported sexual harassment against him while in the process of employment at his restaurant.

A third woman would eventually surface before Bialek made her name known, and now the case is brought to light by the mass media outlets around the world. While guest appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Cain denied all the sexual harassment claims and stated that Bialek was lying, using his wife’s word to support his statement. While being addressed by the press, Allred described Bialek in those days as a college graduate and marketing professional who had lived the majority of her time in Chicago. These accusations are having an impact on the mindset of voters as they relate to Herman Cain. About 53% of voters say that if these allegations were true, they would not place their vote for Herman Cain as the next president of the United States. A surprising 42% say that they would still consider voting for him. However the ball bounces in this situation, it is definitely certain that Mr. Cain’s sexual endeavors have led this campaign towards a road of uncertainty, and a possible dead-end.

The Philosophy:

It is one thing to encounter a single claim of sexual harassment, maybe even two, but when more than a couple have come out of the closet, well you’re just in a bad situation buddy. Now don’t get me wrong, any sexual liaison that occurs with the other party in disagreement is simply wrong, yet when running for any political office, you really have to be squeaky clean. I heard, that yesterday morning on The Today Show, Bialek came out and told the public why she waited 14 years to make her claim known. I did not hear this that morning, but I’m sure it had something to do with fear and money. If she was employed by Cain, then fear of her losing her job and thus money as well, would be the factor for silence. It’s also surprising to me that almost 42% of people still say that they would consider voting for Cain even though he has sexually harassed a number of women. Yet, many of the same dunces that don’t mind this offensive behavior, were the exact people claiming that former president Bill Clinton would’ve been impeached for his scandal with Monica Lewinsky. Contradictions galore.

-Justin Gibson

WASHINGTON- Bill Clinton is back, and he has concerns regarding the struggling economy, President Obama’s approval rating, and his personal economic plan to revive confidence in the markets and get people back to work. Clinton notes that no U.S. President in the history of our nation has been re-elected while the jobless rate is at the current status that it exists, yet he says that there may be a solution. Clinton says, “Well that’s what the Republicans are banking on. But the American people have a funny way of figuring. If they decide that the unemployment rate is that high because the Congress refused to work with the president, and their numbers remain markedly lower than his, he (Obama) might win anyway. I still think he’s in pretty good shape.”

Former president Clinton now has a new book currently out, “Back to Work”. The 196 page book constructed by the former president, deals with his policies on politics, government, and finance, along with the past 30 years in which he calls “bi-polar anti-government policies” that have led America done a dismal path. Clinton also says, “The purpose of this book is to say that your always better off doing something. When people are in trouble, action is better than inaction.” Mr. Clinton wrote the book while traveling across the country in 2010, making 130 campaign appearances, during the midterm elections. Above all, Clinton notes that the Democratic Congress’ failure to fully agree or disagree with president Obama’s viewpoints on energy, stimulus, and the full role that government takes in regulating its citizens’ lives, was the key to the Republicans gaining entry into the House after the 2010 midterm elections.

With regards to the Occupy protests going on across the nation, Mr. Clinton states, “They have an amorphous set of resentments for which I sympathize. I don’t think Americans can continue this level of income inequality.” Continuing his viewpoint of the Occupy movement, Clinton says, “They need to have some idea of what they want the country to do. If I were in their position I would invite politicians down to talk to them. I’d invite Governor Cuomo down to talk to me. I’d invite the mayor down to talk to me in New York”. Many regard the Occupy movement, mostly populated by a group of 20′s young people, as the movement for financial equality for a generation of youngsters whose promise of the American dream was standard in their lives until recently. Clinton agrees.

Bill Clinton says, “We’re in a mess now”. He relates our current situation back to the days of the late 19th Century, in which Democratic president Grover Cleveland’s hands were tied and there was tremendous discord and uncertainty in Washington and the markets. The Panic of 1893, marked this as a certainty and ignited social unrest by the Progressive Era. Still Clinton says, “There’s a way out”.

The Philosophy:

I want to read this book so bad now. I love President Obama’s book “The Audacity of Hope”, which details his mindset and policies that would be put forth during his presidency. Yet, that book is particularly relevant if the Democrats and the president have full control over Washington, which they do not now since the midterm elections of 2010. This is why I am very curious to see what Bill Clinton is thinking in “Back to Work”. He has been keeping it cool for a while now, and I would be interested in seeing how he thinks we can prosper once again and see our way out of this crisis that we are currently experiencing. I just think of the days when president Obama had a majority in the House and Senate, and Nancy Pelosi was Speaker, man those were pivotal days. The only mistake that I think the president has made, is that he did not pass every single bill that he wanted his first two years in office. He reached out his hand to Republican leadership for bi-partisan efforts and compromise, and they spat in it. So, you live and you learn. If president Obama is re-elected, the House must be Democratic as well, and I certainly hope at that time, that he does every single thing he wants and needs to do.

-Justin Gibson

NEW YORK- Recently, if you view photographs of protesters all across America you will notices something slightly different regarding the Occupy movements, there are masks that the Occupy protesters are wearing to distinguish themselves from the majority of other protests. The masks they are wearing are derived back to the 1600s from England, where an individual attempted to bomb the parliament wearing that particular mask. Many Americans will recognized the mask from the hit Warner Brothers motion picture, “V For Vendetta”. Although Fawkes was a criminal who attempted to destroy the British Parliament from the early 1600s, the protesters say that in no way, shape, or form are they attempting to claim themselves criminals in the publics eye, but to inform those 1% that they in fact are acting in a criminal manner. Recently, “V For Vendetta” has been in the public’s conscience for five years, and still the lasting impact of the movie has inspired the Occupy movement to claim the mask as their symbol for justice and financial equality.

When legal issues could arise, many protesters claim that the Fawkes mask that they are wearing is not of the American made version, whose image is now owned by Warner Brothers after the tremendous success of “V For Vendetta”, but of a foreign kind from another Eastern country. Lewis Call, an assistant history professor at California Polytechnic in San Luis Obispo says, “You can seize hold of it (the mask) for any political purpose you want. That’s the real power of it”. In Zuccotti Park in New York City where the original Occupy movement began, the masks have been worn for the past month, in an effort to distinguish themselves as the Occupy Wall Street movement. 32-year-old Jason J. Cross, a New York protester, said “The origins of this mask come from rising up against the government. Guy Fawkes represents the fact that the people have the real power”. Cross said that he sold 10 Fawkes mask in Zuccotti Park Thursday, and he has 20 more in his tent to be sold at $5 a piece.

All in all, the movement continues and in powerful form. It’s message is financial equality and sustainability through peace and non violent efforts of protests and vocal word. Now, the movement is moving toward identity, and the mask of England’s 1600s Guy Fawkes, is the catalyst of that identity. Protests continue in movements around American cities, large, small, and in between.

The Philosophy:

Uh huh. There it is. A face. An identity to spur the growth of the movement even more than it has already been. The Occupy movement has basically had popularity in only two months, and at this point in time, it has reached a number that is unbelievable. Millions of people around the country and world, who are fed up and upset with the system as it is currently, are now in the midst of a battle of class. There exists no more a middle class. The poor are suffering, and they will stop at nothing to see economic injustice crippled, and fair levels of finance presented to them. They do not want millions of dollars handed to them individually from the government or Wall Street, I’m pretty sure most of them have no trouble with people working for and acquiring wealth, yet the trouble exists when there is no justice of fair taxation, of job opportunity, of opportunity for education and fair loans from the banks for small businesses and start-ups to function successfully. Trouble exists when the top 1% of wealthy income earners and companies such as Whirlpool and General Electric pay no taxes whatsoever for an entire fiscal year. It is an issue when, in an effort to keep the poor poorer and the minorities of the nation in a state of poverty, that collective bargaining rights of individuals such as firefighters, teachers, policemen, and other civic workers are being stripped and destroyed. All these issues are being called into question, and I feel that the majority of protesters are calling upon the billionaires of the world to make it even. They will not stop until they have justice.

As far as the “V For Vendetta” mask is concerned, it is an interesting choice of identity, yet quite understandable. The actual Guy Fawkes was a criminal. Yes, but a criminal in whose eyes? Just because he wanted to destroy the British system of governing meant that he disagreed with the system. He was a criminal in the eyes of the establishment because he represented a threat to the system that they established to govern and control everyone. Now I’m not saying to go to Washington D.C. and blow up the federal reserve building or destroy the Federal Reserve of New York in NYC, but what I am saying, is that this man was a threat to the British establishment of that time, and now his mask has risen in modern times. It has risen now in the form of a protest against unjust financial terms and against rights being stripped from hard-working men and women, accomplished and tried only by the ruling Republicans in Congress and in local state and city governments. The Guy Fawkes mask is an excellent choice for the Occupy movement, and I certainly hope that the world sees the injustice taking place and heeds to this movement.

Finally, I do believe as well that this Occupy Movement is the back-end settling of the latter days of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Memphis, TN to address the issue of economic equality and financial sturdiness amongst the poorest individuals of America. This was called the “Poor People’s Campaign”. The march was to take place in Washington D.C. and make its way across America, assembling poor people as it traveled, yet Memphis was a hot bed at the time due to the issue of financial equality for the black sanitary public workers, who had been on strike for quite some time before Dr. King came. Of course, before he could settle the issue in Memphis, and before the Campaign for the poor could begin, he was assassinated. You see, many of the people at the top of the mountain do not want others to rise, and when that power is threatened they will do just about anything in order to make sure that they remain, in their minds, superior (financially in this case) to the majority of citizens.

Still, this is a threat to the establishment that cannot be ignored. This is the last remaining portion of the civil rights movement to be enacted that was halted by Dr. King’s assassination. This is the financial and economic equality that can be achieved through peace and non violence that is a right that is deemed to every living and breathing American body in this great land of ours. So what do I say to the Occupy movement members and protesters across this beautiful country of ours? I say wear the mask proudly.

-Justin Gibson

NEW YORK- After the violence that occurred in the Occupy Oakland movement, severely injuring U.S. Marine Scott Olsen, veterans across the country are moved to join the movement stating that they “are the 99% veterans”. Today the New York City Chapter of Iraq Veterans against the war took action, massing on Wall Street. They’re plan is to march through the financial district to the Occupy Wall Street encampment about half a mile away. Since that action, many Americans across the nation say that they are appalled at the actions of the police in coordinance with the movement, and many more have become active in the movement. Now, the veterans that see their fellow Marine and Iraq veteran, are extremely motivated to make a difference.

“Were getting calls from veterans across the country who are extremely angry and appalled that someone who served two tours in Iraq got injured as a well-behaved protester”. Says Scott Kimball, a senior at University of Illinois, a young man who served in Iraq as an army specialist. “We’re just seeing the beginning of it”. He continues. Since Scott Olsen’s injury, interim Oakland police chief, Howard Jordan, says that this will be investigated as vigorously as a fatal police shooting. The Occupy movement has had a presence of American veterans from its origins, yet now the amount of veterans that have taken action with the movement has increased significantly. “I’m in it for the long-term”. Says Shawn Riley, a 25-year-old Iraq veteran who protested in the Occupy Chicago movement as well. Joe Carter, a retired army veteran and head of the National Iraq Veterans Against the War Association, states, “We’re hearing from 80-year-old former Marines. Scott Olsen was willing to put his life on the line, so a lot more people are willing to take a more visible role”.

Occupy Wall Street launched itself in New York City just a few short months ago, as a protest against corporate greed, the wealthiest 1%, and equal taxation under the law for the poor and middle class individuals and families. Yet, through all its unorganizedat times, it has grown tremendously nationwide as a movement that represents the average American man. Carter hopes that the attention that veterans are giving to the Occupy movement will increase the awareness of homeless veterans and those struggling from mental and physical trauma from the war who have been denied the care they need and deserve. The Department of Labor recently noted that unemployment of veterans aged 18-24 years of age, is up 20% more than the national average of 9%. The march on the Port of Oakland is to take place today, and demonstrators hope that their peaceful protest will result in progression towards the overall goals of the Occupy movement of financial equality and justice for the everyday man.

The Philosophy:

I am glad that veterans across the nation are now active in this movement more so than they were just a few short months ago. I’ve said before that Scott Olsen’s injury was a shame and a crime, and with the U.S. Marine Corps backing the actions of the veterans, there is more pressure and power to hammer over the heads of the financial elite that refuse to give a fair shake to the average income earning man. The police are ridiculous in this matter, and I say that for a certain reason. They are highly underpaid, and they enforce the system that is determined to strip and devalued their rights for collective bargaining, and deserved pay. They are aggressive when not needed, and when Scott Olsen was injured, it really angered me. To think that this man, served in our armed forces, and put his life on the line for the rights we have in this nation, and when he comes home to peacefully protest, he his severely injured, is a crime. I hope this angers all the veterans in the nation, because not only could the Occupy movement end in financial equality for the poor, but also for the rights of veterans that they deserve that have been diminished over time. I think the movement should change its name to “Occupy America”. Let’s hope it continues strong.

-Justin Gibson