Well, some of us still are fortunate to have the kind of day jobs which, even if we don't have dependents to care for at home, would pretty severely limit our ability to spend a great deal of time at an Occupy site, getting to know people there, investing the time in building relationships with them, and getting involved FTF. 

The group purports to represent the interests of the 99%.  How might more of the 99% practically be able to find a way to participate in Occupy?  This question has been something I've been considering as I consider how I might be able to get involved in some way. 

I'm wondering if individual Occupy sites--or perhaps multiple or many of the Occupy sites as a kind of collaborative group project--might be able to set up and publicize an online place where others of the 99% who for whatever factors cannot or are not physically at Occupy sites, but want to participate in some way, could share stories of how their and their loved ones' circumstances have been impacted by their job and broader economic circumstances.  This could do be done not just through writing, a medium which many are uncomfortable with, but thru videos, sequenced pictures, and probably in all manner of other ways which people who have something they want to communicate find to do so.

99% is a number, a statistic.  Beyond that number and that statistic lie stories of human beings who are suffering or have suffered greatly.  Many may not believe that a differently organized economy, one with different values reflected in different policies and practices, could have made or could make their lives a little bit better, a little bit less frantic.  Surely there is no societal economic setup in which all suffering is avoidable.  But equally surely, some of it is.  The AIDS activists had their quilt project, which had a highly physical and not just virtual manifestation.  That seemed highly effective in putting a face on a human problem many preferred to ignore. 

I don't know just what such a project might lead to, or how.  But getting more stories told and available to others might be one way to engage many more who are very much affected by the way the U.S. economy currently operates, regardless of whether they now perceive or realize that or not. 

I'm not suggesting there is a policy solution for every human woe, no. 

Nor am I unmindful of the potential of such a project to be perceived by those unsympathetic to it as solely an effort to document a kind of victimization many would see as pathetic.  On this latter point, though, I don't think the results of such a project would lead most to such a conclusion.  Quite to the contrary.  Those who have not been emotionally or physically destroyed by their circumstances are for the most part striving heroically to survive and cope and move forward. 

This is the upside, if you will, of Americans' philosophical disdain of even their own government.  Some of which comes from a resolute spirit that seeks self-sufficiency and detests the idea of dependence on anyone or anything.  If Occupy leads to positive policy changes amounting to a more humane and better economic system and society, it will be because it or other efforts have some success in modifying some pretty deeply held predominant American conceptions of what freedom really is, and what is its true extent in our day-to-day lives.  I think it's possible for some people, anyway, to come to realize that they are not in all ways the Captains of their own ships, that they never will be, and that they might actually be able to live a happy and rewarding life, with a strong sense of personal efficacy and autonomy, after having coming to realize that. 

I once taught a drama class with 80 students.  Maybe 10 or 15 had prior actor training.  Our goal was to mount four productions over four months:  even more important, every person would have a part in at least two of the productions.  And no, they were not large cast shows.

I guess you could say with a preponderance of engineering, history, physics, fine arts, and even phys ed majors, the best we could hope for was anarchy.  Yes, everyone was in it for a different reason.  Some wanted a new experience.  Others wanted to be in a show.  Or be with their friends.  Or take a bird course.  Or be part of something ground-breaking.

I never saw my role as trying to galvanize a group spirit, or rallying cry, or the Show Must Go On sort of Glee Club Solution.  Instead, what I tried to figure out was what everyone was good at and what they liked to do.  Based on this information, one of our shows evolved into a synchronized swimming performance, with the phys ed gals coaching and choreographing the moves.  Another evolved into a night-long performance based on the Grave-digger scene in Hamlet, with the actors digging a 6' hole, based on plans provided by our team of engineers. 

I believe things threaten to devolve into disorder when individuals are not, shall we say, suitably 'occupied.'  I'm commenting from a distance (sadly), but I would say that thematic unity probably counts less in the Occupy Movement than people finding stuff they're good at to contribute.  What groups/bodies need to establish is what individual 'occupants' have to offer and how they can be made to feel that their presence adds something to the effort.

I like the name Occupy just fine.  Colonialism gave it a bad name, but--going back to the Latin--there's nothing wrong with taking over a space, especially if you (and yours) don't leave it unnecessarily fallow.

It doesn't seem like anyone who has embraces it is contesting the message of this movment - either a person supports it and brings their message or they don't.

Only way to shape the message is to join the movement and add your voice - if there are many who feel like you do, the message you bring will ring out loud and clear. Your message is already welcome ... it really seems as if what you want is for the movment to ensure nobody who disagrees with you is.

Desire for imposed structure as you seem to envision it is likely destined to never be realized. If that's not OK with you to be a part of - relax and enjoy the show and don't have a heart-attack over it. I also would be very surprised to see this energy successfully captured as votes for establishment partisans - this is a pressure/protest movement not the time to ask for establishment votes.

If you are correct and there really are millions and millions of people that feel just like you (which, with 300+ million Americans, I certainly don't doubt) - why don't you folks do something really big that better matches y'all's temperments while advancing some sort of accountability and economic adjustment to meet OWS in the middle? {yes, that's two apostrophies. One word. Some pro work there, friends!} Although, if by your rules people can't even get together and decide to close personal bank accounts with a legendary corporate bad actor - not sure what, exactly, you'd allow in terms of accountability when push comes to shove.