Occupy Princeton Mic Checks JP Morgan/Chase and Goldman Sachs
Update Dec 14, 2011: I apologize for not disclosing my involvement with Occupy Princeton in this post. In the interest of full disclosure, I have been attending the General Assemblies and support the movement but was not a part of these mic checks. As a blog, not a newspaper, there is room for some opinion on the Ink and for writers to report on issues they are connected to. However I absolutely should have disclosed my affiliation and I apologize.We know, we know. Princeton is apathetic. Politically, we are unengaged. Well, Occupy Princeton doesn't seem to have received the message. Having held General Assemblies on Frist North Lawn since November 17, they occupied JP Morgan/Chase and Goldman Sachs info sessions Wednesday and Thursday nights. Their message? That sending roughly 10% of our graduates into finance goes against our motto "in the nation's service and service of all nations." Dressing in business attire, about 20 students infiltrated the two info sessions, looking like they were interested students. At the end of Wednesday's session, senior Derek Gideon yelled "Mic check!" and followed with Occupy Princeton's speech call-and-response style. Senior Sandra Mukasa led Thursday's mic check.In an email sent to Occupy Princeton after the Wednesday info session, Derek told the occupiers who had been unable to attend:
The mic check at the end was awesome- the look of shock on their faces was priceless, especially as we all walked out and they realized more than half of us were protestors- and then I heard the woman leading the session declare, "Well, it's getting close to 7..."
Though they realize they are unlikely to change the minds of anyone at the info sessions, Occupy Princeton hopes to start a discussion on campus by disrupting and bringing publicity to the info sessions. Occupiers told the Prince:
"Our goal is to open up a discussion at the University level,” said Luciana Chamorro ’12 .... “The idea is that it will spread."“My personal goal is to raise awareness,” occupier Robert Joyce ’13 said. “We’re young. These are some formative years. We’re around very smart people and this is our chance to challenge our views.”
The question is, on a campus known for its political apathy, will they get a positive response? Though, with about 50 people in the group, I guess they've proved that we're not all Whitney Blodgetts.The next General Assembly is Tuesday. Find the words from the mic checks after the jump.
JP Morgan/Chase
Princeton’s motto is:In the nation’s service and service of all nationsJP Morgan, your actions violate our mottoYour predatory lending practices helped crash our economyWe’ve bailed out your executives’ bonusesYou’ve evicted struggling homeowners while taking their tax moneyYou support mountaintop removal mining in Appalachiawhich destroys our ecological futureIn light of these actions,we protest the campus culturethat whitewashes the crooked dealings of Wall Streetas a prestigious career path.We are here todayas a voice for the 99%shut out by a system that punishes themjust for being born without privilege.What we need is not a university for the 1%,but a university “In the Nation’s Service,and in the Service of All Nations.
Goldman Sachs
Princeton’s motto is:In the nation’s service and service of all nationsGoldman, your actions violate our motto.In 2001, you helped mask Greek Debt.From 2007-2008, your imposed commodity marketcontributed to the global food crisiswith a quarter-million people starving.In 2008, you paid a mere $14 million Dollars in global tax,while making a $2 billion profit.Your lending practices helped crash our economyOur bailout dollars went to your executives’ bonusesIn light of these actions,we protest the campus culturethat whitewashes the crooked dealings of Wall Streetas a prestigious career path.We are here todayas a voice for the 99%shut out by a system that punishes themjust for being born without privilege.Dear Fellow Princeton Students,We are here to ask you for a moment of reflection.Deciding on a future career path is difficultIt deserves serious introspection.When you came to Princeton as a wide eyed freshman,you probably didn’t dream of working at Goldman Sachs.What happened?We are all privileged to have made it to Princeton.However, our talents will be wastedif we send all our best and brightest to Wall Street.Some of you joke that you’re going over to the dark side.To the Gold Man Sacks.Those nicknames exist for a reasonYou’ve heard that investment banking is an exciting, fast-paced career.That is what smart people like you do.You’ve been told that this is what success looks like.We are here to challenge those beliefsWhat you’ve been listening to is a carefully crafted recruitment pitch.You can do better for yourselvesand you can do better for our society.Princeton is a university “In the Nation’s Service,and in the Service of All Nations.”We invite you to join us at our next General Assembly.