Def Jam co-founder/business mogul Russell Simmons has been an avid supporter of Occupy Wall Street supporter and participant since the movement’s beginnings last September. He recently Tweeted in response to Jay-Z’s recent criticisms of OWS in a New York Times interview. Now, at Global Grind, Simmons has posted an Op-Ed in response to Jay’s statements.
In a piece titled “Jay-Z Is Right 99 Times, But This Ain’t One”, Simmons explains Occupy Wall Street to Jay-Z by describing the movement’s structure, accomplishments, and his own experiences at Zuccotti Park, which he visited “almost every day for months”:
“I listened to the young people talk about their 99 problems. The 99 percent. Healthcare reform. Prison industrial complex. The war machine. Bad schools. Lack of access to affordable higher education. Genetically modified food. Gay rights. Immigration reform. Crumbling housing projects. Climate change. Every day, there was a new protester with a new sign, fighting for the rights of the under-served. There was never an official agenda or media-friendly talking points. Zuccotti Park and the Occupy camps that sprung up around the country were places for any and every person to come and share ideas about how to better perfect our union. Our democracy”.
Simmons concluded:
“So, Jay, here’s the deal. You’re rich and I’m rich. But, today it’s close to impossible to be you or me and get out of Marcy Projects or Hollis, Queens without changing our government to have our politicians work for the people who elect them and not the special interests and corporations that pay them. Because we know that these special interests are nothing special at all. In fact, they spend millions of dollars destroying the fabric of the black community and make billions of dollars in return… If we have to occupy Wall Street or occupy All Streets to change the course of direction of this nation, then we must. We must take our democracy off the market and let the world know that it is no longer for sale! Mic check!”.
Watch Russell Simmons and Kanye West at #Occupy Wall Street below:
Connect & Tweet Mr Russell Simmons