I felt compelled to write a letter expressing my concern with the groundswell of ‘Occupy This,’ ‘Occupy That’ on campus and beyond. A few years ago, I received an essay back from my high school English teacher. In red cursive, she simply wrote, ‘Don’t use sweeping claims.’ From that moment forward, the word ‘everyone’ took new meaning. I don’t like to use it anymore, and neither should the journalists covering the protest movement across campus and across the nation. I may be part of ‘our generation,’ but I’m not a part of your movement. Do not take this as a commentary on the protests at large. I place immense value on the key ideal this nation was founded on and the protests are upholding: freedom. Drawing inspiration from Evelyn Beatrice Hall, I can’t help but mention that I don’t agree with everything you guys are doing, but I will defend to the death your right to do it.

Instead, this is a letter expressing disappointment with those making assumptions. As journalists, it is your duty to express the facts, not the sensationalist trends of the moment. Think twice before you group all of us together in your headline. There are dissenting opinions on the matter. Our generation needs a rallying cry beyond shouting at corporate headquarters. Just because I’m young does not mean I’m unhappy. Maybe I should be. I don’t know. And you know what? I don’t care.

Chris Parker

Senior creative advertising, marketing and entrepreneurship major