Doc Peterson on Occupy

Doc Peterson continues as Occupy Muncie's biggest supporters, offering health care, resources and advice to keep the revolution against banks and government going. Whether it is providing care to people without insurance or means, allowing the movement to benefit from Doc's Music Hall fundraising or just offering counsel to occupiers, John Peterson knows you cannot evict an idea who's time has come. His experience from the Civil Rights and Vietnam War protests of the 1960s provides insight besides direction to the present day movement. On Sunday, Peterson offered some words from others to call people to question and even challenge government and the money behind it. A member of the county health board, Peterson offered some chilling statistics about poverty in Delaware County, More than 70 percent of school children meet the financial criteria for free school lunches. The county is designated by the federal government as "medically underserved." and Open Door Health Services, the local Medicaid clinic, is looking at tripling the numbers of patients over the next two years. He also offered words from Columbia University economist Joseph Stiglitz, who won a Nobel Prize for his critical look at globlization, free market economists, and international groups like World Bank and the International Montary Fund. Stiglitz offered even colder statistics like how homeowners have lost 30 percent of the value of their homes to $13 trillion nationwide. Another $8.4 trillion has been wiped off the value of people's stock with retirement accounts reduced to a third or more. At the other end, the top one percent control 40 percent of the nation's wealth and take in 25 percent of the nation's economy, which more than than 25 years ago. Besides Stiglitz explains the United States now compares to Iran and Russia in income inequality. Just look at how 50 million Americans use food stamps to eat while 50 million more are without health care. "America is the richest nation in history, yet we now have the highest poverty rate in the industrialized world with an unprecedented among of Americans living in dire straights," he said. Everyone should remember the immortal words of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower as he spoke in his farewell address in 1961. "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. "The potential for disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or the democratic process. We should take nothing for granted.  Only an alert and knowledgable citizenry can compel the meshing of huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together."  Look for Peterson to provide more information on Delaware County's condition that you won't see or hear from government or banks.