It’s all over the news. You’ve heard about it. Occupy Wall Street is on everybody’s radar screen.

Now, it’s time to experience it.

The ongoing demonstrations in New York City, centered in the Wall Street financial district within Zuccotti Park, are overflowing with patriotic, fed up Americans protesting the disgusting social and economic inequality and corporate greed.

Is New York turning into a carnival of hippies? No. To put it bluntly, there has been an enormous gap between the wealthy and the working class in this country, and many Americans are tired of big business reaping the benefits and influencing governmental decisions so that they wind up in their favor. The Great Recession that we are in has most of us struggling, but many financial leaders and businessmen are cruising along unharmed.

Corporations provide many benefits to society, like revolutionizing technology to create value for consumers, employees, investors and communities. Companies produce good products at affordable prices and great products at higher prices, but mainly provide us with the necessities that aid day-to-day life. They create jobs that provide health care and importance to people’s lives. And they pay their taxes.

Despite this, many companies are negotiating with politicians. Shady deals are going down: many businessmen and politicians are trading with each other: the companies give money; the politicians implement profit-boosting government policies. That’s where Occupy Wall Street comes in. We’re not blind. And many of us aren’t happy, either.

The goal of the protests varies. According to Adbusters, a primary protest organizer, the main demand of the protest is for President Obama to “ordain a Presidential Commission tasked with ending the influence money has over our representatives in Washington.” Others have allegedly stated that the protests represent a variety of demands with a common goal; to somehow regulate influence of big business and the wealthiest 1% on U.S. laws and policies.

Does it really matter why we go? Occupy Wall Street is a fantastic current event that is, just recently, in the news for attracting more and more tourists. So why don’t we, the people of Connecticut who live so close, see what all the hoopla is about? Maybe we could think for a second: although many of us live privelaged lives, is it right for the super-rich and the super-powerful to maintain a easy, exclusive co-dependency that kicks blue collar Americans to the curb? You decide.

If you’re reading this article, you most likely live in Fairfield County. You can hop on a train and arrive in Grand Central Station in just about an hour, then it’s a short subway ride downtown.  Many of us Westport residents take excursions  into the city for sports games, concerts and theatre. This is just one more reason.

There are times in a man’s life where he considers the advantages of his location.

Maybe you think that the American people should just mind their own business and stay out of these affairs. Maybe you think that protesting in New York is a waste of time. Maybe you think that one more protestor won’t make a difference. But there’s no right or wrong in this situation; there is only democracy. You can do what you want. For us Westporters, it’s nice to leave the cocoon we live in and stand up for something. Or, just stand outside, and take in this captivating, sudden new movement.

Unless, of course, you or your parents work on Wall Street. Awkward.