The diversity of the protest is growing but it’s not surprising it was college students and recent grads who started and energized it. My son is a university senior. The story of his generation’s life has been endless hypocricy by authority figures. 

In junior high,my son had friends over working on a school project and their churches became the topic. The last boy to speak said, “I know where I go to church but I’m not sure what I am. Whatever I choose, it won’t be where they tell me who to hate.” They all agreed. 

They grew up with adult-sponsored gay bashing and racial hating eventhough they were told it was wrong at school. 

They grew up with an intense fear of school shootings. 

They grew up with two wars. As they neared high school graduation age, they were faced with not joining the military and living with that even though the soldiers were telling their stories of multiple tours because there were not enough recruits. Most of them know someone who died in war or know of someone who died. 

More than half experienced divorce. They hated the loss. Most of them then learned most celebrities and politicians cheated. It reinforced that no one in authority can be trusted. 

They all know a family who lost a job. Most have one of more friends who had to sleep on someone’s couch because they lost their job, their parents had lost their jobs, and they couldn’t go home. 

They all heard President Obama’s promises. My son, an early Obama supporter, can rattle off the broken promises like reciting a football roster. So can his friends. 

Many have stuggled to find college funding. Most of them have been hit with fraudulent over-draft fees. 

They all have constant anxiety about finding employment after graduation. 

They want a fair, responsible society. This protest has endurance because, once again, they’ve turned to the only people for help they can trust – each other. They’re grown and fed up. They won’t be co-opted back into the sewer.