\u201cThere comes a time when silence becomes betrayal,\u201d proclaimed Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as he took a risk and spoke out forcefully against the War in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
As more Americans debate whether to leave the sidelines and join the Occupy Wall Street movement, we should heed Dr. King\u2019s words. Our individual silence is a form of acquiescence, and we speak volumes not only through our action but also through our lack of it. Silence signals that we are okay with what\u2019s happening, or that we have simply given up. While Occupy Wall Street has inspired a new level of consciousness in America, we have only just scratched the surface of what will be needed to shift the political economy of our country.<\/p>\n
For activists new to the struggle as well as those who have been hitting the streets since the financial crisis began, this may mean taking on new risks.<\/p>\n