Dear Editor:
As shocking as it may sound, Occupy Vancouver protesters do in fact have reasons for what they do. I wonder if this thought even occurs to the authorities looking to end the protests as soon as possible.
All over the nation, thousands of individuals are standing up for what they believe in, camping out in large cities in support of economic equality.
These admirable individuals are sacrificing the luxuries of regular life to bring about change. Every time I pass by the Vancouver Art Gallery, I can't help but be proud of the little tents packed together in front of the public building.
These people should be honored, appreciated and, most importantly, heard - not dismissed as a nuisance.
Instead of trying to get rid of protesters, municipalities across Canada should listen to what their citizens are saying. These men and women in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Manitoba, Victoria and many other regions deserve to be heard.
The government needs to realize that these people are not willing to give up; they are going to fight for what they believe in until they see change.
We may be a country known for accepting freedom of speech and thought, but we surely aren't one in which these words and actions are honestly listened to.
Christine Grigorian Grade 12 student North Vancouver
