The day was windy from the start, chilling to the bones Pittsburgh windy...  And my daughter persisted on wearing a short skirt and light jacket. This is my daughter, no matter what event we decide to attend together - be it  the Pride, a fundraising BBQ for victims of Police Brutality, a fancy party at the Country Club or the 4th of July parade - she has to be fashionable. She thinks of all events equally as celebrations. So the first question she asked as we joined the other occupiers was

"Mommy, what are we celebrating today?"

The question was not unfounded - there was drumming and dancing.

The answer , however, is not  simple and it had been hard  to  articulate the feelings, the issues for the protest and the reasons for celebrating with other occupiers. How do you explain to a seven year old about the ways in which mass media is able to convince the middle class American that the tales broadcasted are the real, true facts. Such as the tale according to which the reason why the United States were a step ahead of the world both politically and economically was mainly the consequence of  a lesser tax burden on US nationals. A result of revolting against taxes imposed by a rigid British governance and the final victory in the Independence war. When, in fact,  the truth about the tax burden in a country devastated by war is neither that simple, nor uncontestable and the roots of America progress do lay more on the fact that for the first time in modern history a government put more emphasis on the rights and liberties of every citizen rather than those of the ruling elite.

The Boston Tea Party did not oppose taxes per se  but those taxes meant to support the lavish lifestyle of an elite ruling and living in some other country. That is a tale I already told my daughter. But it wasn't easy when to explain to her  how all those tax credits and exemptions we have nowadays benefit a small elite that enjoys a lavish lifestyles and sends local jobs to some other country.

It was  hard to explain to my seven year  how lower taxes and lobbying benefit the rich. A weak government does not mean economic prosperity but the collapse of those civic benefits that are backbone of each country such as  infrastructure, education, health care. Almost as hard as explaining her why sustainable economic growth is a fairy tale and not one with a happy end. We waste away goods, we waste away limited resources and the well being of our children. Just look at the poverty levels in those countries that depleted their forests ...

In the end  told her  a tale - the tale of today's aristocracy. How today's 1% is no different than the kings, queens and counts from the old times, just that they go by other names.  Just that this time the Brits are on our side. [quite in a quirky way I'd say.]

And this is a reason to celebrate. Because,  like Pittsburgh born and raised brothers, Michael and Scott, for the first time in years I felt hopeful. They told me that for the first time in decades they were able to see  a diversity of people coming together and showing that they are able to grasp the truths beyond deregulation and its real impact on the middle class. For thirty years , they said, we tried to convince people that capitalism works only if it is well regulated, that we were moving in the wrong direction. And only when people like them, with no specific political agenda, started to occupy America they felt no longer isolated  they felt hope...

In the end, I do not know how well I was able to explain to my seven year old daughter the issues beyond the protest and the reasons beyond the celebration. I am certain though that she will remember how on a windy, chilling Pittsburgh Saturday she went with her progressive Christian mother and one of her mom's transit advocacy "gurus" - a moderate Republican atheist  - and for several hours they occupied Pittsburgh.