Let’s celebrate the 1 percent

The middle “class.” Many view our society similar to the Middle Ages. Poor or lower class as peasants, middle class as artisans or tradesmen, and the rich, upper class, or 1 percent, as nobleman. People who break down our society in such a way often do so with political venom designed to divide us into groups and don't understand or care about the true nature of the United States.

Unlike the Middle Ages, our society does not have boundaries to divide the income groups. Back then, it was nearly impossible for a peasant to learn a trade and become an artisan. It was unheard of for a tradesman to become a noble, and only in fairy tales could a peasant become a princess.

In the United States, there are thousands of rags-to riches stories. People escape poverty every day. If people work hard enough, they can jump into the middle income, or become one of the 1 percent.

That is the true flaw with the occupy-whatever movement. They

want to tear down the

1 percent. I say let's celebrate the achievement of the rich. Let's learn from their successes and mimic the outcome. I would rather see the

99 percent move up toward the 1 percent than see the 1 percent move down toward the 99 percent.

Brad Fisher

Marion