A message to occupiers -- ALL Americans are the 1 percent.

The U.S. population of about 310 million people is 4.4 percent of the total world population of 7 billion people. This is an interesting statistic, but is even more telling when you reveal that the U.S. also controls 31 percent of the world's wealth. Most Americans aren't poor by the world's standards. In the U.S., poverty is a hardship, but in the rest of the world, poverty is a way of life. I say this, not to condemn America, for we have proven to be one of, if not the, most charitable countries in history, but to condemn those Americans who march and complain about the problems we have here without fully understanding the reality of those problems worldwide. Here is my story:

I was born into a poor family in the U.S, the youngest of three children. Life was hard on my parents growing up but they tried really hard to shield their children from this reality. My parents believe in education and individual responsibility and instilled that in their children, even managing to send all three to college at great sacrifice to themselves.

I was able to go to college and inherit an America better than the one my parents did, largely due to their sacrifices. I worked hard to grow in my life, personally and professionally, trying hard to live by the standards I'd been raised to believe in.

I married a first generation immigrant and rightfully chose to preserve her native language by passing it on to our children. We are a middle class family in America. The housing crisis hurt us and forced us to make sacrifices we would not have chosen otherwise. Fortunately, we live in a country that still values freedom, individual rights and responsibility, capitalism, and the rule of law.

I have been blessed with the ability to travel to several other countries. In doing so, I've seen what real poverty looks like. I grew up in the Washington D.C. area and had friends who had immigrated from countries where they were oppressed. Some of their stories were frightening.

I believe it is our individual responsibility to help others when we can as we see fit. I thank God that we live in America and that a place exists where a person can pursue happiness as they see fit.

I am a Christian...a father...a husband...an American.

I, like ALL other Americans, am the 1 percent.

If you live in America, have a roof over your head, have a car, a television, a phone, have at least one meal a day, have been vaccinated, etc....

then you are the exception worldwide and you too are the 1 percent.

I realize that the U.S. population is 4 percent, not 1, but the Occupiers don't seem to understand that they have little to complain about comparatively speaking. Sure, times are tough here, so imagine how the rest of the world feels. Again, this is to condemn Americans who see their plight and blame others for it rather than placing themselves in proper context, not to condemn America. In fact, I believe America is where it is because of our ideals and imperfections which are surprisingly unique in this world. The world needs this 4 percent if the 96 percent are to have hope for the future.