Being arrested and convicted of criminal trespass has not deterred two Wiscasset women from doing what they feel is not only their right, but their duty – to protest what is wrong for our country.

Jenny Gray, a Carlton Bridge (Bath) gate tender, and Patricia Messier, a single grandmother and employee at Bath Iron Works, were both arrested last November and convicted this past month for refusing police orders to leave the grounds of the governor’s residence during an Occupy Augusta protest.

A handful of protestors set up camp in Augusta in October 2011 as part of the national Occupy movement. The protest that caused the arrest of Gray and Messier was created when Occupy Augusta were told they could no long camp in Capital Park at night. The protestors marched across State Street to the Blaine House to protest the decision.

The state police and the Capital police were called to the scene and the protestors were asked to leave. Some left, others stayed and were arrested. Messier and Gray were among those arrested.

Their trial last month was the second trial for the women, the first trial this past April was declared a mistrial because the jury could not reach a verdict. The second jury only deliberated about 30 minutes before coming up with a guilty verdict.

This was very surprising to the two defendants, who were each given fines of $250.

The Occupy movement began with a group that started camping in New York City in September 2011 with the slogan, “We are the 99 percent,” which implies that the United States is now controlled by a 1 percent elite group who have an immense amount of social, economic and political influence.

According to Gary and Messier, the slogan emphasizes the extreme wealth disparity that is present today, but also highlights various other issues in the United States economy and society, such as limited social mobility and lack of opportunity.

The reasons and concerns brought up by the Occupy Wall Street movement are justified because of the growing economic and social inequality. The movement has significantly increased awareness about economic disparity and unbalanced power in the hands of the wealthy.

When asked during an interview if they were going to continue to protest, they agreed it would be their occupation for the rest of their lives.

In their opinions, the problem started with failures within the banking system and the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933. The Glass-Steagall Act prohibited banks from collaborating with full-service brokerage firms or participating in investment banking activities.

The act was repealed by President Bill Clinton in 1999, removing the barriers in the market among banking companies, securities companies and insurance companies that prohibited any one institution from acting as any combination of an investment bank, commercial bank and insurances company.

The repeal allowed all that to change; it allowed the commercial banks, investment banks, securities firms and insurance companies to consolidate.

Another problem the Occupy supporters see is that our legislators, in the state and in Washington, D.C., are not listening to their constituents. “We need to get their attention,” Messier said.

According to Gray and Messier, the Occupy movement is currently protesting the proposed the East-West Highway – a four-lane, 220-mile highway from Colburn Gore to Calais proposed by Cianbro. The movement supports a rail system instead because of the environmental impact of building the highway.

Other than banks and Wall Street, Occupy Maine is against the tar-sands pipeline proposed to ship millions of barrels of dirty “tar-sands” oil from Canada to Casco Bay. Currently oil is being shipped from Casco Bay to Quebec, Canada. The proposal being considered is to reverse the flow but, according to Messier, what Canada wants to ship through the pipeline would be dangerous and could threaten the Androscoggin River, Sebago Lake and Casco Bay.

Messier and Gray expressed their dedication to the Occupy movement and their satisfaction with working for what they believe is their duty as American Citizens, to make a stand for what is right for their country.

“The biggest lesson I have learned since being involved with the Occupy movement is that it brings together people from all walks of life,” Messier said. “If you talk to someone long enough you will find you agree on something, and you work from that.”

Gray said, “It is important that people start talking to one another, and come together as a community as soon as possible, and allow themselves to be heard.”