It's been a moment since my last post, as I've been involve with local activities and when I'm home, frankly, I'm lazy. But this isn't to say things have been quiet; both nationally and locally things have been going on. The NDAA is still looming large in the minds of many Americans, as it seems it will be signed into law any day now to strip us all of our rights. A decision about the Keystone XL pipeline is being pushed back as much as political pressure will allow, and we can only hope that's for the purpose of gather more scientific data on the havoc it would wreak rather than gathering more campaign dollars from lobbyists. Meanwhile the Occupiers around the country still face terrible violence as a response to their peaceful methods.
Locally, a new Occupation has been formed in response to the last Occupation's eviction; this time in a town much more sympathetic to the cause. Networking has become a main priority, with the goal of unifying our region and informing and educating the public about the movement. Winter, it seems, will be quiet.. but make no mistake; this is not the quiet of a still, frozen lake. This is the quiet of a smoldering ember waiting for the warm gusts of spring to rejuvenate it, blazing, into a bonfire of activity. Do not fear, Occupiers, that mass media's predictions of the death of our movement have come to pass... they absolutely have not. We are a flourish of activity behind the scenes. Remember the chant: we are unstoppable, another world is possible. To remind everyone, email me at wulfgraphics@aim.com to let me know where you think this thing is going.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
making progress
When you do what you love, things fall into place.
I believe that, but sometimes they fall quickly enough to surprise you. I rededicated this blog just last week to gather opinion on what the movement's next step should be. Here at our local occupation (www.occupypoughkeepsie.org) we held a regional meeting last Saturday in an effort to bring all local interested parties in under the umbrella of OccupyHudsonValley (www.occupyhudsonvalley.org) to streamline things and generally make operations more efficient. Not a moment too soon, as OccupyPoughkeepsie was raided last night (early morning, Dec. 7th). But the mission remains; joining the full-time occupiers of OPK with groups of occupiers and supporters in the region. I feel this is an extremely important step in both spreading the word of the movement and getting actions done quicker by creating an Occupy network we can all utilize. The first meeting for my region took place last night, and where I thought there would be four of us, there were nearly twenty. Veterans and the curious alike were in attendance, and the meeting went on for over three hours. We educated people about GA procedures and consensus, and everyone exhibited excited anticipation for what's to come. We will approach this Thursday's conference call prepared and ready, and our growth is assured.
If you're taking part in a similar action, or have ideas or questions, feel free to email me at wulfgraphics@aim.com. I look forward to hearing from all of you.
I believe that, but sometimes they fall quickly enough to surprise you. I rededicated this blog just last week to gather opinion on what the movement's next step should be. Here at our local occupation (www.occupypoughkeepsie.org) we held a regional meeting last Saturday in an effort to bring all local interested parties in under the umbrella of OccupyHudsonValley (www.occupyhudsonvalley.org) to streamline things and generally make operations more efficient. Not a moment too soon, as OccupyPoughkeepsie was raided last night (early morning, Dec. 7th). But the mission remains; joining the full-time occupiers of OPK with groups of occupiers and supporters in the region. I feel this is an extremely important step in both spreading the word of the movement and getting actions done quicker by creating an Occupy network we can all utilize. The first meeting for my region took place last night, and where I thought there would be four of us, there were nearly twenty. Veterans and the curious alike were in attendance, and the meeting went on for over three hours. We educated people about GA procedures and consensus, and everyone exhibited excited anticipation for what's to come. We will approach this Thursday's conference call prepared and ready, and our growth is assured.
If you're taking part in a similar action, or have ideas or questions, feel free to email me at wulfgraphics@aim.com. I look forward to hearing from all of you.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Our First Outside Submission
This is the first submission I received, from Jeremy Russell up here in Saugerties, NY (near my neck of the woods). He addresses some ways we can reach out to the populace at large, as well as obstacles to that happening. I've edited it for length, with the author's permission.
I'd been voicing my apprehension for the future of this country among my former co-workers, whom were less informed about topics occurring outside their homes, specifically when the issues in Wisconsin were taking place. This probably took place for all of 2010 and 2011. You couldn't imagine how elated I was on September 17, when OWS formally commenced, because I personally couldn't brainstorm any other plausible, seemingly unattainable solution. Although it was quite possibly the worst time in the world for me to quit my two jobs, I did so anyway, because I was overworked and unhappy, and had no real possibility to work on anything of redeeming or fulfilling value. So, in August, I quit anyway, moved back in with my Dad, and began writing and blogging. Suffice to say, I've been consumed by the happenings of OWS.
My idea has not been to try fixing or proposing solutions right away. This is because there are too many people that are against OWS altogether. Because I believe in power in numbers, I've thought it'd be better to try and figure out what the issues are that keep people in disagreement. There are many levels of dissenters, from the completely aloof, to the misinformed, to the ardent detractor. There are some people, similar to what politicians term "swing-voters," that the movement could easily pull in. There are some that will take a lot of work. There are some that may be impossible...but I try not to think about them, 'cause Times They are a Changin', and on one can predict the outcome of all this. Therefore, in general, my idea is to keep building on our power in numbers.
What I'm finding (because I frequent the opposition message boards and so on) is that those against the movement are so because the "movement stands for nothing," and "it's a bunch of sex-crazed drug-addled people looking for handouts." These are a higher percentage of dissenters, and this is due to misinformation. This is something that could be an easy fix, depending on the situation of these people. This may take some urging, but my suggestion is to canvass those that don't identify with the movement, and encourage them to try a visit with their local chapter...so that they could voice their problems, how they're being hurt, and see that they aren't so different from the rest of us hurting, and how welcoming the communal aspect is...as it is with all other organizations designed to help others. This is the easiest part.
Another high-percentage group are those that are doing relatively well for themselves...and disagree with the movement, because, for them, life may not be so bad. Some of those people did work very hard for themselves, and see this movement as a means to denigrate the work that they've put in. I see a reflexive reaction because of this...which I don't necessarily blame. However, although these people haven't been affected yet, they are very likely to in the future. Those of us involved know it isn't just about wanting a handout. I am doing this for the future of this country as much as I am my own future. I'll even one-up myself...if more than one person can benefit from anything unfavorable that happens to me, I'm all for it. As long as the message is delivered. We need to advise to these people that their future may not seem perilous now, but the domino effect is very powerful, and eventually, they will be affected just the same.
Another group, which may be a mixture of the previous two, are those that have likened OWS as a movement by the Democrats, which they see as an assault on their Republican beliefs. This is a little bit confounding...but I have had some success in neutralizing this temperament. The beginning of the Tea Party movement Did have some very basic parallels. I think it's best to recruit the original Tea Partiers, because they too should have a voice. We know that the Tea Party wasn't a party concerned with electing legislators until after it was adopted by Americans for Prosperity. Those identifying with the Tea Party movement before (that started in 2006/ the Bush years) the hijacking had virtually the same outlook - problems in government. The movement picked up about 75% of its supporters later, once it was attached the Republican Party. That's the unfortunate part...those that have that outlook but refuse to support OWS believe that OWS should focus on Obama, Fannie and Freddie, and all the other Republican talking points. Because we transcend party lines, some of that has already been taken care of. For the rest though, we have to convince them that it's about the future, not the past...we need to focus on the most pressing flaws...Citizens United, the internet suppression bills, and that taxes need to be raised, and jobs created. and that the student loan bubble is set to burst. It's really difficult to find someone in the true 99% that these aren't mostly matters worth fighting for. And lastly, the message needs to be disseminated that this is not a Democratic Party function. This is solely an altruistic function.
The last and smallest group are the wealthy that are fighting, with their money, to suppress the movement. These are also the people with the most power. These people can be convinced, but it's obviously the hardest group. I think this will best be attained by picking a date, using the numbers, and descending on Congress to petition our government. We need to focus on strengthening our local groups. As we grow, we should choose a date, far into the future, and we try to amass all the local movements we can, and protest at the most symbolic landmark we can. The Statue of Liberty crossed my mind, but I don't think the logistics would work...I think the US Congress building in DC would be the most accessible by the majority.
Politicians aren't stupid. They know what we want. They are just finding ways to avoid, deter, and combat it. The only way we'll really begin to see change, is if the rest of us stop being lazy, get out, and show how large the number of angry people are. If we could get millions to Washington, the rest of the world will see, and more pressure will be applied. It won't work now. Remember, this will be a slow process. Work on the population, discover what deters people from OWS, and try to include everyone. If we show our true numbers, Congress just won't be able to ignore millions. I think the one-year anniversary, Sept. 17, would give ample time to plan this out. We need to find solidarity.
Thanks,
Jeremy Russell
- One point I forgot: I think there are some things that turn non-supporters off. The mic-checks are invigorating to us, but turn those "swing" people off. They are effective at speeches involving the cronyism we want to end, but not things that have more than one side. I'm not suggesting it end, but it needs to be more effectively propagated. If I am in an argument with someone, and they choose to yell over me, or get louder and louder, and interrupt, I'm inclined to feel that this person can't effectively engage in proper discourse. Sometimes, they can...sometimes they can't. Violence instinctively turns people off. Unfortunately, so does being unkempt, or exceedingly unruly, and all the other unfair aesthetic elements people use to be judgmental about. It's a fact of life. Organization and careful planning help. Let's face it, there are a lot of stupid people out there, but we need to identify the best ways possible to convince everyone that we're here to help...hopefully we can once again be United.
I'd been voicing my apprehension for the future of this country among my former co-workers, whom were less informed about topics occurring outside their homes, specifically when the issues in Wisconsin were taking place. This probably took place for all of 2010 and 2011. You couldn't imagine how elated I was on September 17, when OWS formally commenced, because I personally couldn't brainstorm any other plausible, seemingly unattainable solution. Although it was quite possibly the worst time in the world for me to quit my two jobs, I did so anyway, because I was overworked and unhappy, and had no real possibility to work on anything of redeeming or fulfilling value. So, in August, I quit anyway, moved back in with my Dad, and began writing and blogging. Suffice to say, I've been consumed by the happenings of OWS.
My idea has not been to try fixing or proposing solutions right away. This is because there are too many people that are against OWS altogether. Because I believe in power in numbers, I've thought it'd be better to try and figure out what the issues are that keep people in disagreement. There are many levels of dissenters, from the completely aloof, to the misinformed, to the ardent detractor. There are some people, similar to what politicians term "swing-voters," that the movement could easily pull in. There are some that will take a lot of work. There are some that may be impossible...but I try not to think about them, 'cause Times They are a Changin', and on one can predict the outcome of all this. Therefore, in general, my idea is to keep building on our power in numbers.
What I'm finding (because I frequent the opposition message boards and so on) is that those against the movement are so because the "movement stands for nothing," and "it's a bunch of sex-crazed drug-addled people looking for handouts." These are a higher percentage of dissenters, and this is due to misinformation. This is something that could be an easy fix, depending on the situation of these people. This may take some urging, but my suggestion is to canvass those that don't identify with the movement, and encourage them to try a visit with their local chapter...so that they could voice their problems, how they're being hurt, and see that they aren't so different from the rest of us hurting, and how welcoming the communal aspect is...as it is with all other organizations designed to help others. This is the easiest part.
Another high-percentage group are those that are doing relatively well for themselves...and disagree with the movement, because, for them, life may not be so bad. Some of those people did work very hard for themselves, and see this movement as a means to denigrate the work that they've put in. I see a reflexive reaction because of this...which I don't necessarily blame. However, although these people haven't been affected yet, they are very likely to in the future. Those of us involved know it isn't just about wanting a handout. I am doing this for the future of this country as much as I am my own future. I'll even one-up myself...if more than one person can benefit from anything unfavorable that happens to me, I'm all for it. As long as the message is delivered. We need to advise to these people that their future may not seem perilous now, but the domino effect is very powerful, and eventually, they will be affected just the same.
Another group, which may be a mixture of the previous two, are those that have likened OWS as a movement by the Democrats, which they see as an assault on their Republican beliefs. This is a little bit confounding...but I have had some success in neutralizing this temperament. The beginning of the Tea Party movement Did have some very basic parallels. I think it's best to recruit the original Tea Partiers, because they too should have a voice. We know that the Tea Party wasn't a party concerned with electing legislators until after it was adopted by Americans for Prosperity. Those identifying with the Tea Party movement before (that started in 2006/ the Bush years) the hijacking had virtually the same outlook - problems in government. The movement picked up about 75% of its supporters later, once it was attached the Republican Party. That's the unfortunate part...those that have that outlook but refuse to support OWS believe that OWS should focus on Obama, Fannie and Freddie, and all the other Republican talking points. Because we transcend party lines, some of that has already been taken care of. For the rest though, we have to convince them that it's about the future, not the past...we need to focus on the most pressing flaws...Citizens United, the internet suppression bills, and that taxes need to be raised, and jobs created. and that the student loan bubble is set to burst. It's really difficult to find someone in the true 99% that these aren't mostly matters worth fighting for. And lastly, the message needs to be disseminated that this is not a Democratic Party function. This is solely an altruistic function.
The last and smallest group are the wealthy that are fighting, with their money, to suppress the movement. These are also the people with the most power. These people can be convinced, but it's obviously the hardest group. I think this will best be attained by picking a date, using the numbers, and descending on Congress to petition our government. We need to focus on strengthening our local groups. As we grow, we should choose a date, far into the future, and we try to amass all the local movements we can, and protest at the most symbolic landmark we can. The Statue of Liberty crossed my mind, but I don't think the logistics would work...I think the US Congress building in DC would be the most accessible by the majority.
Politicians aren't stupid. They know what we want. They are just finding ways to avoid, deter, and combat it. The only way we'll really begin to see change, is if the rest of us stop being lazy, get out, and show how large the number of angry people are. If we could get millions to Washington, the rest of the world will see, and more pressure will be applied. It won't work now. Remember, this will be a slow process. Work on the population, discover what deters people from OWS, and try to include everyone. If we show our true numbers, Congress just won't be able to ignore millions. I think the one-year anniversary, Sept. 17, would give ample time to plan this out. We need to find solidarity.
Thanks,
Jeremy Russell
- One point I forgot: I think there are some things that turn non-supporters off. The mic-checks are invigorating to us, but turn those "swing" people off. They are effective at speeches involving the cronyism we want to end, but not things that have more than one side. I'm not suggesting it end, but it needs to be more effectively propagated. If I am in an argument with someone, and they choose to yell over me, or get louder and louder, and interrupt, I'm inclined to feel that this person can't effectively engage in proper discourse. Sometimes, they can...sometimes they can't. Violence instinctively turns people off. Unfortunately, so does being unkempt, or exceedingly unruly, and all the other unfair aesthetic elements people use to be judgmental about. It's a fact of life. Organization and careful planning help. Let's face it, there are a lot of stupid people out there, but we need to identify the best ways possible to convince everyone that we're here to help...hopefully we can once again be United.
Monday, November 28, 2011
A new direction
I haven't done anything with this blog in a while, and I felt it had become redundant in the meantime, as OccupyPoughkeepsie has created it's own page (www.occupypoughkeepsie.org) and this blog hasn't had much traffic. So I'm changing direction yet again. I'd like to pose a question to everyone involved in the Occupy movement; where do we go from here?
Every day brings fresh news of police violence, evictions, or some public response to the occupation. As you read this, a bill is being reviewed in the Senate (S.1867, the National Defense Authorization Act bill) that could give the US military the ability to act on US soil to arrest and detain Americans without trial. The Occupation has done more in two months than movements before have accomplished in years; it has changed the conversation in America.
People never before interested in politics are become aware of the trouble our nation is in.
But we need more.
We need to take the next step.
What I ask of you is simple.
What, in your opinion, is the next step?
Email me at wulfgraphics@aim.com and share your idea. Provided it's legible, understandable, and not burdened with excessive profanity (hey, some is fine, but be reasonable) I'll post it here along with whatever contact info you're comfortable with me posting. It can be a huge idea (my own is about the size of a town) or an idea on a direct action that would be helpful. Maybe together we can build the community we hope to see Occupy become. It doesn't matter if you formally occupy, support and spend time at your local Occupy (as I do), or just want to do your part to help. This is a place where all voices can be heard, and constructive criticism can mold simple ideas into plans of action.
Email me your name, whatever info you feel we need to have, and your idea... and let's start the change we want to see.
The only thing that will lead to censorship is what would get you censored everywhere else: abusive or defamatory language, spamming, attacking others ideas, things that fall under the category of trolling. I am very lenient in this regard, I just ask that you respect others.
moving forward
This is my contribution to get the ball rolling. I don't expect everyone's post to be of the same scope; some people's ideas are larger and of a much broader reach, some are going to be smaller ideas perhaps about direct actions or town-specific events. All are welcome, and all are taken seriously.
The Next Step (or, How Serious Are We?)
There’s been a lot of talk about demands. The general public outside the Occupy movement seems to be of the mindset that a revolution can only be taken seriously, only be considered legitimate, if they have a concrete list of demands. We, not being terrorists or hostage-takers, have trouble with the logic there; nevertheless, we must strive to reach an understanding. We must find a way to reach those that would be sympathetic to the cause, by using methods they fully comprehend.
It’s no secret the current system is unsustainable. A person need only read a newspaper or watch the news to see that our empire is crumbling. Unemployment stays stagnant or rises, food prices and fuel prices skyrocket, homes are foreclosed, workers laid off, companies downsized… and many say the worst is still to come. The school loan bubble will rival the housing bubble before it, some experts say (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brett-greene/robert-applebaum-student-loan-forgiveness_b_1084979.html http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-215_162-57319349/is-student-loan-education-bubble-next ). And yet there are some that are not just weathering the storm, but profiting from it. How does that work?
The people that make money in crisis situations (the 1% we refer to) HAD money to begin with. Their wealth not only made them immune to the population’s hardships, but put them in a position to profit from them. Their wealth puts them outside the system. This is the part where you roll your eyes. “Well of course it does,” you think, “wealth does that.” It’s the golden rule; “he who has the gold makes the rules.” They influence lawmakers, hire excellent lawyers to find loopholes in the rules they can’t bend, make nice with politicians, etc. Just the Citizens United v. FEC decision alone practically insures that the wealthy are heard and accounted for by saying the money corporations spend on lobbying and contribution = speech and thereby assures their dominance. It’s what we rail against and sacrifice to end.
But why does it make such a difference that they are outside the system? Because they are not dependent on the system. If things go bad, they hop a flight out of the country and let the power-lawyers battle it out. You’ve seen it on the news; some politician, celebrity, CEO does something terrible and gets a slap on the wrist at best. We’ve all stood around the water cooler with friends lamenting “if that were you or me, they would have locked us up and thrown away the key.” But here’s an obvious fact that you must understand: their independence from the system is their power.
That leads to the main point; you cannot change a system you are dependent on. Seems logical, but it bears stating in very blunt language. If you depend on a system for your information, your sustenance, your education, your survival… that system will do as it was designed to do with or without your approval. If you attempt to steer that system, all the things you rely on that system to provide you with will be taken away, or at the very least the threat will be made. The system does not need you; you need it. And as long as you do, you can scream “but the Constitution!!” as loud as you like, and all you’ll get for your troubles is a sore throat.
I see it in your eyes… some of you are about to mention revolutions past to prove me wrong. Great, wonderful struggles of bygone eras when the peasants, the down-trodden workers rose up and demanded equality, and won. Without bloodshed? Oh, that wasn’t a defining point in my argument? Certainly it was. The moment you conspire to murder the members of another class you put yourself outside their system; personally abolishing their laws and deciding to find sustenance and survival elsewhere. The leaders of the American Revolution were great men, but they were also murderers, traitors and terrorists, depending on who you asked. If you’re skeptical, consider for a moment the Red Army Faction of Germany (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Army_Faction ) and think about what the “fathers of our nation” might have been called had they failed.
So how hopeless is all this, if the only ways out of the system are to become wealthy or become a criminal? Perhaps there’s a third path. Many people in America are familiar with a cultural movement called the Maker Culture. For those of you unaware of this, I’ll try a brief description. The maker culture is a reaction to the pervasive consumer culture most of us find ourselves in; it is a culture made up of hobbyists, backyard engineers, and genuine professionals that prefer to meet their own needs by making their own functional devices rather than buying them. They make small items, yes, but also large machines for farming, metalworking, and industrial applications (http://opensourceecology.org , http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/02/why-i-believe-in-maker-culture.html ). People from all over are coming together to declare an independence from consumerism.
With traditional systems failing so many families, living off-the-grid has become an attractive concept for many as well. “Off-the-grid” is the idea that people can produce their own energy, food, sustenance items, without relying on electric companies, water services, traditional infrastructure (http://www.livingoffgrid.org ). The combination of these two similar ideas leads to an interesting prospect; is it possible to create an independent community? Homes and other buildings are currently being built that produce their own power, treat their own water, dispose of waste responsibly, and even grow food, all while being built from natural or recycled materials (http://earthship.com ). People are living off the grid now, independent of any services most people take for granted.
So here’s where I finally reach my point. I call for us; the occupiers, the counter-culture, the civilly disobedient, the non-violent resistors to come together to show the people what we want. Let’s stand up and build our society from scratch. The tools and resources are at our disposal, the time is at hand to make our active list of demands in the flesh. We start with a community, one town where there was no town before. Sustainable, independent, harming neither the environment nor the communities around it. We govern it ourselves, based on the principals of consensus and direct democracy. We look out for each other, provide for each other, and exist as a family of equal people in a community, for the first time. And when it is built, and when it works, we show the world what can be done.
“Yes”, I hear you say, “but it will be hard.” Of course it will. Everything worth doing is. We will still be dependant, for a time, on existing systems until we find ways to produce those goods and services for ourselves. How long was a fledgling America dependent on its European parents? Was it not four hundred years from the time the first Europeans came to the American continent to the time the first shots rang out in the Revolutionary War? The people of the United States have relied on their system for but half that long, and can do it without bloodshed.
This movement has its share of teachers and educators. We have our farmers and truck drivers, as well. We have laborers and supervisors, engineers and builders, nurses, EMTs, and firefighters, brave men and women young and old who are willing to sacrifice for a better future. Yes, the movement will continue beyond this project; it has to. But this project, this experiment may be just what this movement needs to capture the imagination of the people. “We are the 99%” is a brilliant ideal, but to bring all 99% together we need to be heard above the scream of pop culture. The endless stream of commercials and rhetoric and propaganda has made the movement little more than a footnote in the wasteland that is mainstream media. Be not afraid; in a short two months we have changed the conversation about politics at dinner tables, in college dorms, and in factory break rooms across the country. From Smalltown, USA to Tahrir Square in Egypt, people are expressing support and a resolve to change things.
Now we need act on our beliefs. If this experiment succeeds in showing the nation what democracy should look like, it changes how things are done… it fixes things. If it fails at awakening the populace, it stills serves as a template for those who would build such a community around the country and even the world and remove themselves from a society they can no longer support. The only way the experiment achieves nothing greater is if we don’t try it. The worst that can happen is that we build something together we can be proud of, and live in it among an indifferent society. We live in an indifferent society now, on its own terms.
For the hope of a better world. OccupyCommunity.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The movement grows
Yesterday was a wonderful day for OccupyPoughkeepsie. The crowd was the largest yet for the march at noon, which proceeded first to the post office building. (watch the video here) The crowd remained exuberant as we marched up Main St. to protest at Chase Bank and back down Main through Market back to the camp at Hulme Park. In a welcome twist, after mentioning the Poughkeepsie Journal at the post office, they published a story today about our march. (read the article here) OccupyPoughkeepsie held a General Assembly immediately after the march, discussing pertinent issues like the petition to allow OPK to stay in Hulme Park after the 11pm closing time. Incidentally, if anyone would like to support their efforts to stay in the park, please email me with your full name and town of residence and I'll make sure to pass the message along. Also, more than anything, the movement needs people. If you can make it to Hulme Park for a few hours, for a day, or to camp out and occupy with them, please do. If you can't make it, inform your friends. Also, if you can't stay but would like to help, they could use supplies. Water, clean clothes, blankets, warm food, anything you can to to help the OccupyPoughkeepsie community will be met with the warmest and sincerest thanks. It it a system, a way of thinking, a global history of oppression we are trying to change, one town at a time. Help us, please.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
flyers
In honor of my rededication of this page (narrowing its focus from all of OWS and beyond to OccupyPoughkeepsie) I've added the two posters. Print 'em out and cover your neighborhood. If you need a different size, email me.
In love and solidarity -Craig
In love and solidarity -Craig
Solidarity
Sol*i*dar*i*ty
Noun: Unity or agreement of feeling or action, esp. among individuals with a common interest; mutual support within a group.
To stand with your brothers and sisters because you know their cause is just, and their struggle necessary, no matter how far away they are. OccupyPoughkeepsie stands in solidarity with OccupyWallSt to extend the family. Make no mistake, this is a family... people of like mind and heart who believe that amidst corruption, greed and deception, the 99% can come together and make a difference. We are coming together in a unified effort to usher in a new era in which the citizens of the United States have a voice louder than that of special interests. In which corporations do not force laws that help them while the people suffer. In which our lives are not dictated by the wealthy and powerful, but rather exist in harmony with the equal people around us. Many have asked why we embrace this struggle. Because we must. We have sat idly by for too long as things have gone far out of control. We are the underpaid worker who watches their hours dwindle and pay remain stagnant as the price of gas and essential goods soars. We are the unemployed parent gathered with so many others to apply for just one opening, one chance to feed their family. We are the disillusioned student graduating college to find a barren wasteland where once were opportunities, and an insurmountable debt weighing on their mind. We are the soldier, coming home from war to find not rest and peace, but more struggle. We are you. We are all the 99%. If you're here, it's because you're curious. If you're curious, it's because you understand something terrible has happened to this nation and want to find a way to change it.
OccupyPoughkeepsie is located at Hulme Park in the City of Poughkeepsie at the corner of Church St (Rt.55) and Market St. Please join us in the occupation, or just stop by for a while and show support. Bring friends, bring food or water, above all BRING YOUR VOICE.
Noun: Unity or agreement of feeling or action, esp. among individuals with a common interest; mutual support within a group.
To stand with your brothers and sisters because you know their cause is just, and their struggle necessary, no matter how far away they are. OccupyPoughkeepsie stands in solidarity with OccupyWallSt to extend the family. Make no mistake, this is a family... people of like mind and heart who believe that amidst corruption, greed and deception, the 99% can come together and make a difference. We are coming together in a unified effort to usher in a new era in which the citizens of the United States have a voice louder than that of special interests. In which corporations do not force laws that help them while the people suffer. In which our lives are not dictated by the wealthy and powerful, but rather exist in harmony with the equal people around us. Many have asked why we embrace this struggle. Because we must. We have sat idly by for too long as things have gone far out of control. We are the underpaid worker who watches their hours dwindle and pay remain stagnant as the price of gas and essential goods soars. We are the unemployed parent gathered with so many others to apply for just one opening, one chance to feed their family. We are the disillusioned student graduating college to find a barren wasteland where once were opportunities, and an insurmountable debt weighing on their mind. We are the soldier, coming home from war to find not rest and peace, but more struggle. We are you. We are all the 99%. If you're here, it's because you're curious. If you're curious, it's because you understand something terrible has happened to this nation and want to find a way to change it.
OccupyPoughkeepsie is located at Hulme Park in the City of Poughkeepsie at the corner of Church St (Rt.55) and Market St. Please join us in the occupation, or just stop by for a while and show support. Bring friends, bring food or water, above all BRING YOUR VOICE.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Civil disobedience
First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
What that means, officer, is that if you silence us, disperse us, kick us out of public space, you are in violation of the law, and your sworn duty to uphold said law. Every citizen of this nation has an obligation and duty, passed down by the founders of this nation two hundred years ago, to keep their government in line. It's not a suggestion, or just some quote that sounds good in the reciting, it is our job. And that job has now become an occupation. In cities across this nation, people are fulfilling their duty as citizens by railing against an oppressor that has stolen the money from their pockets, the food from their plate, the security from their homes.
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
-Thomas Jefferson
And we will not. But let me expand further, because I want to make clear that this is not just an American phenomenon. The "Arab Spring" sparked the occupations, and now dissent spreads through the world like a wildfire... Canada stands in solidarity with OccupyWallSt, as do many nations of Europe. New Zealand, South America, cities around the world are lighting up with the spark of dissent and people are raising their voices against their rulers. Here, it is a written duty to dissent; forged in the documents that founded the nation. But the people of the world, the 99%, believe that to be governed fairly is the right of all humans.
Police forces, elected officials, mayors, governors, politicians of every ilk here in America... you took an oath of office. At the start of your service, you swore to uphold the laws of the nation - to stand by the Constitution as the rule by which all rules are judged. You stand at a crossroads. You can choose to allow the people to peaceably assemble, to freely speak their dissent and let the chips fall where they may. Change will come. Or you can bow to the whims and pressures of your puppet-masters and try to remove us. Try to shut us up. But I can assure you, you would have better luck keeping all the water on one side of a pool. For every protester you arrest, three will replace them. This movement is a living creature now, an idea running rampant whose time has come. You cannot destroy it; you can barely imagine it. The idea is too large... because it is an idea shared by us all. It is the dream of the 99% to live free, and that idea is well on it's way to becoming real. You are the 99% too, and you are welcome to join us.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
What that means, officer, is that if you silence us, disperse us, kick us out of public space, you are in violation of the law, and your sworn duty to uphold said law. Every citizen of this nation has an obligation and duty, passed down by the founders of this nation two hundred years ago, to keep their government in line. It's not a suggestion, or just some quote that sounds good in the reciting, it is our job. And that job has now become an occupation. In cities across this nation, people are fulfilling their duty as citizens by railing against an oppressor that has stolen the money from their pockets, the food from their plate, the security from their homes.
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
-Thomas Jefferson
And we will not. But let me expand further, because I want to make clear that this is not just an American phenomenon. The "Arab Spring" sparked the occupations, and now dissent spreads through the world like a wildfire... Canada stands in solidarity with OccupyWallSt, as do many nations of Europe. New Zealand, South America, cities around the world are lighting up with the spark of dissent and people are raising their voices against their rulers. Here, it is a written duty to dissent; forged in the documents that founded the nation. But the people of the world, the 99%, believe that to be governed fairly is the right of all humans.
Police forces, elected officials, mayors, governors, politicians of every ilk here in America... you took an oath of office. At the start of your service, you swore to uphold the laws of the nation - to stand by the Constitution as the rule by which all rules are judged. You stand at a crossroads. You can choose to allow the people to peaceably assemble, to freely speak their dissent and let the chips fall where they may. Change will come. Or you can bow to the whims and pressures of your puppet-masters and try to remove us. Try to shut us up. But I can assure you, you would have better luck keeping all the water on one side of a pool. For every protester you arrest, three will replace them. This movement is a living creature now, an idea running rampant whose time has come. You cannot destroy it; you can barely imagine it. The idea is too large... because it is an idea shared by us all. It is the dream of the 99% to live free, and that idea is well on it's way to becoming real. You are the 99% too, and you are welcome to join us.
new posters
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Poster for you
Thought I'd share a poster I came up with for the movement. Used the 1776 flag because back then, we had no imperialistic policy of wanton invasion. The skylines are (left to right) New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. Hope you enjoy, feel free to use it however.
News at the front
Yesterday, October 1st, Day 15, NYPD arrested over 700 protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge. I write "over" because some estimates have been as high as 800 arrests. The claim, from both protesters and onlookers, is that the police led the protesters across the bridge on the road, allowed a large number of them to get a third of the way across the bridge, then penned them in and began arresting them. Of course, this story did not remain consistent in the mainstream media:
Not surprising the mainstream media strives to be politically correct when it comes to the boys in blue. Still and all, I would like to remind anyone reading that the blue collar police force is still part of us, the 99%. I watched a video just this morning from another of the occupations elsewhere of an officer responding admirably to the protesters as one hung behind shouting "fuck you" in a rather inflammatory manner at anyone with a badge. They are us, and they are as trampled by the corporate machine as any of us. The videos show the white shirts at the bridge; what do you gather from this? Every time the police address the occupation, they do it with strong supervision. Translation, they take us seriously. So understand two things from this... 1) as always, it's those in charge with the agenda against us, not their subordinates, and 2) we have made a dent.
It is not an easy path to tread in Liberty Square. Revolution is never a cakewalk. Those in charge of the power structure, those with the most to lose, will put any obstacle in our path to make our journey seem hopeless. And as any true survivor knows, the struggle will make us stronger. This movement has grown so much larger in the past week, it gets continuously harder to track each passing day. I urge everyone to visit Occupy Together (linked at right) to get an idea of the scope we are dealing with. So much passion and determination directed at changing the world we live in, the space we occupy, and all of it non-violent. I am so proud of my brothers and sisters around the country and around the world rising up against the oppression of the golden handcuffs, of a financial system so corrupted by greed it infects every facet of our lives until any power to be had lies in the hands of the wealthy. Brothers and sisters of the revolution, I commend your courage in the face of insurmountable odds. Stay strong, and peaceful, and we will overcome the 1% that chains us. And to that 1%, I'll let a message from our family up north in OccupyCanada speak for me:
Not surprising the mainstream media strives to be politically correct when it comes to the boys in blue. Still and all, I would like to remind anyone reading that the blue collar police force is still part of us, the 99%. I watched a video just this morning from another of the occupations elsewhere of an officer responding admirably to the protesters as one hung behind shouting "fuck you" in a rather inflammatory manner at anyone with a badge. They are us, and they are as trampled by the corporate machine as any of us. The videos show the white shirts at the bridge; what do you gather from this? Every time the police address the occupation, they do it with strong supervision. Translation, they take us seriously. So understand two things from this... 1) as always, it's those in charge with the agenda against us, not their subordinates, and 2) we have made a dent.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The Declaration
A great nation was started with a Declaration more than two hundred years ago. That Declaration demanded freedom from an oppressive force so awesome in it's power, it was nearly lunacy to dream of such a demand. That Declaration changed how the world saw it's leaders. In hopes that such greats things are still possible I present a new Declaration, in words more eloquent than I can muster.
Declaration of the Occupation of New York City
As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together. We write so that all people who feel wronged by the corporate forces of the world can know that we are your allies.
As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known.
They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.
They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.
They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.
They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless nonhuman animals, and actively hide these practices.
They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.
They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right.
They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay.
They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility.
They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.
They have sold our privacy as a commodity.
They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.
They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.
They have donated large sums of money to politicians supposed to be regulating them. They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.
They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantive profit.
They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.
They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.
They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.
They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.
They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts. *
To the people of the world,
We, the New York City General Assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.
Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy public space; create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.
To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal.
Join us and make your voices heard!
*These grievances are not all-inclusive.
As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known.
They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.
They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.
They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.
They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless nonhuman animals, and actively hide these practices.
They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.
They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right.
They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay.
They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility.
They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.
They have sold our privacy as a commodity.
They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.
They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.
They have donated large sums of money to politicians supposed to be regulating them. They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.
They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantive profit.
They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.
They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.
They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.
They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.
They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts. *
To the people of the world,
We, the New York City General Assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.
Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy public space; create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.
To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal.
Join us and make your voices heard!
*These grievances are not all-inclusive.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Stronger than ever
Liberty Square is bustling with activity yet again today as the occupation continues. The agenda is pretty full, with protesters demonstrating from 11am to noon on behalf of the Verizon workers and the raw deal they received, holding a union-busting protest from 1-2pm in support of the Teamsters from Sotheby's, and marching to the police headquarters at One Police Plaza this evening (5:30) to demand fair treatment from the NYPD. While I'm on the subject of the police, I have to commend the crew at Liberty Square in their approach to recent events. In a communique on www.occupywallst.org today, they made clear that they support the efforts of - and stand in solidarity with - the officers of the NYPD. They ask the same of the law enforcement community that they ask of corporations and government; responsibility and accountability. A few should not be able to tarnish the reputation of many, nor should they be immune from their standards and practices. Injustice is reprehensible and will no longer be tolerated by the masses, be it the injustice of a rogue officer or the injustice of an institution. The world is awakening to the idea that we do not need to sit idly by as we are trampled by the unjust; if we only dare to rise our voices will be heard.
You inspire us all, brothers and sisters of the revolution. Stand strong. The world is watching.
You inspire us all, brothers and sisters of the revolution. Stand strong. The world is watching.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
New at this
I'd like to take a moment out to apologize to anyone who may have tried commenting recently; this is my first shot at a blog and the default settings were such that only members could comment. One of my purposes with this blog is free discourse and exchange of ideas, so I'm glad I found that setting and rectified the problem. (I only hope the people that have visited thus far come back and say their peace..lol). In the spirit of Anonymous, I will not be deleting posts unless they are spam (and the filter should handle most of that), so let it rip. I want to see all sides of this event, the movement as a whole, and anything else you might need to share. We may not agree, but I feel strongly that widsom comes through broadening perspective.
Back to Wall Street
So yesterday was a big day (Day 11) in the city... Susan Sarandon showed up, learning about the struggle and offering helpful advice on diplomacy, and Dr. Cornell West drew an audience of 2,000 to Liberty Square with his speech at the General Assembly. Fox Business even did a piece on the occupation completely absent of any of the usual condescending tone (which I can't find to link here), but kinda blew it this morning by bringing Rep. Charles Rangel on and discounting the whole thing as some liberal nutjobs protesting about nothing. Ah, well. Rome wasn't built in a day, but the occupation presses on.
On a more hopeful note, OccupyBoston and OccupyChicago seem to be gaining momentum, so our brothers and sisters in Beantown and the Windy City are encouraged to drop by and be heard. The links are at the bottom of the page, and everyone is welcome to throw a few more my way if I've missed some (which I'm sure I have). As always, the main point is that I strongly encourage all of you to get involved on whatever level you can, if it's only to send links and info around your office, your favorite forum, or even just your dinner table. EVERY VOICE COUNTS. Stand strong, help each other, be heard.
Back to Wall Street
So yesterday was a big day (Day 11) in the city... Susan Sarandon showed up, learning about the struggle and offering helpful advice on diplomacy, and Dr. Cornell West drew an audience of 2,000 to Liberty Square with his speech at the General Assembly. Fox Business even did a piece on the occupation completely absent of any of the usual condescending tone (which I can't find to link here), but kinda blew it this morning by bringing Rep. Charles Rangel on and discounting the whole thing as some liberal nutjobs protesting about nothing. Ah, well. Rome wasn't built in a day, but the occupation presses on.
On a more hopeful note, OccupyBoston and OccupyChicago seem to be gaining momentum, so our brothers and sisters in Beantown and the Windy City are encouraged to drop by and be heard. The links are at the bottom of the page, and everyone is welcome to throw a few more my way if I've missed some (which I'm sure I have). As always, the main point is that I strongly encourage all of you to get involved on whatever level you can, if it's only to send links and info around your office, your favorite forum, or even just your dinner table. EVERY VOICE COUNTS. Stand strong, help each other, be heard.
Monday, September 26, 2011
There is a War on for Your Mind
When I first heard the Flobots utter those words, I felt them. I understood, amid the war-mongering rhetoric of the Bush administration, that there were people trying to sway my opinion and make me complicit to my own slavery. I had a huge number of ideas what I could do to resist this, but none were feasible. Aware or not, I was as helpless as the power elite wanted me to be.
As time went on, though, incremental change seeped in through the cracks. Groups formed under the radar, in unlikely places. The light of hope was given fuel, if only drops at a time. People fed up with status quo and the rape and plunder of a once-great nation began to seek each other out. Awareness spread like a wildfire across the internet, and individuals became groups became one.
This movement - and make no mistake, it is a movement - has been brewing in the collective unconscious for years now. My generation does not remember a time when hard work guaranteed a decent standard of living. My generation has not seen the opportunities our history books promised us. My generation does not know, personally, on a first name basis, the America that is sung about in near-religious chants or promoted by election-seeking politicians. What hope then is there, for my children to know these things?
This movement will work - is working - because where other plans attacked, it guides. Where others seek to dismantle, it seeks to build. "Lead by example", the wise have said. And so OccupyWallSt does. Beyond the marches and chants and drums, in that Square -Liberty Square- there is a microcosm to capture our imagination. A template to be followed. A true democracy of the people, by the people, for the people. In that small, damp place surrounded by towers built upon greed and theft, there lies the America you have heard about, and that's why it has no choice but to work.
Call your friends, email your cyber-buddies, grab some gear and hop a train to Liberty Square or whichever occupation is close to you if you'd like to be an American, for possibly the first time in your life.
As time went on, though, incremental change seeped in through the cracks. Groups formed under the radar, in unlikely places. The light of hope was given fuel, if only drops at a time. People fed up with status quo and the rape and plunder of a once-great nation began to seek each other out. Awareness spread like a wildfire across the internet, and individuals became groups became one.
This movement - and make no mistake, it is a movement - has been brewing in the collective unconscious for years now. My generation does not remember a time when hard work guaranteed a decent standard of living. My generation has not seen the opportunities our history books promised us. My generation does not know, personally, on a first name basis, the America that is sung about in near-religious chants or promoted by election-seeking politicians. What hope then is there, for my children to know these things?
This movement will work - is working - because where other plans attacked, it guides. Where others seek to dismantle, it seeks to build. "Lead by example", the wise have said. And so OccupyWallSt does. Beyond the marches and chants and drums, in that Square -Liberty Square- there is a microcosm to capture our imagination. A template to be followed. A true democracy of the people, by the people, for the people. In that small, damp place surrounded by towers built upon greed and theft, there lies the America you have heard about, and that's why it has no choice but to work.
Call your friends, email your cyber-buddies, grab some gear and hop a train to Liberty Square or whichever occupation is close to you if you'd like to be an American, for possibly the first time in your life.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The Beginning
Let me begin by saying I don't wish to discount any progress made or obstacles overcome by the brave souls struggling for freedom in such places as Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, etc. by claiming OccupyWallStreet is a starting point. I simply use it as a point of reference and my personal inspiration for this blog. I support all my brothers and sisters fighting for freedom and basic human rights globally, and hope to cover them here as space and time permit.
Back in July, the magazine Adbusters posted a bulletin on their website. It was a call to action for all the disgruntled Americans tired of watching their leaders squander resources for their own gain while the populace suffered. I'm sure we can all agree with this line of thinking on some level; after all, with so much wealth in the hands of the few the majority of us live well below acceptable standards. The call was met with great hope, but surely also skepticism.
#OCCUPYWALLSTREET
Then in August, more news:
Anonymous Joins #OCCUPYWALLSTREET
Anyone familiar with hacktivist group Anonymous knew things were becoming serious. Speculation abounded about just what might happen come that fateful September day. From the campaigns to out Scientology as a dangerous cult, to disrupting major corporations for their mistreatment of Wikileaks, to the embarrassing exposure of "security" giant HB Gary, Anonymous had proven themselves a force to be reckoned with both online and off. Something was sure to happen, though no one knew quite what to expect.
The Day
September 17 arrived, and it became apparent things would not go as planned. Parts of Wall St. near the stock exchange were barricaded off and there was a police presence waiting. The group had to move operations to nearby Zuccotti Park (since re-branded Liberty Square), under wary scrutiny of officers. The issue of permits was addressed by the police, and the situation was tense that first night. While estimates range from several hundred to 2,000 protesters, the numbers were a far cry from the 10,000 predicted. Adding to the frustration was the media - or more appropriately the lack of media. While Keith Olbermann and Michael Moore covered the protest in it's first few days, much of the mainstream news sources stayed far away from the occupation, not daring even a blurb at the bottom of the page. Those who bothered to mention it, like the New York Times, gave it a disheartening spin:
ABC News’ Olivia Katrandjian reports:
Video posted by the group Occupy Wall St from the eighth day of protests against corporations show police using Tasers and mace to control the crowd, which the group says has only made it more committed to keep up the demonstrations in lower Manhattan for the long haul.
Strengthened resolve
If you're keeping score, that's mainstream (ABC) coverage. As I sit here on the evening of Sunday the 25th, just a quick search of "Occupy Wall Street" turns up a huge numbers of stories about the occupation, from such sources as ABC, CNN, Fox, Google, The Guardian, Bloomberg, not to mention the flood of info on internet sources such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and the like. Without realizing it, NYPD accomplished two things valuable to the movement, albeit unintentionally. Their unnecessary violence, in one fell swoop, guaranteed the protesters occupying Wall Street are going nowhere. They have faced their challenge together and stood their ground, they have claimed Liberty Square as their sacred battleground. Also, the mainstream news has given attention to their cause, because as even a casual purveyor of the evening news knows, violence means ratings.
But why?
If you're here, you probably already know why this is happening, but a little clarification never hurt. According to the Sociology Department at UCSC as of 2007, the top 20% of America's population owned 85% of the wealth, leaving the other 80% to scramble for 15% of the country's money. And we all know things haven't gotten any better since 2007. The number of people with money that can pass laws to regulate how you live is even smaller, leading to the 1% vs. 99% theme of the occupation. With huge banks bailed out, terribly unethical corporations bailed out (and then rewarding themselves bonuses) and even huge, faceless companies granted personhood so they can do things like contributing endlessly to campaigns and political causes, it's not hard to see that America 2011 is very different from the one our forefathers knew. America today is no longer a democracy. Oligarchy is a power structure in which power rests with a small group of people. Plutocracy is rule by wealth, or power given to the wealthy. Plutarchy is the term for a plutocratic oligarchy, and like it or not, that is what you have in America today.
The point
If you've stayed with me this long, you're no doubt wondering, "great.. so what's your point?" Do something. Now. No, seriously. All across this country people are starting movements. So far reports are coming in that people are starting OccupyChicago and OccupyBoston, and other movements in solidarity with the Wall Street protesters. Send food, or blankets, if you can afford to. Or just email and Facebook and tweet everyone you know... even a few you don't. This movement can achieve what so many other have failed, but it needs people. People of conviction, willing to take steps to take this country back from the people that have stolen it from us. The two-party system, the Federal Reserve, bailouts for the rich, corporate personhood, these are all schemes - and unconstitutional schemes at that - to rob you of your voice. The safeguards against corruption run amok are gone. You are the only thing that stands between America and a slave state.
Back in July, the magazine Adbusters posted a bulletin on their website. It was a call to action for all the disgruntled Americans tired of watching their leaders squander resources for their own gain while the populace suffered. I'm sure we can all agree with this line of thinking on some level; after all, with so much wealth in the hands of the few the majority of us live well below acceptable standards. The call was met with great hope, but surely also skepticism.
#OCCUPYWALLSTREET
Then in August, more news:
Anonymous Joins #OCCUPYWALLSTREET
Anyone familiar with hacktivist group Anonymous knew things were becoming serious. Speculation abounded about just what might happen come that fateful September day. From the campaigns to out Scientology as a dangerous cult, to disrupting major corporations for their mistreatment of Wikileaks, to the embarrassing exposure of "security" giant HB Gary, Anonymous had proven themselves a force to be reckoned with both online and off. Something was sure to happen, though no one knew quite what to expect.
The Day
September 17 arrived, and it became apparent things would not go as planned. Parts of Wall St. near the stock exchange were barricaded off and there was a police presence waiting. The group had to move operations to nearby Zuccotti Park (since re-branded Liberty Square), under wary scrutiny of officers. The issue of permits was addressed by the police, and the situation was tense that first night. While estimates range from several hundred to 2,000 protesters, the numbers were a far cry from the 10,000 predicted. Adding to the frustration was the media - or more appropriately the lack of media. While Keith Olbermann and Michael Moore covered the protest in it's first few days, much of the mainstream news sources stayed far away from the occupation, not daring even a blurb at the bottom of the page. Those who bothered to mention it, like the New York Times, gave it a disheartening spin:
Gunning for Wall Street, With Faulty Aim
Michael Kirby Smith for The New York Times
TO THE STREET Many downtown workers encountered demonstrators last week at Zuccotti Park, some with a group called Occupy Wall Street.
By GINIA BELLAFANTE
Published: September 23, 2011
By late morning on Wednesday, Occupy Wall Street, a noble but fractured and airy movement of rightly frustrated young people, had a default ambassador in a half-naked woman who called herself Zuni Tikka. A blonde with a marked likeness to Joni Mitchell and a seemingly even stronger wish to burrow through the space-time continuum and hunker down in 1968, Ms. Tikka had taken off all but her cotton underwear and was dancing on the north side of Zuccotti Park, facing Liberty Street, just west of Broadway. Tourists stopped to take pictures; cops smiled, and the insidiously favorable tax treatment of private equity and hedge-fund managers was looking as though it would endure.
The occupation continues
It might have appeared to the outside world at this point that the occupation was nothing but a rag-tag group of disaffected youths without purpose or drive, if one were to believe the media. But those who shunned the mainstream in favor of more independent sources knew better. The people at Liberty Square are the 99%. They are the students and the teachers, the workers and the jobless, the average citizen that knows their voice is not heard by those who run the country. Silent and non-existent to the elite, the billionaires, the 1% who hold this nation's wealth. This nation began because people believed a person should not be forced to hand their wage to those who refuse to represent them. Those people fought for that ideal, and America was born of their blood. Their courage inspired thirteen colonies of citizens to rise against the most powerful empire on earth. When have you felt represented by your elected officials? Search your memory, objectively, honestly, and ask yourself if you've felt either party had your best interests at heart.
And so the occupation continued, through the rain and under the watchful eye of the NYPD. Numbers grew as the first week went on, and casual observers began to understand the protestors were in it for the long haul. At some point the local constabulary must have begun to sense this as well. Things were about to take a turn.
Brutal Saturday
The occupation continues
It might have appeared to the outside world at this point that the occupation was nothing but a rag-tag group of disaffected youths without purpose or drive, if one were to believe the media. But those who shunned the mainstream in favor of more independent sources knew better. The people at Liberty Square are the 99%. They are the students and the teachers, the workers and the jobless, the average citizen that knows their voice is not heard by those who run the country. Silent and non-existent to the elite, the billionaires, the 1% who hold this nation's wealth. This nation began because people believed a person should not be forced to hand their wage to those who refuse to represent them. Those people fought for that ideal, and America was born of their blood. Their courage inspired thirteen colonies of citizens to rise against the most powerful empire on earth. When have you felt represented by your elected officials? Search your memory, objectively, honestly, and ask yourself if you've felt either party had your best interests at heart.
And so the occupation continued, through the rain and under the watchful eye of the NYPD. Numbers grew as the first week went on, and casual observers began to understand the protestors were in it for the long haul. At some point the local constabulary must have begun to sense this as well. Things were about to take a turn.
Brutal Saturday
‘Occupy Wall Street’ Protests Turn Violent; Video Shows Police Macing Women
(Tina Fineberg/AP Photo)
Video posted by the group Occupy Wall St from the eighth day of protests against corporations show police using Tasers and mace to control the crowd, which the group says has only made it more committed to keep up the demonstrations in lower Manhattan for the long haul.
Strengthened resolve
If you're keeping score, that's mainstream (ABC) coverage. As I sit here on the evening of Sunday the 25th, just a quick search of "Occupy Wall Street" turns up a huge numbers of stories about the occupation, from such sources as ABC, CNN, Fox, Google, The Guardian, Bloomberg, not to mention the flood of info on internet sources such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and the like. Without realizing it, NYPD accomplished two things valuable to the movement, albeit unintentionally. Their unnecessary violence, in one fell swoop, guaranteed the protesters occupying Wall Street are going nowhere. They have faced their challenge together and stood their ground, they have claimed Liberty Square as their sacred battleground. Also, the mainstream news has given attention to their cause, because as even a casual purveyor of the evening news knows, violence means ratings.
But why?
If you're here, you probably already know why this is happening, but a little clarification never hurt. According to the Sociology Department at UCSC as of 2007, the top 20% of America's population owned 85% of the wealth, leaving the other 80% to scramble for 15% of the country's money. And we all know things haven't gotten any better since 2007. The number of people with money that can pass laws to regulate how you live is even smaller, leading to the 1% vs. 99% theme of the occupation. With huge banks bailed out, terribly unethical corporations bailed out (and then rewarding themselves bonuses) and even huge, faceless companies granted personhood so they can do things like contributing endlessly to campaigns and political causes, it's not hard to see that America 2011 is very different from the one our forefathers knew. America today is no longer a democracy. Oligarchy is a power structure in which power rests with a small group of people. Plutocracy is rule by wealth, or power given to the wealthy. Plutarchy is the term for a plutocratic oligarchy, and like it or not, that is what you have in America today.
The point
If you've stayed with me this long, you're no doubt wondering, "great.. so what's your point?" Do something. Now. No, seriously. All across this country people are starting movements. So far reports are coming in that people are starting OccupyChicago and OccupyBoston, and other movements in solidarity with the Wall Street protesters. Send food, or blankets, if you can afford to. Or just email and Facebook and tweet everyone you know... even a few you don't. This movement can achieve what so many other have failed, but it needs people. People of conviction, willing to take steps to take this country back from the people that have stolen it from us. The two-party system, the Federal Reserve, bailouts for the rich, corporate personhood, these are all schemes - and unconstitutional schemes at that - to rob you of your voice. The safeguards against corruption run amok are gone. You are the only thing that stands between America and a slave state.
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