It's uncanny how this individual's personal account precisely replicates those of Egyptians who struggled together in the fateful first 18 days of the revolution. It's uncanny and inspiring and incredibly thrilling.
It's as though participants unknowingly tap into something that in our ordinary lives we rarely suspect even exists: a deep wellspring of joy and love and rightness that magically eradicates the differences and barriers between human beings and transforms them into something much greater, wiser and more powerful than the sum of their parts. These people have crossed a huge barrier already -- the trick is to keep going and let the movement gather momentum, which it will, beyond their dreams, as long as they keep going in the right direction and avoid being diverted by "helpers" armed with empty promises and slick lies.
Beautiful. Revolution until victory!
Re: #OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:08 pm
by Elvis
Harvey wrote:I wonder if it's occurred to the fat cats that in pushing us too far we'll turn our backs, create our own profit-neutered banks and markets, and simply get on with business without them?
My friend, those profit-neutered banks are called credit unions, and even you can start one!
This subject really needs its own thread, but, credit unions are non-profit and depositor-owned, so if you have a bank account, ditch it and join a local credit union!
Surprisingly, the police were highly cooperative, and no interference of any kind was observed. Even more surprising was the fact that the Tampa Police dept. offered toilets to the protesters.
For me, the song was co-opted long ago. The spoken word version can't be.
Re: #OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 4:30 pm
by gnosticheresy_2
It's like this:
Re: #OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 4:50 pm
by 2012 Countdown
October 08, 2011 08:50 AM Econ. 101: Alan Grayson Schools P.J. O'Rourke on OWS
Once upon a time PJ O'Rourke was thought in some circles to be a humorist. Not so much anymore. O'Rourke has a hard time getting his head around what this OccupyWallStreet thing is all about, seeing a bunch of goal-less, leaderless protesters, just a bunch of DFH's out playing bongos and smoking dope. Grayson quickly clarifies for O'Rourke why they're there, in beautifully succinct point-by-point form.
Grayson: Let me tell what they're talking about. They're complaining about the fact the Wall Street wrecked the economy three years ago and nobody's held responsible for that. Not a single person has been indicted or convicted for destroying twenty percent of our national net worth accumulated over two centuries. They're upset about the fact that wall street have iron control over economic policies of this country and that one party is a wholly owned subsidiary of wall street and the other party caters to them as well, that's the truth of the matter as you said before. And…
O'Rourke: Get the man a bongo drum, they've found their spokesman!
Grayson: If I…
O'Rourke: Get your shoes off, get a bongo drum, forget where to go to the bathroom and it's yours.
Grayson: If I am the spokesman for all the people who think we should not have twenty four million people in this country who can't find a full time job. That we should not have fifty million people who can't see a doctor when they're sick. That we shouldn't have forty seven million people of this country who need government help to feed themselves. And we shouldn't have fifteen million families who owe more on their mortgage than the value of home, OK, I'll be that spokesman..
Oct 7, 2011
Former Gov. Jesse Ventura dropped by Minneapolis to support 'Occupy' protesters. Ventura pointed out that the face of the movement cannot be dictated by Democrats or Republicans because both parties were "bought and paid for" -- and that he never took a dime in corporate money to get elected.
===
2nd location...
Michael Moore October 8, 2011
Massive turnout. Massive. WashingtonSqPark NYC. #OccupyWallStreet Growing so fast, NYPD overwhelmed
Re: #OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 7:06 pm
by Laodicean
Jeff wrote:For me, the song was co-opted long ago. The spoken word version can't be.
Re: #OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:14 pm
by Elvis
A second-hand report from Seattle:
Just talked by phone to my boss (a friend, first, really) who is working right across the street from Westlake.
Following a march with the union folks, he says the crowds are larger than ever.
Arrrgh! I'm stuck here 100 miles away until I get a ride in the morning. I assume Project Willow is there, hopefully along with some other RI'ers.
He says the mood is different than he's seen so far, a certain intensity. He says the crowd has moved into 4th Avenue, taking up most of the street. I could hear the drums and chanting over the phone. (He says that, surprisingly, business at the costume shop picked up after the protesters returned from the march and blocked the street.)
He says the police are being very cool, but that just one un-cool reckless act (by either 'side') could set off an ugly fracas.
I looked on Twitter for current reports but I still am a little bewildered by Twitter. Nothing breaking at occupyseattle.org. Maybe there's some live feed, I'll look, and hope my lame connection can stream it (is stream the right word?)
Anyway---I'm anxious to return to the scene and plan to be there tomorrow, Sunday.
Re: #OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:59 pm
by Allegro
AlicetheKurious wrote:It's uncanny how this individual's personal account precisely replicates those of Egyptians who struggled together in the fateful first 18 days of the revolution. It's uncanny and inspiring and incredibly thrilling.
It's as though participants unknowingly tap into something that in our ordinary lives we rarely suspect even exists: a deep wellspring of joy and love and rightness that magically eradicates the differences and barriers between human beings and transforms them into something much greater, wiser and more powerful than the sum of their parts. These people have crossed a huge barrier already -- the trick is to keep going and let the movement gather momentum, which it will, beyond their dreams, as long as they keep going in the right direction and avoid being diverted by "helpers" armed with empty promises and slick lies.
Carolina wrote: "We are an informative platform in English that aims to support the ongoing pro-democracy protests throughout Europe. We believe in alternative and independent media, net neutrality, real participatory democracy, active citizenship and the common ideals put forth by the first protests in Spain. We understand this revolution is made up of global citizens facing global issues, therefore, one of our goals is to create a net of volunteers and activists from around Europe to fight for our common goal. We are open for collaboration in many ways, feel free to contact us at: European Revolution."
Occupy SA – Operation Ubuntu is a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. The People come as the People.
On 15 October we want to see people flood into South African cities’ allocated spaces, set up beds, kitchens, peaceful barricades and occupy SA’s financial districts for a few months.
Like our brothers and sisters at Wall Street and in Egypt, Greece, Spain, and Iceland, we plan to use the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic of mass occupation to restore freedom in South Africa. We also encourage the use of nonviolence to achieve our ends and maximize the safety of all participants.
@WeOccupyAmerica asked @CynthiaBoaz, a proponent of Mahatma Gandhi’s satyagraha (nonviolent) activism methods, for a set of principles to help guide #OccupyAmerica.
She gave Them back this series of seven direct messages.
1) Nonviolent discipline, no matter what. Zero tolerance for any violence whatsoever, including verbal.
2) Unity of message & across orgs and people. There should be a consistent message & demands coming out & activists shld know it & share it.
3) There must be a long-term and coherent strategy, not just tactics and actions (no matter how clever) that are not connected in some way.
4) Security forces/police should be seen as potential recruits to movement, not as adversaries. Ultimately they are accountable to the ppl.
5) Keep larger audience (national and international) in mind when framing the message. The goal is to win ppl over, not to alienate.
6) Defensive strategies never win. Don’t respond to verbal attacks or hostile propaganda by using the language of the opponent. Reframe.
7) Claim victory whenever possible. It’s important for morale and enthusiasm.
Keep anger/rage in check with humor and solidarity actions.
@WeOccupyAmerica asked @CynthiaBoaz, a proponent of Mahatma Gandhi’s satyagraha (nonviolent) activism methods, for a set of principles to help guide #OccupyAmerica.
She gave Them back this series of seven direct messages.
1) Nonviolent discipline, no matter what. Zero tolerance for any violence whatsoever, including verbal.
2) Unity of message & across orgs and people. There should be a consistent message & demands coming out & activists shld know it & share it.
3) There must be a long-term and coherent strategy, not just tactics and actions (no matter how clever) that are not connected in some way.
4) Security forces/police should be seen as potential recruits to movement, not as adversaries. Ultimately they are accountable to the ppl.
5) Keep larger audience (national and international) in mind when framing the message. The goal is to win ppl over, not to alienate.
6) Defensive strategies never win. Don’t respond to verbal attacks or hostile propaganda by using the language of the opponent. Reframe.
7) Claim victory whenever possible. It’s important for morale and enthusiasm.
Keep anger/rage in check with humor and solidarity actions.
Thanks, Plutonia! I really like the eightfold rules.
The live stream is working! but choppy. I can get most of it. The chatroom on the right side is probably using some needed processor/connection resources but I can't get rid of it.
on edit: clicking the "Log in/Sign up" button replaces the chatroom with a new, static frame.
In any case, I can almost feel like I'm there again!
The woman now on screen is giving good advice.
Re: #OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 12:49 am
by Allegro
.
Mohammed Ezzeldin Speaks | Occupy Wall Street in Washington Square
— Egyptian activist who also camped out in Tahrir Square during Egyptian revolution
Re: #OCCUPYWALLSTREET campaign - September 17
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 3:01 am
by Project Willow
Elvis wrote:A second-hand report from Seattle:
Following a march with the union folks, he says the crowds are larger than ever.
Arrrgh! I'm stuck here 100 miles away until I get a ride in the morning. I assume Project Willow is there, hopefully along with some other RI'ers.
Hi Elvis! Hope to see you tomorrow! OK, it's confession time now. I am guilty of diverting Ms. Twyla (minus family member) to the one and only Saloon, wherein which we imbibed a number of beverages making it somewhat difficult for me to recap our day of protesting. Sorry. *hiccup*. Cheers Twyla!
I have only just exited after a long night of political and social debate in that venue.
Anyway, this is all the synopsis I can muster atm. We met around 2 pm in Westlake Park. Personally, I am a bit unimpressed with the occupation leadership, they kept changing the time of the march which I thought ill advised, especially sine they should be courting labor. However, labor did somehow show up over the long course of the day and finally, when a march did occur, it was fairly well attended. There were clashes between the more staid members and elements of the black block who decided the streets must be taken. Our minute contingent left before any conflict with police could ensue (and before we could be arrested).
It is my studied opinion that the Seattle group is half directed by provocateurs and/or young people with mal-adaptive authoritarian bents and unfortunately they are steering it to ruin. I'm grateful that many cities are involved in this mass action because I can foresee that some cities will fail at times, as ours is now, which is highly ironic and very sad, in light of our WTO heritage.
Keep anger/rage in check with humor and solidarity actions.
Yes, Thank You, Plutonia!
