Joining the Occupy Wall Street group here on DK is a declaration or commitment to learn about, investigate, participate and support that movement as it develops. Of what use is it to declare that the 1% must yield their position and be brought down to earth to pay their dues and stop fleecing America and robbing us of America's potential to be a wonderful and just country? It is the most important thing to do on the political landscape right now.
To make it better, for enduring some hardship and inconvenience now in return for something worthwhile to come. I am not even that concerned with some imagined special benefit except seeing less stress and some relief for all those around me who are just as stressed out and as troubled or even more troubled than I am. It is for myself and for the people I care about, and it isn't restricted to people I know (more under the squiggle).
There are millions out there who are hanging on by their fingernails, or are lost and not even sure how much longer they can keep on living. It is that bad.
To expect a movement to deliver a miracle in the short term, in the very near future is a folly. Other things, other significant things are possible and are happening even now in the early stages. 1.) From one city to spread to dozens, from dozens to hundreds and hundreds. That is called exponential growth and it is very significant.
People, many of them never having been activists or politically aware are jumping in with both feet and learning fast. Many of them are young and full of energy and enthusiasm and have the stamina to run with it. Wow! that's a big point 2.)
The elements we are targeting have no truly effective answer or defense. Our strength is really growing, even if we ourselves don't appreciate how it is developing, or have an incomplete or partial picture. That is point 3.) When the police pepper sprayed, attacked peaceful people like beating the girl on her head from behind like a coward does to his victim, went crazy batons on media including FOX, NPR, local radio in NYC, they are desperate and searching for an answer that isn't there.
Do they (Bloomberg and the rest of the 1% ers ) think increased violence and threats will be enough to suffocate and extinguish this movement? He is not that stupid. The civil rights faced down lynchings, abuses of all kinds, assassinations, and persevered.
Afro Americans were never more than 27% of the population in America but the majority of whites being decent gave tacit or open approval to the boycotts and marches and that combination, a moral and physical force beat the Bull Connors and the firehoses and the Governor Faubuses and the KKK and the rest of them.
This #OWS movement already has claimed the 99% as its own and defends their interests. No other party or organization active on the scene today does the same. That means the Dems, the Repubs, the alphabet soups of agencies, organizations, etc are too narrow or not brave enough to take up that job, although many are stepping up and giving real support now. From unions and community organizations to many individuals, even famous persons in media, arts, education, are courageously saying they support the aspirations and the process.
OK, enough on that soapbox here is the clincher for me. After hearing so much negativity including patronizing BS articles in the lamestream media about how Americans have lost any interest in politics or keep accepting the beatdowns and are passive in the face of more and more assaults on their persons, livelihoods, families, it is refreshing and thrilling to see a very basic movement for the self worth of a person arise and take off.
The basic movement that says to each person: You are, I am a worthwhile person. I am one of the 99% that are the backbone of and reason America got this far. Why do I have to, beg for a job, beg that I can be seen for a medical condition, beg a politician for some little relief from the inexorable tightening of the screws that go on day after day, year after year, and never lets up? Why do the 1% have to keep grabbing more and more and stealing from the rest of us? Why must this theft continue? Why do I have to have my dignity, self worth violated over and over?
Gratifying to see the real surge that pundits have been dismissive of as just not possible or absurd in America. Giving the lie to all these memes:"We are too( pick one)- selfish, too much of an individualist, never good at cooperating like those foreigners do because they just think alike no individuality, know we live in the best place and have it better than any other place on the globe, don't want to rock the boat on the greatest deal in the world, have it so much better than anywhere else it is really stupid to bitch about meaningless things, don't know what we are talking about, and won't do a thing while the game/DWTS/ favorite cable show is on the tube.
I firmly believe if we act unselfishly, think of advancing the democratic process in each and every action we take, in what we say and what we do, we can make this the mighty force the powers that be are so afraid of and truly powerless to stop once it gets rolling.
9:04 AM PT: We don't get to pick our favorites or perfect opportunities to do great things or the right thing. we sometimes have them thrust upon us.
Along with a number of others ("I was wrong about # Occupy Wall Street" diarists) I saw that regardless of my misgivings or my critique, it was going to succeed, to launch and capture people's imagination and emotionally connect for all the best reasons. I ran a poll to explore "How long will it go on?" and realized it would be as long as some dedicated people kept moving the ball down the field, it would be alive and well. And the cooperation and swallowing of egos? Indispensable to make that happen.
For the partisans of Paul, anarchism, socialist collectives, etc.,community organizing, here is my rejoinder:
"You won't believe how much you can accomplish as long as you don't worry about who gets the credit".
we are all human, we all have a limited comprehension, are never 100% certain unless we are foolish because the world surprises us every day.
I realize that the #OWS is much greater than the sum of its parts. I am not even "counting pluses and minuses" among its participants because the counting is out there, in among the doings on the ground. Surfers.
That's regardless of the tiny handful of nameless or pseudonymed activists who launched it. They succeeded in the push to grab the next wave. In this movement, the process is every bit as important as the overall goals because without a healthy democratic process, the difficult work can never get be properly supported, won't get done.
3:45 PM PT: * a response to Sustain? and how to keep sustainable?
take part in your local event. If there is none,
yet, get focused on reaching and meeting up with people who want one too. If you haven't been to an ongoing one, go there and listen, check it out and see how the flow goes.
Take the initiative via the social networking sites and call for one. Look at the history right here on Kos with the activists who made the effort to launch the original and how it was built up. The key to starting seems to be....bring tents! and some communication gear, smartphones, wireless access. finding a place with accessible pottys is a key, too. Find a usable site that can be maintained for more than a half day or a few hours.
Others may have more detail or specific steps, but those are what I see in common. You might think of bringing some 99% stickers or at least some pencils, color markers and cardboard so people can make their own signs. Participate, discuss, organize, act with awareness.
That is a really smart way of taking ownership in a good way of what is about to happen, about to be launched.
Check Una Spenser's diaries and blogging. Also A o T, Ministry of Truth and the rest of the active diarists at the # Occupy WS group right here. There is a steady stream of material. S & S? (sustainable and sustained?)
Una spent a lot of time and effort describing Boston's history of the General Assembly and how they did it.
She was a facilitator for that meeting, it was asked of her and she did it. Very interesting study of how the discussions and decisons were made.
It isn't just spreading by osmosis to more and more areas, cities, it is also figuring out and handling the process. Learn by doing. And that is the part that will take a little while, take some training thru observation and practice with your neighbors and new friends