Galindez writes: "Unemployment sits at 9%. So-called 'real unemployment' is much higher. Millions of homes are being foreclosed upon. Students are being buried in a mountain of debt from student loans. And the cost of a college education grows yearly. While most Americans are struggling, those who are thriving were bailed out at taxpayers' expense and profit from the majority's pain. The Occupy movement has skin in the game, they are invested in the outcome. That's why when each Mayor or Police Chief cracks down, they simply fan the flames instead of putting out the fire. In fact, each time they just gather up more fuel to be thrown on the growing fire."
Seattle activist Dorli Rainey, 84, was pepper-sprayed on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011. (photo: Joshua Trujillo/Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Fanning the Flames of Revolution
17 November 2011
he day was January 17th, 1991.
About 500 of us marched out of Lafayette Park, peacefully taking to the streets of Washington, DC without a "permit" to do so. By the time we got back to the White House our numbers had swelled to over 2,000. The reason for our "un-permitted" march? The start of the first Gulf War. We'd gathered in front of the White House and began marching down Pennsylvania Avenue, but were met by a row of mounted police. They ordered us to disperse and clear the street. When we refused, police drove us out of the street with their swinging batons.
Fast forward to August of 2001.
Progressive rap band Ozomatli was on an open-air stage in Los Angeles just outside of the Democratic Party Convention. Suddenly, LAPD cut the power to the stage and ordered the crowd to disperse. Just fifteen minutes later a hail of rubber bullets drove the crowd out of the area.
These tactics worked for the police in 1991, and again in 2001. But in 2011 these ham-handed tactics seem destined to fail. Instead of being intimidated, the people are resisting such tactics and, quite to contrary, only seem emboldened by the batons and riot gear. The pepper-spray incident, Brooklyn Bridge arrests, the first Oakland raid and the wounding of war vet Scott Olson are all examples of how this time the crackdowns are fanning the flames of the Occupy movement. In fact, Mayor Bloomberg’s pre-dawn raid of Liberty Plaza will likely re-energize Occupy Wall Street in New York.
"Why," you ask? Why don’t these intimidation tactics work in 2011?
I think it's because this is a movement led by the people, and not a protest guided by "top down" leadership. When the police "crack down" in 2011, they are cracking down on the entire movement. Crack down on one protester and you crack down on all of them--from Portland to Atlanta to NYC. Back in 1991, it was the Campaign for Peace in the Middle East--a coalition of various political groups--calling all the shots. The rank and file marchers supported the cause, but were not as invested in the movement. So, they were easily intimidated.
Movements become uprisings or revolutions when the people become fully invested in the outcome. A march against a war is, for most, an expression of their position on the issue. It is an important act, but it is also easier for the opposition to deal with it. The protesters go home and may not protest again. Or, if they do, there is enough time between protests that the individual doesn’t really become invested in a "movement."
This was readily apparent for military families and vets. They felt a deeper connection. The war directly affected their daily lives. So, for them there was deeper investment in the anti-war movement. But most Americans had no skin in the game. For them it wasn’t worth marching repeatedly against the war, each time facing a baton.
Which brings us to the roots of the Occupy movement. Unemployment sits at 9%. So-called "real unemployment" is much higher. Millions of homes are being foreclosed upon. Students are being buried in a mountain of debt from student loans. And the cost of a college education grows yearly. While most Americans are struggling, those who are thriving were bailed out at taxpayers' expense and profit from the majority's pain.
The Occupy movement has skin in the game, they are invested in the outcome. That’s why when each Mayor or Police Chief cracks down, they simply fan the flames instead of putting out the fire. In fact, each time they just gather up more fuel to be thrown on the growing fire.
In New York, the pepper-spraying of the young girls, followed shortly thereafter by the arrests on the Brooklyn Bridge, solidified the movement. Are we seeing the effect of Tuesday morning's crackdown today as the Occupy movement engages in a "National Day of Action?"
In Oakland, the tear gas and Scott Olson’s near-death led to a general strike which shut down the Port of Oakland. In Berkeley, when students were prevented from setting up camp last week, they called for a student strike, returned to Sproul Plaza even stronger and set up camp late Tuesday night.
Now in Seattle, Dorli Rainey, 84, was pepper-sprayed on Tuesday along with a 19 year-old pregnant woman. With authorities threatening to evict Occupy Seattle from their camp, it would have been wiser for the police not to add fuel to the fire. But it's too late for that. Seattle is primed to be the next hot-spot in the Occupy movement. If Seattle Police move in, they will only be fanning the flames further.
There are hundreds of other encampments around the country, many of which see city officials quietly waiting them out. The encampments we hear about are those where the government chooses to add fuel to the fire.
Scott Galindez was formerly the co-founder of Truthout, and is now the Political Director of Reader Supported News.
Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.
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Comments
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The Fed! (mostly private bankers) I want an explanation of how "we" can ever pay it back with the same "money" it furnishes while charging interest for it. This is a bald faced Ponzi Scheme guaranteed to keep us in bondage (debt) forever. (and ever)
All over the world, it is also known, what American policemen do to the Iraq war veterans. the police will live on in American history.
Policemen should be ashamed of themselves!
GO OWS!!
"Sad" is not the emotion I feel; (of course it is painful and traumatic for her, and gut-wrenching ,too, for us all) these bastards, the police, are going to lose.
My...problem? is that I want them to pay, in a way they can't ignore, a way that will make them not want to do that illegal crap again.
Ditto for the sociopathic gamblers, who continue their completely non-productive ("finance") rampage.
Stay strong, focused, and demand TOTAL restoration of our civil liberties.
Thousands of individual lawsuits in every locale; the Fed's are agin us; we still have each other, yes ?? !!!
maybe there's a way to incorporate those who will do the work for the new OWS Credit Union Infrastructure Enterprise into an Occupation of abandoned/foreclosed homes where they're working, perhaps with an option to buy;or, rent rooms only from underwater homeowners.
It's hard to not be bleak dealing with these loathsome creatures; but all of us can contribute, somehow; it's inside most of us; they really aren't motivated like we are, are they ?
Saying government is the problem is akin to disowning your kid because they're acting up.
We need to make our government in our own image; we Americans must insist on justice, transparency and eqluality among ourselves as well as the rest of the world.
We need a clean sweep of our Congress and the new Congress's first act must be to convene a Constitutional Convention. It is past time to update and clarify our Constitution and INSIST THAT IT BE HONORED.
If a lot of people will do that,It will really hurt and may make the guys think.
"saving our immortal souls"
Nice sentiments and I agree with most of what you wrote but everyone I shared a foxhole with in WWII was simply "fighting" to stay alive. They might tell their grandchildren otherwise but I don't. I even stopped believing WWII was a "just" war since I've found out how Americans (from the so called 1%) helped finance Hitler. Fortunately my sons would prefer to go to jail than to the Army...
Oh, and I recommend you use a spell check so as to not distract from your worthwhile message.
They know a Third Party is a splinter party and it is business as usual, regardless which of the two major parties wins.
The truth is..
If we don't have a strong Presidential alternative to challenge Obama at the Democratic Convention, we are going to lose big time...and time for many of us is running out.
We need a candidate who can cut through what this government has become.
Very well said!!!
After we bailed out this country with 800 billions dollars they turned their backs on us and sold us out, then they made an attack on the poor even worse when they went after our homes and refuse to create any jobs for this country. I too will vote for Obama again b/c I know that every republican up there is lying to us again...TAX THE RICH AND NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN...
It takes time for the majority of people to understand what is going on, and we will simply ensure that the republicans win. What a horrible thought.
The OWS should formulate some demands.
which we can push the democrats to adopt. If they do not want to play ball. We can let them know, that they will not get our votes.
In rhe meantime, we should work on third party candidates, and get them ready for 2016.
Both you and Vivelevin express the most realistic strategy for the 2012 elections. Allowing a majority of Americans to assimilate the truths behind the Occupy Movement; getting third-party candidates ready for 2016; and keeping the GOP from winning in 2012. The Obama Administration has made disappointing policy decisions, but I can't think of anything worse than a Republican President either.
However... when you LOOSE your COOL, you LOOSE... PERIOD. We have to WORK at changing things INTELLIGENTLY. I admire Senator Bernie Sanders and Professor Warren.
WE, HERE admire them, ........But in the general population, too many do NOT KNOW THEM, so a Third Party with the two of them on top would FAIL and we would have:
President Romney and ROBERT Bork..the nastiest, most reactionary right wing creep would be choosing the next two Supreme Court Judges.....OH MY GOOD.
Decades of super right wing judges would certainly do a lot to destroy our poor country......Roe v Wade? ...HISTORY
We must work at finding REAL democrats and help them kick out some of these terrible T baggers, that are so hell bent on destroying us.
PLEASE STAY COOL AND FOCUSED
For those struggling to hold onto houses, do you honestly think that the Gov't wants to take the houses that the banks haven't taken already? Both the 1% and the Gov't they think they own are running on your money. They are over a considerably bigger barrel than we are, finally.
While OWS is taking to the streets and the Obama Administration is giving to the 1% every conceivable break and subsidy possible. But they pay for it with the money of the taxes paid by the 99%. STOP PAYING TAXES! We have the streets. NOW TAKE BACK PURSE STRINGS!
As for Lafayette Park , can you be arrested for walking the sidewalks around that park or any park in the US? Can the police arrest 50, 500, 5000, etc. for walking the sidewalks in their own towns, no matter what time of day or night?
We have our cell phones and iPods and all the electrical devices necessary to keep a cohesive unit MOVING thru the streets of the nation that is rightfully ours. Some people will sit in the park and some people will keep on the move and we'll will continue to OCCUPY our Nation and redefine what is the right to peaceful assembly. We all know the story of how hard it is to hit a moving target. Increase the numbers and keep moving!!!
Much change is made thru legislators. So, like what the Tea Party did, Occupy has to occupy legislator offices at the state and federal levels. They have to have specific demands for change and go beyond the generalities.
They can petition their colleges to put pressure on bad corporations and practices. University endowments control billions in stock. Put pressure on the schools to put pressure on the BAD corporations for reform. Etc.
The movement has to study how to effect change, in detail. And, move on to the next 199 steps.
The only really clear signal the voters can send to the political establishments is that we are not going to keep being duped by these shenanigans. Re-register with the party that truly reflects your values and positions and support the candidates who do the same. Stop choosing candidates based solely on the letter following their names on the sample ballot.
In my lifetime the so-called Democratic Party has gone from being the party of racism and warmongering to being the party of justice and peace to going back to warmongering and catering to the plutocrats. They are the ultimate shape-shifters. If they can change, well, so can I, so now I am proudly identifying myself with the Greens.
For instance, Bloomberg is not the enemy. He is the enemy's tool.
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