Rubbish. For the most part, they are the political lunatic fringe and you know it.
The mistake is in being too inclusive and not speaking enough about the enablers, who would rather swim in the wake of the rich and powerful, than to challenge their power. Hannah Arendt once said that a fascist government only needs the support of about 10% of the total population to be stable. There is at least 10% of the people who would gladly serve as lackies and flunkies for their masters.
I have heard the drivel repeated fairly often these last several weeks and it is not impressive. The point is, our current "master" (if you must) may need a trip to the woodshed, but those who pretend to speak for the #occupy "movement" are simply masters-in-waiting and I find their message to be wanting. I'm glad you find it edifying. Frankly, I'd rather stick with the devil I already know rather than risk the future on a bunch of people who cannot even articulate their positions lest anyone hold them to it... or ask for some kind of workable solutions...
It's happened many times before, it happens in many countries now, and it will likely be our future, as the haves do not want any alterations to capitalism, in the face of growing realization that this world is reaching the limits of what the natural economy can provide, and continued economic growth has to come at someone else's expense.
Personally, I don't see it as a bona fide "movement" per se. Time will tell. My guess is that the silent majority will eventually tire of the antics of the idle who are behaving like you would expect spoiled children to behave. Then... they are toast.
I was libertarian until reading studies from economists and sociologists for at least the last five years, who have been continually hammering away at the point that the middle and lower classes are losing, while wealth trickles up to the top.
Obviously, however, HOW DO YOU CHANGE THAT without bringing down the system completely. And if you completely destroy that system, what would you replace it with. How long would it take? Would we all ask ourselves why we bothered 10 years down the road?
This message was completely ignored prior to OWS.
Probably because it is a somewhat vapid message, stating the obvious. Again - HOW DO YOU CHANGE THAT?
The one thing they need to do, and are being prevented in a ruthless and brutal fashion right now, is to maintain the public spaces where people of all walks of life can gather and share their stories and meet with others who are struggling with debt, losing jobs, losing houses etc..
Oh good grief. Ruthless? Brutal? Bending over backwards to accommodate a bunch of whiners might be a better description. What this alleged "99%" doesn't realize is that the REAL 99% are not very impressed with their antics and do not see this as a realistic vehicle to enact change. It is a toothless wannabe "revolution" of the pampered and privileged who have little understanding of what it means to have nothing.
It is the education of the casual onlookers at OWS, who thought they were all alone and didn't understand how the system was being gamed to use against them...retaking public space is what they need to focus on above all else...
It is difficult to think that someone actually thinks that this is a meaningful act, let alone being a priority. It strikes me as intellectual bankruptcy.
and that's why the Borg is ruthlessly suppressing these efforts, even assaulting reporters who cover the demonstrations....something unheard of before in America.
I doubt that this is an official position of police organizations - to harm reporters intentionally. Personally, I haven't heard of any reporters getting hurt by the cops in any city. Link?
That sort of thing didn't even go on in the turbulent 60's, during the Vietnam War and Civil Rights demonstrations. But now, the oligarchs are determined to keep news video footage of cops assaulting demonstrators out of the news cycle. This sort of thing was something we thought only happened in third world dictatorships...but now it's come to our shores!
Oh good grief. No doubt they are murdering them in the streets as we speak, right?
So, we know where you stand, and who's side you'll be on when goon squads are signed up by the new fascists!
Oddly, I see the #occupy crowd as the new wannabe fascists. Go ahead, call me silly. I have broad shoulders. (It must be from swimming in the wake of the 1% for all these years.)
The threat of revolution will come from outside of OWS, and if such a thing happens, then all bets are off about what sort of revolutionary regime would follow.
Um, ok. But, just the same, you are happy destabilizing everything possible to ensure such a real revolution can occur. That's fricken spiffy.
Wars, civil wars, and any sorts of violent conflicts always elevate the most violent and ruthless and psychotic among the population. Rarely does a revolutionary leader not want to become the new despot to replace the old despot.
This, in a nutshell, is what worries me about the #occupy whiners. I've seen enough to understand that one should be careful what they wish for, as they just might get it.
