So let's summarize Occupy Wall Street. This is a grassroots movement that received a lot of criticism (yeah, I'm looking at you NYT) for being disjointed and not having solidified leadership after all is just a few young people causing trouble (note my sarcasms). Actually, Occupy Wall Street is a diverse movement composed of the unemployed, students, unions, etc, but we can probably summarize by saying they are the poor/working poor/disenfranchised, and if not directly one from these group understand that "this is not about me" (as noted from a sign I saw in photos: "I have a job. This is not about me. It is bigger"). It all comes down to the same things though, some people with a dangerous idea that must be vilified. This idea that says corporations have to pay their fair share, that corporations are not people, and that if politicians will do nothing about it then the masses will. So, I'm wondering why it took so long. I'm wondering why the unemployed and underemployed didn't take to the streets when we started talking about yet another Free Trade agreement that will rob US citizens of jobs. I'm confused why no one rushed into the streets after the President declared a third illegal war, when he was the guy who was supposed to bring the troops home. But finally, the people have gathered, and not in DC, but in the New York financial district, you know where the power is.
However, things never go smoothly, even in the US. There are charges of police brutality which began with the pepper spraying of penned women. In addition over the weekend somewhere between 700 and 800 people were arrested for occupying the Brooklyn Bridge. The protesters are saying that the police led them onto the Bridge, which is entrapment, and the police are claiming the protesters marched on it. Either way the results were the arrests, and when the arrests were made charges were not given. As of today Van Jones is calling for Marines, in dress blues, to go to Wall Street and defend the protesters. I'd like to remind everyone of that if the protesters need protection then the Governor, Andrew Cuomo (D) should send in the National Guard. At this point I don't think that is necessary.
Additionally, Occupy the Nation took place this weekend, with protests in Cleveland, Columbus, LA, Chicago, etc. The turnouts ranged depending on where you were. Also, shout out to V for assisting in the organizing of Occupy Boston where they marched to the headquarters of Bank of America. I heard Occupy K Street starts this week. I'm pretty excited that they are taking aim at the lobbies, and the United Food and Commercial Workers are located over there with SEIU just at Dupont. Time to get involved labor.
Occupy Wall Street has a livestream, which can be followed here: http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution. This site is actually called Global Revolution, which kind of rocks.
Below is the first statement from Occupy Wall Street outlining their demands. I pulled this from Dangerous Minds. None of these demands seem out of line in fact a lot of it looks oddly familiar (wink, Roosevelt, wink).
This was unanimously voted on by all members of Occupy Wall Street last night, around 8pm, Sept 29. It is our first official document for release. We have three more underway, that will likely be released in the upcoming days: 1) A declaration of demands. 2) Principles of Solidarity 3) Documentation on how to form your own Direct Democracy Occupation Group. This is a living document. you can receive an official press copy of the latest version by emailing c2anycga@gmail.com.
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.
