“The time has come to deploy this emerging stratagem against the greatest corrupter of our democracy: Wall Street, the financial Gomorrah of America.” – July Adbusters issue
As I checked out the Occupy Vancouver website this evening, I noticed that the film Gandhi was playing on the media stream. I then read on the #OWS site that the NYPD has planned to foreclose the occupation on Oct. 14, tomorrow, at 6am. #OWS is now calling for emergency action, instructing and encouraging all participants to hold their ground peacefully using non-violent resistance. One of their peaceful resistance tips includes letting one’s body fall limp while being arrested because it is not legally considered resisting arrest. I vividly remember watching this tactic employed in the Gandhi film and the protesters receive severe beatings for their non-compliance. I do not have a strong grasp on the study or evolution of social movements but I am curious to understand how this movement compares to others in history. I would find it interesting to understand what they have borrowed and to note what new ground they are treading.
Also as I was perusing the occupation websites, I noticed that diversity is one of the key values of the movement. The #OWS site specifically states that all colours, genders, and beliefs are welcome to participate in the fight against social injustice. Recently, I was asked to define diversity in a job interview and even more recently I have been asked to sign a statement of diversity as a condition of employment. Part of the job description for this position includes reaching out and bringing together community members from diverse faith groups, socio-economic status, and cultures to get involved in diversity education. This has me thinking about what caused such diverse peoples to unite to #OWS. Is it because they have something over which to unite against, the elite 1% of America? Or is it the common financial suffering and persecution? What unites people to work together on such a large scale yet allows them to remain diverse?
I think the phrase "ambiguous unity in discontent" captures this to a certain degree. It is a protest about everything which means that everyone can protest. I heard a stat this morning that there is huge support of #OWS in the 70000+ income bracket. This is interesting. However, as the protest continues I think that clarity is coming on a few things:
ReplyDeletePrimary Areas of agreed anger:
1. Risky, irresponsible and manipulative economic and political tactics of financial and corporate entities which exploit people and create financial recessions.
2. Failure of political and corporate structures to take the environmental crisis seriously and make appropriate policy changes.
Furthermore, I think while still short of an agreed upon proactive message what has occurred is that they have successfully imagined that it is possible for us to imagine a better system and society. This was the crucial first step of breaking out of our socially conditioned apathy...