Forum Post: A Powerful Symbol for Our Movement
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 11, 2011, 5:36 p.m. EST by OpenSky
(217)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Just had a cool groupthink session in chat. We all know how symbols are very powerful, as a tool of not only communication, but inspiration. We all know some of the more common symbols such as the fist. But these unfortunately tend to be associated with anarchy, and that's not what we are about. Looking back into our past, we discovered that the original US symbol was the phoenix, with its head pointed the other way (in contrast to the eagle). What if we went back to this roots, but in a way that symbolizes our rebirth from the ashes of our political system? A White Phoenix, rising from the black ashes of corruption and greed!
No critters, no colors, no symbols. All lead to the corruption of power through misplaced loyalty.
Remain free. Stay peaceful. Demand positive change.
Until all are free, no one is free.
I am amased at how Occupy works. Would like to have your input on the movement to understand it better by answering 10 questions. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Q3NF7QB Please, take some time for it and I am happy to share the results. Thank you!
Pic?
no pic yet. This came out of our discussions in chat. We need to find someone who can do the art. The important part is that we can agree on a symbol
Phoenix's are flaming birds, and any bird is going to look kindof like a dove.
I like the letters OWS quite a lot, also the dancer on the bull from adbusters.
I think the signs are being quite effective as well.
i disagree about the dove, any bird rising from the ashes is quite obviously a phoenix
Ashes in a symbol? How's that going to work?
artists can be very creative :) At the most basic level the ashes is a mound. Obviously though there are many artistic variations of that
Good luck, positive vibes to you, Ill check it out when it is ready.
Symbols don't change things. People do.
Faye kane homeless brain
If the media wants a face to put on the OWS movement, lets give them a symbol that will speak volumes to them.
and people use symbols to communicate what they feel. Symbols are and have been an important part of human culture since the dawn of conscience.
@captaindoody Troll :(
great.....powerful....peaceful
spread the word! let's see if this thing takes :)
great.....powerful....peaceful
@Narace187 not sure what you mean by the cloth. Can you explain?
Something, like the cloth of a flag. Or a shirt etc. Something that will show the government who is involved.
well there's a few Print on Demand sites that we could use. Like zazzle and redbubble. Not sure about local options though
Maybe if someone could get a design, post the link, then we can use iron-on paper to iron it on a cloth. That would be the easiest, and perhaps cheapest, way to do it.
wow totally didn't think about that. That would be even cooler
need to find somebody who can make this symbol though. Let's up other OWS members agree to this symbol.
Thanks! I really think that the contrast between black and white really symbolizes our struggle. Coupled with the power of rebirth coming from the phoenix and its roots in US history, I think it has the potential to be a powerful symbol if it gets some facetime
We would need to find a way to make it into some sort of cloth, for multiple purposes. A symbol. Out of the corruption true virtue will be born.
i love it!!!
What about a swastika? We've already picked a scapegoat (bankers instead of Jews). We want the same things - remember Nazi stands for National SOCIALIST. So why not?
The swastika is a much older symbol than the recent Nazis,. in fact is one of the oldest know symbols easily drawn in the sand with a stick or a finger. Check ancient cultures and you will see it was rather ubiquitous. I don't think the Nazis should still own it,. should be freed up,. obviously not for this movement,. just hoping people dissociation it from recent history, and understand it's context.
Scapegoat? Yeah,. because the money systems are running soooooo smooooothly. Silly troll.
Umm..... not a troll. Serious. And you seem to agree that the swastika would be a good symbol. So what is it when you blame all the problems in society and in your own life on one group of people? Scapegoating no? Take any of our usual demands list and replace Bankers with Jews and there are obvious parallels. If we can't look honestly at what we are doing, we're doomed.
Bankers is not a religious group or race,. this is no witch hunt.., it is the ACTIONS of the vast majority of the bankers that are the problem not their class, cast, ethnicity or creed. You are obviously being obtuse about your swastika trolling,. and this scapegoating crap,. there is no scapegoating just an acknowledgement of guilt. Don't want to feal the brunt of this movement? Stop stealing money, and manipulating democracy for personal gain. Simple enough eh. People are not as dumb as these arrogant thieves seem to think,. and when we band together in common cause sht gets done fast.
Do you even know about religious restrictions operative in olden times on charging interest on money?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_banking#Religious_restrictions_on_interest
I feel like I am educating a child. Grow up dude.
I am quite well aware that virtually all religions had some sane restrictions on taking interest,. usury was a crime in many cultures even before rationality.
and now come the insults,. I am a child? you are educating me? with what? you have nothing to say.
You obviously have a dust thin understanding of banking and history if you don't get it. Seriously, i hear chemistry class was about to start and they are going to give away 2 of the questions on the pop quiz next week. Get back to lecture grasshopper.
How about you try to a r t i c u l a t e an actual point of discussion ?
I have not even talked about banking,. . so you accusation is thinner.
Have you NOTHING to add?
Go to class fewl.
lol are you a bot?
But you would agree that there are certain parallels between the banking system set up in Europe at the time and the Jews who were running it right? No religious or ethnic scapegoating here so we obviously aren't bigoted or racist. We just recognize and blame the people who are causing the problems appropriately.
No, I don't know enough about the banking system in Europe before I was born to have much of an informed opinion on it,. I seriously doubt that the whole banking system of the continent was "run" by one small ethnic/religious group. What does it have to do with our current time? You are (very obviously) just trolling for a racist so you can cut, past, and use this opinion (of one) to attempt to discredit this whole movement. No one is going to fall for this,. so you may as well go back to screwing people dumb enough to hand money to a mutual fund. As that activity will soon not be available to you as an option. peace.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_banking#Religious_restrictions_on_interest
Now you know about what banking was like in Europe before we took control.
Do you have a point with this link>? What is it with you and religion? I am not a follower of any,. why do you keep bringing it up?
i would prefer that this thread not be hijacked lol
Our system is socialist because the business depend on the government(and republicans make it so no matter what) and often business outright controls government as a means to get taxpayer handouts.
Our system is national socialist right now, the 99% have had enough of it and would like the better form of socialism known as democratic socialism. Orwell writes about it in his essays.
Perhaps you should read some of these essays before you call anyone a nazi ever again.
Who are you calling a Nazi? I'm a wealth redistribuitionalist who scapegoats bankers and advocates massive control on businesses.
You are intentionally trying not to understand me, I am finished considering your ideas.