Forum Post: Can we create a membership ?
Posted 12 years ago on March 21, 2012, 12:25 a.m. EST by elf3
(4203)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
like the AARP - something to show we have clout and numbers
Get out of the house and onto the street corners and show our clout and numbers. Your sign is your membership card.
I'm sick of hearing this ... what about those of us who do not live in NYC, or close enough to a major city with a vibrant occupy movement? Should we stand at intersections with signs in hand all by ourselves (looking like an absolute idiot, oh no honey, roll up the windows and lock up the car doors) This whole thing doesn't seem designed to permeate into the parts of the country where "it counts" (the suburbs), you know, where about 60% of America lives, where most of our economic activity happens, and whom most congressmen represent.
Okay, people in large cities tend to be more liberal than the rest of the country, I mean, OWS didn't invent this dynamic, and unless it moves beyond major cities (or big college towns) it's not going anywhere. The idea that this movement has the same (or almost the same) moral imperative that protesters had during the Civil Rights movement, is not as apparent as you guys seem to think it is (at least not to most Americans). When this thing first started, it was focused on all the right things, but ever since, it's focus has become urban issues. Not that I'm a fan of police abuse or any of the other injustices on earth (and I fully agree with your grievances in this regard), but your implicit assumption that Americans all harbor some inner idealist, is just way off base. Americans tend to be pragmatic and results oriented.
At your pace, maybe you'll start to show up in the parts of America where most of us live in within the next two decades, and this is a problem. If you guys don't view this as a problem, then you're deluding yourselves. You need a way to involve average Americans, and people will not all jump on a bus to NYC every time you guys announce another protest (get real).
Or maybe suburbanites simply need to find another way to change our system, since it may be impossible for an urban based movement to permeate beyond large urban centers.
I hear ya Francis, the Occupy group nearest me only consists of about ten people and it's mostly ignored. To get there I must drive an hour through massive traffic. but it's up to those of us in the smaller towns to organize our own groups. I'm in a super challenged area because for one thing I'm in a conservative, bible thumping bubble. My Obama street banner lasted all of 3 minutes before someone ripped it up placed McCain posters in it's place. If you can organize a group in your area to participate in events that address issues in your area, maybe that would be the most effective and productive. Maybe you could have a meet and greet at a local library or other venue? I'm going to post an invite at my local post office and see what kind of response I get. Good luck.
Arm yourself with what you find here, the forum, the site, the net, make them fools for voting Republican, flushing out the Republicans is the first step, tho I just read something else the admin is doing that upsets me, still we can't do what we need to with republicans around, in a red state like mine it is tougher, but there are gay people almost everywhere if you find them, they usually are supportive. PS I hope we can do this within a couple of decades, may take longer...
Interesting that mention gay people because in my immediate area, the gays are mostly conservative republicans!!!!! I'm not exaggerating and I learned the hard way by assuming differently. Now, if I go into the upscale artsy areas that are predominantly gay, then there are more gay liberals. But again, that's in the area that is an hour or more from me. I'm thinking that William and Mary might be the most convenient group for me to work with and they have group in Williamsburg even though I think it's slack as heck with a bunch of wannabes who can't commit to anything.
Believe me, I know what you mean I have met some let's say well off people that care more about taxes than getting married. But I was just working the odds, in some places down south it's a start. But I don't live there anymore, things change.
It seems tougher than when it started, I saw the mic check of Scott on here, but not on any network, seemed news worthy to me. But spring is coming.
Not a bad idea .... I like it (thanks).
Read my post below. Occupy is not in just big cities. There are hundreds across the U.S.
does posting here make me a member?
No, you have to evangelize.
membership police?
(voting against the GOP makes you a member, not voting or voting for a Republican makes you their tool)
If I commented in a Republican forum, would that make me a member?
only if you vote for them, we're lucky almost all the worst of the worst are easy to pick out, they call themselves Republican, If we get rid of them the dems will be quick to fall in line
ok, here's your sign
Other person to drive by on my way to work.
In our small city we gather on the streetcorner every Friday evening. Look for us on your way home from work. We range in age from 20 to early 60's. Students, working, retired, unemployed, liberal, conservative, and everything in between. We see the corruption growing, and sound the alarm to wake up all of the normal persons who have been seduced into consumer
apathy by the media. Join in our fight against corruption.
Careful you sound like a tea party member.
Forever an independent. I support justice no matter what people may label it.
[Removed]
Why should we adopt a tactic like AARP or TP or NAACP or AFLCIO-
they never got anywhere!
We know better
We are Occupy
"process & consensus" first - they will get us everything we need.
Thank you, brothers david & charlie k. for this great guidance
David is David Graeber, yes? Who's Charlie?
I don't think this is the wave of the future (also there may be some objection to giving THEM our names and addresses). The way to prove our clout and numbers, in my opinion, is to spread the word.
We need to stack kindling to build a bonfire of offenses against the American way of life, against a middle class lifestyle, point out the maldoers, and offer remedies. Rage is what will bring people into the streets and overwhelm the houseslaves.
sorry, but occupy lost it's clout once it was apparent that the 40-60 % of american's that self identify as conservative aren't part of occupy's 99%
so the numbers are just fuzzy math really
They only think they aren't part of this because they've been propagandized and turned into zombies - the people loved Stalin too until all the killing and starvation was too much to ignore. They will come back to us for help - they will need us if we can't be heard because Wall Street is going to throw the country into anarchy money is not going to be worth the paper it's written if we can't stop Wall Street before then we will sadly see what desperation looks like and people will begin to kill each other and fight for food. Why do they think Wall Street has been turning all of their investments into gold and silver? Occupy is the voice of stability and reason we care about people - we will help people learn how to help eachother again - we will prevent chaos.
Actually we aren't a part of this because when it comes down to it, occupy does not represent all viewpoints and actually denigrates those that hold a conservative or Godly viewpoint.
It's not about propaganda, it's about actually working with others that are different on common goals.
And for all of occupy's claims to tolerance, it is the most intolerant group out there, didn't start that way, but that's the way it is.
What is a Godly view anyway? (I mean how do you purport to know what God wants?) What you believe god wants may not be what someone else believes god wants - Isn't it only something someone told you or how they interpreted a book ? ... I don't purport to know what happens after death and to this date noone I know has ever come back from being dead to tell me but I do believe I have a strong moral compass - does that make me "Godly" in your eyes - or does Wall Street have to stamp me with a barcode first? Does god like Wall Street and how does being against Wall Street even effect your relationship with your own beliefs? You have a strong gut feeling to believe one thing over another - what if there are many types of death? (Ghosts, going back to the universe (or heaven/ bodiless form as it were/ reincarnation) What makes you pick just one - I look up at the stars and think everything is so vast and big and my perception so small and tiny - I could never know what exists after this life - my purpose is to make this life worth living just in case there is only one trip on the merry-go-round and even if it's not that good for me I have this innate sense that I want to make it good / better for others. Maybe I come back after my death - maybe everyone's souls is different / like different species of souls. Maybe we each have a specific place and job to do based on that? point is - what would your god do about the economic injustice where one percent of humans are hoarding the god-given abundance of the earth for themselves?