Forum Post: How will it all end?
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 5, 2011, 1:30 a.m. EST by fighton
(15)
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How will the Occupy Wall Street Movement end? Just like many others before it i.e. grow, peak, decline and finally, dead. We have seen this all before. Remember the protests against the Iraq War? They were big, they were worldwide. But they did not stop the war. Finally they just ended dead, much earlier than any of the soldiers who fought there.
Protesters in less developed part of the world like Tunisia, Egypt and Libya resulted in the overthrowing of the systems there. Why can't it happen in America? Because we are Americans. This Occupy Wall Street protests, like others before them, are symptomatic of the ill afflicting America as a whole. They manifest the easy-going, fun-loving nature of we Americans. This was not how we started. It evolves over several generations of prosperous life-styles. Most of us are in the protests for the fun of it. Now that it has caught the attention of the media, more will vie to be in the publicity, wanting to been seen nationwide, in fact, worldwide.
How much are the protesters willing to sacrifice for the movement? How many will camp in the open when winter comes? How many more will continue throughout the winter? I believe "Occupy Wall Street" will not require any harsh action by the authority to put an end to it. The coming winter will. The harsher the winter, the faster this will happen. Compare this with the Arab Spring where people are willing to put their lives on the line. Unless these protesters of Occupy Wall Street have the same spirit of sacrifice as the Tunisians, Egyptians and Libyans, the whole movement will a "much ado about nothing".
"Most of us are in the protests for the fun of it."
In my understanding, most people participate in protests because they want change.
Your best chance is to get the military onside
Dude this may well be the start of true change. The world is watching
Che Guevara once said on NYC radio that armed revolution might succeed on an island, but couldn't in the continental states. The United States is not a third-world country. It's a very highly organized garrison state with many disparate locales, cultures and residents, all subjected to constant media hypnosis. But even with a loss of comfort zone that, so far, barely approaches third-world conditions, Americans are waking up.
In the '60s and '70s, a race and then a generation of draftees had to stand up for themselves. In terms of culture change, that was a long time ago. U.S. population has at least doubled, technology has exploded, and economic draftees are plentiful.
The context of "Liberty Square" is unique to this time and this place in lower Manhattan and America. Why has the Occupy Wall Street movement mushroomed in three weeks? Because its bottom line is protest against the corporate bottom line, and action for the right to freely assemble and occupy public space. So far, its spirit on the ground--despite presence of the usual instigators--has been that love unites, discord divides, and its greatest power is peace.
Everyone's hurt by the Yankee dollar, or lack thereof. This issue stands alone without help from Democrats or Republicans, who with few exceptions are subsumed by Congressional brothels. And it stands alone without help from every other cause that may plague the United States and divide its populace. This single issue includes everyone, the 99%: soldier, sailor, cop, teacher, techie, office worker, union worker, small business person, factory worker, student, unemployed person, etc., etc., etc.
The longer OWS can keep its message simple and inclusive, the larger it will grow. I think a statement made in The Occupied Wall Street Journal, distributed by OWS, is the golden mean of the OWS movement and is its lifeboat.
In effect, the statement said: The General Assembly has veered from the language of demands. The political system is broken; demands before the movement grows are pointless. The demand now is the occupation itself and the direct democracy occurring at Liberty Plaza.
That's the right stance for the moment. I know winter is coming and I know the news cycle demands instant answers but the longer the movement stands for inclusion and democracy- the more that can be done in time. The rush to demand will only put a wall up that leaves all of the incoming people that are interested in joining and having their voices heard on the outside. NYC is the center of a large circle that needs a little time to form, don't close the gates yet and say this is who we are without hearing from the many others across the country that want to be heard.
OWS is actually a brilliant piece of human art, simple, abstract, but loaded with meaning.
Nicely said. Wall Street is the most recognizeable symbol of wealth in the world. Simply to occupy it in protest is statement enough. The confusion is manufactured by those who don't want the rest of the 99% to get it. I know what they mean without them ever having to articulate it.
These are not disgruntled adolescents looking for something to complain about. I find this post a bit presumptuous and short sighted considering you do not seem to comprehend the weight and severity of the situation. People are not simply protesting for something they believe in... They are occupying because they have no homes or jobs to go to. Whether it's a hundred degrees, or negative thirty. That is not going to change unless they make their point. Some people are barely clinging to what they have while spiraling deeper into debt and losing more hope of any kind of future every day. It's called taking matters into your own hands. Peacefully. Together.
Even though the PC thing to do would be to tell you that you are wrong, and cynical, the fact is I think you are right. The People in the middle east who protested were fighting for freedom from oppression. many in America think that things are bad but I don't think you can compare getting beaten by the military just because they can and having your 401k take a nose dive. many people will leave when the cold hits. They will say they have to get back to work, or have things to look after, there will be lots of very good sounding reasons but at the end of the day they will leave. Hopefully however long this lasts it will at least make people take a bigger interest in what is actually going on in Government. A democracy only works if the PEOPLE actually participate. If the people won't vote, and attend meetings then how can they blame politicians. I mean honestly. How many of you reading this actually know who your state representatives are? How many of you know how many representatives your particular state gets? What America needs is for the people to actually take an interest in how things are going, instead of just complaining after things are done. On another note I find apropos that under a comment talking about Americans lack of commitment, that someone thought it important to post a chain letter twice instead of responding to the comment.
jgrove45: I know who every one of my representatives are, have contacted them often, and vote in every election no matter how small or local. I know it's futile because they are bought and paid for by big money... in fact ARE big money themselves. But I do it anyway until something better -- like OWS -- comes along to help change that.
Thank you very much AvgJane2 I am very glad that you do participate. The sad part of the fact ( backed up by the voter turnout statistics) is that most Americans do not take part in the Government and then complain. I want everyone to stand up and do something. That is the only way that this won't just go away is if people really do something. But again thank you for taking part in our representative democracy. You, at least, have the right to complain.
Can't say I blame them, though. Our political system SUCKS right now, and Democracy is badly damaged! It's no small wonder so many people just gave up. Which has to get fixed first; the chicken or the egg?
By the way, voter involvement went WAY up when Obama ran, and won. And if you think that won't happen again, maybe this movement is just what he needed to remind him of how much his original ideas really DO click with so many Americans. Sensible moderate progressives haven't had to raise such hell to be heard in a LONG time.
Probably 99% of citizens agrees with this movement but because it is so disorganized, it will not get the kind of mass agreement and conviction we need to begin to dismantle. When winter comes, the physical occupation of streets will be harder. The fact is ... why should we suffer? Why should we stand out there and be cold for months on end? Why should we let the police take us into custody? We need clear objectives, we need lawyers, we need organization.
Well the coming devastating financial collapse may really accelerate this movement. The market is in free fall and the major banks' stock prices are collapsing because the EU is about to implode and we are entering a recession in the United States.
Those who lose a shit load in the stock market again will probably look at OWS in a new light in a few months.
What must happen is that this movement must become a national movement for real change. We must get to the root of the problem, which is money in politics. Capitalism isn't the problem, corporations aren't the problem. The problem is that the common man can't be heard above the sound of $100 bills being thrown into campaign war chests by the ueber-wealthy.
I know my kids have no future if this system remain what it is now. I am willing to sacrify my life if I have to in order to give my kids a better future. How will it all end?
A girl died in 1933 by a homicidal murder. he buried her in the ground when she was still alive. the muderer chanted "Toma sota balcu" as he buried her. now that u have rea the chant, you will meet this little girl. in the middle of the night she will be on your ceiling. she will suffocate you like she was suffocated. if u post this she will not bother you. your kindness will be awarded. sorry if that scared you but i dont want it to happen to me and neither should you.
This comment is about the most sensible thing I have read on this website.
I am in the protest because I am homeless anyway may as well be homeless and hope for change to come from my homeless state. I am in the protest because www.askamillion.com would not be if it were not for the 99% of people who are not government and banks. I am homeless because of the 1% of bankers and governement that make it okay to lock up homeless people for sleeping outside or to charge regualr people 34$ for governmet taking money you dont have from your account well after you tell them you are homeless. I think it is sad that you think this way. I will be out here this winter reguardless so I will sleep in th 14 below 0 weather on Wall street protesting because I sleep outside anyway.
There is a very big difference between occupy and protest. Protest is stupid. Occupation with demands gets results.
Don't worry about the cold winter. With global warming you'll all be nice and toasty. Maybe remove "end global warming" from the list of demands. Compromise is a wonderful thing.