Forum Post: Many of us are getting itchy to make demands. Me too. Here are some good reasons to be patient though. Here is how we get this done RIGHT.
Posted 12 years ago on Oct. 19, 2011, 4:44 p.m. EST by therising
(6643)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
If you are part of the ever present group of very good people who understandably clamor for official demands and leaders, this post may be for you.
You, of course, realize there are many specific lists of demands on this forum and elsewhere and there are many people with leadership skills who are utilizing those skills in support of the OWS movement. It's just that none of them are identified as "official". That probably drives some folks, including you and I, nuts. Whether you support the movement oppose it, many of us seem frustrated. It seems to be the contention of many that, if only there were official demands that were driven hard, we could accomplish something.
This method of putting up official demands and naming specific leaders is perhaps a good one but not at this particular juncture. This is a timing thing. It's totally appropriate to discuss and debate demands and leadership in my view. I just hope we resist the urge to label any as official.. If this is done early in a movement, opponents pigeon hole, mischaracterize official lists and leaders.
In fact, such divisiveness ("we know better" is the attitude) is exactly what has gotten us where we are. John Stewart pointed this out early on when he single-handedly brought down the hugely profitable "Crossfire" show with one appearance. He took the hosts to task (rather colorfully) for creating divisiveness and making it seem as though all Americans were in one of two polarized camps. That simplistic viewpoint drove ratings but it falsely divided us.
Think about this: In four short weeks, the conversation has changed around the country (at moments even the world). That's a pretty big deal. People (citizens of all backgrounds) are have discussions that would have been unthinkable a little over a month ago.
But there's something else you may be missing as you cry out for demands. There is a specific tone to much of the healthy dialogue that's going on around the country. The enduring theme seems to be "finding common ground." We, the 99%, who have been a group by definition for a long time (unbeknownst to us) are now waking up to realize that we have many more things in common than we have in conflict.
This terrifies the 1%. Why? Because it has been preposterous that we, the 99%, have put up with being ruled by and exploited by the 1% for so long. It's also preposterous that the 99% would allow the 1% to destroy parts of the environment and create pollution that makes it difficult to breathe. Many in the 1% will admit that they can't believe we sat still for so long.
But no more. We are realizing now that together we are greater than the sum of our parts. Once we fully comprehend that we actually have the power, we can make decisions from a position of unified strength rather than demands from a position of weakness.
We don't want to make demands. We want to make decisions. That's why we're growing. That's why the president and the vice president and head of the FED, executives of large corporations, construction workers, dentists, lawyers, househusbands and housewives, students, retired people, citizens from aroundthe world etc. have all expressed sympathy for the OWS movement. They see the power of it. And it is for this same reason that the 1% are terrified of this movement. Because they know that if the 99% ever stopped squabbling the jig would be up.
Well, guess what folks? The jig is up.
Here are a few links to take a look at. These posts/articles discuss CONCRETE ACTION. The key is to remember the TIMING of that action needs to come after we the 99% have awakened to our power. That way we can be making DECISIONS from a position of unified strength rather than DEMANDS from a position of weakness.
Power responds to power. Don't get caught up in the demands or the timing of the tactics. Just take a close look at the tactics and take a peak at the introduction OUR TURN. http://occupywallst.org/forum/proposed-list-of-demands-please-help-editadd-so-th/
Please see this post that gives a bit of info on the upcoming NATIONAL CONVENTION and learn about what will happen if demands aren't met. http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/316-20/7903-occupy-wall-streets-plans-for-a-national-convention
You are on the right track and have said it better than I.
If we are perceived to have power (support from large numbers of people) people will want to have our support. The only thing that will garner that support is to actually satisfy most of us.
We will be walking through the market, you can buy what you want. We have plenty of help, from among us and outside, to help us be smart consumers.
It is a two step process: A) Show the power and B) go shopping. We are still in A. Keep up the good work.
Hi brightonsage. You are right on target. I agree. One way we vote is with our dollars. We should learn about the companies we buy from and reconsider our purchases a bit. Yes, we should buy less. But things we do buy should come from companies we know about.
It's time for accountability. The jig is up!
Not exactly my point, but... When the folks who have the power realize that there are so many of us who recognize the problems, understand the causes and won't settle for anything less than solutions, they will start offering some (they are already agreeing among themselves on some of the issues and are starting discuss possible solutions that would get the 99% genie back in the bottle. Our role is to let them try to convince us that they have solutions, can actually implement them and that they will implement them. Those are the proposals we individually will decide to accept or not. That is the market place we will walk.
I hope that we are good shoppers and don't accept empty promises and shamwa's that don't work. But I only control me and you control you. They have snookered us before and it is up to us to prevent it happening again. Accountability for all.
I agree. It seems we may have to use Martin Luther King Junior and Gandhi's tactics of nonviolent active resistance to create what King called "good tension".
No question. My response to those who want demands, statements, claim we have no party, backers, etc.
Party? Sure we do. The Independent Party? Does size matter. Bigger than yours. Each person has a platform. They support it completely and enthusiastically. Many of their individual planks are the same. Guess which ones.
Demands? We have demands. Offer a few solutions and we may accept some of them. If you give us more solutions than we have demands we will stop you and give the extras back. Sure we will.
Backers?? Each other, we are in this boat together. Backers, that's us..
Statements? We don't need no stinkin' statements. It's you, that neeeds statements, don't you?
Know what we're doing? It would seem that you are the one who doesn't know what we're doing. Is it driving you crazy? Getting under your skin? Losing sleep? There is a chance that we do know what we're doing, and if we do....? It should be driving you crazy, under your skin, sleep.
It's working. It sure is working.
The number of people who feel so threatened that they are obligated to rant and bait us, push their candidate (either more of the same or so radical they can't win dogcatcher), and /or pretend to be one of us while trying to subvert the effort is another measure of our success.
Just hunt around for a meaningful discussion and join. There are some smart, thoughtful, and serious people in some of the threads. A private discussion through the profile link filters out the nut job noise.