Forum Post: Strategy: Blend in, reach out and cause chaos
Posted 12 years ago on Sept. 27, 2011, 7:21 p.m. EST by Winter
(5)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
The protest will really only begin to take hold when the ordinary workers on Wall Street (most of Wall Street) begin to join the protest, even if it is initially just during lunch time or after work. A localised campaign should be organised whereby protesters dressed as Wall Streeters (male & female) in business attire walk around the area handing out leaflets asking the office workers to join for a few hours every day. There should be as many protesters as possible dressing in business attire (perhaps the day trippers) so as to 1) confuse the cops because as it stands they find it easy to separate protesters from the Wall Streeters 2) make it harder for cops to carry out assaults on protesters as they won't find it easy to distinguish between protesters and Wall Street workers 3) give protesters more freedom to wander around the area without harrassment from cops 4) reach out and encourage the many workers on Wall Street who would like to join the protest but don't because they have this perception of "Us & Them". If they see a bunch of suited people already protesting, they will feel a lot more relaxed about joining and that perception of "Us & Them" will disappear. Sounds stupid but it's true.
It also allows for protesters to blend in so that surprise attacks in the form of suited flash mobs can be quickly organised causing chaos on Wall Street. This will anger the authorities who will come down heavy on the Occupy Wall Street Camp and try and close it down. This is when comparisons to the Arab Spring will be shown to be justified, when the real revolution will begin to take hold and when Americans will unite to overthrow the oppressors who govern from Wall Street.
thats again sounding a bit improbable and out of touch with meaningful strategy. Whats needed is an ideological and informational paradigm shift and that won't be done from the street. We need 101 forums and a wiki, not flash mobs, and honestly, not street protests. We need order and organization. How can i get this through to you? reach out and cause chaos? when will we reach in and cause order? When does the ADULT session come in? Why are all my would be allies so caught up in meaningless strategizing on the street instead of meaningful strategy on the net?
You're right of course that what is needed is an ideological and information paradigm shift but that is already taking place step by step on the Internet every day. There are hundreds of great sites influencing and changing people's atititudes every day. How do you think I got here. But pictures speak louder than words and people are often moved and inspired to act by seeing others actually taking action and doing things, not sitting at home on the Internet discussing it. You also miss the point with regard to this specific protest. It's called Occupy Wall Street and it takes it's inspiration from what has been happening in the middle east with their popular uprisings. The Internet is great for speading information and creating debate but nothing is better than a popular uprising on the street. That's where the pictures are taken, the news is made that inspires others to get up and actually do something. If the momentum is there it will grow. If not it will die. As for saying "it won't be done from the street", it is being done from the street. Just watch the International news and see how the world is changing all around you right now from people taking to the street. When does the ADULT session come in? There is no need for insults, especially to would be allies.
no, its not taking place. I'm the one fighting every day for 20 years to get that to happen, its not happening. https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150409084095833
No corporate employee will ever join the protest, because his/her corporation is an undemocratic/autocratic organization of which he is too much afraid. Who is not afraid in a autocratic setup.
Does everyone not realize that nobody in finance actually works on Wall St. anymore?? Google any of the biggest investment banks and look up their NY location. They couldn't give 2 shits about this occupation, and it's not in their face. The fact that this is taking place on Wall Street is completely symbolic, so this strategy is pointless...
The most effective thing we could chant and display on signs and discuss with the press as a demand is "PASS HR 1489. REINSTATE GLASS-STEAGALL."
"Pass the bill 1-4-8-9. If congress acts, our prez will sign." "Pass the bill 1-4-8-9. If congress acts, our prez will sign."
"Reinstate the act GLASS-STEAGALL." "It makes the Wall Street games illegal."
"Reinstate the act GLASS-STEAGALL." "It makes the Wall Street games illegal."
Here's why:
Most people are beginning to conclude that this is the A #1 thing we can do. I had this confirmed earlier when I received a message this evening from someone I know on the inside at one of the big investment banking firms we all know. Here's what he said:
"If you really want to drive the higher ups in my office and others absolutely nuts, start speaking relentlessly about reinstating Glass-Steagall and Congress passing H.R. 1489."
He said if we put this on a ton of signs, talk about it relentlessly to the press, chant it like a mantra, we'll "give the guys on the top floors in the corner offices of these giant investment banking firms a coronary."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act --- Wiki entry summary: The repeal of provisions of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 by the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act effectively removed the separation that previously existed between investment banking which issued securities and commercial banks which accepted deposits. The deregulation also removed conflict of interest prohibitions between investment bankers serving as officers of commercial banks. Most economists believe this repeal directly contributed to the severity of the Financial crisis of 2007–2011 by allowing Wall Street investment banking firms to gamble with their depositors' money that was held in commercial banks owned or created by the investment firms.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1489
For full list of suggested demands for DC, please click here: https://occupywallst.org/forum/specific-demand-and-action-list-for-washington-dc/
It's not about the investment banks giving a shit. Everyone knows they don't give a shit no matter where they're located. It's not even about trying to change them. It's about trying to wake up the mass of people who are living their lives asleep, enslaved to corporatism. Wall Street is 'the' symbol for corporatism so it is the obvious place to begin the revolt against it. One shouldn't only act on the basis of a successful outcome. Doing what is the right thing to do should be one's only consideration.
The most effective thing we could chant and display on signs and discuss with the press as a demand is "PASS HR 1489. REINSTATE GLASS-STEAGALL."
"Pass the bill 1-4-8-9. If congress acts, our prez will sign." "Pass the bill 1-4-8-9. If congress acts, our prez will sign."
"Reinstate the act GLASS-STEAGALL." "It makes the Wall Street games illegal."
"Reinstate the act GLASS-STEAGALL." "It makes the Wall Street games illegal."
Here's why:
Most people are beginning to conclude that this is the A #1 thing we can do. I had this confirmed earlier when I received a message this evening from someone I know on the inside at one of the big investment banking firms we all know. Here's what he said:
"If you really want to drive the higher ups in my office and others absolutely nuts, start speaking relentlessly about reinstating Glass-Steagall and Congress passing H.R. 1489."
He said if we put this on a ton of signs, talk about it relentlessly to the press, chant it like a mantra, we'll "give the guys on the top floors in the corner offices of these giant investment banking firms a coronary."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act --- Wiki entry summary: The repeal of provisions of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 by the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act effectively removed the separation that previously existed between investment banking which issued securities and commercial banks which accepted deposits. The deregulation also removed conflict of interest prohibitions between investment bankers serving as officers of commercial banks. Most economists believe this repeal directly contributed to the severity of the Financial crisis of 2007–2011 by allowing Wall Street investment banking firms to gamble with their depositors' money that was held in commercial banks owned or created by the investment firms.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1489
For full list of suggested demands for DC, please click here: https://occupywallst.org/forum/specific-demand-and-action-list-for-washington-dc/
Now you're talking. Every little bit helps in a big way.