Forum Post: Time To Take It To The Next Level
Posted 13 years ago on Nov. 2, 2011, 3:44 a.m. EST by TypicalOWSguy
(0)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
OWS has captured the eyes of the world. We have their attention. But simply camping out in tents and beating on drums isn't going to accomplish anything. It's time to take it to the next level. To be taken seriously. You can list all the demands you want but until you have "seats at the table", you will accomplish nothing. It's time to play their game. The Tea Party wasn't taken seriously until they gained political clout. That's what we need to do. We need leaders. Clarity. Vision. And Candidates. We have SO MANY PEOPLE in every city, we are scaring The Corporate Candidates and the Establishment. It's time to marshal our forces into something powerful. To stop talking about how we want new laws and put people in place who can actually introduce and pass legislation that will enact those laws. It's time to stop sh*tting in the gutters and start walking tall, in the halls of congress. If we don't, we will become nothing more than the answer to a question in "Trivial Pursuit, 21st Century Edition". Are you ready? Are you ready to become more than you ever imagined? A group of rag tag militia liberated themselves from the oppression of the English Crown and created this great nation of ours. Are you ready to turn a rag tag group of Americans into something that will liberate us oppression of the Corporatacracy that has become America and deliver our country back into the hands of the people? If so, let me know. It's time to get serious.
Is it time to resurrect the Sons of Liberty? The establishment of a party will identify a movement. Will the occupy movement have any direction in establishing a political party or will they continue to be a voice for the oppressed and politically molested? Is it time to up the ante and create an Occupy America? Will a candidate for the Independent party emerge from within its depths? Maybe someone who has the interest of both the Tea Party and Occupist alike? Will the continuing erosion of the world financial markets spur an outrage so great that traditional policies set forth in stone will be rewritten through violence or peaceful protests? Will world leaders and the rich get the hint that people are pissed and want real solutions to all the demographic bases through fair and equitable processes? I believe if these questions can be answered then yes maybe Occupy Wall Street will become Occupy America and the movement can then precede with its think tank style solutions. The people in the park can then go home and make the most out of fliers, the forum, and the media sources to propagate their messages without contracting pneumonia. A spring event in DC with a few hundred thousand people will get some well-deserved attention but sitting in the park may hinder this process. Still I like the stubborn optimism of the park protest, but wasting money on the winter supplies will be pointless without a Valley Forge. How do you propose a way forward?
These people need something to do to keep the struggle going when they get too tired & too cold & go home. Something they can do at home & see results from. Rotating boycotts(1 mth. or 1 qtr.) starting w/ the worse offending corps.so we can see the effect on their earnings, then swing the "barrel" over to the next one.Hit 'em where it hurts,the only thing they understand, their bottom line. Soon they will be trying to avoid being targeted. Whatchathink ???
So, just out of curiosity, what is your suggestion? What would be the next step in your opinion? By the way, ignore JohnnyGuy, he hasn't had anything constructive to say since he got here, just OWS insults.
Yes, it's fairly obvious little Johnny suffers from feelings of inadequacy and probably bi-polar disorder. Give him your pity.
As far as my suggestions? We need to gain clarity and a more realistic purpose. What is going to be accomplished by camping in tents and banging on drums? Do you really think the CEO of Bank of America is going to look out his window and say "Oh! Well in that case I better resign or at least stop taking my million dollar salary! After all, people are banging on drums for heaven's sake!". Do you think the Managing Partner of Arnold & Porter (Major law & lobbying firm) is going to say "Ah, well I guess we better stop raking in millions for sending our guys over to The Hill, to make sure that ZERO laws are passed, making Gulf drilling safer!" (btw, since the Gulf Spill, ZERO laws have been passed requiring Big Oil to operate more safely). The question that comes to my mind is this: If we have no power in business and no power in government, what power do we have to change the way business and government operate? Well, I doubt we'll be able to take over businesses but every time I see photos, I see a LOT of voters. I think we should start finding people who can develop and implement a strategy to put our government back in the hands of We the People. This video does not speak for all of OWS but take a look. Who can dispute or argue against the points made in it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJHVLf4DsJ8&feature=feedu
Even our "special friend" Johnny would have a hard time debate the points made (although he doesn't exactly seem strong on intelligent debate, anyway).
Voters, exactly. I think that's one reason OWS isn't in a big hurry to take it to the next level. We need to build numbers. Lots of numbers. I've heard a lot of people on here getting impatient, wanting to do something NOW. I'm a patient man, and smart enough to know we need hundreds of thousands on our side. One thing the Zucotti crowd is doing is keeping it high profile, media-wise, something web forums can't do. On a positive note, though, I think we're succeeding. Two weeks ago, we were virtually ignored in the MSM. Now, we're being parodied (yes, that is a good thing) by Steve Colbert and South Park. Keith Oberman spent three-quarters of his show today covering OWS-related stories. A week ago we had two Iraq/Afghanistan vets on our side, today 100 marched in solidarity in New York. Bank of America cancelled its plans for a $5 surcharge on debit cards, Obama's talking about student loans, and a group of Senators (I think Senators) are talking of a constitutional amendment to overturn "Citizens United." They are DEFINITELY paying attention. And all this in only six weeks and without even a formal list of proposals/demands. That's a positive sign. I feel confident that by next spring when we're ready to march on Washington the numbers will be impressive. Should be interesting.