174 replies to this topic

[Punk Rock Geek]

Adbusters, a radical leftist/anarchist magazine has been organizing for an occupation of Wall Street for months, which began yesterday.  The hacktivist group Anonymous has now endorsed the protest and offered to stay there for 2 months in solidarity.

We need to retake the freedom that has been stolen from the people, altogether.

    If you agree that freedom is the right to communicate, to live, to be, to go, to love, to do what you will without the impositions of others, then you might be one of us.

    If you agree that a person is entitled to the sweat of their brows, that being talented at management should not entitle others to act like overseers and overlords, that all workers should have the right to engage in decisions, democratically, then you might be one of us.

    If you agree that freedom for some is not the same as freedom for all, and that freedom for all is the only true freedom, then you might be one of us.

    If you agree that power is not right, that life trumps property, then you might be one of us.

    If you agree that state and corporation are merely two sides of the same oppressive power structure, if you realize how media distorts things to preserve it, how it pits the people against the people to remain in power, then you might be one of us.

And so we call on people to act

    We call for protests to remain active in the cities. Those already there, to grow, to organize, to raise consciousnesses, for those cities where there are no protests, for protests to organize and disrupt the system.

    We call for workers to not only strike, but seize their workplaces collectively, and to organize them democratically. We call for students and teachers to act together, to teach democracy, not merely the teachers to the students, but the students to the teachers. To seize the classrooms and free minds together.

    We call for the unemployed to volunteer, to learn, to teach, to use what skills they have to support themselves as part of the revolting people as a community.

    We call for the organization of people's assemblies in every city, every public square, every township.

    We call for the seizure and use of abandoned buildings, of abandoned land, of every property seized and abandoned by speculators, for the people, for every group that will organize them.

We call for a revolution of the mind as well as the body politic.

https://occupywallst.org/

You can find a live stream of the event here:
http://www.livestrea...lobalrevolution

It is not always on, but when it isn't, it offers various news stories that leftists may be interested in.

I'm not sure if this occupation is going to last an entire 2 months, but it will be interesting to follow nonetheless.

[Stab The Judge]

wow, it actually happened

[Renan]

Punk Rock Geek, on 18 September 2011 - 05:07 PM, said:

These V´s masks are so dumb and ridiculous.

[Punk Rock Geek]

Renan, on 19 September 2011 - 08:12 AM, said:

These V´s masks are so dumb and ridiculous.

That's more of an Anonymous thing.

But hey, it's less intimidating than a black ski mask, no?

[Renan]

Hello? Black ski masks are soooo last season...

[YQS]

Sound familiar?

[Punk Rock Geek]

Has anyone checked out the live stream?  It's actually pretty cool to see how democratic and organized everyone is.

[YQS]

livestream either aint working or there's nothing on atm....

[Steve]

the only good that can come from this is if enough skulls get cracked, and a shit ton of people go home realizing the actual role of the police. i am not hopeful for a more democratic capitalism or one with less 'greed' or 'corruption,' nor do i want either of these.

[Punk Rock Geek]

Steve, on 20 September 2011 - 09:22 PM, said:

the only good that can come from this is if enough skulls get cracked, and a shit ton of people go home realizing the actual role of the police. i am not hopeful for a more democratic capitalism or one with less 'greed' or 'corruption,' nor do i want either of these.

What gives you the impression that they're not aware of the role of the police?  

Furthermore, even if they weren't aware (that's quite the assumption, considering it's organized by anarchists), wishing violence on them in order for them to be "educated" is a not-so-subtle endorsement of corporal punishment towards innocent comrades.  You make it increasingly impossible to have any sort of solidarity with you Steve.

[Renan]

You talk like he had any control over the police actions, PRG.

[Punk Rock Geek]

Renan, on 21 September 2011 - 06:42 PM, said:

You talk like he had any control over the police actions, PRG.

The police actions have not happened yet.  Steve was saying it would be good if they did happen.

[Renan]

Punk Rock Geek, on 21 September 2011 - 06:50 PM, said:

The police actions have not happened yet.  Steve was saying it would be good if they did happen.

He was saying that it would more valuable to them the experience of police repression, than getting their demands for reforms to be met.

He wants the end of the illusion of reform demands.

[Punk Rock Geek]

Renan, on 21 September 2011 - 07:04 PM, said:

He was saying that it would more valuable to them the experience of police repression, than getting their demands for reforms to be met.

He wants the end of the illusion of reform demands.

I know exactly what he's saying.  He's been saying it over and over again for years.  

Except now he's taking it to an extreme, and wishing violence upon us, so that we will see the "errors of our ways".  It's the same authoritarian attitude that is used to justify every other form of corporal punishment, and I'm not even going to entertain it here.

[Punk Rock Geek]

Amber, on 21 September 2011 - 07:24 PM, said:

Umm.. I'm one of the many actually occupying Wall Street at the moment. We actually are VERY aware of the role of the police, and we are acting very respectful towards them. This is a PEACEFUL protest, we aren't trying to cause any problems. We actually bought the police Dunkin' Dounut's today, and a lot of them seem to actually be on our side. I believe we really are going to be making a difference, and if you don't believe that, they why do you even bother posting on here?

Also... anyone see this video yet?

First, I want to say thanks for being there.  I've been watching through the stream and it really seems like everyone is organized, passionate, and acting in a democratized fashion, which is great.  Repeating each speaker so that everyone can hear, as you've been doing, is a great tactic too, because it also ensures that the people there are paying attention and don't get lost.

I hadn't seen the video.  Thanks for that.  How many people did they arrest?

Finally, Steve wasn't defending the police, but was rather arguing that they were there to sustain the system and be counter-productive, essentially.

[Renan]

Punk Rock Geek, on 21 September 2011 - 07:43 PM, said:

Except now he's taking it to an extreme, and wishing violence upon us, so that we will see the "errors of our ways".  It's the same authoritarian attitude that is used to justify every other form of corporal punishment, and I'm not even going to entertain it here.

Don´t you think you are being a bit melodramatic?
I'm sure Steve can speak for himself but to accuse him of authoritarianism is ridiculous.

It will not be he who will crack people´s skulls to force them to change their minds and see things as he sees them.
He just understood his own impotence as a "revolutionary", and the impotence of mere quantitative change of political / economic reforms. What was achieved in days of protests and occupations is undone in a few moments in crisis situations.

He just hopes that the likely police repression during this event, at least, make them understand things like the real function of the police (I believe he wasn´t referring only to anarchists and other "politically conscious" people involved).

[EatShitAndCry]

Amber, on 21 September 2011 - 07:24 PM, said:

Umm.. I'm one of the many actually occupying Wall Street at the moment. We actually are VERY aware of the role of the police, and we are acting very respectful towards them. This is a PEACEFUL protest, we aren't trying to cause any problems. We actually bought the police Dunkin' Dounut's today, and a lot of them seem to actually be on our side. I believe we really are going to be making a difference, and if you don't believe that, they why do you even bother posting on here?

Also... anyone see this video yet?

If you didn't throw the doughnuts at them while screaming "KILL COPS! KILL COPS!" while knowing full well that there is a sniper on the roof of a nearby building specifically for you, you are less punk than Stza Crack.

[Floyd]

I would like to imagine that the donuts had time-release laxatives in them that take effect the very moment the cops are supposed to try to "disperse" the crowds. PLEASE TELL ME THAT IS WHAT YOU DID!