News

#OWS calls for nonviolent solidarity on November 17th

by Hooshang Tarreh-Gol on Wed Nov 16, 2011 04:39 PM PST

Haiku from Zuccotti 

by Hooshang Tarreh-Gol on Wed Nov 16, 2011 03:47 PM PST

Haiku from Zuccotti  Park

Moloch’s motor got stuck

on the roof of Casino Wall Street

look up! moon, a ghost chip in the sky…

 

10/ 10/11 “Columbus” Day/Liberty Plaza          Anne Waldman

//occupywriters.com/works/by-anne-waldman

Occupy------>Assemble

by vildemose on Wed Nov 16, 2011 03:47 PM PST

 Comment from another blog:

//www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/15/1036692/-Judge-Michael-Stallman-upholds-clearing-of-Zuccotti-Park?via=blog_1

"The Occupy protests are ultimately about creating a constant space to keep the issues of the 99% in the public discussion. Occupation is a tactic that has been more effective than one-day protest at holding that space, but as time has gone on it's become more about the space and less about the issues of the 99%.

I propose that the movement shift its tactics while keeping the underlying motivation and grievances the same. Change from Occupation to Assembly.

The idea would be to hold regular open-air assemblies open to anyone. The locations would be the same in many cases, but rather than holding the space overnight the idea would be to assemble in the space every day. This would still enable some people to attempt occupation but the main thrust would be the assembly. The General Assembly and working group structure would become the main point, rather than protecting tents. Daily assemblies could be focused on logistical issues, but weekly assemblies would be scheduled for maximum participation, devoted to strategic decisions and elevating demands.

So far, not having specific demands has been helpful. I would argue that the time for specific demands has come or will come in the spring, and it's time to put the structure in place to highlight those demands. But rather than just come up with a laundry list, the idea would be for the weekly meetings to pick a single demand, grievance, or theme, with actions throughout the week that support that demand, grievance, or theme. Each week would choose a different focus based upon evolving sentiment in the general assembly. People would still be free to show up with signs for their specific grievance. The idea would be that one thing would be temporarily elevated for action.

For the whole Occupy movement, actions could vary by location. Maybe a local and general demand could be chosen each week. The central OWS could choose issues important to local participants, but it could also communicate with the other locations to highlight the single issue of most concern to the collective movement that week.

All of this addresses the criticism about the camps and the lack of demands, without demanding orthodoxy and without giving up the continuous nature of the movement. It also focuses on the central thrust of the movement that has been obscured: the 99% are assembling for a redress of grievances against the 1% and its enablers in government, and we must be heard."

"It is the chain of communicat­ion, not the means of production­, that determines a social process."

-- Robert Anton Wilson

This Is What Revolution Looks Like

by Hooshang Tarreh-Gol on Wed Nov 16, 2011 03:37 PM PST

//www.truthdig.com/report/item/this_is_what_r...

The historian Crane Brinton in his book “Anatomy of a Revolution” laid
out the common route to revolution. The preconditions for successful
revolution, Brinton argued, are discontent that affects nearly all
social classes, widespread feelings of entrapment and despair,
unfulfilled expectations, a unified solidarity in opposition to a tiny
power elite, a refusal by scholars and thinkers to continue to defend
the actions of the ruling class, an inability of government to respond
to the basic needs of citizens, a steady loss of will within the power
elite itself and defections from the inner circle, a crippling isolation
that leaves the power elite without any allies or outside support and,
finally, a financial crisis.  

#N17 Global Day Of Action!

Mass Day of Action on 2-Month Anniversary of Occupy Wall Street