You really are becoming the best place to go to for news and commentary on the protests.
And, I have to say, I've gotten so tired of the political race--Mitt's up; Obama's down but still holding. God. Tired. Tired. Tired. This is so much more hopeful and inspiring.
There's a difference between this and the 60s protests. Those former protests weren't economic in nature, but rather cultural. IOW, they didn't get to the heart of the matter. These do. The idea that progressive bloggers are saying they lack demands?! Then they return to covering Rick Perry's latest obscenity. Tired. Tired. Tired. How complicated does it need to be? Are they looking for a Ted Kaczynski-length manifesto, for God's sake. Here's the deal. People are being fucked by the way wealth is distributed, they know it, they don't like it, and they are complaining about it together. They're doing great in my book.
It's the economy, stupid. Not war. Not civil rights. Not the environment. Those things matter, of course. A lot. But the fucking root of the whole thing is economic--having money gives you control, and those who have money don't give a fuck about war, civil rights or the environment unless they can make money off them.
BTW, I've been watching the Global Revolution feed. They show two comedians--George Carlin and Bill Hicks. These are my kind of people.
The other cool thing I forgot to mention is that, with all the unemployment, it's not like most of these people don't have the ability to continue the protests. Seeds of their own destruction--fuck yeah.
That actually happened on camera - some asshole in a suit yelled "Get a job" (Could you be more cliched?) Anyway the protester said (and you could tell it was sincere) "I got laid off."
I've been thinking about why the unions are so supportive. That's another difference from the 60s, when the hard-hats, as they were called, actually beat protesters up.
If the unions weren't so on the defensive, if the unions were getting any help at all from Washington, I don't think they would have been that quick to support the protests. But this is about economics, and the unions really have nothing to lose by joining. Very, very sad for our country. But, OTOH, seeds of their own destruction--fuck yeah!
Another thing. That "get a job" comment was effective in the 60s. There really was a sense that the protesters were a bunch of over-privileged kids who were too lazy to take a bath. That jibe now sounds like "let 'em eat cake." What it sounds like in 2012 is some over-privileged, over-entitled asshole who is completely out of touch.
Yes, its such an important point you make - you're EXACTLY right. Political scientists Hacker & Pierson mark the decline of the Left and of unions as the '68 Dem convention when liberals became post-materialists and abandoned bread-and-butter economic issues and the union turned on the DFH protesters. Occupy Wall Street is those two groups FINALLY - once and for all - healing that more than 40-year-old riftn and relearning that our (the 99%'s) only power is in solidarity.
I need to write more on this. It's really important.
You really are becoming the best place to go to for news and commentary on the protests.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I have to say, I've gotten so tired of the political race--Mitt's up; Obama's down but still holding. God. Tired. Tired. Tired. This is so much more hopeful and inspiring.
There's a difference between this and the 60s protests. Those former protests weren't economic in nature, but rather cultural. IOW, they didn't get to the heart of the matter. These do. The idea that progressive bloggers are saying they lack demands?! Then they return to covering Rick Perry's latest obscenity. Tired. Tired. Tired. How complicated does it need to be? Are they looking for a Ted Kaczynski-length manifesto, for God's sake. Here's the deal. People are being fucked by the way wealth is distributed, they know it, they don't like it, and they are complaining about it together. They're doing great in my book.
It's the economy, stupid. Not war. Not civil rights. Not the environment. Those things matter, of course. A lot. But the fucking root of the whole thing is economic--having money gives you control, and those who have money don't give a fuck about war, civil rights or the environment unless they can make money off them.
BTW, I've been watching the Global Revolution feed. They show two comedians--George Carlin and Bill Hicks. These are my kind of people.
Perfect comment - EXACTLY right!
ReplyDeleteThe other cool thing I forgot to mention is that, with all the unemployment, it's not like most of these people don't have the ability to continue the protests. Seeds of their own destruction--fuck yeah.
ReplyDeleteThat actually happened on camera - some asshole in a suit yelled "Get a job" (Could you be more cliched?) Anyway the protester said (and you could tell it was sincere) "I got laid off."
ReplyDeleteMichael Moore on live feed right now.
I've been thinking about why the unions are so supportive. That's another difference from the 60s, when the hard-hats, as they were called, actually beat protesters up.
ReplyDeleteIf the unions weren't so on the defensive, if the unions were getting any help at all from Washington, I don't think they would have been that quick to support the protests. But this is about economics, and the unions really have nothing to lose by joining. Very, very sad for our country. But, OTOH, seeds of their own destruction--fuck yeah!
Another thing. That "get a job" comment was effective in the 60s. There really was a sense that the protesters were a bunch of over-privileged kids who were too lazy to take a bath. That jibe now sounds like "let 'em eat cake." What it sounds like in 2012 is some over-privileged, over-entitled asshole who is completely out of touch.
ReplyDeleteYes, its such an important point you make - you're EXACTLY right. Political scientists Hacker & Pierson mark the decline of the Left and of unions as the '68 Dem convention when liberals became post-materialists and abandoned bread-and-butter economic issues and the union turned on the DFH protesters. Occupy Wall Street is those two groups FINALLY - once and for all - healing that more than 40-year-old riftn and relearning that our (the 99%'s) only power is in solidarity.
ReplyDeleteI need to write more on this. It's really important.
Thank you for posting this. www.traumatoolkit.blogspot.com
ReplyDelete