If this isn’t actually a coordinated effort among cities to simultaneously clear their downtowns of Occupy encampments in time for the Christmas shopping season, the various raids sure do seem to be inspired by each other. But if authorities think they can break this movement by destroying tents and supplies, bashing in a few heads, and catch-and-releasing dozens or hundreds of protesters here and there, they’ve got another think coming.
While the semi-permanence of the tents and kitchens and libraries hold a symbolic value closely linked to the word “occupy,” that symbolism is at its heart ironic. It is in fact the Wall Street bankers and the riot police enforcing their dictates who are the true occupiers, while the protesters would be more accurately understood as an indigenous resistance movement. The police can destroy the people’s camps, but they can’t actually destroy the people, who through force of numbers can always pick up and move and reoccupy at will. Besides, it’s not the overnight camps that create the most disruption; it’s the day time rallies and demonstrations that are interfering with the normal workings of the city (i.e., commerce). If the protesters continue to fight this as the nonviolent guerilla war that it is, camp busting will prove futile.
Or to put this in economic terms that the One Percenters might understand: Human capital is mobile. I mean, if you can’t control the flow of human capital across our borders, how are you going to control the flow of human capital within them, while still attempting to keep your cities friendly to commerce? Of course, you can’t. And if there’s one thing the 99 Percent have in abundance, it’s untapped human capital.
Goldy, how come you have zero sympathy for the businesses around Zucatti park, and in other cities, that had to lay off workers? It’s not just about Christmas.
Keeping cities friendly to commerce is what cities are FOR.
Capital is mobile…Squat-upy Seattle poop isn’t:
youtu.be/Wl1ObUGAoHE
Nothing says “holiday spirit” like getting crushed by police. Nothing is more jolly than beating members of the press. I get that Kris Kringle tingle when I read about tear gas, pepper spray and the arrest of peaceful protesters.
Just like the ones I used to know…
@1: Don’t be so black and white. I never said I don’t have sympathy for the local businesses around the Occupy encampments (some of which lose business due to the occupation, some of which gain).
I’m just pointing out that vindictively destroying the tents and supplies is not an effective means of breaking up protests that are mostly comprised of people, not tents and supplies.
“But if authorities think they can break this movement by destroying tents and supplies, bashing in a few heads, and catch-and-releasing dozens or hundreds of protesters here and there, they’ve got another think coming.”
They dont want to break up the group, just get rid of the tents. Is it really so hard to understand this Goldy? If you want to break up the group, just let them continue to do what theyre currently doing. They’ll destroy themselves from within when they raid another town hall meeting, or training centers for drop outs and allow their members to openly poop on the sidewalk.
Last night I had the good fortune of hearing a young, African/American woman speak about her involvement with OS. She addressed the issue of tactical errors (my words) such as the brouhaha at Town Hall, and her comments gave me a feeling of her – and by way of extension OS’s – growing intellectual maturity; but more revealing, and much more moving was her comment, “This is our moment.” That is an absolutely beautiful sentiment, and that’s what will not be stopped. So, to all the Slog naysayers whose comments reveal no intellectual or emotional maturity at all: get a clue.
@7, I agree that Occupy fills a unique role as a powerful agent of emotional experience for its participants.
The situation among the 99% is a bunch of House Slaves dissing a bunch of Field Slaves.
“Ooooo look a-they! So dirty and lawdy don’t they smell like a skunk!”
As long as Occupy Whatever insists that occupation is an essential part of what they are about, and not just a catchy attention getting gimmick designed to advance a greater cause, then their claim to the 99% is obviously and pathetically deluded. They are the at best the .01% fringe.
The actual 99% are sick of financial regulation that is rigged in favor of banks and short term greed. It doesn’t follow that they support a bunch of college students, drug addicts, and homeless people shitting up our parks.
The best thing that could happen at this point is that the police put an end to the pajama parties so we can move on to the next phase, whatever that might be.
@5: That’s your problem Goldy, things are black and white. Either a business can meet payroll or not, either a waiter or sales clerk is employed or not.
@11: And it’s that attitude that is enabling our gradual subjugation by the One Percenters. So afraid of the short term impact of voicing our opposition, that we all just quietly stand back and watch our freedoms and incomes wither away.
“Human Capitol” is a fucked up phrase.
12
no Goldy.
that’s your dick withering away….
I think the symbolic value of occupying a public space is well worth the hassle of figuring out how to govern the occupation. If those of us who want to see meaningful change can’t suffer the inconvenience of having one park occupied, then what inconvenience will we suffer?
I read the headline as “Human Centipede is Mobile” and almost had a heart attack.
Cops beating the shit out of protesters and reporters help solidify my decision to not spend money this Christmas.
My heart is just no longer into making sure CEOs get bonuses this year. Sorry.
@15: Occupy Wall Street is no more about occupation than the Tea Party is about tea.
The right-wingers don’t seem to have trouble understanding the difference between a slogan and a cause. Why are so many lefties unable to grasp this distinction?
I used to thing the fringe right and left were equally stupid. Now I’m giving the nod to the fringe left.
GOLDY GOLDY GOLDY
Jesus, don’t you see the irony in your own statement? Yes, the shiniest facets of modern economies (financial, intellectual, political) are all HIGHLY transportable.
You claim some great insight that means that Occupiers can pop-up somewhere else (albeit, sans tent) the next day?
Yes. And what you concurrently FAIL to understand is that those same principles apply to the entire economy — not just your little slice of self-indulgence.
What makes you think the top 20% of Americans (note, who pay for about 80% of everything) won’t bail as you keep trashing their towns (too) and trying to confiscate their property (excessive taxation)?
Go ahead and keep bashing the 1%. Keep flouting the rule of law. Keep it up. But look around, because Atlas has shrugged with regards to organized labor. (Boeing in South Carolina) Atlas has shrugged with regard to employing high-wage technical workers from overseas. (Bellevue is 35% foreign born!). Atlas is shrugging with regards to education (This year’s UW freshman class has more foreign students than out-of-state students!)
And Atlas will continue to shrug because — indeed — the capital that the domestic economy needs the most (ideas, money, initiative and social capital) is running right out the door because of the bullshit agenda of the intellectually dimmed, socially inept, skill deficient and politically naive Occupy types.
While capital begins to flow (hint, long-term invest in Canada, Brazil, Australia, Germany, South Africa and Emirates), the only jobs in the U.S. will be stripping natural resources for the Chinese, while serving sandwiches to each other.
You dolts think that Occupy is a means of CURING what’s going on. Really?
Occupy isn’t the remedy to the illness. Its the itchy scab of a self-inflicted wound.
@18 – I just can’t bring myself to paint OS with any of the available negative brushes: neither the anarchist brush, nor the dope fiend brush, nor the poop in the street brush, nor, even, the fringe-left brush. I think the word for that kind of analysis/labeling is “reactionary.” I used the word “symbolic” intentionally, meaning something that represents an idea, but is distinct from it. It seems to me the “idea” of an occupied zone is the urge toward a socially and economically just society. Granted, the zone is far from realizing that, but to quote Genesis, “from the conception, the increase.”