Thursday, April 12, 2012

Anti-War Means Anti-War: Voices of Occupy (part 5)

During a recent exchange on Facebook, occupier Bill Perry discussed the need for Occupy Wall Street (OWS) to be more openly anti-war: “The argument from September 17 through the end of 2011 was that only 70% of the 99% were against the war, and we might alienate the remaining 30%,” he wrote.

To which, fellow occupier John Penley added: “OWS should take on the US Military Industrial Complex in big way. This is something that has not been done on large scale. Military war spending is the root of many of the problems OWS has taken up but we have not targeted the source itself. I personally would love to see a call for national anti-military industrial complex anti-war actions.”

“As a Viet Nam combat vet,” says Perry, “I find the young-uns to be really embarrassing when they fawn over us Vets, rather than fighting to cut the 700 billion dollar defense budget that causes cuts in education, student loans, Medicare, Social Security, health care, housing, labor rights, and all the other issues without addressing where the money has gone. It’s time to step up and re-focus.”

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One of my recent OWS photos:

Hearts & Minds

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Posted on 04/12 at 05:14 PM
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Monday, April 09, 2012

We will not be hijacked: Voices of Occupy (part 4)

This past week, I got a message from one the occupiers who attended my talk—Shannone Rhea—informing me of an attempt by a MoveOn front group to co-opt Occupy the East End (OEE). Shannone requested my help in spreading the word so for starters, I offer this excerpt from the OEE press release:

(MoveOn’s) most recent attempt to co-opt our movement is by scheduling a “99% Spring Training” by a MoveOn front group called “99% Spring” on April 15, 2012 at the same location and time where Occupy the East End (OEE) has been holding its General Assemblies since the group formed in October of 2011. Occupy the East End delivered an unprecedented unanimous block—every OEE member at the GA issued a personal block—to a MoveOn representative who “asked” OEE to participate—after MoveOn had scheduled the event. The MoveOn rep refused to change the date or time and informed OEE that “you will be taken over [by MoveOn] whether you like it or not."

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One of my recent OWS photos:

Free speech activists forced to remove a poster detailing a legal decision which protects such free speech

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Even more OWS photos here

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Posted on 04/09 at 07:07 PM
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Friday, April 06, 2012

Spread the knowledge: Voices of #Occupy (part 3)

Anyone relying on the corporate media for OWS updates is missing out and that’s where it’s our job to step up and fill the void. Case in point: Occupier Julie Cramer.

Recently, while in Italian class, Julie asked her teacher how to say “to protest” (protestare) and this sparked an impromptu discussion about Occupy Wall Street (OWS).

“My teacher asked what OWS is fighting for,” says Julie, “and before I could open my mouth, someone said ‘No one knows. I don’t even think they know.’ I quickly responded with an: ACTUALLY WE DO KNOW!”

It was then that Julie realized she once thought the same way.

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One of my recent OWS photos:

Can you wrap yer mind around the concept?

More OWS photos here

Even more OWS photos here

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Posted on 04/06 at 10:54 AM
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