The Brutal Suppression Of OWS - Addendum

[TheMastersNemesis]

I have seen a wide variety of opinion of the brutal suppression of OWS. I can understand the range of opinion that is not necessarily supportive of my theme.

I am basing my thoughts on what happened in Denver, Colorado where we have a Democratic mayor and Democratic governor. OWS in Denver did not seem to start out as a bunch of disgruntled hippies or homeless or mentally ill. It started out well enough and seemed to desire to express dissatisfaction with the new savage capitalism and trickle down economics that has been practiced since 1980. And from my vantage point at DOL it has been brutal and merciless.

Early on the authorities shut down the make shift kitchens. Then they uprooted the tents and banned camping. Then the cops started ticketing motorists who honked their horns in support. Then they arrested or ticketed anyone who brought food or attempted to support the OWS people.

In the beginning the movement was a legitimate protest until the homeless and mentally ill were deposited in the area from the homeless skid row area of the central downtown.

The mayor and governor both Democrats pretty much declared them anarchous scum. And the govnernor made it clear he would support clearing the area. The Dems were terrified of showing any support for fear of being labeled socialists or unAmerican by the GOP and the media.

Our media here is very muck like everywhere else. A bunch of shallow airheads. The OWS was painted in a bad light and the situation did deteriorate because the authorities let it do so. They wanted it to fail.

The same police are protecting the interests of the rich who plan to steal their pensions as well. What I saw in Denver seemed to be going on in other major cities as well.

I believe that what was legitimate protest was sabotaged by events, framing and loss of direction. Yes OWS had problems, but the authorities have done everything to make sure that workers have no voice. Only the rich have a voice. Only the CEO's and super rich are getting all the rewards.

I am not saying that OWS was not some of the cause of its own demise. The question is that what will happen if a more legitimate looking crowd begins to show up in suits and ties and looks proper? My guess is that even if protestors showed up all dressed up like business people they would suffer the same fate.

I worked at DOL for 24 years and retired 15 years ago. And all that I have seen continuous erosion of workers ability to live in dignity, have a decent job and have hope for the future.

Believe me I understand the skepticism. But it looks more like denial of something too painful to admit. WORKERS ARE SCREWED AND WILL BE DOUBLY SCREWED IF PEOPLE LIKE THE KOCH'S AND GOP GET THEIR WAY. And they are close to winning.

[Fumesucker]

1. Forget it Jake, it's DU

We don't go for that hippie dippy soshulist commie pinko stuff here.

[GitRDun]

2. Great post thanks!

I did not get involved in the Occupy movement other than to send some $$ and buy some things for the Occupy Sandy folks, but I watched and read a lot about it.

It's great to have some balanced input from someone who was there.

I think we're stuck with the status quo until enough of us have had it, sadly.

[KG]

3. OWS didn't change the world overnight, therefore it had no value to some.

[TheMastersNemesis]

4. It's Not The OWS Was Perfect. But It Was A Voice.

Sadly OWS was compromised in so many ways. And certain agitators found a way to give it a bad image with vandalism.

One problem with the OWS was appearance. What if they had worked at being well dressed and presented a different appearance where they could? What if they deliberately went against stereotype. In today's world appearance is everything. The media and authorities used how the protesters looked against them.

It was difficult for the authorities or critics to act against OWS when regular normal looking people came to the rallies. It was when the protesters began to look like rabble in appearance. Even if you are not rabble you lose when you look that part. Theatrically it does no matter how good, legitimate or reasonable your message is, if you do not look the part, the message is lost.

[Summer Hathaway]

5. You're right.

The thing is that many of those who it suddenly had no value to, because it didn't change things overnight, are those who were its most enthusiastic supporters to begin with.

That was one of OWS's major faults from the start - it appealed to many who thought a 'quick fix' to all of the nation's problems was suddenly at hand: "We'll march in the streets, we'll occupy public parks, we'll have our open-air general assemblies. Once the PTB see our numbers and determination, they will do our bidding and change things to our satisfaction."

I don't for a minute think that was OWS's intended message - but it was, albeit inadvertently, a message that captured the attention of the 'we can change the world overnight' types. When all was not achieved within one twenty-four-hour news cycle - or two, or three - the disenchantment set in.

OWS made a LOT of mistakes from the get-go. That wasn't the problem; that was to be expected. The problem was that they never seemed to learn from those mistakes, and alter their course accordingly.

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. Thank you.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

7. Well said.