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sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
Sun May 20, 2012, 04:38 PM May 2012

On May 19th Occupiers From Chicago to Frankfurt Protest in Huge Numbers

The success of the Occupy Movement across the Globe was apparent in the talks between world leaders this week who are now urging the EU to push for GROWTH rather than AUSTERITY! Are they finally listening to the people?

Thank you Occupiers everywhere! And to the Greeks whose election rejected Austerity and the French who said 'NO' to Globalist and tone deaf Sarkozy in their recent elections.

If your were watching the MSM yesterday you might have missed it. But thankfully with thousands of citizen journalists everywhere, the protests against policies that have destroyed the economies of countries like Greece, Spain, Ireland and many others, including the economy of the US, were well covered.

Frankfurt, Germany:

Frankfurt is the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB). Protected from the people, protests were banned anywhere near the ECB last week. That however, did not stop tens of thousands of Occupiers from accomplishing their goal of shutting down access to the Bank on Saturday:



Germany, Frankfurt: Protesters demonstrating against the influence of bankers and financiers in front of the European Central Bank

While Germans have not suffered the consequences of Austerity as have other nations, such as Greece eg, the Occupiers marched in solidarity with Greece, Spain and other countries whose economies have been destroyed by runaway, unregulated Capitalism. Protests have been going on all week in Frankfurt. There was outrage when German authorities decided to ban protests and over 400 protesters, defying the ban on Friday, were arrested.

Montreal, Canada:

Quebec Protests Make Waves



Protesters start a fire during a demonstration in Montreal, Saturday, May 19, 2012. A plan to restore order in Montreal appeared to erupt in smoke late Saturday, with a fiery blockades blazing on busy downtown streets. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

These protests in Canada have been going on for a month. The Government passed a law meant to limit the number of protesters in order to 'restore order'. That only created further anger as civil liberties groups condemned the measure as anti-democratic. Protesters ignored the law, while taking some steps to avoid the huge fines, which many believe will be hard to enforce anyhow.

Chicago:



Musician Tom Morello performs at a NATO summit demonstration at Daley Plaza, Friday, May 18 2012, in Chicago. Thousands of nurses and other protesters gathered for the noisy but largely peaceful demonstration with a broad spectrum of causes, from anti-war activists to Occupy protesters to a Chicago Women's AIDS project. The demonstrations Friday were the largest yet ahead of a two-day NATO summit that is expected to draw even larger protests. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)



Protesters march on Montrose Avenue toward the home of Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

NATO SUMMIT PROTESTS

Protests took place in many cities around the world yesterday. More protests are scheduled for today.

One thing is certain, without the world wide uprising of the people, we would still be hearing talk of 'sharing the sacrifice' and the dreaded word 'Austerity'. Now, finally, we are hearing talk of 'Growth'. A bit late for millions of ordinary people, but better late than never.

Thank you Occupiers everywhere!

For never giving up!

The People, United, Can Never Be Defeated!

The Corps went Global, now the People have gone Global.

And finally there are some signs that formerly tone-deaf leaders are beginning to hear the people.













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sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
1. What would a protest be without police violence on display?
Sun May 20, 2012, 05:07 PM
May 2012


A bleeding anti-NATO protestor is comforted after a scuffle with police during a march, Saturday, May 19, 2012, in Chicago. On Sunday, the start of the two-day NATO summit, thousands of protesters are expected to march to the McCormick Place convention center, where NATO delegates will be meeting. Photo: John Minchillo / AP

dana_b

(11,546 posts)
2. thank you protestors, indeed!
Sun May 20, 2012, 05:11 PM
May 2012

Especially for us who are unable to do so today.

I love that picture with the crowd reflecting in Tom's glasses!

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
4. I love that picture also. And I love Tom Morello. He is an incredibly articulate speaker
Sun May 20, 2012, 05:35 PM
May 2012

on behalf of the people. I was not really familiar with him until the Occupy Movement started. He could easily just enjoy his money, but has been a consistent presence at protests, fighting for the people.

I wish he would run for office. We need more people like him in power.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
13. No, I had not seen it. What a great interview.
Mon May 21, 2012, 12:51 PM
May 2012

It explains his passion for this movement. First time I've seen him talk about himself. I actually knew nothing about him other than his music. It's wonderful to see Bill Moyers interview him. Thank you so much for posting this, it is well worth watching, suffragette.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
5. Yes it is. And because it has been so sustained it appears to be finally have some effect.
Sun May 20, 2012, 05:56 PM
May 2012

I have read today that the new French President along with President Obama are urging Merkel eg, to start pushing less 'Austerity' and more 'Growth'. That is a beginning, and most likely in response to the people who have had enough of those draconian policies.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
6. My favorite: 'Protesters march on Montrose Avenue toward the home of Mayor Rahm Emanuel.'
Sun May 20, 2012, 06:17 PM
May 2012

These are the kind of numbers we saw in the past. The streets overflowing with an energy and peaceful intent. An example to those vultures who feed off the carrion of the war against life both here and abroad.

Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number,
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you-
Ye are many — they are few.


~Percy Bysshe Shelley


sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
8. I love that poem ~
Sun May 20, 2012, 08:21 PM
May 2012

'Ye are many ~ they are few'!

I think they know that and so long as we remained asleep, they were not threatened. That is why they are reacting so brutally now, they know we are waking up.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
9. Oh, and the 'Capitalism Is A Religion' is something I've been saying for years. Blind allegiance to
Sun May 20, 2012, 08:31 PM
May 2012

The Only True God: Wealth and Power.

Anyone who speaks against it, or questions it, is a heretic, perhaps of the commie or socialist religion and must be eliminated!

Another religion that claims freedom and love of life but is known by its bad fruits, slaughtering and making the entire world impoverished in ways they refuse to even look at.





sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
10. Imo, if it has 'ism' at the end of its title, it IS a religion!
Mon May 21, 2012, 12:20 AM
May 2012

The saddest thing to me are the soldiers who went to war thinking it was for a noble cause, but who now have awakened to the realization that they were, as Smedley Butler realized, merely being used to further the interests of Corporations.

Today in Chicago, Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans chose to turn in their medals. They believe the wars they fought in were based on lies. For them I feel so sad. Maybe it is better to continue to believe once you have made such a sacrifice, I don't know.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
12. Millions do, because this is a gut wrenching and life changing realization. It's the 'Emperor has no
Mon May 21, 2012, 01:23 AM
May 2012
Clothes' moment and it is dangerous to do.

So many have staked a lot of their life beliefs in the military. I know entire families who for generations have been supported by it. Either through payments for education for themselves and their families, careers in military contractors after they've finished active duty, government jobs, doing their shopping at post exchanges, home loan guarantees, medical care for themselves and their spouses and other things.

IOW, it is a large part of their family tradition and support system. They count on it even if they did not serve in times of war. It's been their link to the world, seeing and gaining connections they otherwise would not have had. That's not to mention the people that work to supply the military, who must tell themselves that it is a good thing.

I don't believe the military has done anything for 'world peace' under a 'Pax Americana,' since WW2. And that's not been good for a lot of the world. Yet the MIC found reasons to keep on going. As usual, populations went along with it.

Some kids have been asking me about WW2, Hitler and all of that. Their only references are movies. They don't understand why this happened. Having been born not long after it ended, I am far closer to that era than they are.

Vietnam, is much much closer for me. When I am asked questions and try to detail some of those events, I can't help but cry as the younger ones who watched 911 cry. Older people I know alive during the attack at Pearl Harbor and D-Day have a strong emotional response as well, more than mine. I don't cry about that stuff, it's like a movie to me. Not quite real.

Whatever war we live through, changes us. We can't help as it's part of being a feeling human being. Wars are said to be for the purpose of change to society and the world, not necessarily the reasons we're given. It's the terrible experiences of soldiers that drive them to do many things, both good and bad in and out of the service. There really is no way to know what those veterans saw, but we have their testimony as we did in previous wars.

How heartbreaking for those who have surrendered their bodies and their possible futures, to have all of that taken away. That includes their families, if they do not come home, or come home wounded in some way that the entire family must deal with. The human mind seeks for a reason, and we given many of them to keep us calmed down. To tell people that they have been led by psychopaths that mean them no good is the kind of thing that shatters one's world. It is deeply painful and one feels lost for a while until one makes their reality anew.

We are all regimented from an early age to react as trained dogs, with cues and whistles, rewards and punishments. Those men in tossing their medals said they were not going to follow that any longer, that they, not the ones who profited, would be making the choices in their lives from now on.

When armies come home, nations are changed. Some of those who came back are not going to go a positive path as these men did there. I still credit Obama with bringing most of them home and hope the world will learn from what is being done now. When we rise for the good of all, it literally changes the world on a level that most of us do not understand, but some do. I like reading and listening to such people.

This is another of my favorite quotes:

Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

~Robert F. Kennedy, Capetown, June 6th 1966

That is what I believe is happening now and we are blessed to see this in our lives.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
14. Great post, thank you!
Mon May 21, 2012, 02:21 PM
May 2012

And I love that quote. It is something we do need to be reminded of, as sometimes you just feel that you are so powerless.

We are all regimented from an early age to react as trained dogs, with cues and whistles, rewards and punishments. Those men in tossing their medals said they were not going to follow that any longer, that they, not the ones who profited, would be making the choices in their lives from now on.


Yes, it takes a different kind of courage to do what they did. Moral courage because we know they will be vilified by some. Below is a report on the protest. What is really sad is to read the comments. So ignorant, and so obviously the result of years of Fox 'News' propaganda. I wonder how long it will take to eliminate those lies, repeated by so many of those commenters, from this culture.

In the video you can see a section of the protest where veterans first introduce themselves to the crowd, then throw their medals away, many apologizing to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan for what they have done. They denounce the "war on terror" as a false flag war.
Scott Olsen, the veteran who was hit in the head with a tear gas canister and badly injured in Oakland, was among the veterans. It was good to hear him able to speak normally again.

A girl of Afghan nationality, whose parents were forced to leave their home country and now live in Canada, gave a very moving speech about the villagers, women and children murdered in Afghanistan.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/325215#ixzz1vWoxa9Bd
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