TPTB and the M$M are kicking themselves right now, they made a major tactical error last Spring..

[Fumesucker]

When they showed the Arab Spring in such glorious detail The Powers That Be and the Mainstream Media gave the 99% living in the ostensibly free world an idea and a strategy..

They also gave the expectation that great things can be accomplished by the 99% steadfast in the street...

They seriously misjudged the level of unhappiness with the current course of our society on the part of average people.

Ooops..

[ejpoeta]

1. i like how when the arab world did it it it was great and when they were quashed

our government told them to let the people protest. now they try to quash us in a 'free' country. what happened to our right to assemble?

[MindPilot]

2. I really doubt that they see the similarities, or they actively ignore them.

See, the protesters "over there" are fighting for freedom, equality, justice, and democracy. Our protesters on the other hand are just dirty hippies who want to live off the government dole, smoke dope and fuck outside. Big difference.

[Fumesucker]

4. They may be trying to ignore the similarities...

That will become impossible fairly quickly I'm starting to think.

I was skeptical at the beginning of the OWS movement but TPTB are starting to react in ways that are predictably ham-handed.

Not to mention that what is said by the powerful for public consumption rarely is an accurate indication of their inner thoughts.

[WinkyDink]

26. Our leaders are desperately trying to pretend "That was them; this is us. Don't hurt us!"

[SoDesuKa]

3. Historical Imperative

Whether or not you believe in anything like a "historical imperative" there is the case to be made that social movements occur in due course. Cultural boundaries can impede them but not prevent them from happening. For instance, feminists in Asia didn't get their impetus from feminists in America, although some ideas may have been exchanged.

We're not going back to a time of ever-increasing inequality in which the victims stay quiet about it. That bridge has been crossed. I have to laugh when opponents of new social consciousness base their objections on the fact that something is new. Of course things are new. That's the nature of history.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

5. They were for it before they were against it

They have totally awakened a sleeping giant.

[SpiralHawk]

6. Indeed

the k and the r

[Downwinder]

7. Think you should add the sponsored tea baggers to the list.

If it is alright for tea baggers,
why nit the other 99%?

[Enthusiast]

8. You are exactly correct.

[LuvNewcastle]

9. The Arab Spring had a couple of advantages

over OWS. For one thing, they had Al Jazeera. Americans have no comparable news source to provide accurate news and encouragement for such a cause.

More importantly, the Arab countries didn't have the security apparatus available to American law enforcement. Thanks to the War on Drugs and domestic spying programs, the govt. has a distinct advantage coming out of the gate.

I expect to see more violence against the protesters as the govt. increasingly becomes fed up with the attention to it. Our law enforcement has the tools to put down a large rebellion if it has to, and our media will lie and distort and blame everything on the protesters. Those who didn't already know are about to be shown who is in control of America.

[Fumesucker]

10. As people move to the internet and social media, the M$M becomes less relevant..

At one time the media had almost a total lock on what people heard and saw, that's changing rapidly now with the advent of things like Youtube, Twitter and a bunch of stuff I don't even know about.

[LuvNewcastle]

11. That's true.

We'll see how much longer this is allowed to last. But understand that they have the upper hand here. I have no doubt that HS or the CIA could shut down the internet if they wanted to. Any movement would have to be very strong in order to overcome all the obstacles that could be thrown in the way. I'm not saying that people should give up; I'm just laying out the possibilities here. This movement should continue until we see real and lasting change, but it's going to be hard to achieve.

[Downwinder]

12. Arab Spring showed that cutting the Internet and cell service

added fuel.

[LuvNewcastle]

14. They had Al Jazeera telling them what

was going on. Americans won't have that; that's where the MSM comes in. The interruptions could easily be blamed on something else and the population would be divided just as they are now. People will believe what they want to believe just as they do now. Those who try to contradict the official line can be dealt with.

[Fumesucker]

13. The economy would go Tango Uniform if the internet is cut..

Just in time delivery is utterly dependent on the internet..

There would be food riots within a week.

[Tsiyu]

15. There really is no going back

Now the media is playing catchup.

Kind of reminds me of Rove or one of those sociopathic goons saying "by the time you figure out what we're up to, we'll be plotting something else." Bad paraphrase, but now the tables have turned.

By the time M$M gets coverage of one phenomenon, another will be popping up somewhere else.

[LuvNewcastle]

16. You can bet our govt. has contingency plans

for every scenario. Don't forget how much power they have. If they think that they're power is truly threatened, they will use everything at their disposal to protect themselves. They have a worldwide empire to defend.

[Fumesucker]

17. "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans" -John Lennon

"The best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry". -Robert Burns

Yeah, the almighty government was caught absolutely flat footed by a few guys with box cutters and a plan no one had really taken seriously before.

[LuvNewcastle]

18. Yes, well, I don't believe that story.

I'm just saying that if this movement is going to be truly effective, it's going to be difficult to achieve. Everything in life that is worthwhile comes at a price. This is the time to stand up. Actually, yesterday was the time, but better late than never. But it isn't going to be easy. Not at all.

[Fumesucker]

19. I don't recall mentioning that it was going to be easy..

Of course it's going to be difficult..

My OP was more about the fact that the encouragement of the Arab Spring by TPTB and the M$M has now turned around and bitten them in their well stuffed derrières.

You can't do just one thing, everything you do has multiple effects, in this case the one of the effects of encouraging Arab Spring was obviously not predicted by those in positions of authority.

[LuvNewcastle]

22. Maybe they did make a mistake.

I'm not saying that you think this way, but a lot of people seem to think that we're going to protest for a few months and the govt. is going to fall and the guilty will be punished. It's not going to play out that way here, so I don't think that comparisons between the Arab Spring and the things happening in America are very apt.

[Fumesucker]

24. It's going to take longer than a few months..

Years minimum..

There's too much inertia to this ship of state, Egypt was a dinky tugboat next to the supertanker of the US, it's not going to turn on a dime.

[LuvNewcastle]

28. Yes, we have some tough times ahead.

We have to start somewhere; there is no other alternative.

[MedleyMisty]

20. Saw plenty of Egyptians giving advice on handling tear gas on Twitter

Also saw support from Greece. And the Libyans I follow on Twitter also support the Occupy movement.

It's a global thing. It's the 99% of humans rising up against the 1% of psychopaths.

[lunatica]

21. Since a major crack down hasn't come I think they still aren't paying attention

because TPTB won't care about what we think about them ordering a major crackdown when it means they'll lose power. They don't have to keep their agenda a secret anymore, especially now that it's been outed. No one should think that the growing threat of OWS would make them back down. Everyone should believe that if history has any lessons, those in power will move to take over violently if necessary.

So far TPTB have followed all the historical precedences. They're not going to stop just because we're now reacting to resist them.

They will stop if they have no recourse, but so far they have plenty of muscle to do their bidding.

[Fumesucker]

25. That Marine who berated the cops at OWS was a powerful video..

The cops didn't look happy at all.

I'm considering sending that one to some people I know..

[RandiFan1290]

23. They were hoping it would be tbaggers

They were all ready to back up that "movement"

[lunatica]

29. They created, funded and bused the Teabaggers

Remember the infamous Democratic Town Hall meetings of the Summer of 2010? That's when the so called 'Tea Party' was born. Ready made idiocrats for Dick Armey to organize. Grass roots my ass.

[Odin2005]

27. K&R