#OccupyEverywhere is dead, long live the 99% movement!

[Bragi]

Based on 2what's happening right now, the #OccupyEverywhere tactic is clearly unsustainable because a) it is too vulnerable to "legal" attack and dispersement by the security apparatus of the 1%, and b) it is not a tactic in which most members of the 99% can participate, what with them having life stuff to do. (That's a statement of fact, not in any way a criticism of anyone participating in the occupations/protests.)

Because of this, it isn't hard to foresee that most of these occupations will continue to dwindle in numbers in days to come, media will continue to focus on their diminishing numbers and their more colorful controversies (hello drummers!,) and eventually the 1% will feel safe to send in their security apparatus to shut them down.

When and as this happens, I think it is very important for the left to be clear in its own mind that "OccupyEverywhere" is just a tactic, and that the important lesson this tactic has shown is that the 99% movement behind the tactic is widely supported by the public in a way no left or progressive movement has been supported in decades. The 99% movement has already changed political discourse by bringing growing and desperate inequality back into public debate, and has shown itself to be potentially an incredibly potent social and political movement.

What needs to be avoided is trying to continue to implement a tactic that isn't sustainable and really can't succeed (at least in the early days of this movement) and countering the crap that the right is and will be spewing in days ahead about the movement itself being discredited as the occupations dwindle and/or are busted up by the 1% using their security forces.

That be my spiel...

- B

[annabanana]

1. The media is now ACTIVELY AVOIDING covering Oakland.

Flashbombings and injuries apparently aren't "colorful" enough. I'm thinking that there won't be the dwindling in Oakland too soon.

[Bragi]

6. Media will do what they are meant to do -- support the 1%

Media ignoring the attacks on the Occupy camps is to be expected. We need to remember that the same NYC-based global media outfits who found social-media fueled movements in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya so fascinating didn't find them very interesting when they started up three blocks from their newsrooms.

However, we can't forget that mainstream media is a well-designed and tested tool of the 1%. I believe the media will undermine the Occupy tactic not so much because its reporters are individually malevolent (most aren't) but because the formula used to present "news" will automatically put the protesters outside the law, and beyond the boundaries of "acceptable politics."

Hence, media coverage will end up "justifying" the dispersement of the camps even for people who see themselves as among the 99%.

Anyway, that's how I see it.

[Taverner]

41. Yep. Don't expect to hear any more. "You had your chance. The bums lost, Mr Lebowski"

At least, that is how THEY view it

[leveymg]

2. They are just two different sides of the same movement. There's no conflict between them, unles you

want to create one. But, you would be wrong about that.

Even the MSM and the cops know that this goes far deeper than just the people showing up in the streets.

[Bragi]

5. I think there should be a distinction made by us

I do not see any "conflict" between the two, but I think the movement is better served if we make a useful distinction between the movement and its initial tactic, as follows:

- The 99% Movement is a social and political movement aimed at counteracting the ever-increasing inequality in American society; and

- #OccupyEverywhere is an early tactic used by this movement to build support for the cause of greater social and economic equality for the 99%.

I think the movement is strong, has shown to have enormous visceral support across society, and can win.

#Occupy is merely a tactic which is not sustainable, and will eventually be thwarted by the security apparatus of the 1%.

However, while the OccupyEverywhere tactic will increasingly fail, the 99% movement will continue to grow.

I think that is an important distinction.

[leveymg]

8. Just so long as distinction does not become disavowal, you may have a good point.

But, OWS deserves the continued full support of all progressives. To say that it is just a phase diminishes its importance - right now, it is the most visible, vibrant expression of the 99%, and deserves even greater support and participation from all of us.

[Bragi]

12. I entirely agree

I totally support OWS and will continue to support the Occupations elsewhere, including the one in my own town.

I am just concerned that as what's coming down comes down, we understand that the 99% movement will and can flourish but needs new tactics that are more sustainable.

And I think this kind of forum is the right place to talk about this.

[leveymg]

16. There's another side to this: if the Dems were smarter, they would stop police violence and provocat

ions. If this goes bad, as Chicago '68 showed, it can only help the GOP and the Right-wing "Silent Majority" types.

The worst seems to be Oakland, where the cops have been particularly nasty and protesters are beginning to strike back. Ironically, Oakland is almost a 100% Democratic jurisdiction - President, Senators, Congresspeople, right down to the Mayor and Council.

The cops need to be leashed in and severely disciplined for any further excessive use of force. The Dems need to take note of this, and act accordingly, or will pay a steep political price for allowing this to escalate into violence.

[Bragi]

21. The DNC types must be scared of this movement

Seriously, the 99% movement is all about inequality (not a "winning" political issue for them of late) and direct (i.e. not just electoral) political action.

I'm sure it therefore scares the shit of the DNC, and the White House.

When push comes to shove, I predict the DNC types will support the 1% and be all over the media rationalizing police violence against the protesters.

[leveymg]

34. That would be repeating the Mayor Daley Trap they fell into in '68.

Seems the same mind set and largely the same small group of One Percenters and Party Apparachiks still in charge.

[occupyeverywhere]

3. hmmmmmm

[FailureToCommunicate]

30. Welcome to DU.

You've been busy!

[occupyeverywhere]

38. ???

[Zorra]

40. LOL! "Interesting, Jim." nt

[KharmaTrain]

4. After The Glitter Fades...

It took 3 years for the anti-war movement to get rollin'...the media scorned the protests on college campuses as "dirty hippies" and "draft card burners". It really didn't start to breach across the political divides until 1968 and then it would be another 5 years of protests until the last American troops came home.

While its great to see people excited about the Occupy movements and hopefully its energized and brought people out who had remained silent for too long, but a movement is only effective by the way it evolves and becomes ingrained in the political structure. A month of protests and demonstrations is a good start but far from accomplishing anything tangible. The ground work is there...can something evolve? While I remain hopeful I also recall what happened to a lot of the synergy and energy of the 70s where people became disolusioned and apathetic and opened the door for Raygun.

The tough job ahead here is to turn the General Councils into a broader political movement that can bring pressure to bear on both political parties. Slogans end at the halls of power...the ultimate power of the OWS movement will be if they can break down those walls.

[Bragi]

7. Good thoughts.

I agree with you. The movement must evolve and adapt its tactics as needed.

I also agree that the General Assemblies are impressive and hopefully will remain a permanent and central feature of the 99% movement.

[coalition_unwilling]

27. Have you read my report about Occupy Los Angeles from

this past weekend?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=439&topic_id=2175014

I cannot stress enough how seriously the folks at OLA take what they are doing. Yes, there is a contingent there who are there merely because it's the hip thing to do and a street party. But the vast majority of people I encountered there are deadly serious about what they are up to.

[KharmaTrain]

37. Wonderful...

Now let's see how many are still around in a month, six months, a year. Lets see how many people are still willing to occupy when its snowing. Again...it's great to see this movement but it's a start not an end-all.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Why the extreme rhetoric?

While a discussion of tactic going forward is good, I do not see 'dead movement' at all and thus can not agree with your basic premise and I also doubt your objectives.

[Bragi]

13. I said the opposite: the movement will continue

I never said the 99% movement would die, I said the the Occupy tactic will be defeated, at least at this stage.

I'm not sure why you would doubt my objectives. It seems to me that this is exactly the right place to have this conversation.

It's also the right time, because the repressive security apparatus of the 1% is now being activated.

I sincerely hope the people who support the movement won't be totally discouraged when the camps are forcibly dispersed.

Don't confuse the defeat of a tactic with the failure of the movement. That what the media will claim, but it isn't so unless we start to believe it.

[TBF]

10. The only reason the 99% has gotten anywhere IS the occupation -

that his what caught the public's eye. Calling for the end of it is a disgrace. Granted it is early but I am glad to see any resistance focused on class, and we will build on this and get stronger.

[Bragi]

15. My advice: don't tie all your propsects to a single tactic

Especially a tactic that is so vulnerable to defeat and disruption by the security apparatus of the 1%.

The 1% don't play around. America is a police state where the public information channels, like the political system, is controlled by the oligarchs.

That's why the camps have to be dispersed and why this dispersal will be falsely characterized by the media as signalling the "failure" of the 99% movement.

[TBF]

29. Oh, I completely agree with that -

my guess is that they'll naturally disperse with winter moving in - only to have the movement go under cover and emerge stronger in the spring with elections coming up.

I know the 1% don't play around - they are dead serious about protecting capital. Many protestors know this, the idealistic ones are being schooled now as well (particularly in Oakland last night). This is a long haul effort.

The media can call it whatever they want, but conditions will force the effort. As austerity measures kick in it will get worse out there, our job is to be prepared and assist in any way we can.

[flamingdem]

31. In some cities the police are in solidarity with the occupiers (LA), so that messes up your theory..

I am sure there are others but Los Angeles has support from the mayor and city council so far and the police have offered material aid.

[Bragi]

33. Of course some cops are sympathetic

This doesn't mean the Occupy camps are sustainable, or will be left standing.

We should expect that the police will end up busting up the camps when ordered to do so by the 1% because of some alleged (if not trumped up) violation of the law.

The sympathies of individual members of security apparatus won't ultimately matter.

[flamingdem]

35. The mayor and city council visited the occupation, the cops gave food

but still you may be right. Eventually they might want them outtathere.

[tblue]

17. Same here. It's the unpredictability that sustains it.

I hope OWS goes on a long time. To go back to each of our lives as usual and hope our politicians get religion is a dead end. We tried that and it didn't work.

[Bragi]

22. I agree with you on this:

"To go back to each of our lives as usual and hope our politicians get religion is a dead end. We tried that and it didn't work."

New tactics for the 99% movement will be needed, and will emerge, after the Occupy tactic is forcibly smashed by the security apparatus of the 1%.

[Le Taz Hot]

11. Interesting that your'e trying to separate the two.

1) The OccupyEverywhere movement REPRESENTS the 99% and
2) they're not going anywhere. This action is just getting started and far from dwindling, it's building momentum.

There are many similarities between the OWS movements and the protests of the 60's but there are many differences as well. All of the social causes we fought for back then took YEARS to develop and grow. We were also disperate causes, not always coming togther. The OWS has grown exponentially in just a few short weeks and resonates with people who have lost homes/jobs/health insurance, regardless of political parties. This movement has just begun.

[Bragi]

14. I'm not "separating" the two

I'm not "separating the two", I'm just making a distinction between a tactic and the social/political movement behind it.

The 99% movement has started up with great gusto, and the Occupy tactic has put it on the map. This is well worth celebrating.

However, I also believe the Occupy tactic is not sustainable, for reasons indicated in my post.

The 99% movement, however, can and will continue to grow, in my view.

It will just have to find new, more sustainable tactics after the security apparatus of the 1% busts up the camps.

[Le Taz Hot]

19. You believe the Occupy movement is

"unsustainable," I believe it's just getting started and will continue to gain momentum. It will be the impetus for change. Time will tell which is right.

[Bragi]

23. Yes it will

I'd love to be wrong on the non-sustainability of the tactic, but I think events will bear me out.

The important thing for me is that if/when this tactic fails, that we not think the 99% movement itself has failed.

[TheKentuckian]

18. Rolling over won't do any good, with each crackdown the efforts must be redoubled.

Resistance must never be allowed to be futile.

[Bragi]

24. Nowehere do I suggest "rolling over" /nt

[mmonk]

20. This is the beginning. Not the end.

[Bragi]

25. Yes, the 99% movement will live on after the Occupy protests are busted /nt

[WingDinger]

26. We need a coupla monks to set themselves ablaze. The appetite for

sensationalism is on. :banghead:

[coalition_unwilling]

28. Not sure what your post is intended to suggest. Are you

familiar with Norman Morrison or Malachai Ritscher? I don't think I'd call their sacrifices 'sensationalism' nor that of the Buddhist monks in Vietnam, for that matter.

[WingDinger]

32. The rampup to real authority and violent ouster, will be watched with baited breath.

[workinclasszero]

36. Occupy just got going

Why some on the left are eager for it to die already is a mystery to me.

Occupy is not only a movement against wall street 1% greed its also about the capitalist consumer credit based materiel world we live and participate in.

It is not sustainable. It is dying and its killing the planet we live on. Say your homeless, no job, no car, no family that can help you.

What can you do? Well if there is an Occupy camp around you could go there, get something to eat, get shelter, get some kind of medical attention, join a committee that makes decisions for the body of people you are now with. Find friends who care about what happens to you.

No politics here but a massively different way of life than most Americans have ever experienced.

I think the 1% fear this way of life as much as they fear losing control over the political process. Because how will they make any money when we all take care of one another for free?

Eh thats just my two cents but...

I love the occupy movement and I hope it goes on forever! God bless them all!:grouphug: :fistbump:

[Bragi]

39. Huh?

I've yet to hear one person express a view that suggests they are "eager for it to die." Debating a tactic is not treachery to a cause.

[Hutzpa]

42. Why are you so desperate to discuss the end of OE?

give it a rest will ya.

[Bragi]

43. Bye!

I'm not desperate about anything, actually, but do have a nice day.