The most inspirational thing I have ever taken part in during my brief life.
Now make me do it . . .
2 days ago the media team made up of Kossacks sent a video of NYPD brutality against #OccupyWallStreet viral. The video is already over 1,000,000 views in under three days. The media snapped to attention. Suddenly, We The People control the narrative.
Watch as history is made. . . didn't you know YOU have the power to change the world?
A speech for all ages.
At Liberty Square, as we've renamed it, we have food for the hungry, and medical team for the sick, music at all hours of the day (but not too loud late at night) and a kick ass media team that uses a complex system of tubes and hundreds upon hundreds of people who want to have a conversation about what they care about in their lives and their country, and they know they're getting screwed, but beyond that, they have compassion. The difference between the corporatists and everyone else is simple, compassion.
Yesterday, on day 11, I did an interview with Nicole Sandler, who is of Air America and Allen West townhall's fame, then I met Susan Sarandon, after that I helped set up our media event with the top 1% (at which HankNYNY excelled), then I sat in on a strategy meeting and a lunch with a high level Wall Street whistleblower, next I met Amy Goodman, then I ot to meet Dr. Cornel West, and he has this message to share with you. The night before I met Micheal Moore. It has been an amazing 24 hours.
I am telling you right now, you need to get down here, you are missing the revolution taking place right outside your window.
Dr, West gave me a great big hug. He's a hugger. I dig that. I told him I admire him and would like to ask him a question. Pen and notepad in hand, undeterred in an amiable way towards me, I asked Dr. Cornel West, "What message would you give to activists who might contribute to or participate in #OccupyWallStreet?"
He replied, "Tell them come on down and be a part of the change you want."
Make me do it . . .
In the General Assembly, Dr. West told us that this is the movement Dr. Martin Luther King Jr envisioned. Dr. West rallied us to fight, for people of all kinds, whether African American, or Latino, or LGBT, or our sisters, or our Native American brothers and sisters on reservations. Dr. West told supporters in private conversations that I was privy to that "We need fundamental shifts in the system . . to shift power from the Oligarchs to the people. The whole perception needs to be shifted." Dr. West said, "This is a Democratic Awakening." I got to shake the man's hand and tell him how much I admire him. He told me, "I admire you."
My life has turned upside down since my first day at these humble protests. I am part community organizer, part media consultant, part blogger, part activist, whatever it takes, I'll get it done. This is day 9 for me, my question to you is, what have you done?
And I don't mean that in scorn, we need your help. It is us versus the Empire, it's time we fought back.
I don't need to tell you about the realities of Class War, if you know the drill then you know which side you should stand on (hint, take two steps to the left and call me in the morning . . . )
But I have to tell you, this is it. If you've been waiting for a generation for the populist revival, it is here, a plant to be watered and nurtured and given sunlight, lest it shrivel at your feet. Dr. Cornel West told us in our General Assembly "Don't be afraid to say the word revolution!" and for the first time, I will not.
For we do not revolt against our President, but against the interests of wealth that constrain him. We hope for more from this President, and if he is willing to fight for us, he will win more of us then he will lose, and thus he will win, for I tell you, we are NOT teabaggers, we don;t really support this President either, he has been to cozy with Wall Street, but we are doing him the biggest favor anyone has done for him in his first term, for if Obama is ready to stand up and FIGHT for the working class in this class war there is a good chance that he can win this crowd of "independents" in my view, and that could help Obama win the Presidency.
None of us at #OccupyWallStreet seem to want a GOP President, unless his name is Ron Paul, and I doubt that happens. This is point of no return, for our country and for this Presidency, either the working class survives, or the neo-conservatives lead us to our destruction.
So here is an opportunity to fight back. What will you do?
More below the fold . . .
Enjoy the pictures. As Dr. West says, I hope you can feel the love and inspiration.
Here is Kossack HankNYNY at our "Conversation with the top 1%" media event. In a beautifully unsrcipted move, Hank gave out socks to be distributed to people attending the protests, paid for through our fund. It was a powerful moment. Hank is really good at this.
Our brother in arms, Dr. Cornel West.
and a message from a stranger who has the right idea.
Damn straight.
"Because we oppose the greed of Wall Street oligarchs, corporate plutocrats who squeeze the democratic juices out of this country and other places around the world. I am so blessed to be here. Got me spiritually break-dancing all the way here, cause when you bring folk together, all colors, all cultures, all genders, all sexual orientations, the elite will tremble in their boots.".
"Martin Luther King Jr would smile from the grave as we're moving step by step, toward what he called revolution, don't be afraid to say revolution, we want a transfer of power from the oligarchs to ordinary citizens, to all children of all."
~ Dr. Cornell West
I stand in awe, inspired by these efforts. Stand with me. Stand with us. Stand together. This is the movement of our generation, not the teabaggers and their stale, corporate agenda, but that of the youth, the downtrodden, the 99%. Will you be left behind? Will you say, "I was not there." when we say we changed the conversation in this country? Remove the R from revolution and you end up with an evolution. I want to see that come to pass in my lifetime.
"We the people, have found our voice!"
Thank you, Brother West, and thank you, all of my brothers and sisters.
Fight along side me. Fight for yourselves. What choice do we have left?
God bless, and peace to you and yours.
I have never taken part in anything like this in my life. I don't want it to stop. We the people, have found our voice.
Rejoice, and grab a shovel. There's work to down.
Come on down, the water is fine, brothers and sisters.
___________
If you'd like to help out the protests directly . . .
1. Get this message out there. Can we do it? YES WE CAN!
2. Use the twitter hashtags #OccupyWallStreet and follow on facebook and twitter accounts related to the ongoing protests. Help put this video on your facebook pageand any other social media that you use. Make it viral.
3. Make a donation to WeAreTheOther99%'s media fund. They need funding to stay active, and without huge corporate interests backing us up like the Teabaggers have, the only way this works is with your small donations.
4. Go to OccupyWallSt.org and make a donation to our General Fund to support the ongoing protests.
5. Get the word out about these protests of Wall Street's greed to everyone you know. Raise awareness, even if it is via word of mouth, every little bit helps.
Thank you, Brother West. You said it better than I ever could.
This is Jesse LaGreca, reporting on Day 11 from the frontlines of the class warzone, wishing you peace and love to you and yours, and reminding you that they only call it class war when the working class fights back.
Me too. That goes for all of us.
The people, united, can never be defeated.
Peace and love to all.
You can follow me on the Twitter Machines @JesseLaGreca