This is my response to the disingenuous demands and the spurios criticisms of the media and political elite’s demand for specific demands of the Occupy Wall Street Movement
They don't get it …
Or maybe - "they" do ...
This is not about the so-called left vs. right dichotomy
This is not about the so-called "Liberals" vs. the so-called "Conservatives"
This is not part of the duopoly of Democrats and Republicans
This is about US - ONE NATION - ONE PEOPLE - as a people (get it - the 99% theme).
This is about not being artificially divided by some "elite" talking heads defining US.
This is actually the ORIGINAL idea that started this country. The idea of a We The People.
This is actually the CORE idea of "true" democracy. The tripartite idea of: Of the People [Who rules], By the People [How to rule], and For the People [rule for What End].
This is not about the one or two policies that divide Us. This is about the principles that unite Us.
This is not about making specific demand X, Y, and Z. This is about real "radical" ideas - getting TO THE ROOT of the problem.
This is about looking critically at the causes which render this country disfunctional and exposing the myth which keeps us silent while we are being mis-ruled by a 1% hyperminority of self-interested individuals.
This is about gaining Our Voice back; and making our Votes count.
We demand efficacy in Our voice and vote.
This is about finally looking critically at what has been used to divide us, and starting instead to try and identify what can unite US.
This is not about being forced to be represented by a choice of Tweedle-dumb and Tweedle-dumber. This is about speaking and acting for Ourselves – the core concept of democracy.
This is about no longer being willing to believe in myths. It is about recognizing how bad the reality is – and not accepting it as inevitable but standing up, to be heard, and doing something about it.
This is about a real class war and warfare. It is about recognizing that the 1% elite have been controlling and using us, the 99%, as a ruling class treats a subject class.
And it is about returning instead to those ideas that founded this Nation (a Nation is a people – not a State) – democracy, justice, the rule of law (as justice), equality, the common good. And becoming again One Nation – One people – who care about each other, not oppose one another; who take care of each other, not exploit others for our own self-enrichment.
This is about all of those ideas wrapped up together – and finding Our way back to a sane society – in which We can begin to talk meaningfully about the ends and finding through Our voices united in a discourse of a multiplicity of views and ideas a way back to the path toward achieving democratic self-government. A government in which We are not mere subjects but real citizens.
Nobody said democracy was easy. But it is not a spectator sport. It requires active participation of all citizens. And We are starting to participate – not according to some media or party elite defined definitions and categories – but by finding Ourselves and Our Voice – and demanding to be heard. Demanding to be treated with the respect of equal citizens. Demanding that the laws be enforced – enforced equally – and enforced for the end of justice for all not the benefit of a few.
We are here and We are here to stay until We all can come together, united, to fix the problems of this nation, to become functional once again, to care about each other and not just ourselves.
This is what democracy looks like. Get used to it.
by Charlie Grapski on Thu Sep 29, 2011 at 02:40:37 AM PDT