I am an old fart of a not very mellow flavor. My days of protest demonstrations go back to the beginning of the 1960s, first in the civil rights movement and then in the anti-war movement. Over the years there have been various other issues that have gotten me into the streets, most recently the invasion of Iraq. One thing that has occurred in all these experiences has been the people who express their meaningful concern over the lack of a clearly defined purpose from these people who are making all this noise.
I still have vivid memories of well dressed Southern Ladies making speeches like....
"I'm willing to admit that the coloreds may have some reasons to be unhappy about their circumstances, but this is just not the RIGHT way to go about it. Until they present their request in a respectful manner, we just aren't going to pay attention to them."
History is depressingly repeating itself as the Occupy movement appears to be gathering momentum in cities across the country. America's leading concern troll Joe Lieberman is telling us that this is just not the RIGHT way to go about it.
The problems that are giving rise to this movement are broad matters of social injustice and economic inequity that have been festering for a generation. We have a national establishment that has shown a serious unwillingness and/or inability to chance the disastrous course. As in the the 1930s and again in the 1960s it will be necessary to build sufficient political pressure to make that establishment feel threatened before there will be any real openings for change.
The kind of broad movement that can create such pressure isn't going to be contained in a tidy list of bullet points. Different people have different complaints and concerns. Being able to give voice to them is what democracy is supposed to be about. This is not a school board meeting where people don't like the curtains in the cafeteria.
I for one plan on ignoring the concern trolls this time around as I have in the past. Lacking a crystal ball, I can't know what will happen with this movement, but I am certain that things have reached the point where nothing than a mass upheaval will get anything accomplished.