When a movement's managed to incur the wrath of everyone who's anyone: from politicians to pundits, from the Chamber of Commerce to the Den of Wall Street Thieves, then perhaps it's doing something wrong.
Unless, of course, your whole point is to focus on how the powerful and influential support the one percent, and how the one percent control the machinery that generates that self-same power and influence.
A case in point is the San Francisco Chronicle which has been in an open state of war with the Occupy Movement pretty much since it's inception. Note that the Chronicle is not the Manchester Union Leader; this is a so-called liberal paper in a very progressive community. And yet they have waged unceasing press warfare on a movement whose goals, were the Chronicle to peruse any platform the Occupy Movement might conceivably conjure up, they would quickly endorse the vast majority of.
Today's paper "features" a big color ad for tomorrow's special on the Occupy Movement, saying
This Sunday only in The Chronicle...
WILL OCCUPY'S NEXT STEPS EXPOSE A GROWING RIFT IN THE MOVEMENT?
Uh, when did you stop beating your spouse?
And that's not the worst of it.
Their latest diatribe takes the form of an editorial in today's paper. Titled
A Counterproductive Stunt
I needn't quote any of it for you to know exactly what the message is: Staging a national action without the approval in triplicate of everyone affected is just plain, well, mean. And stupid. Impolite, even.
Let's ignore how the #Occupy movement has inspired people around the world. Taking nurture from the Arab Spring, the Israeli protests and Wisconsin, it has in turn provided psychological support for others around world -- in Egypt recently, in Syria, in Moscow just today, even some laborers on a Japanese railroad, so that they may continue to feel like there is hope.
Let's ignore how the #Occupy movement has shown that people can be inspired to protest the power of the one percent here at home instead of sucking up their propaganda while watching the four NFL games of the week. Or how it has shown myriad small labor and progressive groups -- each off in their own little corner of the world -- the power of joining together.
Let's ignore how the #Occupy movement was instrumental in getting the Governor of New York to change his tune about taxing the rich, and not just his tune, but his actions; something the New York Times could not achieve.
Let's ignore how the #Occupy movement has almost singlehandedly changed the tone of discussion in the entire country from deficits to inequality, and quite possibly changed the fulcrum of the 2012 election.
Let's ignore how the #Occupy movement has managed to change even the President of the United States' rhetoric, and perhaps managed to create a backbone in the White House where before there was rubber.
Let's ignore how the #Occupy movement has illustrated the hypocrisy of the United States government in calling for freedom to protest abroad while remaining silent while its citizens are beaten, pepper-sprayed and tear-gassed from coast to coast while attempting to do the same.
Let's ignore all that and just go with the Chronicle's assertions that the December 12th action makes "zero sense", and "these struggles... aren't enough to justify shutting down the entire West Coast..."
Let's concede the premise: maybe it does make no sense.
Any yet the actions taken by respectable so-called liberals to date have made even less sense.
Being willing to put Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid on the chopping block? Accepting anti-stimulus budget cuts while there is 9% unemployment? Extensions of tax cuts for the one percent? Being unwilling to put up a fight as labor protections are stripped all across America? Standing by while the Bill of Rights gets fed into the NSA's shredder?
Sign me up for the no sense, thank you.
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If you, too, want to participate in an "unjustified" "no sense" action on December 12th and are in the Bay Area, then do I have a plan for you.
Kossacks are meeting starting at 2:00 PM at or outside San Francisco Pizza at 16th and Broadway in Oakland, just steps from Frank Ogawa Plaza / Oscar Grant Square. The rally will be held at the plaza at 3:00 PM and the "unjustified" march, with Scott Olsen, his Veterans escort and a cast of thousands of mean, stupid, impolite people will begin at 4:00 PM.
Or check out actions elsewhere starting here.
5:21 PM PT: Rockin' video: