Occupy and the 'poor folks just trying to get to work' meme

I have heard it from a few folks now and am really surprised. But this is how deep the sleep of the proletariat goes...

"All those protestors, blocking bridges, blocking freeways, etc...they are just making it worse for those poor folks just trying to get to work."

"Those goddamn people don't even think about the rest of us just trying to get home or get to work...why don't they just go get JOBS and stop fucking with the rest of us??" (..yes, a friend actually said this to me about the Oakland Port closure, she was seriously ranting and cussing, and i was not prepared to start getting into the defense of the movement at that moment)

~~~~sooooooo.....

I personally understand the reasons and concept,PROTESTS are *supposed* to throw a wrench on the collective gears. Somebody here even posted some really good info about the Civil Rights Movement and how the approach consisted of large marches, coordinated boycotts, etc to make CHANGE HAPPEN. Guess the people above would rather sit and bitch for another 50 years as they go down with the ship, but some of us are actually going to DO something!So what's up with that? It is a contingent to think about, because until we really have MORE numbers, this is actually another group we have to 'win over' so to speak.

This is where the idea of "occupy the Holidays" is good for us, because we can have the conversations with those we love the most at the dinner table and help pass along the wisdom of how these movements work.
Honestly, I suggest each and every one of us who considers themselves 'aligned with the cause' to start reading up on our RIGHTS and the history of NON-Violent protest and how we CHANGE happens in large groups like this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonviolent_resistance ...a good start) ;)

The purpose of this whole movement is to stop taking it in the (you-know-what) and start MAKING the change happen. How do you explain a community springing up in a park and not only growing but organizing in such a way they can provide Social Services to it's people (and people the govt has shunned) almost IMMEDIATELY? Maybe that is the angle to take. Remind our friends and family that we only made it through difficult planetary moments by pulling together as a COMMUNITY. Cooperation is better than Competition, and humans are supposed to be better than that. I personally believe that in my core and will use the Tribal model to explain how we are coming together for the first time in a LONG time as a UNIFIED HUMAN CAUSE. and that in and of itself are truly beautiful and can give us hope in ourselves and fellow man again.
divisiveness is what the PTB have had going for them for a LONG time now...and it will not stand much longer...


But what other ideas do YOU have?

Because that is certainly sticking it to the man.

White-hat trolling.

Good trolling.

But it's still trolling, because if you want to get anything done at all from the outside when the assholes inside are stonewalling you, you've got to piss people off.

So be it.

That's why I'm all in favor of blocking streets, shutting down public transportation systems, blockading ports, being as obnoxious and as economically damaging as possible. Street theater isn't enough. You've got to be disruptive.

...is this how you are explaining it to those who don't get it? are you trying to point out the positives too?
i would like to know how you speak to those you encounter who ARE of the 'pissed off' persuasion...

When we be nice, we have pre-arranged arrests, or we do our little marches with our permits, and we color inside the lines, everyone snoozes. The media tunes us out, and the corrupt elites feel absolutely no need to change their ways.

In order to get people snapped out of the corporate consumerism-induced daze, take a look around, and get the powerful to take notice, we've got to misbehave.

It's a sort of psychological warfare - the key is to find psychological triggers, and push them. Push the buttons of the politicians and the corporate elites - we know it's working because they've sent the Imperial Stormtrooper legions to go crack skulls.

We've got to do things like fuck with the elites' money - the Move Your Money campaign is absolutely brilliant in that. On-the-street disruptions ensure we remain in the news, and I'm sorry, anything short of blocking the streets doesn't get press. General strikes are great - they're economically disruptive to the elites, and they yank everyone out of their day-to-day lives.

If things continue as they are, the 1% will force the rest of us into poverty and straight up fascism while they exploit and destroy the planet for profit. If they are allowed to continue on their present path, humanity has at best a couple of generations left, and those generations will be dark and painful and short for anyone not born into the 1%.

I think the future of the entire world matters more than a trip taking a few minutes longer because you had to detour around the protest.

very true...but the fear factor may not go as far with some folks because they have not been HIT yet...

unfortunately, even getting 'hit' by the economy and wall st in a bad way may not shake loose the deep sleep.
My sister lost her job, and never batted an eye as she went out and managed to get in thru a temp agency, and nailed a new job in six months, and now complains about the fact she makes less, but it hasn't hit her that she is still only as safe as the company that hired her, and she has NO degree, but still has her toys (atv, boat, etc) and still has her house...so for her it wasn't enough to wake her up (then again she and her hubby are serious fundies and rethugs, so they may never get it)

:)

where is everybody this morning? lol

Too bad because I think it's a great piece, too.

I heard this exact thing not two hours ago on a radio show. A caller took the time to ring in just to say this. It is a meme.

and i was just talking to my editor, and he said they haven;t woken up because they haven;t LOST anything...yet.

I agree, it is going to take serious hardship to wake some people up. Hell, many of the protestors have had to endure much of the same stuff. But then they woke up and realized connections and change is more important than their STUFF.
they all have a very FALSE sense of security right now...and it won't last i am afraid. Not when the euro and dollar crash in the next 6-9 months. (and yes, i think we are headed that way, hell even 7$/gal gas would cause some serious shit to hit the fan)

kick :)