Tale of a Southern 'Occupy': Nashville aims to bridge political divides

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/30/9097482-tale-of-a-southern-occupy-nashville-aims-to-bridge-political-divides

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Compared to “Occupy” protests on the coasts, the rebel encampment tucked between Tennessee’s War Memorial Plaza and the Statehouse – a few dozen tents adorned with American flags and even a libertarian one – has a decidedly Southern feel.

While protesters in New York, California and elsewhere may often pass their downtime playing drums, meditating or knitting, their Tennessee counterparts could be playing football, hosting a square dance, flying kites, skateboarding or welcoming opponents with cookies.

And if conversations on the coasts tend toward left-wing political theory, such as anarchy, Marxism and socialism, protesters here work on bridging a different divide: uniting the “blue” and “red” factions in their local audience.

"We do have a lot of conservative voices in this camp and the thing that is really appealing to all of us is we believe in the common ties that bind us,” said Samantha Blanchard, a 30-year-old office administrator who was sheltering in a tent as rain poured down on a frosty, grey Sunday afternoon.



***certainly not what i would want -- but this is their occupy.

That's one of this encampment's three stated goals. Economic power is economic power - it's never been separate from political power anywhere, ever. What we need to do is seek policies that distribute it more broadly.

Thanks for the thread, xchrom.

Playing bipartisanship won't work in Congress, but among working people who have no power to abuse? It's necessary in red areas, it really is. Being alienated from neighbors isn't good for anyone, and "divide and conquer" serves the 1% best, not us.

OF course it's not always possible. But I respect the effort.