The Occupy Movement

[David MacLeod]

The danger in commenting about the Occupy movement, is that so many of us seem to have a desire to project own own ideas onto the movement, kind of like a Rorshach ink blot.

 

Initially blacked out by the media, now it's hard to avoid stories and commentaries, especially in the alternative press, and some of my favorite online hangouts are giving a lot of attention.  Energy Bulletin has Occupy stories daily, Transition US has a page called Occupy and Transition: Resources Creating Lasting Change, and the Post Carbon Institute has page devoted to it as well.  I have found it impossible to keep up, but there are a few things I've read that I'd like to share.

 

I'll limit myself to 3 articles (followed by a few more links). The first is inspirational, the second is realistic and practical, and the third is an eyewitness account from the Post Carbon perspective.

 

First is Charles Eisenstein's essay: Occupy Wall St.: No Demand Is Big Enough.  Eisenstein, author of "Sacred Economics," has authored a profound and inspirational big picture take on what is going on, and what needs to happen.  I hope you'll read the whole thing, but here is a two paragraph excerpt:

To those holding the reins of power, let us say, We will be your witnesses and your truthtellers. We will not allow you to live in a bubble. We will not go away. We will show you who you are hurting and how. We will make it awkward to do business, until your conscience cannot stand it any longer. We know, in the beginning, many of you will try to escape us; perhaps you will leave Wall Street for suburban corporate offices on private land where there is no "street" for us to hit. You might also retreat further into your ideologies of globalism and growth that deny the obvious. But nothing will stop us, because our tactics will constantly shift. In one way or another, we will speak the truth and we will speak it loudly...

The truth is dwindling rain forests, spreading deserts, mass tree die-offs on every continent; looted pensions, groaning burdens of student debt, people working two or three dead end jobs; children eating dirt in Haiti, elders choosing between food and medicine... the list is endless, and we will make it no longer possible to hold it in disconnection from the money system. That is why we converge on Wall Street, and anywhere that finance holds sway. You have lulled us into complacency for long enough with illusions and false hopes. We the people are awakening and we will not go back to sleep.

 

Second, Ellen La Conte, has written a realistic look at the movement, and offers a concrete proposal: Becoming Legion: Are the Occupations a brief preoccupation or the s... Ellen is author of the book "Life Rules: Why so much is going wrong everywhere at once and how ....

 

If at base this is all about money, if need of money is the problem, then why not rethink money? The Powers only have control over and possession of the present forms of funny-money and the funny-money monetary system. But funny-money and the viral capitalist systems that have created, managed and distributed it are only about 60 years old. They’re post-World War II creations, World Bank and WTO wet dreams. Can’t we come up with something better, something fairer, adapted to our present circumstances and capable of helping us provide for ourselves what the present system isn’t providing without destroying the natural systems that are our true source of wealth? Something truly transformative? Real change.

Yes. And some “we” of us already are. Over 100 communities in the US alone are creating alternative curriences that stay close to home, support local businesses, food and self-determination and the transition David Korten calls the Great Turning away from empire to post-carbon, post-global, post-plutocratic, ecological community. A search of terms like alternative currencies, complementary currencies, new economics, new money, open money, monetary reform, or alternative monetary systems, for example, will turn up as many sites as the Occupy movement does. If OWS does not yet signal the beginning of a transformation of consciousness, it may well signal a lot of “Ow”s and ouches for the Powers That Be. Stay tuned.

 

Finally, a young film maker named Ben Zolno has written an Eyewitness to the Occupation for the Post Carbon Institute.

While I enjoyed the dialogue and learned a lot, I heard many solutions that didn’t take the big picture into account. Instead, most demand their "fair share”--higher taxes on the rich, more corporate responsibility and, of course, Goldman Sachs schemers sent to the slammer. All valid, if you're looking at the current injustices of the system, but I found little examination of the system itself.

And so, I teamed up with Post Carbon Institute to spread the word. The real story is that our economic system requires infinite inputs, on a planet with finite resources. It's just not physically possible to continue this way. Sooner rather than later we’re going to run out of the resources that maintain our growth.

Thus, most "solutions" of equity and accountability will actually make things worse--by increasing participation, increasing growth, speeding up the train's path toward ultimate destruction of the planet we depend on to further our quantity and quality of life.

We must now broaden the questions beyond, "How can we make sure we all get our fair share in this system," to include: "How do we make sure we all get our fair share in the new system--a lower-carbon system--and how do we handle this transition?” Also, “What economic change can we create, and what default changes must we learn to accept?"

 

Also worth reading: James Howard Kunstler (Occupy Everything),  Tom Atlee (Dawning Realizations re Occupy Wall St.), Thomas Linzey (Turning Occupation Into Lasting Change), Alan Seid (Occupy Wall Street's Rise or Fall), and Dave Ewoldt (An Open Letter and Proposal to the 99%).

 

Oh, and you can find the Occupy Bellingham facebook page here.

[John Hammell]

The saddest thing about the Occupy Movement is that it was initially catalyzed by George Soros, ... He specializes in crashing currencies for his own personal gain, and now, this Bilderberg/ CFR man who desires to force Canada, America and Mexico together into a carbon copy of the NAU Collectivist Dictatorship is doing just that, with your mindless help, I might add.

 

Don't you think its time ...to see the truth of whats BEHIND the Occupy Movement? You are all being played like pinball machines! Stop participating in a so called "movement" that was started by ...Soros is busy crashing the Euro and the Dollar simultaneously because he wants to microchip us all, the [Obama] is his man...

I'm a refugee from DC who spent too much time lobbying on the hill to defend access to dietary supplements to ever trust anything that goes on there, and I'm not a member of either sold out messed up PARTY. They're both controlled by the same special interests, I've seen it with my own two eyes, but my momma didn't raise no fool.....

I can see through the Occupy Movement, I see through it to who STARTED it and I know WHY they started it. I know why because I filed a FOIA request with the  US FDA to force those pernicious scum to give me their internal documents re their Trilateral Cooperation Charter with Canada US and Mexico and I have HARD EVIDENCE that behind our backs, they've ALREADY CREATED one harmonized set of food and drug regs for all 3 countries as if Soros long desired NAU Collectivist Dictatorship were already IN PLACE....

...you need to have some TRUTH injected into this mindlessness, and just be glad someone who AINT an [Obama supporter] has the balls to post this information here on Transition Whatcom!!! That said, I do admit I enjoy being part of the Chicken flock here, any time I need a laugh I just go outside and watch my birds, they always take my mind of miscreants like Soros, [Obama], and the other scum who think they're gonna get a microchip into my ass.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, didn't want to open myself up by saying this to any pundits who might attempt to question my mental state which is fine, actually. I should mention that I'm friends with Sue Ford who wrote the book "Thanks for the Memories- The Truth Has Set Me Free" under the pen name Brice Taylor... She escaped from the CIA's MKULTRA Mind Control Program and has a very sober warning for us all, see her book on Amazon...... http://www.amazon.com/Thanks-Memories-Memoirs-Kissingers-Mind-Contr... I once hung out at her  place in South Carlina for a week to pick her brain.....Here is her book, you won't be able to put it down..... It will make you think, then you might start to realize how you are being very skillfully played by Soros....

 

This well researched article by my friend True Ott, PhD, owner of Mother Earth Minerals will also make you think..."The Truth About the Occupy Wallstreet Movement Exposed" http://atrueott.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/the-truth-about-occupy-wal...

Anyone want an MP3 file of a 2 hour radio show I did as guest of Dr.Ott last Friday? Email me at [e-mail] and I'll be glad to send it to you, you can then forward it to everyone you know in the Occupy Wallstreet movement and that will help them all to see how badly they're being played.....

 

[Note from editor:  John, this forum is a place for respectful dialogue, not personal attacks.  I have edited out the most egregious personal attacks in the above post.  I almost deleted it in its entirety.  Differing opinions are welcome, but please be respectful.  See our TW Guidelines here.  David MacLeod.]

[Heather K]

Our local community Occupy Encampment needs help with resources & volunteers.  http://occupy-bellingham.org/?page_id=62  .   Large plastic waterproof totes are needed to store the
medical & dry good donations that are pouring in.

Our Heritage Maritime Park's 'Occupy–Bellingham' site has No pernament water-windproof structures, and No running water.   I have a camp there and  am there often from 8pm-12
midnight.  Waterproof-secured donations can be left on site;  other donations
can  be left at Terra Organica (Public Market)- go through the back  door.

 

Another peoples march happened Friday 11/4 down Holly Street to the park, followed by a General Assembly & music by Dana Lyons & friends. 

On Saturday 11/5 more activities & Teach-In are planned through the afternoon.  Come on down!

Join us next Friday 11/11 for another March with focus on Veterans Day, again followed by a peoples GA General Assembly & Live Music! 

 Dress Extra Warm & Bring Water to share and something hot to drink.

Thank you to neighbor Kurt who came down with his young son to loan us a large 12 person tent!

 We will change it into a healing space for mini MASH (Medicinals for All
Seeking Health) & Tea Kitchen Self-Care zone.    This is greating needed as we continue to focus on health, sanitation, & safety at the park while the work on reclaiming our communities local goverance
& economy from beyond corporate powers..

We will power beyond coal, gas, & non-renewable energy sources to care for the earth, care for the
people, and share the abundance.

[Heather K]

“Turning Occupation Into Lasting Change.  http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2011-10-18/turning-occupation...   . Great article on Revoking Corporate Personhood Rights by Thomas  Linzey.  Thanks David for interesting post readings!

[Heather K]

Occupy Bellingham http://occupy-bellingham.org/?p=26
This is the local website that includes the encampment at Maritime Heritage
Park.   Resources & Volunteers needed!

 

Public March on Friday followed with music by Dana Lyons
 at Heritage Maritime Park.  Event details
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=296246590393958

[David MacLeod]

Diane, thanks for sharing the Lakoff article.

 

Transition Whatcom does not have 501(C)3 status.  We partner with Sustainable Bellingham for those needs.

[Dianne Foster]

David,

Great articles!  Also you may want to read George Lakoff's essay on the OWS movement taking on 5 "frames",   moral attitudes that include saving the planet.   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-lakoff/occupy-wall-street_b_10...      Also,  are you the person to talk to regarding allowing Occupy Bellingham to share your 501(C)3 status?    They need to get together a bank account under a non-profit status until having time to get their own.