Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Why The #Occupy Movement Has To Be Evicted

Happy Holidays and all that! Where would we find places for all of our revelers if they were to see tent cities across this great land of ours? What would the throngs do if their attempts to view the annual tree lighting ceremony and the 99% got in their way? The news has been telling us that we are spending like drunken sailors and the stock market was obliged to make some headway in spite of itself today as well. What many have not yet been able to understand is that the networking, communication and feelings of brotherhood engendered by these protests has worked a sort of magic over those involved as well as those who finally heard about the movement through major media outlets. The thorn that the movement represents in the side of the power brokers has to be removed before their numbers grow to dangerous levels. In our day, everyone knew who the enemy was, but now it is getting a little harder to tell. The same cops that protect the biggest dogs are under the gun if they try to protect the 99%. they know the score as well as those being evicted.1%-0 99%-9.9 for their effort and ability to stay on message, even when under assault from a media empire designed to torture the truth and piss on all we hold sacred.

The faces of the many, being rousted from their encampments reminds one of the clearing of the "frontier" in an attempt to make it safe for settlement. If corporations can have their "speech" protected, then the average person must surely have the same free speech rights, this sad reality will go undeclared and unspoken in the media because they too are corporate giants, just pretending to care about the needs of the 99%. Even the reasons for the evictions have a disingenuous ring to them. Some claimed drug use and dealing was taking place in the tents, others were upset because homeless people were flooding into  the parks. When any group of people cares deeply for one another and makes sure that no one goes without food, they become suspect in the eyes if the super wealthy. In their world view, competition, not cooperation is not just the rule of the day, but an eternal fact of our existence. Demonizing people willing to endure difficult conditions to save their country comes as easily to those in the one percent as firearms came to white invaders of this continent five hundred years ago.

If we let people exemplify the lifestyle that says take your cash and shove it, especially during the spending season, the whole ship of state might turn to a pillar of salt. There might be places and times to speak of trying something different, but from Thanksgiving to Christmas, don't even think about telling the truth or making any waves. The kings may get a new fiddler from time to time, but they always must play the same old tunes. Bright young people have been saying many of the same things for the better part of a century, the fact that there are real changes afoot scares the living daylights out of those who stand to lose the most if we convert to a more just system.

In my own way, I would like to offer time, skills and talents to the movement. There are so many places that the message of the 99% need to be heard. Although I'm busy, I wish to always have the time to learn and grow, ask the hard questions and sift through the answers I'm given. My tent cannot be removed because I live in a tent the size of the Great Lakes. Those who want to define the debate, shift the blame to those least able to defend themselves and characterize the motives of the protesters as less than patriotic are morally bankrupt. It is not the least bit unusual. It is the way they have always worked.



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