We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Sunday, March 4, 2012

A Letter To Other Occupiers

Click here to access article by Staughton Lynd from ZCommunications. 

This long time activist and friend of all working people appears to be immortal. I remember reading about, and admiring, all his activist activities in my youth--and I am approaching 76 years of age! 

He brings to this article all the wisdom of a lifetime devoted to peace and social justice. His remarks are centered on three crucial subjects: the importance of building lasting working class institutions, learning from past mistakes made by activist organizers, and the complicated, yet important nature of the practice of non-violence in building trust. Trust is the necessary glue that is needed to bind together the 99 Percent to form a powerful force that can successfully take control back from the One Percent. The prize in this victory is the construction of an egalitarian society where humans can fulfill their wonderful potential, live in peace and in harmony with nature.
We should understand consensus and nonviolence not as rigid rules, or as boundaries never to be crossed, but as a core or center from which our common actions radiate.

Oakland Police Victim
However, Lynd may not be as aware of the more brutal methods that police are using nowadays against protesters and activists. Their arsenal includes much more harmful forms of tear gas, pepper gas, flash bang grenades, bean bag projectiles, rubber coated steel bullets, and many others less-than-lethal weapons. Often they deliberately misuse some of these weapons to injure people by firing at too close of range or aiming at their faces.  

Here in the northwest of the US there are currently three major city police departments that are under investigative for using brutal methods on minorities and protesters--Seattle, Spokane, and Portland. It is exceedingly rare that any disciplinary action is ever taken against a police officer accused of brutality. See this, this, and this.

Everywhere people who protest against the policies and practices of the Empire are now, in a very real sense, all
Palestinians. 


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