Chris Hedges on Black Bloc

Submitted by Supersean on

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Here's a link to Chris Hedges' piece on Truthdig.com:

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_cancer_of_occupy_20120206/

Please give it a read and think about what kind of movement you want Occupy to be.

...and a tip

Submitted by Supersean on

I usually don't bother with comments sections after articles, but in this case I found it edifying. Do yourself a favor and peruse the comments and check out some of the responses people have posted or linked to.

Personally, I'm not a revolutionary. I think we have a society already so there's no need to create a new one. Without a doubt our society needs to be fixed, and we have a mechanism for doing that in this country. But that's just me.

So what do we do when the

Submitted by lizsavage on

So what do we do when the mechanism is broken? Checks and balances... ha! The only checks and balances our government is worried about is how much they are getting from corporations to screw us over.

We have the right to revolt. But they are taking that away, chipping at it with a jackhammer actually. Time to get off the couches, and barstools, and into the street.

My words represent myself and not Occupy Los Angeles. @lizsavage on Twitter

Well, there was some talk in

Submitted by Supersean on

Well, there was some talk in the early days here about joining or starting a movement for Constitutional Amendment addressing money in politics. That momentum kinda fizzled for one reason or another.

I just don't think there are enough people in the USA who would be down with a revolt.

There are enough people in the USA

Submitted by Antagon-X on

I understand your concern, that's why we need more people to join the movement and that's why the "system" is trying to stop us. They can raid encampments and throw peaceful protesters to jail, but that is not going to stop Occupy from growing.

Mahayana's picture

Yes, Occupy did/does need

Submitted by Mahayana on

Yes, Occupy did/does need more people to join the movement but that just won't happen with the direction Occupy is going in. It is becoming increasingly partisan and those with non-economically liberal views are being shunned. My involvement with the movement has ceased because of this & I'm sure I'm not the only one.


It's not fun to be criticized and accused of being brainwashed by conspiracy theory wackos simply because you participate in an anti-federal reserve march. Occupy was so powerful and influential in the beginning because it stayed away from a partisan mentality. It's focus was on the one thing that can unify a nation: Corruption in government. Slowly but surely it turned to more leftist agendas including a Union funded trip to DC to "Occupy" washington whose underlying purpose was to promote Obama's jobs bill.


Now Occupy has the People's University that seems to be all about promoting socialist style philosophy on free education. I'm not saying socialism or free education is bad, but why have Occupy back an obviously very left agenda? You've instantly excluded every economically conservative individual out there. You might be saying "good riddance" but you can't say that and also claim you want the movement to grow.


The fact of the matter is that this country is practically split down the middle on economic views. The misconception both sides have is that the other side is resonsible for causing the US economy to go down the shitter. In reality, it has NOTHING to with free markets, regulations or the lack thereof. It has EVERYTHING to do with our corrupt government cozying up to lobbyists who are paid for by the big banks & corporations. What our government does is not good for republicans OR democrats, it's only good for Wall st. who has bought out our government! This is not a rupublican issue or a democrat issue but a HUMAN ISSUE.


I really hope Occupy gets back on track. If we were to successfully end corporate personhood we could get this country going in the right direction. There wouldn't be nearly as much of the left vs right hatred & fighting if we weren't battling over limited resources that are the cause of the 1%. Imagine if we weren't spending the majority of our budget on unecessarry wars that are created to profit the 1%. There wouldn't be a shortage of money for just about anything and there would be no bickering over where to appropriate funds because there would be plenty to go around! We need to target the SOURCE of the problem instead of fighting all kinds of little battles that are symptoms of the problem.


(sorry antagon, that all wasn't really directed towards you personally, your comment just sparked my little rant. :)

The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves - in their separate, and individual capacities. -Abe

This society cannot be fixed. We need a new one!

Submitted by Antagon-X on

We need a new society as the one that has been created for us many years ago is sick and dying. We live in a corrupt and rotten system.

The individuals in power have been trying to "fix" the system in their favor, that's why they are coming up with laws that are against the constitution, which is the main law. Do you see the madness?

Therefore, that option of fixing a rotten society is simply absurd. We need a brand new society that is possible only through a new mentality. A new society that is more humanistic and less materialistic, with a justice system that works for everyone and not just for the ones who can pay.

Again, fixing this system is IMPOSSIBLE.

That's why me must occupy!

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