Reply #37

The OWS movement has some real problems. They don't have a clue on how to stay on message. So you see posters on any number of issues, some contradictory. Yes, it is good to have that many people together, but it portrayed itself as a "rabble", which the media, the right wing, exploited to the max. This is say nothing about the fact that the so-called law enforcement kind of punctured their balloon by breaking their unity. How many people are willing to go to jail for a movement? How many are willing to submit to cavity searches?

We are all in kind of a desperate situation. Our protests have to be focused. I am not smart enough to know how this may be accomplished, certainly the Intertubes can help.

But we all have to appreciate the memetic power of framing. When the OWS protestors were the most active you saw a myriad of messages, instead of the single message on which it was based, The investment banks were responsible for a global economic meltdown and our government bailed these same people out. They were effectively rewarded for their unbridled greedy incompetence. Not once did I hear that message by the major news media.

I have no clue on this, but we cannot stand quiet, we have to all get on message, and we all need to unite. I shudder about the possible consequences if we don't because this is precisely what the Republicans are doing. They are winning the rhetorical battle; they have been doing it for decades; and they are overtly using religion as one of their primary weapons.