Reply #20: Well, they've been (1) focused, (2) non-violent, and (3) street-level

[starroute]

All three are critical improvements over the way protests have tended to go in recent years.

1) The message isn't perfectly fine-tuned yet -- because they don't know what they could demand that would actually fix things -- but simply the fact that they're protesting Wall Street says most of it. Roughly speaking, it's something like, "this place belongs to us the people, not to big money" and "get your hands off my government."

2) They've been totally non-violent. Even the usual black bloc window-smashing component is mercifully absent.

3) The very fact that it's small -- basically 500-2000 people in a park -- means there are no tv cameras perched somewhere overhead as the crowds pass by. If you want to cover it at all, you have to do it up close and personal. And there has been so little mainstream coverage that the images which are getting out mainly come from the protesters' own livestream and photos.

So all those things together give it a very different flavor from the mass protests of the last 40-plus years. And even the statements from Anonymous have a strange, self-assured note like nothing we've seen in the past -- like this latest:

http://www.presstorm.com/2011/09/press-release-anonymous-launches-oporwellrewind-to-support

OPERATION ORWELL REWIND

Greetings and salutations,

Our respects to the wealthy who have the talent and the resources to make a community thrive. An honorable mention to those in power who have the talent and the opportunities to inspire others. At this time we Anons are supporting and wishing you do well. However, we have a stern message for those who are addicted to risk. They have resources and they have opportunities but they have not an ounce of talent nor do they appreciate hard work.

As we have engaged in #OccupyWallStreet, we have seen more evidence of a disturbing condition. Those who are trusted with the safety of the people are committing violent crimes against citizens in the name of safety. How can this be? It is tempting to blame the nearest perpetrator and be seduced by limp 60s and 90s activism memes. You saw him hit that person. He’s the guilty one. Perhaps, you can write a letter to your public official. Maybe you can display your anger where the offender cannot avoid it. You might even start a protest. But as we have seen with Operation Orlando, Operation Fullerton, Operation BART, and others this is a common problem. Public officials cover their mistakes with fake supporters. Police officers continue to abuse the public with impunity. Civil Rights violations continue to be “validated” by the blanket of concern for “public safety”. There is a problem with a simple analysis. It does not explain how this behavior has become so common.

Naturally, Anons have been looking at the news of the last 10 years and the history of our communities and countries for the last few decades and a pattern emerges. A superstructure seems to be imposed upon us. And it seems to feed on the pain of the oppressor as well as the oppressed. This is an interesting situation. The fact that these problems persist may be partly explained by the hypothesis that we are in fact not hitting the root. Without spending too much time on theories let us get to the point.