We HAVE to Support and Defend the Occupations

[annm4peace]

it is our last hope.

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. So very very true.

:thumbsup:

[napoleon_in_rags]

2. I rec'd this, but remember the Tao.

They are important to support. But at the same time, you don't need to be attached to this form of gatherings. Better to be flexible as to form. Remember Tao te Ching:

A man is born gentle and weak.
At his death he is hard and stiff.
Green plants are tender and filled with sap.
At their death they are withered and dry.

Therefore the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death.
The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life.

Thus an army without flexibility never wins a battle.
A tree that is unbending is easily broken.

The hard and strong will fall.
The soft and weak will overcome.

[eridani]

5. “As for the best leaders,

--the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; the next, the people hate. When the best leader's work is done, the people say 'We did it ourselves.'”
--Lao Tse

[coalition_unwilling]

10. That is one beautiful quote, right up there with Abraham Lincoln's "The

best way to get rid of an enemy is to make him a friend."

[napoleon_in_rags]

13. I love that quote.

Though my translation has it a little different, with the worst leader being the one people "take liberties with". This too is an awkward translation, but I took it that the idea was that the best leader doesn't need to give commands to bring order, he works minimally and leads the people to self govern - to see the wisdom in lawful action themselves. The next gives commands and people follow out of love, the next gives commands the people follow out of fear, and the next gives commands that people don't follow, which is to say that his state has become corrupt, and therefore the leader isn't actually leading anything at all, which is paradoxically the goal of the best leader: to not be leading anything at all.

I know some people who interpret the best leader from a libertarian angle, but I think in the context its actually more of a social thing, consistent with the other parts of the book which say not to make great displays out of wealth and power. The great leader is one of the people, he goes through the grief and humiliation and suffering of the people, and leads by example. Further east you see this in the Indian caste system, with the idea that the Brahmins were the highest class in the hierarchy, even though the Kshatriyas had all the political and military power, and the Vaishyas had all the money. The idea was that the highest leaders and the lowest workers lived the same. Even more powerfully, I see the 'great leader living as the lowest' narrative reflected in the West in the story of Christ. The King of Kings was the man who lived in poverty, working with the most outcast and needy, and underwent the humiliation of torture and crucifixion. So his leadership was for the lowest, and by example. ("Christian" means little Christ, an insult hurled at early Christians for going around trying to follow Christ's example) And who is the leader from that time who still holds sway today? Jesus, no doubt. So old Lao Tzu really seems to be getting at some powerful stuff. But unfortunately, I think its stuff we have too oft forgotten in these troubled modern times.

[Remember Me]

23. Wonderful. The OWS crowd seems to me to embody these

principles. I am super impressed -- awed, really -- by the Movement.

Thanks for posting that.

[Zorra]

3. Yes. Please, everyone, get on board. nt

[sabrina 1]

4. I think a majority of people who understand why they are doing

what they are doing, would agree with you. And according to the latest polls, that is 60% of the population, up from the last one.

But the masters of the universe are going to do everything they can to discredit them. So it will be a challenge to not get distracted and bogged down in the usual bickering that ruined the opportunity we thought we had with the Internet. Instead of continuing to move forward, years have been wasted arguing online about trivia..

In some of the early literature on OWS I remember reading that they expected to be attacked, but that they should keep going and spend only as much time as necessary on correcting falsehoods, but not to allow it to slow them down.

Still, as we can see, just seven weeks into this, the corrupt leaders of the world are waging war on the People, not just here in the US, but wherever people are occupying public places. They are very frightened of this movement, the people are waking up and that is bad news for them. So it will be fight and I agree with you, everyone needs to help if they care about the future.

[slay]

6. I agree

the politicians have at this point failed us, and either do not see - or do not care - about the severity of the economic inequality and lack of jobs happening RIGHT NOW. This IS a fight for the future - have no doubt about it. K&R.

[Hardrada]

7. Agreed

[dreamnightwind]

8. Absolutely!

Took my son out to OccupySF today. It was the first time getting to an Occupy for either of us, won't be the last though. Seems like they can use all the support they can get.

It really took it out of the abstract for me. It's kinda weird, I must say, the whole concept of "Occupy". That's what it is, an occupation, occupying territory in the shadow of the huge financial skyscrapers that tower 30 or 40 stories all around (we live in wooded country north of SF so that's not our normal environment, we have redwoods towering all around us instead of banks).

The sad thing is that I really feel it is necessary. We've tried working with the system, and it mocks us. It erects false candidates for us to choose from, assuring that none of our choices will fight for the 99% instead of the 1%. Other tactics are also valid, but I came to terms with the fact that we unfortunately really do have to make serious waves to get anyone to address our needs. Pathetic but undeniable.

The people there were pretty amazing, up against incredible odds and refusing to just accept what has become an unacceptable status quo. All generalizations are false (ha ha) but I would say the overall vibe was of people who deeply care, and we can use a lot more of that vibe in this world.

[annm4peace]

9. how you can support

if you can't make it out to the Occupation you can call the police, sheriff, supervisors, mayors, council members.. whoever is trying to stop the occupations.
If you can do this often it really makes a difference.

Also calling, emailing, or calling into radio shows to let them know why we need to support the Occupations and let them know the success stories.. for Minneapolis they stopped two foreclosures.

there is also the stop of the 5.00 bank fees.. etc. I hope soon there will be the movement in all the cities to stop Corporate Personhood in those cities,, then states, then the country.

Many of the occupations need food, food, food.. and hot food. and warm socks :)

[coalition_unwilling]

11. You can talk up the Occupation with your neighbors, relatives and

colleagues at work (if you are currently employed) and encourage them to do likewise.

I attend Occupy Los Angeles two days a week (Saturday and Sudnay), but I talk about it every day online (DU, FB and DailyKos) and in person at the grocery store, pharmacy, gas station, etc.

Spread the word.

[dreamnightwind]

27. Yes, we'll still go but will support more in other ways too

Here's one way to get socks to Oakland occupiers:
http://www.sockupyoakland.org/

And it didn't look to me like the occupation in SF was all that well stocked for food.

[WillyT]

12. Yep... K & R !!!

:kick:

[Quantess]

14. One of my liberal friends surprised me by posting a snarky comment on facebook.

"They need to occupy a shower". Actually I've seen that comment on facebook by a few non-conservative people. I understand it's sort of a joke, but to me it seems petty.

[lib_wit_it]

19. It's an easy, cheap shot. That's why it's popular. Much harder to hold one's tongue and think.

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. That is your mainstream media at work

And I will add, yes some of these folks do smell, but I am no spring flower. But that is a distraction from the real issues at hand.

[coalition_unwilling]

34. Did you call your 'liberal friend' on it? That seems like such a

cheap shot (and dismissive to boot) that I would be 'de-friending' anyone who made that comment to me. (I think you can do that in FB, but not the biggest FB fan so not sure.)

[mmonk]

15. Yes, it is the only alternative to the status quo.

This is the point where people can't take it anymore and so they have to act to turn things back towards control by the people and representative government (in their interests).

[Township75]

16. Defend? What are we defending and how do we do it?

If defending just means from cops, how do you defend against billy clubs, tazers, pepper spray and rubber bullets?

[greytdemocrat]

17. I beg to differ

No, we don't. Sorry but everyone isn't totally ga-ga with these disruptive kids many of whom seem to be toally clueless.

[lib_wit_it]

22. They have one of the most important clues--that our nation is meant to be a Democratic Republic, not

a F&$king Plutocracy.

[Remember Me]

24. actually,

you reveal yourself to be the clueless one.

But that's okay. Someday you'll see.

Or not.

[Abin Sur]

29. +1

[Lorien]

30. Anyone who doesn't think that the status quo needs a little disrupting

has been paying zero attention whatsoever.

Disruptive "kids" :

[annm4peace]

33. very cool picture

love this picture!

[butterfly77]

18. K&R...

[dana_b]

20. I couldn't agree more

if the occupations 'fail', we are screwed (more than we already have been).

[mdmc]

21. and the DLC

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

25. I agree, and I AM in every way I can both physically being present

when I can and bringing as much as I can in medical, food and $$ donations.

for anyone else who cannot physically attend, you can send support to your local Occupy!

Order 'em a pizza, send a box of handwarmers, whatever! DO IT.

it is our civic DUTY.

[femrap]

26. I will give money to OWS

before I give it to DU.

I stand w/ OWS.

I just hope I don't have to look at viagra ads or other sexual aids jobs....unless it's for CONDOMS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[onestepforward]

31. I have been

and will continue to do so. Although the road ahead will be rough, it is truly a wonderful time!

[Zorra]

32. kick