what OWS should do now

[rdking647]

they tried peaceful protests. the cops violently raided the camps.. its happened in city after city. Yes restraining orders have been issued in various cities but they can easily be overturned. Its time for OWS to step it up a notch. If the cities want to treat them like criminals,give them something to really complain about.. Block traffic on major roads.. disrupt access to the new your stock exchange... Otherwise the cops will keep breaking up the protests and will win in the end... make the cities pay for what they have done

[greytdemocrat]

1. You first.

[backtoblue]

2. .

hehehe :toast:

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[daleanime]

3. No....

currently there's no way violence is a benefit to OWS or the 99.

[rdking647]

16. im not calling for violence

im calling for effective civil disobedience...
a few hundred protestors blocking the wall street subway platform or the PATH train will be more effective than tents in a park..

[DainBramaged]

25. You have no way to control the protesters

what do you expect? They will hand out milk and cookies?

[lunatica]

5. How will disrupting everything fix anything?

That's why they're in parks, not in streets. The 99% have a message and they're doing a great job getting it out there. The police and those giving them the orders are the one's who are making the big mistakes, and the world is watching. Why do you think the OWS crowds get bigger every time the police do something?

It's working.

[Capobvious]

6. what ows should do..

Is work in shifts, so no need for tents, set up on a website a signup sheet, get more organized and have people occupy an am shift and a pm shift.

[Tippy]

10. Good idea....

[Donnachaidh]

11. uhh, the tents are part of the point being made

Removing them would just give tptb and the media a reason to ignore them.

[daleanime]

33. Not that they need any reason....

:banghead:

[HappyMe]

15. That makes sense. nt

[jwirr]

20. Not a bad idea. Welcome to DU.

[CTyankee]

9. The next phase will emerge soon. I sense a shift in attitude, a nervousness of

those stuck in status quo, a new consciousness that will lead to change. Not by talking about it in a presidential campaign but by actually going outside oneself to find a new way. It is an embryonic movement now but I sense a seismic shift, even if subtle...

[greytdemocrat]

12. Yes...

And the moon is in the 7th house...:hippie:

[CTyankee]

14. Yep. And jupiter aligns with mars...that's the best part!

think of the implications, man!!!

[TBF]

7. Partially agree - careful disruption can be effective

But I also agree with other posters that TPTB are going to be looking for any opportunity to shut the protests down.

At this point the resistance is very new and due to lack of organization I would caution against anything that could get violent. Sit-ins in a new location, marches, strike if possible in NYC.

I don't think there is enough widespread support yet to do much more. Check the occupy site for actions on Nov. 17

http://occupywallst.org/action/november-17th/

[blindpig]

17. Let's see how this austerity bullshit plays out...

when them chickens come home we'll see how great the outrage is. Of course without organization effectiveness will be very limited. We're just going to have to re-invent the wheel.

[TBF]

18. Yup

these kids have heart, but as Bloomberg (and the other fascists) clamp down it will be time for reflection. Hopefully hardens them a bit, and leads to some organization. The fascists are organized and know exactly what they are doing - time for us to do the same. You're right about the austerity. That should bring us greater numbers, and that's when the organization becomes critical. Then we might be able to have an effect.

[socialist_n_TN]

22. It's actually a positive, IMO comrades...........

that we're seeing this level of resistence in this country even BEFORE the austerity hits. And yes, organize, organize, organize! This will be a step by step process, with increasingly militant tactics.

I hope that the next step will be to shut NYC down on Thursday. Any strikes called for the 17th?

[TBF]

28. Students calling for a strike on the 17th -

http://hereweprotest.com/2011/11/09/nyc-students-have-just-called-for-a-strike-on-november-17th/

don't know who these folks are - but yeah they're getting it going

Organizing on FB: STUDENT STRIKE! Converge on Union Square, 3pm #N17 - over 400 likes

[socialist_n_TN]

34. The working class needs to join the students

SEIU, Transit Workers, hell ALL the unions in NYC ought to go out Thursday on a wildcat.

But thanks for the reply TBF and solidarity with the students.

[TBF]

37. Oh I completely agree -

labor has to be part of this or it goes nowhere

[JDPriestly]

23. Yes. The movement will pick up momentum and support because

Congress is intent on pushing the debt onto the wrong people.

[MichaelMcGuire]

8. It wouldn't help and OWS would lose support.

[Brickbat]

13. I agree.

They need to up the stakes, otherwise it just turns into a battle about tents in a park.

[JDPriestly]

26. The important thing about the movement is not the tents.

It's the process. Mike check is the most formidable organizing tool I have ever seen. It focuses every voice, mind and heart on the question at hand.

People voice different opinions, but each is given equal attention as it is voice. All are heard, and then the group keeps discussing until consensus is reached.

That is brilliant. Everyone is free to speak. It builds unity like no other process.

[Brickbat]

38. Process, being right, being righteous and consensus are not going to defeat TPTB.

[JDPriestly]

39. They will, however, gain the movement enormous support from the

American people.

With the press against OWS, it must remain cool, be right, follow its process carefully, stay nonviolent and righteous.

Otherwise it will fail.

[Modern_Matthew]

19. This movement does need to become more militant. nt

[Terry in Austin]

21. You think that will make it more effective? -nt

[socialist_n_TN]

24. It's a natural progression. At least........

if they actually want to get anything DONE about that list of grievences they put out the first week. The exploiters OBVIOUSLY are not going to give up their power because of the current resistence tactics.

[Dorian Gray]

27. If they turn violent

the majority of the US population will turn against them. No way is that a good idea.

[TBF]

29. At this point in time you're correct. Much to do. nt

[DainBramaged]

30. There is no one to tell them not to turn violent

No leadership, the ship has no rudder, but OWS will not face this reality.


The Revolutionary War was not fought by mobs, it was fought by organized militia and eventually a standing army.


OWS isn't even in the militia category yet.

[HappyMe]

32. I agree.

The will lose support, and maybe even some protesters.

[randome]

31. So this is what it comes down to.

OWS was formed to protest financial mismanagement. And now the goal is to get into fights with local police? What a let-down.

I'm sure the Powers-That-Be appreciate the disorganization and lack of messaging that goes with that.

I'm in training for the next 3 days so I want to reiterate that I'm in favor of protesting and changing the system, but it seems to me that OWS has lost sight of why it was formed in the first place.

The lack of regulations that led to the financial meltdown is the reason we're in the state we're in. Take that message to the legislators that opened the barn door. Fighting with cops hardly seems productive to me.

[socialist_n_TN]

35. Like it or not, it's a natural progression

from protest to increasing radicalization when peaceful protests are met with violent police riots. You can be as "letdown" as you want to be, but this is what happens when you challenge the system and the system doesn't back down.

And the legislators are the ones that are OWNED by the system. It's going to take a revolution. Hopefully, it will be as peaceful as possible. But that depends on the capitalists and how they react. I haven't been encouraged by their reactions so far.

[HappyMe]

36. +1