nadinbrzezinski (1000+ posts) Sat Nov-05-11 03:01 PM
Original message
What does OWS want?
Edited on Sat Nov-05-11 03:05 PM by nadinbrzezinski
We are so busy with our lives that this seems strange, even threatening. Old words come up as well as old ways of thinking. People a afraid of the 'isms that have haunted Western civilization for a hundred years or more. Yet none knows what those 'isms are.
Don't get me wrong, people are talking radical words, especially for today. People are talking how the system has failed them. In a few cases People are talking of destroying the world and starting anew...yet that is far from a majority view. Cynicism runs rampant, nihilism does not. There is a difference.
Is this a challenge, even a direct challenge, to the status quo? Yes. There is no way around it. This is a direct challenge in ways not seen since the 1930s. It gets worst, this is quite global thank you very much. The people have figured out that neoliberalism is not benefitting them but a very narrow slice of the global society.
So it is time to put into words what I sense from reading on the web and visiting my local site. What do people want? Why is it that they are willing to risk hypothermia, hunger, or even death? People don't do this unless they are at the end of their rope, and lord knows that's what I've witnessed with my own eyes.
* Economic Justice: Nice sounding phrase, but it has a meaning. People are tired of those at the top of society benefiting from the current order while people live and die in the streets. No, I have not heard any express those famous words, "to each according to his needs," so stop it. What they want is just as radical. They want the top one percent to pay their fair taxes, and to get rid of loopholes. They want social services to be funded by those same taxes, and yes, people are willing to pay more taxes to fund that dream. Don't kid yourself in our current political system this is radical.
* Healthcare for all: To say that I agree is honest, but beyond me...the medical needs are astounding. I have not seen this much need since I worked as a medic with a national red cross society in Mexico. So the ground is not mud...40k Americans are dying a year so a private system (that is collapsing) does not incurr losses. In fact, Americans at a rate of 70% wanted single payer, but none in DC listened...why people are in the streets.
* Justice: This is a quaint concept I know, but people are in the streets because they see no justice comming to a banking system that has committed a slew of crimes. This is the closest to the 'ism that a few of my readers might fear. "The banking system must be brought down." Them are words of anger, and it's anger at a real feeling that if you belong to the caviar and champagne club, you have nothing to fear. By the by, let me whisper two words dreaded in DC, no, not Marxim-Leninism, worst...Glass Steagal.
* End the Wars: This is comming particularly from them old and young that have done the killing and dying for Uncle Sam, and now are seen as spent ammo...they realize that war is a racket and until we put a stop to this...insanity...there won't be money for the things we truly need it for. Is this a realistic demand? Well all empires sooner or later retrench. Whether they do it voluntarily or not is the question.
So these are the mushy demands... I am sure as I spend more time with them, talking, listening...I will find more of that. Suffice it to say...time for our political class to start paying attention...to the people.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2247797
I'd like to know where Nadin stands on the recent outbreak of earthquakes in Oklahoma. Screw OWS. Oklahoma needs her.
Nads knows what they want, but according Mick and the Stones you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might get what you need.
I'd like to know where Nadin stands on the recent outbreak of earthquakes in Oklahoma. Screw OWS. Oklahoma needs her.
In terms of the quake in OK, was it LIHOP, or MIHOP?
And the more important question: Who dun it?
It gets worstNutcase nadin has never, ever, used the word "worst" properly. I know it's a minor part of her daily assault on the English language, but it's nevertheless irritating.
I wonder what sort of disaster would qualify as worstest in her little world.