Wall Street protesters are now nationwide and worldwide. There is no doubt that the 99ers are at last starting to realize that there is no one person riding in to save them. It will take all of the 99ers working together and, yes, some will do much more and some will do little for now, but as history tells us, the longer they hold out the more support will come in - people, money and political help.
The 99ers are now starting to get support and advice from the ‘60s’ protesters, which, if listened to, can be of great help. They have been there and their lessons learned can teach the younger protesters a thing or two about options and pitfalls that happened to them. Recently, Tom Hayden let slip in a recent interview that 10,000 to 20,000 people sitting down on Main Street of New York or L.A. will bring on arrests and then each person demand a jury trial, which would literally shut down the city and court system.
Just a hint from the old pros, some do have many options and if the corporations and GOP think the 99ers will run out of energy or support and ideas, they should check their histories and not underestimate the 99ers tenacity and resolve. Retreat is not an option, and this is a tactical mistake the enemy has made, when the corporations and GOP have not left the 99ers a way or reason to retreat they will fight to the end, which is winning a change which will bring the 99ers back into the middle class and the ability to take care of their families. The Art of War has elaborated on this tactic.
This fight to provide for families is not just in the U.S., but worldwide now, which is reminiscent of the old Wobblies (Industrial Workers of the World / IWW). They believed their power was in people, and their movement was also worldwide. They believed that all workers where citizens of one world, they accepted everyone regardless of race, ethnicity or religion and “...There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions of working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the good things in life....” At the time the Wobblies had only 60,000 members, but they were the most feared organization by the corporations and GOP.
The Wobblies also believed that the movement would eventually become the basis of a new industrial society in the year of 1905. Father Thomas Hagerty graphically illustrated the structure of the new organization. It’s called Father Hagerty’s Wheel of Fortune and can be found in the book, “Rebel Voices” by Joyce L. Kornbluh. The book is an IWW anthology. The wheel is still relevant today.
President Obama told the Black Caucus to put their walking shoes on. This was, in my opinion, a call to action, which is what the Wall Street protesters/99ers are doing. As this movement grows, will our President protect our right to peaceably assemble. President Obama ran on change, and as President Roosevelt essentially said, Make me do it, the 99ers are now trying to make President Obama make the change just like the people made Roosevelt create the New Deal.
We must remember our history. Do not think for one second that the likes of Karl Rove, Dick Armey or the Koch brothers aren’t researching the same history we are and figuring out how to defeat any legitimate movement that jeopardizes their money and power. The government and courts decimated the IWW. The question is: how will the government, courts, GOP, corporations and certain media conglomerates attack this Wall Street movement? We must remember that it is not will they attack, but when and how?
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NOTE:
October 15 protest, check out the details at: http://occupywallst.org/
