T minus 2 days

[mellowtigger]

We aren't terrorists demanding ransom, we're protestors demanding equal representation. So, no, we don't have a convenient list of goals for you to read. People want an opportunity to list their grievances... and there are many. We are in no hurry. We will occupy until we are satisfied. It's not like we have the lure of high-paying jobs and comfortable mansions tempting us away from this process.

Meanwhile, the cleanup of media stories by management continues. I should be taking photographs of media stories rather than just bookmarking them, because they change so substantially over time. First the New York Times changes their tone to be less sympathetic to the protesters, but now I've caught Marketwatch changing their title to be less sympathetic. At least the original url still takes you to the article, and it is a good read.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/occupy-wall-street-is-a-tea-party-with-brains-2011-10-04

One idea gaining agreement is the sense that American democracy is "bought". Politicians sell themselves to the highest bidder, and neither major party can be trusted. Perhaps it is time that we erect a barrier separating business from government for the same reason that we created a barrier separating religion from government: they can't help but corrupt each other and cause suffering among the people that government claims to serve.

And for us people in Europe it is an open secret that the USA are more a Plutocracy then a Democracy. I am not here to discuss political definitions, but please, have you never heard about basic democratic principles in ancient Greece? It is about a system of representatives of many community groups, not about 2 parties of representatives of the richest people in a country. So you have to understand, why we Europeans can only quiet smile about your “Democracy” .
...
We European would like to see Captain America in the same way we are used to. And Captain America isn’t a greedy old man or a GI trooper. He is a dream.
- plus.google.com/u/0/100729828843019249206/posts/F8eTvBy2eYe, a German computer engineer

Yes, there is a lot to talk about. So go join an occupation in your area. Find your voice, and experience democracy firsthand. You will find people just like you. Attend the general assembly. Learn the sign language used by crowds to silently express their opinion. Experience the power of hearing your neighbor's voice through "the people's microphone".

From Egypt, social movements across the globe have learned of the power of camping together in city squares; from Spain the movements have learned to make decisions in large assemblies of thousands of people, by agreeing or disagreeing with specific proposals made by speakers via the use of sign language; from America, the most striking tactic has been the use of the ‘people’s microphone’. After a ban on using megaphones, the people at Occupywallstreet have taken to using this tactic in order to allow everyone in the crowd to hear the speaker. It simply involves the crowd repeating all the words of the speaker in order to collectively magnify his or her voice. It seems like a minor issue to focus on, but the reality is that it unites by getting people to relay information to others while also saying something to themselves, and, in addition, it shows the limitless power of creative civil disobedience.
- http://dissidentvoice.org/2011/09/the-"people's-microphone"/

I've experienced this new language already in Minneapolis. I hope you will too.

Comments

Just need to Amend the first Amendment...

[loganbeary]

"1a) Freedom of Association: All Branches of Government are prohibited from making any law, rule, or regulation promoting or prohibiting any peaceful consensual association including those that are: religious, charitable, economic, political, professional, educational, technological, artistic, social, recreational, sexual, domestic, or any configuration or combination of the preceding associations, or any other type of peaceful consensual association that may have been overlooked in the preceding enumeration.
1b) Freedom of Expression: All branches of government are prohibited from making any law, rule, or regulation abridging the people's right to freedom of expression through any medium; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble while engaging in any of the afore mentioned areas of association, including the political act to protest and petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
1c) The Protection Exception: All Branches of Government shall maintain the authority to pass and enforce laws, rules, or regulations to protect and secure the rights of the people from abuse, neglect, or infringement, and other non-peaceful or non-consensual acts.
1d) The Environment Exception: All Branches of Government shall maintain the authority to pass and enforce laws, rules, or regulations to protect and securing the health and safety of air, water, land, electromagnetic field, food and other consumables.
1e) Transistion: All existing laws, rules, and regulations and court rulings that are in conflict with this amendment are hereby nullified and repealed unless modified to conform to the spirit of this amendment within 5 years of enacting this Amendment. Any persons convicted of victimless crimes relating to such laws shall have redress under this amendment to be pardoned of those charges. Time served for such victimless crimes shall count towards time served for other charges in association with this conviction. Once pardoned, all record of such crimes shall be expunged, and the pardoned need not report such history to anyone."

I know it's a little long. But I think these things need to be explicitly spelled out, law making is no place for poetic license and vague wording. I think it's necessary to spell things out because everyone ignores the 9th and 10th amendments which were suppose to cover anything they may have missed or overlooked.

This amendment should remove government recognition of associations from corporations to marriages which give people who choose to enter into such associations special considerations they otherwise wouldn't have. It should also result in a loop-hole free flat tax system, with no deductions, credits, etc. because having these would promote certain associations and behaviors over others. It would remove any incentive to incorporate because all limited liability laws would be struck down as well, it would also remove corporate taxes. Each individual member of an association would be responsible for their equal share of the tax burden. Income tax and sales taxes would be abolished as well, as income taxes give those with no income no tax burden, and sales tax give those who live off the land no tax burden. It would pretty much make tax by apportionment the only tax that is viable. Every man, woman, and child responsible for their equal share of the tax burden. Also, no one would be exempt from this apportionment tax, not for any reason, especially because of their association with any religious organization. Also would be eliminated are laws against consensual associations, such as polygamy, prostitution, gambling, all drug (recreational and medicinal) manufacturing, sales, and usage. This does not however stop the government from regulating the manufacturing of such consumables to maintain safety and protecting the environment. Or from protecting those who don't have legal standing to consent (children, the developmentally disabled, the senile) from being taken advantaged of.

The People's Microphone

[loganbeary]

The People's Microphone sounds like a form of social brain-washing to me. I.e. repeat something often enough people start to think it's true. A tactic used in religion, advertising, education, and even networking and personal affirmations.

Most things people believe in are not because of personal verification of the data, but because they are constantly exposed to them. Repeat anything enough and your brain will re-wire itself to accept it as a truth.

Re: The People's Microphone

[mellowtigger]

Yes, it could become that. It's amazing how well it condenses the conversation, though. Too many people (myself via writing) are experienced in blabbing non-stop about their opinions. The people's voice requires thinking ahead and cutting the spoken words into short phrases. If the words grow too many without pauses, then the people are unable to repeat it, so the message gets lost immediately.

Announcements, when they work, are very easily understood by all.

And people, even while repeating a message, visually display their opinions of approval, disapproval, or impatience (hurry it up!). As a means of mass communication without mechanical assistance, it's quite effective.