We’re talking about a democratic awakening. We’re talking about raising political consciousness, so it spills over; all parts of the country so people can begin to see what’s going on through a different set of lens. And then you begin to highlight what the more detailed demands would be, because in the end we’re really talking about what Martin King would call a revolution; a transfer of power from oligarchs to every day people of all colors, and that is a step-by-step process. It’s a democratic process, it’s a non-violent process, but it is a revolution, because these oligarchs have been transferring wealth from poor and working people at a very intense rate in the last 30 years, and getting away with it, and then still smiling in our faces and telling us it’s our fault. That’s a lie, and this beautiful group is a testimony to that being a lie.

When you get the makings of a U.S. autumn responding to the Arab Spring, and is growing and growing—-I hope it spills over to San Francisco and Chicago and Miami and Phoenix, Arizona, with our brown brothers and sisters, hits our poor white brothers and sisters in Appalachia—-so. it begins to coalesce. And I tell you, it is sublime to see all the different colors, all the different genders, all the different sexual orientations and different cultures, all together here in Liberty Plaza; there’s no doubt about it.

Cornel West, interview. Democracy Now!, 29 September 2011

A good response to people who keep demanding that the OWS protestors draw up some sort of platform of demands. That rarely happens in the early stages of liberation movements. At the moment, it’s about raising the consciousness of everyday Americans who have thus far accepted the notion that the U.S. is a democratic, fair, and equal society. It may be a strange notion to most Americans, but our country is one that—like the countries involved in the Arab Spring—is crying out for a democratic revolution.

(via downlo)

Some people say that Occupy Wall Street might not get anything done and that it would have to be some more boisterous/violent demonstrations, but even that is true, you have to start somewhere. The people can’t revolt if they’ve forgotten that they can.

(via troublicious)

Source: downlo

theamericanbear: “Evidently 500 of these guys showed up to protest on Wall Street today. They’ve been getting screwed on their pensions for years and these mergers are killing them. This is the first sign of a real middle class revolt.” - digby UPDATE for the righties: these are the union thugs that fly you to your meetings.
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theamericanbear:

“Evidently 500 of these guys showed up to protest on Wall Street today. They’ve been getting screwed on their pensions for years and these mergers are killing them.

This is the first sign of a real middle class revolt.” - digby

UPDATE for the righties: these are the union thugs that fly you to your meetings.

(via etherealxxeyes)

Source: theamericanbear

STFU, Conservatives: Can someone tell me why it's easier for me to read about protests happening across the ocean

stfuconservatives:

theworldisallinlove:

the-madame-hatter:

…but the one happening 300 miles away from me requires me to hunt down information from the people who are or have been there? Our media is keeping pretty fucking silent about Occupy Wallstreet.

Yay for democratic revolution! Except, not here. Shush. We don’t have turmoil…

Because huge corporations own the media, and they have too much at stake if people start realizing what is really going on. The media will never bite the hands that feed them, they know better.

http://www.nowfoundation.org/issues/communications/tv/mediacontrol.html

Good point and handy chart.

wow. that link… so much controlled by so few…

(via stfuconservatives)

Source: lagertha-lodbrok

Occupy Wall Street March Turns Violent

stfuconservatives:

eugeniedefranval submitted (seriously thank you for submitting all these)

NYPD supervisor Pepper Sprays young girl point blank

The peaceful Occupy Wall Street protest march turned violent as the NYPD corralled and pepper sprayed the participants. Mass arrests were made and loaded onto a NYC bus further locking traffic. The protest march took a route from Zuccotti Park to Union Square on East 14th Street. The protesters were marching back to Zuccotti Park when the NYPD turned violent. Hitting, arresting and forcing protesters into a small area. At that point a NYPD supervisor yelled shut up to one of the protesters and shot pepper spray into her eyes point blank range and hitting a half dozen protesters (including 3 police officers) when they had nowhere to go. The same supervising officer was seen (photographed) laughing after the arrests while looking at his text messages. The peaceful protest march started as 300 participants but rose to over 1,000 as the event stopped traffic in lower Manhattan. People spontaneously joined the march over a 2 hour period.

NYPD supervisor laughing after pepper spraying young girl

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