The kids are Awlright
Wednesday November 02nd 2011, 9:56 pm
Filed under: Politics

I saw this link at Yarnagogo, but I apologize that I didn’t take the time to read it till today.

The Awl writer wasn’t convinced about this whole Occupy thing. She states strongly that she believes inflammatory rhetoric shuts down rational thought (boy, ain’t that the truth) and so it took two weeks before she decided to go see for herself what it was all about there in Oakland. She had no use for potential mobs.

What she saw was not what she expected to get.

I puzzled all day over her saying the news helicopter left and then the ABC and CBS twitter feeds shut down simultaneously one minute before the police moved in on the crowd (and we all know how that went). Wouldn’t the press want that story? Why would they stop? Are we really and incredibly at the point where the UK was recently, where only the rival Guardian was keeping tabs on the likes of Rupert Murdoch? No, I just don’t believe that. I mentioned it to Richard, hoping he had a reasonable explanation.

That was easy, he felt: the chopper had to refuel, as they said. The cops waited till there was nobody above to keep an eye on them–and then both feeds would have stopped together like that if the cops illegally jammed them.

That’s a big if. And yet–those feeds did stop. The writer showed screenshots.

The mayor of Richmond next door was so angry at the mayor of Oakland that she announced loudly that she would be marching part of a ten mile trek with the protesters. Good for her.

Don asks what a solution would be. I have one, for starters: I would sit the entire Congress down in Mr. Heacock’s high school American History class that I was in during the school year ending in this country’s bicentennial celebration, where he went on at such great length and passion about the enduring importance of the Glass-Steagal Act to this country’s financial stability that I have never forgotten it.

Education–and funding good education (remember when you could fund a full year’s college tuition at a state school off a teenager’s summer job? I’m only 52, not a GI Bill generation, and I do)–rocks.


11 Comments so far
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As to the traditional way, I have recently sent two emails to my Congress people. I did, after a period of time, get responses–neither of which answered or even addressed the questions I had asked. I have been much like the author of the article, wondering, not knowing, curious, thinking perhaps this is/is not the right way to get the attention of the powers that be.

Comment by Sherry in Idaho 11.03.11 @ 7:03 am

THAT was the article that made start realizing that you only get out what you put in and contemplating my own reactions to the situation.

Comment by afton 11.03.11 @ 8:51 am

(Must remember blood pressure meds!)

Dahlia Lithwick wrote a wonderful piece regarding the inability of the punditocracy to pigeonhole, marginalize, and dismiss Occupy. She also questioned the ability of various pundits to actually read; I’ve had doubts about that for years.

The only way I can truthfully and openly communicate with the congresscritters and so-called elected officials is to vote. I, too, receive printed responses that answer nothing. Apparently, they are so far above the electorate that the lack of oxygen has affected the reasoning process.

I am breathing good old LA Basin smog, with a dollop of O2 for sustenance. My brain is working just fine. It is clear that Congress is a tool of Big Business, as Korporate Amerika dictates policy. Enough.

I can’t bring myself to camp with Occupy LA; as my daughter says, it is a little ripe around City Hall and I am long past camping. But I can take a train down on my day off and hold up my own sign. I’m still composing it.

Comment by Patricia Day 11.03.11 @ 9:30 am

I just looked up the Glass-Steagal Act. The description was of the ’29 crash, and the basic cause — banks making extremely risky decisions. Sounded just like today’s problems. So maybe what needs to be done is to enforce the Act, and undo whatever exceptions have been made since 1933.

Comment by Don Meyer 11.03.11 @ 9:46 am

Yep Patricia, I think you got it. And I wish that more people would read what Dahlia Lithwick wrote.
And that we could go back to thinking and learning, instead of being fed news clips, sound bites, and forwards.
We have to be peacefull and persistant, speaking the truth clearly.

Comment by kmom 11.03.11 @ 10:02 am

It’s a good thing I reread my comment, I am plenty angry, at people who don’t read the constitution and think protesting is the way to go,this country is in a hole. People need to get out and start actually doing thing to improve the situation, not sit on their bums protesting whining because things aren’t going there way. I have to pay for the clean -up for the mess they make and the things they destroy. Taking away from people who really need help.

Comment by Kris 11.03.11 @ 10:29 am

Just re-reading the constitution here:
Amendment 1 – Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I read once again those last 18 words.

Comment by twinsetellen 11.03.11 @ 9:29 pm

The Virginia State congressman you sent a hat to? He sent letters – with his HOME address – to his constituents explaining why he’d endorsed whom. Meant to tell you so earlier. Thanks for reminding me.

And yes, it might make a difference on a seat I’m up in the air about, even though I realize interns likely folded and stamped.

His HOME address. Did I mention that part? 😉

Comment by Channon 11.04.11 @ 4:36 pm

PS – His wife is a local school teacher and they have a Jack Russell. Like he didn’t have my vote already.

Comment by Channon 11.04.11 @ 4:37 pm

Well said, Alison. Very well said.

Comment by Momo Fali 11.04.11 @ 7:28 pm

I think that the movement started out with good intentions. Then they got hijacked by those with intent. People started out complaining that ‘bankocracy’ is not how a country should be run. Then the anti-poverty groups moved in. (at least around here) The anti-poverty groups DO have a point, and it is related to, but is not the same point as the OW movement. Now we have had at least one near miss for a drug related death and one drug related death (that I know of) in Vancouver. This tells me that desperate people have moved into these tent cities. They too deserve help, but again, it is not the same help that they need. The point to the Occupy Wallstreet movement has been lost in the hubbub.

As for the police acting like thugs, well, we had our own problems at the G20 last year…..

Comment by Carol 11.08.11 @ 8:24 pm



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