General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Zuccotti Park has been re-occupied [View all]Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)There should be room for constructive criticism. OWS should recognize its failings and successes, and change accordingly.
1. More community support projects. I saw where OWS did significant work to help the afflicted after Hurricane Sandy. More of it, fast response; lord knows we have enough damned disasters to choose from if we can't think of enough on-going chronic problems in our community.
2. More direct action against corporations. I suggested here and at personal meetings starting a project of serious, sustained actions against the banking/finance institutions which behaved most egregiously during the Ponzi Recession. There seemed little interest in knocking back Bank of Whatever's quarterlies by 10%, and letting everyone know why it happened and who caused it.
3. More cooperation with the arts community to have regularly-scheduled parties, events, bike rides, and get-togethers to not only keep morale up, but to enhance out-reach to more people. This is so valuable ...and fun!
4. Definitely need more discipline at sites where physical occupation occurs. I don't care if someone is homeless, just out of jail, etc. But a fuck-up is a fuck-up, and those people need to be discouraged from fouling it up for everyone else.
5. Frankly, better decision-making. Consensus is little understood and poorly practiced. But however decisions are made (and decisions WILL be made), they should be on a time-certain basis with someone in charge of at least evaluating an action and if it had any effect.
6. If OWS becomes a sustained movement, it must face the question of how to effect institutional change in the political system. If that means Democratic Party overhaul, then be prepared to attend county, state, national conventions with a well-planned strategy. This was done, however sloppily and ultimately unsuccessfully, some 40 years ago.
Maybe the many demonstrations and street-protests I was involved in for the past 45 yrs. are obsolete; maybe there is something better to come from the blather of social media. I don't know anymore. But there is no substitute for having a plan, an easily-understood public face, and a schedule of events and actions. No more mental channel surfing, no more faith in gas giants of political change that we believe are just behind the curtain, ready to save us.