Interviews from Occupy Boston
Posted by kasama on October 4, 2011
Youtube blogger Enaa has captured some very interesting discussions and footage from the Occupation in Boston. And there is more to come.
Kasama
An age of information, but rarely of ideas. Let's change that.
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enaadoug1982 said
enaadoug1982 said
Discussions at Occupied Boston 3 of 4
Discussions at Occupied Boston 4 of 4
enaadoug1982 said
Just to recap with some of my experiences from Occupied Boston so far. Friday Night was the first night that I was able to attend. We had about 1500 people in attendance. The opening meeting was very inspiring and there was a great deal of procedure and airing of grievances. The general message (not demands) was one of anger against the current system with money in politics, the fact that most people have been ignored by the current political process and that social/economic inequality has not been addressed. There is also a lot anger at the banks, bailouts, and the financial system as well.
Although there are no clear cut demands from Occupy Boston, the people coming have varied reasons for coming. There are those who want to see capitalism replaced by socialism. Others from a more Ron Paul-libertarian trend want the federal government (and the federal reserve in particular) out of their lives. There were the religious who want to take a stand against a system that turns people into commodities. At the same time, there are those who believed that the system of unregulated capitalism needs to be reformed. In general everyone seems to feel a certain sense of anger about the current state of affairs.
The General Assembly is pretty democratic, attempting to reach decisions by some form of consensus. There are facilitators there to help the process go by smoothly. Furthermore, there are hand singles used at the various meetings for such items as point of order, point of procedure, move along, etc. Most votes are done by consensus, which means at least 75 percent is needed to pass something rather than a simple majority. This whole method is not done precisely and can get quite laborious at times. Yet it is democratic and empowering.
A further thing to note is that camp finances are being handled in a transparent manner. This seems to be a conscious decision to open the books (as opposed to the financial system) to show where donations and money are going.
At the camp, there are probably between 100-200 staying for the time being. They are well-stocked with food and drinks from the area and sympathetic people nearby. There are medical personnel on hand should health issues arise. Furthermore, there is trash pick-up and recycling.
There are outreach and media sections as well. The outreach is designed to gain support from the surrounding communities such as minority neighborhoods, unions, colleges, etc. As it stands, many unions are sympathetic to what has been going on. The media deals with uploading videos, managing the facebook and twitter feeds and issuing press releases.
Originally there was no media coverage of Occupied Boston aside from the arrests at Bank of America on Friday. The occupation itself was definitely sidelined by the press. However, by Monday there was coverage from every major Boston media outlet and the coverage had gone national as well. Messages of support have come as far away as London and Egypt.
In terms of the police, they have not been provocative, unlike on Wall Street. The Occupied Boston protesters are engaging in non-violence and have posters saying that many of the cops are just doing their jobs. Some police officers have offered salutes to the protesters and more than a few have helped to carry supplies when they arrive. Still, the protesters are not supposed to be in Dewey Square in general (although they have agreement with the owners to stay). It is recognized that this may not last. There is a legal branch ready to deal with any police problems should they arise. Furthermore, the protesters are aware that the Occupied Wall Street protests were peaceful and that didn’t stop brutality and mass arrests. Those gathered are prepared for any eventuality
There is a mediation center on the campsite which allows for spiritual release. There is also an open board where people can express themselves. These expressions range from drawings against banks and political parties to short statements and questions, “what if John Lennon was here?” There are quotes from Marx, statements in support of anarchism and just an outpouring of liberation. If one was to read the statements written down, it has the flavor of May 1968 in France. There has been a band at the campsite which plays a variety of songs such as Bella Ciao and has led a few marches.
A school exists on the campsite called the Dewey School run through the Arts and Culture Committee. At the Dewey School those with knowledge on a particular subject can teach classes. They have to sign up on the day before though.
There are protesters, no more than a dozen at any given time on the sidewalk holding signs. These signs range from “We are the 99 percent” to “Capitalism is Criminal.” There are salutes from passerbys at times. In my experience, the most consistent to honk their horns in support are truckers and taxi drivers.
Perhaps the most consistent criticism that has been leveled at the protesters is that they have no message. Or that they have no demands. I have echoed that criticism at times myself, but I am not so sure it is a weakness. It seems to be a strength.
Rather than a distant central leadership having already cooked up demands in advance, everyone is pouring their hearts out. Those gathered know that they are angry and pissed off at what has been going on in the past several years. The idea that “we are the 99 percent” and the one percent is screwing them resonates deeply.
If you think about it, how many revolutions or movements started off with clear demands? The Civil Rights Movement had divisions on what they wanted. In the Russian Revolution, it took some time before the concrete demands manifested themselves. When the Germans invaded France, people joined the Resistance for all sorts of reasons. What all these movements had in common was anger at the status quo and a desire to do something to fundamentally change it.
What revolutions and popular movements tend to have in common is that they are festivals. It sounds strange, the dominant system and structures of power have already preset the discussion and the avenues of change for us all. Even those who are not active politically or well-read in economics can see that the basic structure is doing something wrong.
So rather than having a preset list of demands, the movement allows for those gathered to express their grievances and raise individual demands.
Here are some of the questions that have been raised? What is wrong? How did we get here? Why does this culture spawn corruption? Who created wealth? Why isn’t that wealth shared equally? Why are students going to school in order to gain useless degrees and debts that they can’t pay? Do we all have the right to the necessities of life? And if we do, what will it take to get those necessities? Can the system be reformed? If not, what will it take to make some fundamental change? Is capitalism the best of all possible worlds? Is communism?
Many of these questions may be expressed in different times under the surface or coming out in confused ways. However, as said before, the system has already structured the terms of the debate so that these ideas and questions are not normally expressed. Your problems are individualized and almost made to think you are crazy for questioning the system in any way.
However, when mass movements boil over they draw people together. The seemingly isolated atoms of society become drawn together and speak. A remarkable chorus of different voices playing different melodies are fusing and intermingling in a new symphony. Suddenly, you are no longer alone. You can speak freely and others will listen. You can air your concerns. New views can break through the muck of ages and crystalize latent connections in the mind. Through discussions, marches and expressions you can gain the type of education that it may take a lifetime to gain.
To give an example, some comrades and I went off to a corner to discuss what we thought the demands of the movement should be. There were only five of us to begin with. Yet those walking by listened to our discussions and just came over. They started to air grievances, state demands, and articulate their values. The atmosphere was free. Everyone listened with respect and open ears. Since this was a festival, each voice may at times be echoed by another voice. At times a voice may find someone disagreeing.
If nothing else, Occupy Boston is a grand festival of the oppressed. Here the repressed voices of people are being heard and being given empowerment. And it is strange to think that only twenty feet away in the Financial District that business goes on as usual. Or does it? Are we that spark which will light a fire? Have we already?
enaadoug1982 said
Occupy Boston General Assembly October 3, 2011: Video 1 of 3
Occupy Boston General Assembly October 3, 2011: Video 2 of 3
Occupy Boston General Assembly October 3, 2011: Video 3 of 3
Encounters at Occupy Boston
enaadoug1982 said
March at Occupy Boston on 10-8-11: Video 1 of 3
March at Occupy Boston on 10-8-11: Video 2 of 3
March at Occupy Boston on 10-8-11: Video 3 of 3