"OWS - Where have they gone?" [View all]

Last edited Fri Aug 9, 2013, 10:26 AM - Edit history (1)

Cross-posting from a GD thread. This is only skimming the surface but I wanted to share it here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023427954

The US government engaged in prolonged domestic terrorism against us.

The use and threat of force (which includes arrests into the prison-industrial complex and courts system) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population for political or social purposes.

Domestic terrorism is the unlawful use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual based and operating entirely within the United States or Puerto Rico without foreign direction committed against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/terrorism-2002-2005

Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act (Pub. L. No. 107-52) expanded the definition of terrorism to cover ""domestic,"" as opposed to international, terrorism. A person engages in domestic terrorism if they do an act ""dangerous to human life"" that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, if the act appears to be intended to: (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping. Additionally, the acts have to occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States and if they do not, may be regarded as international terrorism.

http://www.aclu.org/national-security/how-usa-patriot-act-redefines-domestic-terrorism

We revealed the true power in the country which is the Plutonomy/Plutocracy/Corporatocracy. And that the government is devoted to protecting it at the expense of US citizens. That the US government does not represent the citizens of this country.

Some 7700 of us were arrested. The DHS and FBI spied upon us from day one and shared the information across agencies (such sharing is specifically redacted in FOIA documents) =as well as with the very corporations and institutions we protested=.

We revealed the death of "the commons" in major cities, of "privately-owned public space". We revealed that "democratic" mayors across the nation were even more aggressive and bloodthirsty in their response to the marches and encampments as republican (Quan, Villariagosa, etc.) We revealed that the media outright lied about us to preserve the agenda of the five or six corporations who own the mainstream media (including Mitt Romney's Bain Capital).

We revealed that debt is their business model.

We helped reveal the revolving door in the White House providing for corporate bailouts and interests.

We revealed the massive, long-term and blatantly illegal foreclosure engine being applied against the people of this country. Google "double-tracking". And that Wall Street (Blackstone Group) are behind buying up the foreclosures banks then put up for auction every quarter or so. It's a land grab to turn us into a nation of renters. Michael Moore leaked the Citigroup "Plutonomy" memos which revealed among other things that the main asset of the bottom 80% of US income earners is their home. Note the attacks upon our homes and the transfer to Wall Street.

We revealed that civil disobedience is now very dangerous to say the least, and that the 1st Amendment is basically gone. Even the Supreme Court legislated that protest is illegal on their grounds, using terms directly from the 1st Amendment. It's not democracy if they don't listen.

We revealed that when the people get together from all walks of life, across all financial and social boundaries, the results are unstable but are synergistic. That we have a common love for each other and a common cause of fairness and basic rights. We brought together Main Street and Skid Row (and revealed the forces acting against both for personal profit). We revealed that the people can sometimes respond more quickly than government systems to begin providing relief to disaster-struck areas. Not gloating, merely doing what must be done.

We revealed that together, we are a true power with positive goals and great hope and positivity. That in gathering together, we CAN change the world for the better. We revealed that we must create new systems obsoleting the old.

We revealed that the powers that be must end any gathering of the people into their own power so that we remain dependent upon THEM. To show us WHY WE NEED THEM, to paraphrase "V for Vendetta".

We thank Anonymous and others who fight the good fight and who provided massive assistance and support. We thank Michael Moore who in "Capitalism: A Love Story" asked the people to DO SOMETHING, who is an endless truth-teller and patriot.

We are still here. We are in the new wave of worker's rights and wage rights strikes in warehouses, anti-union companies such as Walmart, in strikes for a living wage in fast food and any other area. We are still here when you remember the vast, unchanged income inequality present in this country. We are here when you hear about corporate legislation (ALEC, such as "stand your ground&quot . We are here when you learn of appointments of billionaires and corporate executives to government positions, of representatives' investments in such things as the tar sands and KeystoneXL pipeline. We are here when you note the militarization of police departments under the lie of the surveillance state. We are here when you note that representatives who voted to continue the NSA as-is were granted lots of donations and rewards by lobbyists. We are there as you note the Halliburton-like, Iraq pig's trough of start-up companies sucking up both our data and tax dollars under the lie of the surveillance state.

We are there as you realize the government's message to protesters, whistle-blowers, journalists, and more, is "Do what we say or else."

We are there as you rise against this to fight for our Constitutional values.

We are you. You are the 99%. You are the true power and hope in this country. Together, we CAN build a better world.


I am with Occupy but no single member represents the movement.