What I'm not cool with is saying "I'm part of the 99%, so give me your money 1%" or worse off people walking around toting signs advocating for anarchy, because thats a solution... I get the issue of 1% of the population having such an enormous amount of money and power that they can influence government, and wring people dry of every last penny and then drive them into debt, in effect, enslaving them for every penny they will ever own, but if you want higher education subsidized, or if you want interest rates lowered, or renewable resources, or clean energy, or tax breaks for the poor then do 2 things, ask directly for them, and show your face... nothing bugs me more then saying I'm the 99% and you wear a mask, it's illogical to me.
I also don't particularly enjoy the idea that violence or destruction is a tool to use, despite what the movies fight club and V for Vendetta would have you believe...
I like Adbusters, I applaud them for inspiring so many in this hopefully successful movement away from capitalism, however, I don't know if just protesting an institution or place, like wall street, will do anything. I'm a little worried that lots of people camping and parading around Toronto's downtown core, are going to be disappointed when nothing changes. I like the premise don't get me wrong, but why not have some uniform plan, some sort of manifesto, it could be broad, like 'we want Corporations to be Taxed more and the General public less', or 'We want corporations to stop being treated as persons' or something to the effect of 'we want more social funding, tax corporations to find the money" I think that perhaps the best message could be "we want proportional representation in government, were not leaving till this is reality" but really anything, so long as it comes as a cohesive clear message from everyone. Yes there is power in numbers, but only if the numbers are organized... in order for anything to change you need to know what needs to change. I disagree that just being somewhere will cause something to happen, particularly, if you don't know what you want to have happen. Yes there are enormous inequalities in the world, Yes there is immense areas of poverty both in Canada, and around the world, Yes. I feel that this is wrong. But no, I'm not going to sit outside my town office with a sign that says "make the world a better place" for 3 reasons.
1. it's cold outside, snowing actually, and I know in the grand scheme of things it won't change a thing in my small town. I think in larger urban areas rallies are great ways to meet people and network but in a town of 3000 my networks already included 90% of the town...
2. I'm going to write my local MP, my local town office, and my local MLA, and Tell them what I want. Directly, I want Proportional representation in the house of commons and Think that the Senate seats should be elected, have a maximum term of 6 years, and senators should be only paid when they show up to work. and if they don't show up to work for 6 weeks in a row, baring extenuating circumstance, they get fired and the position then goes up for re election have 2 election dates set a year, say may 1st and November 1st. No more of this you can hold your job but not show up for up to 2 consecutive parliamentary sittings... Parliamentary reform thats what we really need, perhaps then voters would cast a ballot and not have to sit in parks in October.
3. I'm going to talk about it, blog about it, and post it online if we really are calling for societal changes then we need to have the majority of people on board. I think that the power is with the people but people need to acknowledge that point fingers and picket signs aren't a solution.
Chances are a lot of the people at these rallies forget that corporations are made up of hard working people who are just trying to make ends meet. it's the heads of these businesses that make the exorbitant sums of money. Destroying the company's buildings, calling for anarchy, defacement of property, hacking of their computers will only harm the people who are working just to meet the status quo.
and yes the Status quo needs changing, but hurting your neighbour isn't going to yield the change you want.
