Op-Ed
Just one short week ago, I read Ray McGovern's excellent article Israel’s Window to Bomb Iran; suggesting that Israel has a limited window to attack Iran. In a nutshell, McGovern argues that Israel may believe that they will have no chance of attacking Iran after Nov 2012. Israel is isolated due to the Arab Spring, Turkey's repudiation of their long standing support of Israel, and international reaction to the Palestinian issue. Obama will cave to Israel (again) during the run up the the Presidential election in order to ensure support of the Israel lobby and thus reelection. And so, Israel may view this as their last chance.
Curt Day was one of the occupiers of Freedom Plaza in Washington D.C. the Columbus Free Press spoke with on Friday Oct 7. He said activists on the left who want to build a mass movement have to get outside our comfort zones and directly help people with their needs, whether it pertains to housing, medicine, food, transportation, or education.
He said the political left has neglected community involvement on an individual basis and on a group basis.
“If you look at the Black Panthers in the 60s and 70s, they were doing things that served the community. They were feeding the children. They were opening medical clinics. You couldn’t have a Black Panther chapter without doing one of those two things.”
Swanson spoke with the Columbus Free Press on Saturday during the occupations in D.C. at Freedom Plaza and McPherson Square.
“It takes sacrifice but it’s very enjoyable. It takes discipline because we can be co-opted and misdirected, but I’m encouraged. We’re starting to have democratic decision-making (in the form of the people’s movement assemblies), and we’re making some pretty good decisions. So it’s a question of how many people come and join us.”
Swanson said some of the people who are joining the occupations are doing so because things have gotten worse economically and politically.
“Some of us have been trying to start this for 10 years. We’re starting it now with some extra energy---- not because the wars are getting worse, but because people are feeling it economically, and there are pros and cons to that. There are people who would be here but can’t afford to. But I think the net affect is good for activism, that things are getting worse economically for Americans. I don’t wish that to be the case but that seems to be what’s contributing here.”
Swanson said some of the people who are joining the occupations are doing so because things have gotten worse economically and politically.
“Some of us have been trying to start this for 10 years. We’re starting it now with some extra energy---- not because the wars are getting worse, but because people are feeling it economically, and there are pros and cons to that. There are people who would be here but can’t afford to. But I think the net affect is good for activism, that things are getting worse economically for Americans. I don’t wish that to be the case but that seems to be what’s contributing here.”
“The Future is calling and has some serious concerns. Please pick up.”
It’s a Sunday afternoon, fivish, the sun is sinking and a chill is in the air. Ah, Chicago, vibrant with culture, crime and capital, but sort of dead at this hour of the ebbing weekend. I’m downtown and I’m not sure if the future is calling, but my heart is pounding as I walk west on Jackson to LaSalle, in the shadow of the great edifices of capitalism.
At 230 South LaSalle, in front of the Federal Reserve Bank, about a hundred people are gathered in informal clusters. Signs abound, some in people’s hands, others propped against the curb or a wall: “Trillions are missing from the Department of Defense.” “Wall Street needs adult supervision.” “I am Troy Davis.” “Sick and tired and denied all benefits. I am the 99%.” Written in orange chalk on the sidewalk: “If Iceland can let banks fail so can we.”
It’s a Sunday afternoon, fivish, the sun is sinking and a chill is in the air. Ah, Chicago, vibrant with culture, crime and capital, but sort of dead at this hour of the ebbing weekend. I’m downtown and I’m not sure if the future is calling, but my heart is pounding as I walk west on Jackson to LaSalle, in the shadow of the great edifices of capitalism.
At 230 South LaSalle, in front of the Federal Reserve Bank, about a hundred people are gathered in informal clusters. Signs abound, some in people’s hands, others propped against the curb or a wall: “Trillions are missing from the Department of Defense.” “Wall Street needs adult supervision.” “I am Troy Davis.” “Sick and tired and denied all benefits. I am the 99%.” Written in orange chalk on the sidewalk: “If Iceland can let banks fail so can we.”
That’s one of the chants of about 200 people who marched down Pennsylvania Avenue on Oct 6, toward the end of day 1 of the October2011 protests for human needs and against corporate greed.
As Food Not Bombs D.C. and other community groups provided pizza, bananas and vegetables, and as David Rovics lyrically counterspun American history and current events for the couple of thousand or so gathered in Freedom Plaza, a somewhat different event was taking place down the road at the Newseum: the 2011 Washington Ideas forum.
That’s where the 200 or so marchers gathered for about 20 minutes. They banged drums and chanted “we got sold out, banks got bailed out,” and “arrest Cheney now.” The former vice president was listed as one of the speakers at the exclusive event.
Remarks at Take Back the Dream conference, October 3, 2011.
For videos of this speech and of remarks by Derrick Crowe and Jo Comerford click here: Rebuild the Dream in the Streets
Back around May or June a bunch of us announced plans for this coming Thursday, October 6th, to occupy Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., not for a march or a rally, and not for a day or a weekend, but to create a central space for an ongoing occupation from which we would engage in nonviolent resistance.
We were inspired by the Arab Spring and Wisconsin and working for a U.S. Autumn. Now of course we are also inspired by the Occupation of Wall Street. It's been wonderful to see more and more people and organizations compelled to join in that action, and to see militarism and plutocracy opposed together by a movement that refuses to be dumbed down into a sound bite.
For videos of this speech and of remarks by Derrick Crowe and Jo Comerford click here: Rebuild the Dream in the Streets
Back around May or June a bunch of us announced plans for this coming Thursday, October 6th, to occupy Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., not for a march or a rally, and not for a day or a weekend, but to create a central space for an ongoing occupation from which we would engage in nonviolent resistance.
We were inspired by the Arab Spring and Wisconsin and working for a U.S. Autumn. Now of course we are also inspired by the Occupation of Wall Street. It's been wonderful to see more and more people and organizations compelled to join in that action, and to see militarism and plutocracy opposed together by a movement that refuses to be dumbed down into a sound bite.
It’s almost unimaginable but it may be near the end for the U.S. military and quite possibly, the end of war. It is the result of the President’s recent decision to allow gays to openly serve in the military. Two million men and women in the U.S. military are now being forced to undergo training on how to cope with the new rules. If gays find a welcoming atmosphere in the military hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of straight men and women might drop out of the service; reserve units could be especially hit hard because this is where a large part if the older segment of the military is found and they are probably far less tolerant of tampering with God’s plan.
To whom it may concern - and by that I mean all of us and all those yet to come:
I am, or more precisely "we are," writing an essay called The Progressive Humanifesto to articulate and advance the progressive vision for America and the world.
I humbly ask each of you who identify with the progressive political spirit - the Left, the Green, the Liberal - to provide input as I work to put this treatise together. What do you think our Progressive Movement should stand for, rail against, change?
I want to hear from any and all of you who declare yourselves progressive! You who are disdainful of - and discouraged by - the democratic-republican duopoly in America!
You, you, and especially YOU!
How do the majority of us feel about the role and size of our armed forces? Sustainable consumption? The national debt? Renewable energy? Social services? Taxation? Private property? Public land? Public education? Capitalism? Socialism? The electoral process? Guns, butter, apple pie?
I am, or more precisely "we are," writing an essay called The Progressive Humanifesto to articulate and advance the progressive vision for America and the world.
I humbly ask each of you who identify with the progressive political spirit - the Left, the Green, the Liberal - to provide input as I work to put this treatise together. What do you think our Progressive Movement should stand for, rail against, change?
I want to hear from any and all of you who declare yourselves progressive! You who are disdainful of - and discouraged by - the democratic-republican duopoly in America!
You, you, and especially YOU!
How do the majority of us feel about the role and size of our armed forces? Sustainable consumption? The national debt? Renewable energy? Social services? Taxation? Private property? Public land? Public education? Capitalism? Socialism? The electoral process? Guns, butter, apple pie?
Alec Johnson has. Like in that Anne Feeney song that asks this question, the Columbus-based activist took a stand by sitting down near the White House in August. He and hundreds of other protesters spent more than two days in a D.C. jail as a way to tell President Obama to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline plan that would transport tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada to Houston, Texas.
“It’s one of many tools we can use. There are hundreds of them that we can be effective with, but in this particular case, it (getting arrested) really drew attention to the issue. The fact that we got more than 1,250 people to do it over the course of two weeks was huge.”
Johnson said it was the largest nonviolent civil disobedience action in the environmental movement’s history.
In a recent debate Congressman Ron Paul claimed the United States military had troops in 130 countries. The St. Petersburg Times looked into whether such an outrage could actually be true and was obliged to report that the number was actually 148 countries. However, if you watch NFL football games, you hear the announcers thank members of the U.S. military for watching from 177 countries. The proud public claim is worse than the scandalous claim or the "investigative" report. What gives?
We are supposed to be proud of the U.S. empire but to reject with high dudgeon any accusation of having an empire. Abroad, this conversation makes even less sense, because those troops and their bases are in everyone's faces. I lived near Vicenza, Italy, years ago. The people tolerated the U.S. Army base. The addition of a many-times larger one in the same town, now underway, has led to outrage, condemnation, and bitter resentment of being handed second-class citizenship in one's own country while being asked to show gratitude for it.
We are supposed to be proud of the U.S. empire but to reject with high dudgeon any accusation of having an empire. Abroad, this conversation makes even less sense, because those troops and their bases are in everyone's faces. I lived near Vicenza, Italy, years ago. The people tolerated the U.S. Army base. The addition of a many-times larger one in the same town, now underway, has led to outrage, condemnation, and bitter resentment of being handed second-class citizenship in one's own country while being asked to show gratitude for it.