I just love what seems to be happening to the Occupy Wall Street movement as they are trying to create a new society that they expect us all to willingly accept. While they are out yelling about the evilness of the 1%, they drape themselves in the cloth "We are the 99%!" and expect us all to jump into their water (or is it making appear that we already are?).
They also, as it seems, wish to have us believe that it absolves them of the crimes we see happening in their own "squattings com communes" such as thefts, illegal takings, sex attacks, the lack of diversity (almost all white, rich kids) and destruction of private property. We are also seeing, especially in NYC, how this new society is dealing with "freeloaders on their society" as the professional homeless and mental illness descend upon their "open & inclusive" community.
It’s turning out it isn’t as easy as they think. They are also showing us the first signs of their own version of the 1% (emphasis mine):
…Ms. Holmes also stated at the teach-in that five people in the Finance WG have access to the $500,000 raised by Friends of Liberty Plaza. When Suresh Fernando, the man taking notes, asked who these people are, the leaders of the Structure WG nervously laughed and said that it was hard to keep track of the “constantly fluctuating” heads of the Finance WG. Mr. Fernando made at least four increasingly explicit requests for the names. Each request was turned down by the giggling, equivocating leaders.
For a leaderless movement, you still have to follow the money. So tell me, how is this any different than the 1% they rail against? Truthfulness, openness, sharing the wealth? Not so much.
The leaders of the Structure WG eventually regained control of the teach-in. They said that they too were unhappy with the Finance WG’s monopoly over OWS’s funds, which is why they wanted to create the Spokes Council. What upset them more, however, was the inefficient and fickle General Assembly.
What, direct democracy doesn’t work (like our Founders believed)? Was it really just inefficient (having heard the use of the "human microphone" technique, things can go on for a long time because the short phrasing / crowd repetition is inefficient. But another question is "are we seeing the first instances in the very movement that castigates the greediness of the 1% – Greed within its own ranks? Are we seeing the first crumbs of Liberalism – we know better how to spend your money than you do?"
A major point of the discussion was whether the Spokes Council and the NYC-GA should have access to the funds, or just the Spokes Council.
Are we seeing the first crumbs of Liberalism –
– we know better how to spend your money than you do?". Isn’t this what we see already in the world outside of the OWS movement?
Daniel, a tall, red-bearded, white twenty-something—one of the six leaders of the teach-in—said that the NYC-GA needed to be completely defunded because those with “no stake” in the Occupy Wall Street movement shouldn’t have a say in how the money was spent.
You didn’t earn it, you didn’t put in the hard work that has been going on here. You’re just freeloading, a part-timer – I’m doing this 24 x 7! You’re not entitled to this money!
Hmmm, sounds like – one of the dreaded capitalists, right?
When I asked him whether everybody in the 99% had a stake in the movement, he said that only those occupying or working in Zuccotti Park did. I pointed out that since the General Assembly took place in Zuccotti Park, everybody who participated was an occupier. He responded with a long rant about how Zuccotti Park is filled with “tourists,” “free-loaders” and “crackheads” and suggested a solution that the even NYPD has not yet attempted: Daniel said that he’d like to take a fire-hose and clear out the entire encampment, adding hopefully that only the “real” activists would come back.
That’s right, dude, only the people doing the work deserve the money.
Time, however, to take a real good look in the mirror (er, bath, shower, and shave first – otherwise you REALLY may not like what is staring back at you).
(H/T: Instapundit)
