What benefit is Occupy Wall Street Nonviolence?

 

The freewill of another cannot be forced or subverted without a push back. Freewill can never be taken, it is always given, therefore each has the ability to resist, but each method of resistance has consequences to the quality of the resolution. A lasting resolution will only come through balance, not retaliation or subversion of another’s own will.

The American Revolution was successful because it sought to empower freewill, and formally protect the freedom and liberties of its citizens. While some did leave, the push back came later when groups unrepresented in those documents asked for their own seat at the table.

Nonviolence resistance during the American Civil Rights movement may have succeeded because people cherish and empathize with freewill, self-determination. While a violent response often incites a violent push back of will, lacking resolution or innocence — a violent response to nonviolent action is clearly a subjugation of another’s freewill.

If freewill can only be given, then all authority is dependent on consent. Authority is a balance of will, and must not be made inequitable or it will collapse.

The French, Russian, and Chinese Revolutions did not achieve an equitable balancing of will, retaliated against their enemies violently, attempted to silence those whom they disagreed, and unsuccessfully resolved their will with that of their people.  Lasting equity or peace will never be distilled from violence, as it only postpones the push back, and the inevitable resolution of will.

No one can win when another is ruined.

Only through free conversation and balanced will can a society last.

 

How does vandalism and confrontational speech affect the quality of a resolution? Both can aid in postponing a resolution while each side punishes or attempts to conquer the other’s will.

Why fight the wind? Enjoy the breeze.

Some forms of ‘vandalism’ on semi-public property may constitute free conversation or art, if it is constructive rather than destructive — which also applies to confrontational speech. Humor is more effective than Hate.  Art more lasting than Advertising. Evolution is more significant than Revolution. Everyone should be mindful that their actions affect the lasting success of any resolution, and the regard which freewill, or freedom is valued within a society.

 

Occupy Art: Against the Machine

“And if I haven’t fought for my country at least I’ll paint for her,” stated Delacroix while painting Liberty Leading the People which helped the diverse groups involved in the French Revolution see themselves as a people united in their efforts against their own 1%. The painting later inspired the gift of the Statue of Liberty to the United States.

Liberty Leading the People

Because artists, musicians, and creative individuals often shape how we see the world through their own vision, it is important that they participate creatively, lend their voice in imagining our future. Medium can be mightier than all the swords!

banksy

From Street Art to its cousin the mural, poster art or comics, music or performance art — each can communicate what words co-opted by politics and advertising cannot.

 

Take a Seat! : Those who fast outside the house of thieves

Another related tactic of civil disobedience is the Sit-in, which Wikipedia says Mohandas Gandhi may have borrowed from the Indian principle of Dharma where a person fasted outside the home of someone who owed them a debt.

While the Occupy movement has generally chosen to demonstrate in public spaces, the Sit-in tactic has often been employed in semi-public spaces (segregated restaurants in the past, but banks might be ideal today). Individuals across the country might consider employing other tactics in conjunction and support of the ongoing Occupy efforts.

 

Bailouts:

• 1970 – Penn Central Railroad
• 1971 – Lockheed Corporation
• 1980 – Chrysler Corporation
• 1984 – Continental Illinois^[3]
• 1991 – Executive Life Insurance Company, by states assessing other insurers
• 1998 – Long-Term Capital Management, by banks and investment houses, not government (see LTCM page).
• 2003 – Parmalat
• 2008 – The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc.
• 2008 – Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
• 2008 – The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. bailed out by the federal government and Berkshire Hathaway
• 2008 – Morgan Stanley bailed out by The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
• 2008-2009 – American International Group, Inc. multiple times
• 2008 – Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008^[15]
• 2008 – 2008 United Kingdom bank rescue package
• 2008 – Citigroup Inc.
• 2008 – General Motors Corporation and Chrysler LLC– though not technically a bailout, a bridge loan was given to the auto manufacturers by the U.S. government, this is referred to by most as a bailout
• 2009 – Bank of America to help it absorb known losses that were much greater than revealed to shareholders incurred by its buyout of Merrill Lynch
• 2009 – CIT Group $3 billion by its bondholders in a failed attempt to avoid a bankruptcy. This bailout only delayed the bankruptcy.
• 2009 – Dubai and Dubai World bailed out by Abu Dhabi

Flash Occupancy

As in the game of Go, it is easier to surround an opponent, thus gaining their territory, if they only choose to occupy finite corners of the board. In fact, this is the only manner in which the 1% may appear to surround and hold the liberties of the 99% . . .

Liberties cannot be taken, they’re always given.

Sieges are often won by the force that lasts, as they’re logistically difficult to maintain. Within the history of civil resistance encampments often have been broken, such as at Ludlow or the tent camps of the Bonus Army, but their impact has resonated beyond their isolated corners.

The occupancies that are occurring today are unprecedented, yet benefit from a strategy that served the Freedom Riders, in that coast to coast, or worldwide,  all our hopes are not ultimately invested in the success or failure of one specific action or location. The aim is for a tipping point.

Occupy Flash Mobs

An innovative new tactic in civil resistance is the Smart Mob (Flash Mob), wherein a smaller group of activists is covertly dispatched to stage a coordinated creative action at a specific public or semi-public location within a comparatively brief window of time. The advantages of this tactic, used in support of the ongoing Occupy actions, would be that would allow the temporary occupancy of a larger territory of the social and physical landscape, better facilitating a GO strategy of expanded influence (corner, side, and then the center of the board).

 

If each action of these individual Smart Mobs, creative Flash Protests was YouTubed, then their viral value would be more important than their brief physical existence. And the more artfully they’re done and entertaining, the more they might virally pierce the media blockade, and spread awareness of specific issues.