Is America Ripe for a Tahrir Moment?
Hey you rebels, radicals and utopian dreamers out there,
Our call to #OCCUPYWALLSTREET on September 17 shook up a tsunami of spontaneous enthusiasm. Jammers from all over the nation (and a few Canadians!) have sent word that they will be there. Meanwhile various activist organizers have realized the potential of this event, rolled up their sleeves and gotten to work. While some techies have teamed up to build an indie open source website for organizing carpools to the event (occupywallst.org), others are thinking through the logistics of feeding everyone and defending the first days of the occupation. Through it all, a deluge of solidarity messages have been pouring in from Spain, Egypt and elsewhere.
Will you be there?
Imagine … the dawn of the 13th day of the occupation … you're tired, not sleeping or eating too great … you've been harassed, maybe tear gassed and beaten. Bloomberg is threatening to call in the National Guard, Obama is hemming and hawing, but you are sitting tight because much of the nation is cheering you on. Al Jazeera and the BBC are beaming your struggle to a captivated world and the tension is building for Obama to break his silence. It feels much like it did in Tahrir Square moments before Mubarak caved. You've never felt so alive!
What had the power to inspire all this?
It was our one simple demand that Barack Obama must ordain a Presidential Commission tasked with ending the influence that corporate money has over our representatives in Washington. Our one simple demand is: STOP THE MONIED CORRUPTION AT THE HEART OF OUR DEMOCRACY!
Achieving this Presidential Reform Commission will be the crucial first step towards opening a political space for a flurry of further people's demands like, total transparency in all government affairs, a Tobin Tax on financial transactions, a grand strategy for reducing America's carbon footprint …
September 17 could be the beginning of an American Spring … the moment we the people turn the tables on our would-be corporate masters and start acting like free empowered citizens once again.
Are you with us? Bring a tent.
for the wild,
Culture Jammers HQ
Get Involved:
Call to Artists:
We call on Helmut Smits, Darius and Downey, Mark Jenkins, JR, Bansky and cultural creatives everywhere to create pieces that embolden the September 17th revolt. Send to [email protected]
Call to International Jammers:
We call on jammers across the world to occupy financial districts on September 17:
#OCCUPYBAYSTREET in Toronto, Canada
#OCCUPYCANARYWHARF in London, UK
#OCCUPYMARTINPLACE in Sydney, Australia
#OCCUPYMARUNOUCHI in Tokyo, Japan
#OCCUPYBANKENVIERTEL in Frankfurt, Germany
… and elsewhere!
98 comments on the article “Is America Ripe for a Tahrir Moment?”
Displaying 51 - 60 of 98
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Anonymous
In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man and brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot. – Mark Twain
Anonymous
In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man and brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot. – Mark Twain
exoevolution
The Corporate Ayn Randian rule by, of and for the top 1% political game MUST collapse. It is unsustainable and "immoral"!
Obama is president, because of Lincoln, because of King.
Obama the "negotiator", with the "plantation owners", Corporate America, is beyond obscene.
Corporate Greed and Corporate Wars are killing America’s democratic soul. Just like Slavery and Jim Crow were once America's soul killing “sins".
What would Lincoln say?
What would King say?
Obama can steady the tiller of Corporate Empire, or like Lincoln and King, free the slaves, We the People!
There is no "middle ground", no "grand bargain".
Either people are slaves or people are free.
Wall Street Corporate Greed, Pentagon Perpetual Corporate Wars, Corporate Owned Media spewing lies and fear, Corporate Owned Politicians doing their Corporate Masters bidding, this Corporate Tyranny MUST end.
President Obama, can you hear Lincoln, can you hear King?
President Obama, I pray that you can.
exoevolution
The Corporate Ayn Randian rule by, of and for the top 1% political game MUST collapse. It is unsustainable and "immoral"!
Obama is president, because of Lincoln, because of King.
Obama the "negotiator", with the "plantation owners", Corporate America, is beyond obscene.
Corporate Greed and Corporate Wars are killing America’s democratic soul. Just like Slavery and Jim Crow were once America's soul killing “sins".
What would Lincoln say?
What would King say?
Obama can steady the tiller of Corporate Empire, or like Lincoln and King, free the slaves, We the People!
There is no "middle ground", no "grand bargain".
Either people are slaves or people are free.
Wall Street Corporate Greed, Pentagon Perpetual Corporate Wars, Corporate Owned Media spewing lies and fear, Corporate Owned Politicians doing their Corporate Masters bidding, this Corporate Tyranny MUST end.
President Obama, can you hear Lincoln, can you hear King?
President Obama, I pray that you can.
Anonymous
"It was our one simple demand that Barack Obama must ordain a Presidential Commission tasked with ending the influence that corporate money has over our representatives in Washington."
I'm sorry, but this is a terrible idea; I did not think the organizers were so naive. Ask a bunch of rich, corporate-backed, corrupt politicians (and yes, corporations have bribed Obama too) to decide how best to fix the problem of rich, corporate-backed, corrupt politicians. How did you not see this conflict of interest? Even if the plan goes 100% according to plan, the "ordained commission" will inevitably take months to years to make its recommendations, which will inevitably amount to either a slap on corruption's wrist or nothing at all, as the Wall St. occupation will have long been forgotten by the public at that point, and they will have no trouble sweeping the whole ordeal under the rug.
I really like the idea of occupying Wall St., but this is absolutely the wrong "simple demand." You should think of something better fast, or else risk wasting everyone's time and efforts
Anonymous
"It was our one simple demand that Barack Obama must ordain a Presidential Commission tasked with ending the influence that corporate money has over our representatives in Washington."
I'm sorry, but this is a terrible idea; I did not think the organizers were so naive. Ask a bunch of rich, corporate-backed, corrupt politicians (and yes, corporations have bribed Obama too) to decide how best to fix the problem of rich, corporate-backed, corrupt politicians. How did you not see this conflict of interest? Even if the plan goes 100% according to plan, the "ordained commission" will inevitably take months to years to make its recommendations, which will inevitably amount to either a slap on corruption's wrist or nothing at all, as the Wall St. occupation will have long been forgotten by the public at that point, and they will have no trouble sweeping the whole ordeal under the rug.
I really like the idea of occupying Wall St., but this is absolutely the wrong "simple demand." You should think of something better fast, or else risk wasting everyone's time and efforts
drumnation
I agree. I'm going to go. I don't care what they stand for. I gigantic mass of people in Wall Street at least sends a message to the world that we are not the apathetic complacent Americans anymore. Maybe we can start to scare our governments into doing things in our benefit like Germany has done. I'm beginning to feel the call to activism as my cynicism hasn't done a damn thing and I'm pissed off.
I'm a member of what they are calling "The Lost Generation" college grads who dumped out of the education pipe into an economic wasteland with no jobs. 54% of college grads unemployed. I need to do something and I think this time it's going to be real grass roots activism. I swear I've never said this before.
drumnation
I agree. I'm going to go. I don't care what they stand for. I gigantic mass of people in Wall Street at least sends a message to the world that we are not the apathetic complacent Americans anymore. Maybe we can start to scare our governments into doing things in our benefit like Germany has done. I'm beginning to feel the call to activism as my cynicism hasn't done a damn thing and I'm pissed off.
I'm a member of what they are calling "The Lost Generation" college grads who dumped out of the education pipe into an economic wasteland with no jobs. 54% of college grads unemployed. I need to do something and I think this time it's going to be real grass roots activism. I swear I've never said this before.
Nick Yaya
I agree too. We need to show that we are no longer apathetic and complacent. Action is the difference between dreamers and doers; it is time for us to stop dreaming and start doing. Who's down for #occupydowntownLA?
Nick Yaya
I agree too. We need to show that we are no longer apathetic and complacent. Action is the difference between dreamers and doers; it is time for us to stop dreaming and start doing. Who's down for #occupydowntownLA?
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