Hey President Obama ...
Dear patriots, rabble-rousers, revolutionaries,
On Saturday thousands of us will occupy Wall Street. We will wave our signs, unfurl our banners, beat our drums, chant our slogans … and then we'll get down to business and hold several people's assemblies to decide what our "one demand" will be.
Shall we demand that President Obama reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act; outlaw flash trading; impose a 1% tax on all financial transactions?
These are good ideas but not very energizing.
How about we demand the revocation of corporate personhood?
Feels a bit too abstract. Many Americans don't fully grasp what's at stake with this one. And besides, even if he wants to, President Obama cannot deliver this immediately. In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling, a reform project like this requires a constitutional amendment that would take a few years and a whole movement to achieve.
We could demand Obama set up an American Democracy Reform Commission tasked with ending the monied corruption in Washington? Or perhaps a Presidential Commission to rethink the American banking system?
Most Americans know that Washington is awash with corporate money and undue influence and would like to see democracy vibrant again. And most would also love to see the "too big to fail" banks broken up, downsized and made to serve the people, the economy and society again. A demand along those lines just might capture the public's imagination.
What if, try as we might, we just can't come up with only one demand? Well, then maybe we can decide together on an END THE MONIED CORRUPTION OF AMERICA MANIFESTO – a rousing compendium of our most urgent demands. And on the seventh day of our occupation we publicly deliver our manifesto to the White House and to the American media, letting Obama know that we won't leave Wall Street until he responds.
If thousands of us hang in there day after day, week after week, we may be able to create a spectacular revolutionary experience that fires up the public imagination and eventually maneuvers Obama into doing something that he has so far not had the guts to do: agree to a bold, decisive stroke against the financial corruption of America. Now that would get the American people behind us and cheering us on from coast to coast.
If we can achieve that, the sky will be the limit … further demands will follow and a new America will be born.
On Saturday, our Tahrir moment begins … strength, courage, nonviolence!
for the wild,
Culture Jammers HQ
PS.
This Saturday at Noon, meet in Bowling Green Park at the Charging Bull statue in Lower Manhattan. Then at 3pm, join your fellow compatriots at One Chase Manhattan Plaza for the first of many people's assemblies. Check out occupywallst.org/article/lead-up-to-occupation for additional information that you should know before the occupation begins.
For those who cannot attend one of the global solidarity occupations happening in Milan, Madrid, Valencia, London, Lisbon, Athens, San Francisco, Santander, Madison, Amsterdam, Los Angeles and now Algeria and Israel, there will also be a live stream of #OCCUPYWALLSTREET at: livestream.com/globalrevolution
occupywallstreet.org / occupywallst.org
Reddit / Facebook / Twitter
322 comments on the article “Hey President Obama ...”
Displaying 301 - 310 of 322
Page 31 of 33
Anonymous
Here is the one and only law needed " DO NO HARM" that's it no other law needed. Laws made by the so called representatives are all oppressive and are not laws but ACT or STATUTES which only apply to the CORPORATION who make the oppressive acts and statutes.
Anonymous
Here is the one and only law needed " DO NO HARM" that's it no other law needed. Laws made by the so called representatives are all oppressive and are not laws but ACT or STATUTES which only apply to the CORPORATION who make the oppressive acts and statutes.
Anonymous
Why are do the links to the global solidarity occupations at the bottom direct you to facebook? Doesn't that seem a little, I don't know, self defeating for lack of a better phrase? Lets lead an anarchistic protest . . . through facebook. Really?
Anonymous
Why are do the links to the global solidarity occupations at the bottom direct you to facebook? Doesn't that seem a little, I don't know, self defeating for lack of a better phrase? Lets lead an anarchistic protest . . . through facebook. Really?
Anonymous
Seems to me these protesters have no real solutions just complaints. #resourcebasedeconomy
Anonymous
Seems to me these protesters have no real solutions just complaints. #resourcebasedeconomy
Anonymous
These are some of the most ignorant people I have ever met. They no little about civics, government, business or global cultures. They can do us all a favor and educate themselves instead of blaming everyone for their own problems. Thankfully, there are only a few of them, as demonstrated by the small participation in this carnivalevent.
Anonymous
These are some of the most ignorant people I have ever met. They no little about civics, government, business or global cultures. They can do us all a favor and educate themselves instead of blaming everyone for their own problems. Thankfully, there are only a few of them, as demonstrated by the small participation in this carnivalevent.
tgrogan
I wish I had something intelligent or remarkable to say, but I don't.
As I watched my country fall apart I wanted most to be involved in the trench's. So fitting I've spent the last 2 years helping struggling homeowners with their Making Home Affordable application, I felt this was the most beneficial act I could do, it was productive and conducive towards a solution. I've worked as a volunteer alongside lawyers, politicians, and citizens. In this I've learned the true gravity and source of our economic struggles.
I wish I had something intelligent or remarkable to say, something that would burn in you, as it burns in me, and force you from this social stagnation. Yet I can't. We are all so convinced of our safety, so compelled to remain calm, so faithful to our redemption at the hands of another.
My point is, I could take the time to tell you what happened and possible solutions, but my most painful pleas would always fall on deaf ears and sharp tongues. In a world so connected it shouldn't be this hard to say there is a solution. You don't want a solution, so I will wait for you to wage your war, let your life fall to ruin. I will wait till you are done throwing your mindless tantrums over political pundits and babble on about your television-fed views. I will wait until we are both standing in the wreckage. Then and only then, when there is nothing left but destruction and no thoughts but despair over our failures, will I share with how to rebuild. Not because this is my wish, but it is my understanding that only then will you listen.
If you think we are the valiant pursuers of freedom in this war,
9/11 Death Toll: 3,126
"War on Terror" Civilian Casualties: 876,846 and counting...
tgrogan
I wish I had something intelligent or remarkable to say, but I don't.
As I watched my country fall apart I wanted most to be involved in the trench's. So fitting I've spent the last 2 years helping struggling homeowners with their Making Home Affordable application, I felt this was the most beneficial act I could do, it was productive and conducive towards a solution. I've worked as a volunteer alongside lawyers, politicians, and citizens. In this I've learned the true gravity and source of our economic struggles.
I wish I had something intelligent or remarkable to say, something that would burn in you, as it burns in me, and force you from this social stagnation. Yet I can't. We are all so convinced of our safety, so compelled to remain calm, so faithful to our redemption at the hands of another.
My point is, I could take the time to tell you what happened and possible solutions, but my most painful pleas would always fall on deaf ears and sharp tongues. In a world so connected it shouldn't be this hard to say there is a solution. You don't want a solution, so I will wait for you to wage your war, let your life fall to ruin. I will wait till you are done throwing your mindless tantrums over political pundits and babble on about your television-fed views. I will wait until we are both standing in the wreckage. Then and only then, when there is nothing left but destruction and no thoughts but despair over our failures, will I share with how to rebuild. Not because this is my wish, but it is my understanding that only then will you listen.
If you think we are the valiant pursuers of freedom in this war,
9/11 Death Toll: 3,126
"War on Terror" Civilian Casualties: 876,846 and counting...
Pages
Add a new comment