Hey G20, Here Comes #ROBINHOOD
ADBUSTERS TACTICAL BRIEFING #16
Alright you rebels, redeemers and believers out there,
At the height of the global uprisings in 1968, protesters confidently heralded "The Beginning of a New Epoch." To this bravado, Zbigniew Brzezinski, then the national security advisor to the president of the United States, retorted that the protests were nothing but "the death rattle of the historical irrelevants." And indeed the first global revolution the world had ever seen suddenly fizzled out. To this day no one quite knows why.
For the moment, #OCCUPY has the magic and the ear of the world, and anything seems possible. We could see a soft regime change in America and a resurgence of the political left worldwide.
As winter approaches, many occupiers will dig in for the long haul. Others will decamp until spring and channel their energy into myriad projects. Many of the big ideas for rejuvenating and reenchanting the world that have been swirling around the left for the last 20 years will pick up steam. From revoking corporate personhood to de-commercializing the cultural commons, to separating money from politics, to the birth of a True Cost Party of America … we are entering a sustained period of boots-on-the-ground transformation.
And every now and again we will have a worldwide blast reminiscent of the global march against the Iraq war eight years ago. The next of these blasts could happen as early as this Saturday when #ROBINHOOD strikes the G20. Imagine a few million people rising up and sending a message to the G20 leaders meeting November 3/4 in France: "This austerity vs. stimulus debate you've foisted on us doesn't mean a damn thing… It's obvious you have no idea how to get us out of this economic mess you put us in. So now we are telling you what we want: a radical transformation of casino capitalism… we want you to slow down fast money with a 1% #ROBINHOOD tax on all financial transactions and currency trades."
#ROBINHOOD marches have already been announced in over a dozen cities. Bring it up at your general assembly … then create some edgy Robin Hood graphics for the world to digest and let's march out there millions strong this Saturday … Let's leverage the G20!
This could be the first great upheaval of the financial regime … and the first delicious fruit of our movement.
for the wild,
Culture Jammers HQ
There are #ROBINHOOD actions currently planned in San Antonio, Las Vegas, Montreal, Durango, Calgary, Washington DC, Santa Fe, Denver, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Sydney, Amarillo, Edmonton, Salt Lake City, Berlin and more…
occupywallstreet.org / 29october.net / occupytogether.org / Twitter / Facebook
P.S. On Tuesday, the nonviolent protestors at #OCCUPYOAKLAND were assaulted with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash grenades. Disturbing footage of police violence is now emerging. That same day, #OCCUPYATLANTA was foreclosed and over 50 protestors arrested. The counter-revolution of money has begun but our commitment to nonviolence will win.
204 comments on the article “Hey G20, Here Comes #ROBINHOOD”
Displaying 141 - 150 of 204
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Anonymous
First let me say, I've been reading adbusters off and on for 10-12 years, and they've always been among my heroes. I've had an essay published in adbusters, one of the things I'm most proud of in my life. I've been thrilled with the OWS protest and have held signs at the offshoot in my own city. And I think the "Robin Hood" tax is a great idea.
That being said, I was horrified when I saw adbusters' "tactical briefing #16" email today, with the photos of people dressed as Robin Hood aiming arrows. After what has happened in Oakland and Atlanta, encouraging projectile weaponry by the Occupy movement is a TERRIBLE idea! Who knows what some damn fool will do, or how a "provocateur" might take advantage of it. Encouraging the presence of bows and arrows is foolhardy, irresponsible incitement for more police violence. And if it happens, you can't exactly complain.
I'm sorry adbusters, but cleverness must come second to the safety of the protesters, and this is an unbelievably bad choice in imagery to put out there under current circumstances.
Anonymous
First let me say, I've been reading adbusters off and on for 10-12 years, and they've always been among my heroes. I've had an essay published in adbusters, one of the things I'm most proud of in my life. I've been thrilled with the OWS protest and have held signs at the offshoot in my own city. And I think the "Robin Hood" tax is a great idea.
That being said, I was horrified when I saw adbusters' "tactical briefing #16" email today, with the photos of people dressed as Robin Hood aiming arrows. After what has happened in Oakland and Atlanta, encouraging projectile weaponry by the Occupy movement is a TERRIBLE idea! Who knows what some damn fool will do, or how a "provocateur" might take advantage of it. Encouraging the presence of bows and arrows is foolhardy, irresponsible incitement for more police violence. And if it happens, you can't exactly complain.
I'm sorry adbusters, but cleverness must come second to the safety of the protesters, and this is an unbelievably bad choice in imagery to put out there under current circumstances.
Peace Reese
Exactly right - while Adbusters may consider this a type of satire, some may take it as condoning "non-lethal" violence just as the police think the weapons they used are "non-lethal". This is a peaceful movement and you need to make another statement acknowledging this particular message as a mistake and reinforce the peaceful, nonviolent intent of the Occupy Movement.
BTW- don't you think that having the black guy hold spears may be interpreted by some to be a bit racist ?
Peace Reese
Exactly right - while Adbusters may consider this a type of satire, some may take it as condoning "non-lethal" violence just as the police think the weapons they used are "non-lethal". This is a peaceful movement and you need to make another statement acknowledging this particular message as a mistake and reinforce the peaceful, nonviolent intent of the Occupy Movement.
BTW- don't you think that having the black guy hold spears may be interpreted by some to be a bit racist ?
Anonymous
Would the money raised from any Robin Hood Tax be used for development/aid, or just kept in a fund to insure against for future banking losses?
I think large banks could restructure offshore so they wouldn't end up paying the tax. But smaller financial companies couldn't do this so easily because you need to hire expensive lawyers to keep everything above board. So they would be wiped out, resulting in less competition for the banks, who could then raise their prices. I think it would be bad for financial consumers (anyone holding a bank account basically). What if the politicians decided later on to tax every day bank withdrawals from a cash machine or for writing cheques? We would be powerless then, and it could be extended to emails, internet activity, basically anything. We would all be slaves.
For that reason I am against a Robin Hood Tax.
I also do not like the prospect of higher food prices because hedgers (farmers) do not have anyone to hedge with because the speculators have disappeared. Some speculation is a good thing, the problems seem to come when people speculate with other people's money and use leverage(debt) to make bigger and bigger bets. But if there are no speculators at all they would also be higher and more volatile food prices.
Anonymous
Would the money raised from any Robin Hood Tax be used for development/aid, or just kept in a fund to insure against for future banking losses?
I think large banks could restructure offshore so they wouldn't end up paying the tax. But smaller financial companies couldn't do this so easily because you need to hire expensive lawyers to keep everything above board. So they would be wiped out, resulting in less competition for the banks, who could then raise their prices. I think it would be bad for financial consumers (anyone holding a bank account basically). What if the politicians decided later on to tax every day bank withdrawals from a cash machine or for writing cheques? We would be powerless then, and it could be extended to emails, internet activity, basically anything. We would all be slaves.
For that reason I am against a Robin Hood Tax.
I also do not like the prospect of higher food prices because hedgers (farmers) do not have anyone to hedge with because the speculators have disappeared. Some speculation is a good thing, the problems seem to come when people speculate with other people's money and use leverage(debt) to make bigger and bigger bets. But if there are no speculators at all they would also be higher and more volatile food prices.
Anonymous
Europe has already called for a financial transaction tax, but could not make it stick because the US was not on board...
Anonymous
Europe has already called for a financial transaction tax, but could not make it stick because the US was not on board...
Anonymous
I did not see that ad but I agree with you that we must be peaceful. My perception of our political system is that we must limit our congressional persons to 12 years or less in office so that don't become professional politicians. I believe our forefathers wanted government by the citizen politician. My action is to not vote for any incumbent who has been in office 12 years or more. Forrest
Anonymous
I did not see that ad but I agree with you that we must be peaceful. My perception of our political system is that we must limit our congressional persons to 12 years or less in office so that don't become professional politicians. I believe our forefathers wanted government by the citizen politician. My action is to not vote for any incumbent who has been in office 12 years or more. Forrest
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