Adbusters

Tactical Briefing #36

The Strategic Pincer.

NICK WHALEN / KEN ILIO

Alright all you existential diggers and expectant souls out there,

Defying all cynicism, the passion on the streets keeps burning … with the crisis of capitalism intensifying people’s rage only grows, erupting in unexpected places like Quebec, Moscow, Mexico, Tel Aviv, Khartoum, Addis Ababa … meanwhile we keep learning new tricks in Madrid, Los Angeles, Greece, Palestine, Manhattan and Hong Kong.

The Zuccotti encampment model may have had its day, but the spirit of our movement lives on in the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of people around the world who know in their gut that the future does not compute.

Now a new operational model is emerging: the strategic pincer —> We attack the global financial system from above with big bang protests, uprisings and revolts —> concurrently we attack the global financial system from below with hundreds of daily move-your-money actions at the 35,000 branches of megabanks worldwide.

The Bank of America has 6,200 branches, Wells Fargo 6,600, JPMorgan Chase 5,500, Citigroup 1,300; Barclays has 4,700 branches in 50 countries, Deutsche Bank 3,100 in 72 countries, HSBC 7,200 in 85 and Goldman Sachs has over 70 offices worldwide … in front of these outposts of global capital we pitch our tents, bang our pots and pans, hold our credit card cut ups … we hand out pamphlets to the customers going in and out … we engage them in passionate conversation and convince them to move their money … we trigger a chain reaction and move $1-trillion away from the megabanks before yearend, changing global banking for good.

With our strategic pincer we beat the shit out of global capitalism over the next few months — metaphorically speaking of course — and then we escalate towards a series of global solutions: a Robin Hood Tax, pushing through a binding accord on climate change and launching hybrid Blue/Green Pirate political parties in the U.S., Canada, Australia, the UK, Japan …

Stay loose, play jazz, keep the faith … Capitalism is heaving and our movement has just begun.

for the wild,
Culture Jammers HQ

OccupyWallStreet.org

52 comments on the article “Tactical Briefing #36”

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Anonymous

Russia has been a poor commie country for generations, but even with its poverty has been one of the worst steward of its land in history. They would just ruin a place then move to another to spot to continue their ruinations.

Are they they outlier to your theory that wealth generated destruction?

Or is Russia just a statistical outlier because their system was and is still retarded?

Anonymous

Excellent point!
I have a few points I would like people to ponder:
1. Capitalism which so many people cherish, is based on Greed and shelfishness.
2. Christians (which I am) are capitalism's greatest supporters.
3. Christ came closer to being a socialist than capitalist. (put others before oneself)
4. Humans have and continue to overpopulated this world. We are a virus, a plague, as Mr. Smith (Matrix) would say.
5. Banks will continue to thrive and dominate as long as people like myself continue to pay and be slaves to their mortgages.
6. I used to be a mindless consumer, however now purchase as little as possible and try to pay down debt as much as possible.
7. The US population is thought of as cattle, being led to slaughter at the Wal Marts, shopping centers, malls, convienance centers, rent-a-centers, pick your poison...
8. I supose that is enough ranting for now, keep up the good work guys!

Anonymous

Uncle Sam: It is a pity that, in recent years, one of the biggest export from the USA is jobs.

Anonymous

According to wikipedia, Qatar has the highest GDP per capita at $102,943.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita

The USA has only $48,387.

Russia is at $16,736 per capita.

Communist China is a $8,382

Cuba isn't listed by the IMF or World Band, but the CIA World Factbook estimates it at $9,900.

Why are the commie countries, the has-been commies and the dictatorhips so poor?

What system of governance does Adbusters propose? http://www.adbusters.org/about/adbusters

wwwexler

OK.

I just read through all the comments above, ranging from utopian to snarky, and I just had to post one of my own.

The juggernaut that OWS and Adbusters and Reverend Billy and the like are taking on is so monstrous and powerful that it can't be bothered with this kind of action. They already have the money. According to widely reported statistics which I can't remember off the top of my head, something like 50% of the US is owned by 400 people. We keep hearing about the top 2% or 1% and what they control.

So how do you attack a machine like this? They have all the resources. They can quash a demonstration with military equipment and tactics, and don't be too surprised if you start hearing about Predators. Possibly missile attacks against "agitating leaders" under provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act and Executive orders from the White House.

The symbolic act of getting people to move their money may raise awareness about the banking system, but IMO Adbusters needs to broaden its agenda and the best way to do that is to join forces with related groups. A coalition of groups including PNHP, OWS, DFA, and countless others might be able to coordinate national actions such as 1 day strike, million-people demonstrations, and so on.

I am not volunteering for the job of trying to put that coalition together; it would be dangerous and very difficult. However, somebody needs to do that, because the power structure will not change without a fight, and you do not have the juice to fight them alone. As an example, it was reported last week that Romney has already raised a half a billion dollars.

Peace.

Wexler

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