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Note: The opinions expressed by the moderators and members of this discussion board do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Occupy Together or Occupy Wall St. In the spirit of free information, open discussion, and the freedom of expression, members are able to speak about issues relating and directly pertaining to the Occupy movement. You will be banned for hate speech or intentional misinformation and please refrain from any violent rhetoric; this is a peaceful movement. Thank you.
These folks are not occupists!
  • JustJimJustJim November 2011 +1 -1
    Take a minute to check out this picture.

    http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/ows110311/s_o37_02051013.jpg

    Notice some things - the black masks, the hammer. These folks came with the premeditated intention of doing violence. The occupy movement is a non-violent movement. Period, the end. If they come to an occupy action with the intention of doing violence and mayhem they are not occupists, they are in short a criminals (Furthermore if they wear masks they are cowards).

    As an occupist, they would understand that responsibility runs both ways. We are for responsibility on the part of government, politicians, business leaders etc and understand that we as individuals have responsibilities also. One may say that these vandals (in the true meaning of the word as the individuals pictured are truly barbarians) are well intentioned. That doesn't count! What counts are their actions and by their actions they have branded themselves thugs.

    So as responsible occupists, what should we do?

    Well, we need to recognize that not only are we members of the occupy community, we are also members of a larger community (i.e. citizens of the countries we reside in) and as such have some affirmative responsibilities.

    As responsible citizens, we need to categorically reject this type of behavior. We need to recognize this behavior for what it is. There has been much written in these forums regarding the co-option of the movement; by the right, by the left, by unions, etc. This is nothing more then an attempt by a small group to co-opt the movement and transform it from a non-violent one into a violent one.

    If we just stand by and do nothing, they will succeed.

    If we just indulge in ineffective hand wringing, they will succeed.

    In another post (http://occupytogether.com/forum/discussion/comment/4568#Comment_4568), I suggested one response we could take. Here's another.

    We establish an "Occupy Wall of Shame" (on this site or set up a different site). When we see this type of behavior we post pictures on the wall of shame (tagged with location and time). If the individual is masked try to get a picture of them taking the mask off.

    In this way we will not just ineffectively repudiate the behavior, we will be doing it in an effective pro-active way.

    This action will result in:
    - Helping to hold these thugs accountable for their actions
    - And knowing that they will be held accountable, deter this type of behavior in the future.

    Jim
    http://justjimscorner.blogspot.com/
  • whitefeather November 2011 +1 -1
    @JustJim. It is my understanding these ninja type black dressed masked people are trying to start riots and are showing up in many different countries. I don't know if they are the same people or part of some group. I have read so much lately I'm not sure where I read it but I will try to find it. Occupy Oakland called the police on them when they showed up there.
  • BruceD November 2011 +1 -1
    They could be agents provocateur trying to make people look bad and get the police to act against occupiers.
  • JustJimJustJim November 2011 +1 -1 (+4 / -0 )
    I believe they are a group that call themselves "The Black Bloc". Apparently, a vocal group of self styled "anarchists" who are advocating "violence against property" as a legitimate tactic for the 99.

    Apart for the fact that the acts they are undertaking are the action of a thug or a vandal (aka barbarian), these acts are counter productive. They will achieve nothing but the alienation of that part of the 99 that view themselves as law abiding citizens.

    We need to repudiate this group and others like them as strongly as we can. Violence is violence and it is one of the things that we as a movement are trying to avoid.

    Violence is inevitable should the disparity between the 1% and the 99% continues to grow and widen. History tells us that. The French and Russian revolutions were both fueled in part by such a disparity.

    We need to position ourselves in such a manner that we are seen to be acting to forestall such an outcome.

    Viva the Occupation!

    Agrees: whitefeather, AnotherChris, Durandus, 1loveAl

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