Photo: DNAinfo.com
It’s Christmas and the Occupy protests carry on. But it’s different. Things are quiet now. They’re eerily quiet. Sometimes it feels like the movement has come to a screeching halt. After many of the protest encampments have been broken up (with very little hub bub), what’s left of the Occupy movement? The famous inception point for the Occupy protests, Zuchotti Park, was evacuated for cleaning on November 15th. During the evacuation the city said that protesters would be permitted back on the grounds after the cleaning but would not be allowed to bring sleeping bags, tarps or tents with them. The Occupy response was clear: “You can’t evict an idea whose time has come.”
So on Christmas, with occupiers still exercising their right to peaceably assembling at Zucchotti, they have a hard time getting something as simple as food onto the square. And even though there’s a permanent presence in the park, the media can’t seem to be bothered by the protest if there aren’t tales of naked college students, rape, violence and conflict. It seems that, for many, the story has gone stale.
But with many occupiers around the world still holding down their encampments, it’s easy to see that the dedicated are still dedicated. It seems that the power of this movement might seem dormant at the moment, but that the spring may see a resurgence of interest.
Occupy guru, and Adbusters co founder, Kalle Lasn has big plans for the movement when the world begins to thaw:
“This spring we’ll present crystal-clear demands. One of them is a Robin Hood tax. Financial transactions around the world involve 1.3 trillion dollars every day. We’re demanding a one percent tax—that’s billions of dollars every day that can be well spent.”
Some people are proposing a tax rate of ten percent. “You know, one percent is so reasonable that no one can be against it. Even the Pope has said he supports such a tax.” He laughs. “Once the one percent is accepted, and people realise concessions are being made, the door is wide open for more. Just wait and see.” [RNW.com]
What do you think?
“Political analysts say that this is a weakness, but I disagree. It would be a weakness if this was a new political movement, but by avoiding a particular action plan, it calls upon all of us to recognize that opposing corruption and hoarding by a few wealthy people is not something you need to take any position on. Like the sexual abuse of children, you don’t have to think or align yourself with an ideology to know its not okay.”
