Recently, I was contacted by "Shaun Bailey" from Occupy Springfield, IL. He was interested in using my blog on one of their sites thinking it would be good to have an independent side to the die. Of course, I have no problem with this, and figured, given the reports the the Occupy Movement would be attending the Summit protests, I thought I try to get their side hammered down as well. After a few emails, I sent him some questions to answer for my blog. He accepted and here we are. Please note, that I, in no way, modified the contents of the following:
For those who don't know, what is the Occupy Movement about?
The Occupy movement stands against economic and social inequalities, for the most part. The primary catalyst for the Occupy protestors is the merger of big banks and corporations with our government and its political processes. We stand against corporations’ ability to buy our representatives' vote, as their motives of profit typically fall in direct opposition of equality and opportunity for the workers that make their profit possible in the first place, thus stripping the people of representation at all. We stand against the lies that are force fed through mainstream media, and seek to correct the peoples' perception of it by participating with it in such a manner that draws attention to the biggest dilemmas it causes, with the inevitability that it will inspire others to acknowledge those dilemmas exist.
How did the Occupy Movement start?
Technically, the "Occupy" movement started on September 17th when a small group of people attempted to carry out an idea set forth by Adbusters, which is a magazine that is anti-consumerism, and further perpetuated by an online hacktivist group (idea) called "Anonymous." It took hold in several cities around the country pretty quickly, despite the fact that it took the media 17 days to report on it. The media was finally forced to say something when hundreds of people were arrested for their peaceful march on the Brooklyn Bridge. Every Occupy cell started and functions a little differently, as a result of having no hierarchy woven into its structure, but the direction is unilaterally towards a progression in the way we do "business."
In reality, most people would suggest that Occupy started some time ago. Tahrir Square and Spain were models for the way the movement functions, and many of us believe you can trace these same (recent) energies of dissent towards the status quo to Greece, Spain, and all of the Arab Spring.
Why are you interested in attending the G8/Nato Summits?
G8 is comprised of exactly what we stand against. The world's richest get together and figure out how to keep themselves rich on the backs of everyone else. While they hold no elected positions, they help to craft policies that affect all of us in very big ways. (Bank bailouts, anyone?) Since their only accountabilities lie in their bank accounts, there is little regard shown for the people that are truly affected by the discussions held at a G8 or G20 Summit. They also have a role in "securing" the internet, and it is every truth-seekers duty to protect the internet from the "security" they intend to give it by shutting out sites like Wikileaks that have provided a much clearer picture of our current global scenario by posing the threat that truth holds over secrecy and lies. The internet is the last open channel we have left, and if we've learned anything from cable news, newspapers, and our own government, it's that money will do whatever it takes to protect money. Once money takes hold of the internet, we're right back in the dark, and it is definitely in the G8's "interests" to put us there.
The fact that NATO is meeting simultaneously should be a bit of a light bulb for newcomers to the global scheme. Anti-war protestors have been saying all along that the role we play in war and foreign policy is tied to the economic security for those that already have the most of it, and the fact that the world's largest military powers are meeting alongside the world's largest economic powers should ring some serious alarm bells for those just catching the plot.
What do you hope to accomplish there?
Awareness is key. Many of us inside the movement feel that education (not indoctrination) is our most immediate step in the journey towards a better world. People have been on the Cable News' chess board for far too long, and many, many Americans have no idea what is going on around them as a result. Tens of thousands of people in the streets over political and economic practices IN AMERICA are hard to ignore, and the more persistent we are in standing against these global injustices with clear facts (that cannot be refuted without the use of lies and misinformation), the more likely others will be to get involved. Naturally, we will be misrepresented by mainstream media... but the truth has a funny way of sinking in over time, and it certainly doesn't forget.
What are you thoughts on the possibility of extensive police presence at the event?
We are very aware of what we will be facing in Chicago... We believe it's good for America to see how far the corruption will go to protect its entanglement in our global situation, and having the amount of force that they will, no doubt, have on hand for the sake of controlling American citizens is a very telling sign that the message and energy we (as well as most of the non-affiliated protestors that will be there in May) are delivering makes the leaders of the status quo afraid. To the cable news viewer, that might be because unbathed hippies are such a "violent" bunch, but to those that are really paying attention, it just carries our message further into their hearts and minds. They want people to be afraid to show up, because the people are the only means of actually puncturing a hole through the wall with which they hide their crimes against, what we like to refer to as, the 99%. I've seen estimates claiming that 30,000 people expected to show in Chicago... It's funny, because there had to be close to a million people in Times Square on New Year's Eve, and we certainly didn't see Bloomberg bringing out LRADs in preparation of controlling that crowd.
Any last thoughts on the Summits?
I sincerely hope that they go without incident. None of us are naive, but we, as Occupy, think it is very important to remain steadfast in our peaceful approach. Around the country, we have clearly seen the intention that power has to quell the statements of its abuse (no matter how peaceful), and I, for one, hope that Rahm Emmanuel understood offense to ALL of us American citizens before rushing to pass increased fines and time limits on Free Speech.
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"LRADs": Long Range Acoustic Devices
There you have it folks, From their mouth to your eyes. Now, so you know, this is one Occupy Cell and I'm not saying that this is true across the board, but, this is how Springfield, IL thinks. Now if I could talk to Black Bloc members and Dignitaries, I'd almost have every side. If you know any, send them to me please. Hell, if you know anyone willing to give their take on the Summits, I'll be more then happy to talk with them. I'll take insider scoops as well.
Just remember, as I told Shaun, and will tell you, I have no affiliation with any side, not Occupy, not Police, not Dignitary, nor Protester, I'm just a private citizen of Chicago.
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