You can crack down on a human skull, but not on a revolutionary spirit. The genie is out of the bottle — and there is no way to put it back in.
Revolutionary citizens of the world. Last night, we started a Facebook page in disgust with the police brutality against peaceful protesters in Oakland and in support of Scott Olsen, the US Marine Veteran for Peace who suffered a fractured skull and brain swelling after being shot in the head with a “non-lethal” projectile during the violent police crackdown on Occupy Oakland. The fact that 6,000 of you have ‘liked’ the page in less than 24 hours, leaving truly heartwarming well-wishes and messages of support, is a testament both to the unsurpassed bravery of Scott and the spiritual strength of our movement.
What we are rediscovering every day, as we take to the streets and squares of our cities around the world, is that there is no greater force than love and no greater catalyst for change than solidarity. However many blows they may bring down on us, however many bullets they may fire at us, however many tear gas canisters, flash grenades and water cannons they may unleash on us, however many of our heroes they may try to injure, arrest and take away from us, one thing is now abundantly clear: a revolutionary spirit has awoken that can no longer be repressed through brute force. The radical imagination has been stirred. The genie is out of the bottle. And there’s no way of putting it back in.
What we are witnessing is a change in the collective consciousness. The shedding of fear and the demise of the invisible dictator inside our heads. This is the awakening from a long and lonesome slumber. Something has changed in our perception of the world. When we see the images of people mobilizing in solidarity around the globe, we realize we are no longer alone. We are part of something infinitely greater than the mere sum of its parts. Each and every single one of us is a magnificent being worthy of dignity and respect. But it is only when we come together that the true essence of our humanity is revealed for what it always already was. At last, we are reclaiming our true nature. We are a social animal. And love and solidarity are the glue that binds us together.
When we saw the images of Scott’s bleeding face in pictures and videos being distributed over the Internet, something changed deep inside. First, incredulity. Outrage. Sadness. But then, a mere 24 hours later, the backlash. For every action, there is a reaction. And a “hippie” reaction… is quite a fucking thing. As word about Scott’s precarious condition emerged from his Oakland hospital, the news quickly did its rounds in the global village. In a matter of hours, thousands of concerned citizens took to the streets of cities across the US and Europe. And lo’ and behold: just one day after they had been violently evicted by an army of riot police, 5,000 unarmed Oaklanders led by a corps of US Marine Veterans marched into the heart of their city, tore down the barricades that police had set up around Oscar Grant Plaza, and took back their square!
At the same time, as solidarity protests took off across America, thousands mobilized in New York, bringing Broadway to a standstill and sending police forces into desperation as they playfully evaded the claws of repression and danced defiantly through the streets of Lower Manhattan. Shortly thereafter, the general assembly at Zuccotti Park voted unanimously to donate $20.000 and 100 tents to their brothers and sisters at Occupy Oakland. On the same night, the assembly at Oakland called for a general strike and mass day of action, urging students and workers to walk off work and join the movement. It is in moments like these that we finally realize we are no longer alone. We are no longer just individuals. We are one. We are legion. And we are ready.
An injury to one is an injury to all. The world is watching. We are all Scott Olsen.
Scott’s medical condition has been upgraded from “critical” to “fair”. We wish him a full and speedy recovery and will stand by him and his family as he continues his heroic struggle for life. I also want to use this moment to express my heartfelt sorrow, support and solidarity for my good friend and brother J — you know who you are. I love you man. You have been in my thoughts all day yesterday and today. I share your pain.
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I wanted to wish Scott Olsen well, no vet would expect to be so injured in his own country by his fellow country man. If nothing else, this should show the American people and the military in general that they have been chasing ghosts for the past ten years. As many of us have been saying since way back the day after 9/1,1 the danger comes from with in… the war on terrorism should of been fought against those who would usurp the constitution and the peoples will.
Its never to early to think , what is the peoples will? There is a danger in all this, that in seeking a better world you will be offered the NEW WORLD ORDER that the 1% have been trying to bring in for a very long time and you will be enslaved and chipped before you know what happens.One can only say beware of those with silver tongues bearing gifts and sweet words.
I’m a big fan of microchips. There’s plenty of good reasons to put microchips in people so don’t scare people away from that idea with your new world order please!
Wow Matt. Please don’t breed. We don’t need this kind of ignorance flourishing. Please expound on your “Good Reasons”.
Keep your chips! Their is NO valid reason to institute wholesale chipping!
The dog, a prize breeding stock of most species, ok. People? Mandatory?
No need to implant a chip to requires I get scanned before I can enter my bank, or cash my check! Get pulled over and submit to a chip scan!
If the chip can be scanned by a hand held device, or even a stationary, it is only a matter of time before the ability to scan and monitor said chips can be done from greater distances. Potentially allowing the Powers That Be (Whomever they may be by that time) to know your every move over a period of time within various locales.
Eventually chipping will occur in the delivery room, with avoiding infant switch, or kidnapping, as the justification.
Once you are chipped Matthew, they can do as they will!
@ Matthew Crenshaw – You and all your chipping brethren can kiss the arses of the free-minded people of planet earth.
Who needs microchips when there is FourSquare and Latitude.
The silver tongues and gifts offered with sweet words mean nothing. We’ve most all been delivered false words our entire lives in the form of TV advertisements, radio advertisements and billboards. Anything that sounds too good too be true, is too good to be true. The better it sounds the more skeptical one should be. Mindlessly, no, inculcatedly believeing we would be taken care of by those that give us the jobs has only resulted in the stagnation of wages, the removal of pensions and the great difficulty in procuring an entire population healthcare (including one dental and one visual checkup per year). In addition, those that say they provide jobs, are using their extra untaxed funds to buy off the very politicians we elect (after they pay the CEO, of course).
It comes down to this. We are stewards. We have a planet to conserve as best we can, barring any uncontrollable natural disasters. Currently, those in power, do not care that this planet is most likely the only planet our current species of human must live on…very likely…forever…along with our companions the animals and the plants.
Cops + Protesters = Violence.
Protesters alone = Peace.
People need to do the math here.
It is not that complicated.
http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/211304/45/Cleveland-Rape-alleged-at-Occupy-Cleveland
Our thoughts and prayers are with you! The Occupiers Of Dayton Ohio!
GET WELL BROTHER!!!!! AS A FORMER MARINE I SAY THIS….., YOU ARE THE BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SEMPER FIDELIS BROTHER!!!!!! GOD SPEED TO YOU AND YOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peace, love & solidarity from Occupy Seattle.
Bring children to the protest. If it is truly a peaceful protest there is no danger to children. It would force police to change their tactics. Also, if the police initiate violence then the kids will never forget the experience and grow up knowing about the most dangerous gang in America; The Police.
Revolution touched my heart and I cry tears of happieness that the folk of our world finally make a second ghandi revolution… For changechangechangechangechange…
Jerome, I liked this piece very much. “Each and every single one of us is a magnificent being worthy of dignity and respect.” Yes.
Here is another great piece I would like to recommend and ask everyone to consider.
Occupy Earth: Nature is the 99% too.
http://www.countercurrents.org/ward271011.htm
While we protest and cry out regarding the assault on Scott Olsen, we must not forget the numbers of those brutalized, shot and beaten, tasered, jailed and generally abused every day – mainly people of color — especially in a city like Oakland, where the police have been historically notorious and brutal.
but let’s also remember the historically notorious and brutal members of the Oakland community who shoot, beat, rob, drug deal, mug, rape, etc….this is not one sided….sure the cops may overdue it sometimes, but lets make sure we represent both sides of the story…truth matters….peace
Every time America goes to war, and the young, brave and strong get shipped overseas, the police fill the void of testosterone left behind with an insecure, Beta male style of authoritarianism – and they commit the type of violence you get from people who are actually terrified of violence. Then when soldiers, who have seen more shit on a given day than a cop sees in 25 years on the force, return back home, the cops suddenly feel very awkward running around playing soldier. It’s like Lord of the Flies almost, those cops all went back to being children when Sarge Thomas called them out. Say what you want about the US military, but the people who sign up for service have much less ambiguous intentions about protecting and serving the People.
I’m so happy the veterans have OWS to come home to – a movement to embrace them, welcome them and love them – human contact to rediscover themselves through, instead of getting shit on and cast aside like after Vietnam. I hope to God Olsen recovers. I thank God his brothers, who are the only ones in America that understand violence (and know it isn’t some cool Ego trip), are standing up to those cops who have gotten carried away playing Rambo.
The US Military and the NYPD are like-minded forces. Both seek to serve, to protect, and to safeguard the Constitution. The preponderance of veterans in the police forces of this country speaks to the community of those who have given the right to legitimately use deadly force. That said, I believe (fatalistically) that flashpoints will occur, and that incidents such as Oakland, will occur time and again. Sadly, they will probably reach the level of Kent State (1970), where untrained National Guardsmen with whom I served, got scared by an enemy attacking them in a “peaceful” demonstration. Probability and history are on the side of my pessimism, but we should always hope that the professionals in our veteran community will lead us all to a better solution.
Our thoughts are with Olsen too. Here’s hoping that his sacrifice will continue to galvanise the US peoples into collective and peaceful action……..at LAST!
Great stuff Jerome, as always. You are moving me with your writing. But more importantly, the movement is moving me, deeply. For the first time in my life, I feel hope. It seems like in the midst of the deepest crisis, hope is spreading like a wildfire across the globe. We are one, we are united, we are free in spirit, at last!
I just started taking notice of this site, and I’m really loving the words you are using. These reflections are wonderful language to be spreading through the movement as it gains momentum..and I’m glad to see it now because it is definitely needed if We are to steer this momentum into building a society that works for the highest good of ALL.
I ask all those involved in OWS to contact me ASAP. You can try aptosnews@gmail.com. Clearly, a new paradigm for forcing change is required. I have a fresh approach for your consideration. However, for starters, the downsides of the present model for action must be discussed along with the prospects in an unprecedented approach simultaneously. Also, the discussion CANNOT take place — initially — in a large public forum; it is too easy for the powers to undermine such dialogue, for one. Everyone can be involved in short order, but I humbly request that a core group with whom this resonates contact me to set up a meeting in confidence, in private as soon as possible. IN SOLIDARITY, RICCARDO P.S. When I posted a similar call on OCCUPY OAKLAND, I received absolutely no response.
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