For me, Occupy was more important than most people think it was. At the time (Sept 2011) I was 43 yrs old, from a small town in Fla. who never really lived anywhere where people from around the world were so prevalent in one city- Oakland, CA. That's where I was living at the time. I participated from day one....and learned more than I shared. I realized that I was not as educated or experienced in direct actions/movement building and wanted to soak it all up! There were so many workshops and areas at Oscar Grant Plaza (in front of Oakland City Hall) providing info and ways to help the effort in the plaza as well as the community and outward! Personally, I was active in the Anti-Repression Committee (doing bail support, court support, helping with actions, prisoner support work), took part in helping a woman w/ cancer in Alameda who was trying to save her house from a Wells Fargo foreclosure by committing to come and sit in the house certain days and hours each week, bringing food to share w/ residents and home defense support. The woman got her loan reorganized and saved her house! took part in the nightly General Assemblies, worked in the food tent and helped wash plates/silverware and donated food. Slept in the plaza in a tent and some nights took part in security of the plaza 2 hr. shifts. Took part in shutting down the port two times, going over to SF to support the occupy there at their city event "Occupy Wall Street West" (1/20/12). Took part in Occupy San Quentin and Occupy the Farm in Albany. There is more but you get the gist.
There was soo soo much going on in Oakland and the younger people who were well organized as anarchists/leftists knew how to do on-the-ground work and did so much for making opportunities for growth....to question and learn how to be autonomous. Was there a demand of the state? Hell no. Because tweeking a screwed up system is not a solution for real change. People who came to see and take part were getting a taste of what the people who work together can accomplish. I've taken what I've learned and continued unlearning and learning new ways of living outside the system and sharing what I learn w/ others.
The Great Divide: RBIO - Rules Based International Order vs Multipolarity
A Financial Times article from January 2024 provides important context for many of the theatres of conflict emerging these past few years. www.ft.com/content/5a1a5d17-d37b-4242-8241-d81daa7467fc “For the US and its allies the “rules-based international order” (RBIO) underpins peace and stability. It demands respect for territorial integrity and international law, and the protection of minorities, small nations, democratic norms and the global trading system.
Russia — often supported by China — argues this is hypocritical.
The US, in Moscow’s view, writes the rules, imposes them on others and ignores them when convenient.
Other nations that emphasize the RBIO are, from Moscow’s perspective, basically US vassals.
Russia and China believe the decline of US global power is necessary and inevitable — the result being a more just world in which US power is constrained and multiple centres of power operate.
According to the Russians and Chinese, this will allow different civilizations to live by their own rules, rather than having to hew to a Washington consensus. For the US and allies, these arguments are dishonest. The US and the EU believe that, while the idea of multipolarity can sound appealing, it often boils down to a demand from autocracies, in Moscow and Beijing, to have their own poles of influence. That means imposing their will on democratic neighbours like Ukraine and Taiwan. In different ways, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza — as well as the tensions in the South China Sea and the battle for opinion in the Global South — all involve this rhetorical struggle to shape the world order and the power realities that underpin it.”
"Although it is fondly remembered by some, it is now largely seen as a failure."
Whatever the goal, the movement made it's mark on history and sent a message to the powers that shouldn't be.
For me, Occupy was more important than most people think it was. At the time (Sept 2011) I was 43 yrs old, from a small town in Fla. who never really lived anywhere where people from around the world were so prevalent in one city- Oakland, CA. That's where I was living at the time. I participated from day one....and learned more than I shared. I realized that I was not as educated or experienced in direct actions/movement building and wanted to soak it all up! There were so many workshops and areas at Oscar Grant Plaza (in front of Oakland City Hall) providing info and ways to help the effort in the plaza as well as the community and outward! Personally, I was active in the Anti-Repression Committee (doing bail support, court support, helping with actions, prisoner support work), took part in helping a woman w/ cancer in Alameda who was trying to save her house from a Wells Fargo foreclosure by committing to come and sit in the house certain days and hours each week, bringing food to share w/ residents and home defense support. The woman got her loan reorganized and saved her house! took part in the nightly General Assemblies, worked in the food tent and helped wash plates/silverware and donated food. Slept in the plaza in a tent and some nights took part in security of the plaza 2 hr. shifts. Took part in shutting down the port two times, going over to SF to support the occupy there at their city event "Occupy Wall Street West" (1/20/12). Took part in Occupy San Quentin and Occupy the Farm in Albany. There is more but you get the gist.
There was soo soo much going on in Oakland and the younger people who were well organized as anarchists/leftists knew how to do on-the-ground work and did so much for making opportunities for growth....to question and learn how to be autonomous. Was there a demand of the state? Hell no. Because tweeking a screwed up system is not a solution for real change. People who came to see and take part were getting a taste of what the people who work together can accomplish. I've taken what I've learned and continued unlearning and learning new ways of living outside the system and sharing what I learn w/ others.
Canadian Shareable News today writes
The Great Divide: RBIO - Rules Based International Order vs Multipolarity
A Financial Times article from January 2024 provides important context for many of the theatres of conflict emerging these past few years. www.ft.com/content/5a1a5d17-d37b-4242-8241-d81daa7467fc “For the US and its allies the “rules-based international order” (RBIO) underpins peace and stability. It demands respect for territorial integrity and international law, and the protection of minorities, small nations, democratic norms and the global trading system.
Russia — often supported by China — argues this is hypocritical.
The US, in Moscow’s view, writes the rules, imposes them on others and ignores them when convenient.
Other nations that emphasize the RBIO are, from Moscow’s perspective, basically US vassals.
Russia and China believe the decline of US global power is necessary and inevitable — the result being a more just world in which US power is constrained and multiple centres of power operate.
According to the Russians and Chinese, this will allow different civilizations to live by their own rules, rather than having to hew to a Washington consensus. For the US and allies, these arguments are dishonest. The US and the EU believe that, while the idea of multipolarity can sound appealing, it often boils down to a demand from autocracies, in Moscow and Beijing, to have their own poles of influence. That means imposing their will on democratic neighbours like Ukraine and Taiwan. In different ways, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza — as well as the tensions in the South China Sea and the battle for opinion in the Global South — all involve this rhetorical struggle to shape the world order and the power realities that underpin it.”
FELICES NEVERMORA