OWS

In August of 2009 I wrote:

One of the bigger wastes of time throughout this whole economic downturn has been wringing our hands re: "how can Wall Street be so damn greedy!!" with their risky market plays and outrageous bonuses. "How can they grab such huge bonuses?? That's greedy!!" we all scream.

Please. If you were told you could be paid double for your job starting today, what would you say? "No, I'd rather not, that sounds greedy"? Of course not. Yet we're dreaming that somehow we can guilt or shame people whose entire livelihoods is based on raking in as much money as possible to "do the right thing." This is what happens when you de-regulate things in the name of "the free market" as much as possible - you end up hoping for some sort of Honor System to kick in amongst a group of Gordon Geckos. All, of course, with the dreams that someday YOU will be Gordon Gecko.

Shit's silly. The only thing that will stop this shit from happening again is as much government regulation as possible. Yes, I know such thinking will outrage all of you making $30k/year who are desperate to give billionaires the chance to gamble away your house in the name of "the government needs to stay outta my business/let me keep my guns," but you don't drive the speed limit because you've decided it's the right speed to go and is what's fair to other drivers, you do it because you don't want to get a ticket. Period.

Occupy Wall Street is a great thing and I'm rooting for it, but it's gotta do something better than demand Wall Street "do the right thing!" and "take responsibility!"  Please. When I'm not the most naive fucker in the room, we're all in trouble.  Wall Street's not changing just because people are asking them to "be fair."

Keep the pressure on - keep assembling peacefully.  They're gonna call you "dirty hippies" no matter what, but a nice suit and a shave might add to your "seriousness" credo.  Be as respectful to the police as possible.  Be creative if you need to leave a park while they rightfully clean it; take shifts or jog in circles, whatthefuckever.  You're there to raise consciousness, not a ruckus.  Take any lesson you can get from someone like John Lewis.

MOST OF ALL:

Let them know you're going to VOTE those responsible out of office in November - the ONLY thing that will create any change is if enough Congressmen think they might lose their jobs.  Period.  People "being mean!" in the streets means nothing to them - if they're unmoved by historical levels of poverty and unemployment, your clever placards won't do the trick; if they're scared of losing their jobs, "suddenly" they'll become interested in the wondrous work of regulation.

We've put ourselves in the position of having to keep up such a level of visible anger and protest for the next 13 months.  Can it be done? I dunno. My instinct is "I doubt it;" I'm a cynical fuck.  But I do know my focus won't waver for even an instant, and I'll remember what to do come November.  I hope everybody doing their great parts in all the protests (and more) will do the same.

Then again what do I care - I'm moving to London in July.  Suck it, Yank bitches!