Occupy Amsterdam

[PhoenixAsh]

Well...it seems the 99% flue has spread to Holland. In solidarity and in a copy move of the "occupy together movement" there are now social media initiatives to start out own occupation movement in our small happy wooden shoe dancing country.

On the 15th of October they want to organise an occupation of their own.

https://sites.google.com/site/occupyamsterdam/

http://www.imagebam.com/gallery/4uvogwh2pgp93490j88cr1ydx4o9j7up/


The 99% doesn't only deserve an equal and fair share in the world's wealth but also deserve equal decisive power. The election of representatives who do not keep their promisses is NOT democracy. A country which has a national debt because of the monopoly position of banks on creating money is NOT a free country.

(Goals:)

We declare solidarity with Occupy Wallstreet & the Global Change movement

We give politicians and banks one clear message and chance: Wake Up! Take responsibility.

We want true democracy and a different and fair society

We invite people to think together about true democracy and change

We ask the 99% (yes you) to show initiative and develop towards own capacity and will.

Progress, progressivenes, cooperation and awareness are key phrases

We want a peaceful protest




So this is a nice step in the right direction. Left radicals need to be there. They need to pick this up. They need to radicalise this movement further by creating more class awareness and show people the way to the next logical step in class awareness

Personally I think this movement would completely surprise me if it took off in any meaningful way in Holland. I hope it does. And even if it doesn't radicalise the population I do hope it succeeds in creating more and more awareness and gives a voice to discontent people are still afraid and uncertain to voice their opinions.

So lets see.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

One thing i've been wondering, in relation to this movement:

how do you connect the opposition to banks/wall street etc. to Socialism, and stop it falling into a 'we need more regulation'-type movement?

[PhoenixAsh]

That is a very good question.

I think we can do that by questioning the relation of the banks and wallstreet and their true function and purpose....and by questioning the system itself which makes this possible. A lot of people will never have even thought about this...so it is already a slight succes if they begin to think about it.

[heyjoe]

Hindsight you'd better wear a little padding this time. Your report on the squatter demonstration the other day blew away every pre conceived notion i had about Holland. Ive been there 2x but like most of the rest of the west, Holland it seems has taken a hard turn to the right. I wish you luck.

[PhoenixAsh]

Hindsight you'd better wear a little padding this time. Your report on the squatter demonstration the other day blew away every pre conceived notion i had about Holland. Ive been there 2x but like most of the rest of the west, Holland it seems has taken a hard turn to the right. I wish you luck.

Ha! I probably will! Was not really prepared well and going to the demo was a bit in the spur of the moment. I didn't even tape in.

Compared what I read about other injuries I think I came of light with a bit of a limp and some stiff and blue joints/back. Dislocated vertibrae are fucking annoying but nothing a good shove won't fix...my physical therapist is going to get mad again though :D Ribs are healing well too.

But I think these protests are viewed differently. Squatters are a hyped against group. They are always, always painted as the bad guys and gals who always make a mess and create riots. That propaganda has been going on for decades and is unfortunately well entrenched at the moment. What doesn't help is that squatters are seen as a closed group by most of society. People rarely understand what squatting is about. Most people often do support the ideas and goals in some fashion or have sympathy for them when they hear those goals...but the press rarely focusses on that and instead focusses on every sensational cover piece. Also do not forget that most people see squatting as something which happens outside their immediate social circles...it is a different "subculture" to them. They do not immediately identify socially or emotionally with squatters because of that...an see them as different.

Now...the police know that they can not controll the squatters easilly. Though some squatters are non-violent a lot of squatters will not hesitate to defend themselves if possible...if the group had been larger on the 1st then the course of events would have been different.

This 99% movement is different from that. It is mostly composed of the middle class and expresses that in origine and ambition. Not really radical and they are considered peaceful. So I think there will be far less incling to start using such overwhelming force....lest its upsets the people who do identify with them and are capable of identifying with their "class brothers and sisters".

That is not saying that they will hesitate if they feel they must to use force. But they will hesitate in using it so directly and soon. They will probably succeed in controlling the group by exploiting their peacefull intentions which often leads to a more cooperative and consession oriented stance.

So I think force will be used eventually....but not like with the squatters.