Outraged-

I don’t want to launch into a diatribe, but these things also can’t be reduced to a sound bite. 
That’s what’s so great about the Occupy general assemblies.  We listen. We repeat. We deliberate. 
We try to get at the core of these issues together.

I do not speak for the movement.
Here is what I think.
Who’s a puppet?  They’re all puppets.
What does that make of the “premise of a democracy”?
It’s a premise. 
What are we fighting for?  Something different- which we will arrive at together.  What’s important
is to begin the journey.
What is the problem? avarice
What is your solution?  A complete change of consciousness.  We must completely change how we relate to each other and our environment.  Exploitation- of people or planet- is not sustainable.  Sustainability is not a fashion trend- it is an imperative.  This change of consciousness isn’t some new-age thing- it finds expression in our economic policy.  What we value.  Who we value. 
I believe this new consciousness has already begun as small groups of people occupy together- learn to live, accommodate and respect each other.  And shed their fear. 

What is my solution? 
Solution?  The banks are just one of our challenges.  We have 7 billion people on this planet.  The oceans are dying, we’re past the tipping point with climate change, food prices are increasing,  and the world economy is going to collapse. 
We’re screwed.  Screwed, screwed, screwed. 
42% of Americans don’t even believe in climate change.  How can we talk solutions when half of us are in la-la land?  Americans are still in denial- we need to shock them awake.
We resist.  We keep these issues in the public eye by making a nuisance of ourselves.
Tactics will change as more and more people wake up.

To be called an animal is the greatest compliment one can receive. There is no other creature a Rupert Murdoch could be other than a Homo sapiens, and someone such as he is, is apparently determined to drag our species down to the lowest depths.

Animals do not hack into people’s phones, do not peddle filth as news, are not full of hate and determination to destroy anything that’s good and decent.

I look forward to the next YoungGringos post as from “the front lines” so to speak.

I note the post of Outraged seeking a more in depth response on an interesting and important issue. I would offer that, as this movement is still in its infancy, professes to have nor need no leaders perhaps these questions are premature, at least so far.

I see the process of educating, of making aware, of awakening perhaps, but the changes necessary are still in the formative stages and may not come from OWS itself. I am quite content to allow OWS to be what it is and ,hopefully, evolution will take care of these and other important questions.

One hint, if I may. The use of <> to obtain italics or bold is in place in some forums, here it is the use of [] that will get the desired result.

Re: YoungGringos

Your comment: <i>“The liberal establishment will turn
on us as well. We will not elect their puppets.  We
will not be steered or co-opted.’<i>

How will you decipher who is a puppet and who is
not…before the fact? If you don’t vote at all, what
does that make of the whole premise of democracy(in
other words what would you be “fighting” for)? Who do
you believe is the problem?  And what is your
solution? Protesting is one aspect effecting change.
What else do you feel is necessary?

Su-prise. Su-prise. 
The liberal establishment will turn on us as
well.  We will not elect their puppets.  We will
not be steered or co-opted.

OCCUPY

Yes, indeed. If Murdoch is against you, you are probably doing something right. I would say that people who hack into a dead girl’s phone trying to get a scoop and leading the police to believe she is still alive are the real ‘animals’ in this situation.  People who pay bribes to the police and who get politicians to do what they want, unelected, as News Ltd is, are the criminals, not the protesters. Of course Murdoch is opposed to them. He hates democracy and always has.