We lost the class war a long time ago. The disappearance of the Soviet Union ought to have been a clue. MoveOn’s attempts and those of political parties and special interest groups to co-opt Occupy are much like those of the radical socialists and some in the “nonviolence” community — not so much efforts to [...]

“All the apologists for DoT?” I think not. When DoT is reflexively and inaccurately defined as “violence,” correcting the record is hardly apologetics. Starhawk could accept different points of view about these issues, she could refrain from condemnations of other perspectives than her own, and she could seek — and to some extent find — [...]

Katherine is breaking some new ground in the discussion and moving it forward by introducing the work of Gelderloos and Churchill along with Solnit’s measured consideration of the issues involved as well as reference to the effective Stonewall “fight back” effort. I’d like to add a link to a chapter from Starhawk’s seminal “Webs of [...]

Hedges did not initiate this conversation regarding the relative merits of pacifist nonviolence vs other forms of resistance; it’s been going on since long before there was an Occupy. And it will continue long after Occupy is either victorious in changing a violent and corrupt economic and political system or is consigned to a historical [...]

Ultimately, it’s about trust.

There’s been one Black Bloc in Oakland, last November 2, during the General Strike. Members of the Black Bloc were physically assaulted and threatened with physical assault in front of the Whole Foods Market and elsewhere during the day. Not by police, of course, for there weren’t any there. The assaults and threats came from [...]

“Ego and magical thinking…” I think you’ve put your finger on a big part of what’s gone wrong — and some of what’s gone right, too. Looks like there might even be some soul-searching going on. There is so much need in Oakland and so many people who really do want things to work, at [...]

It may interest you to know that there has been precisely one (1) Black Bloc associated with Occupy Oakland. It happened on November 2, 2011, during the Oakland General Strike. There has not been another Black Bloc in Oakland or anywhere else in the Occupy Movement since then. Hedges conflates and falsifies facts about Occupy [...]

hotflashcarol: Thank you very much for your helpful clarifications and explanations of what you see going on in Oakland especially what you have seen and experienced among those who are among the chief instigators and managers of the situation. I’m familiar with at least some of the people you’re referring to, and I have a [...]

Sorry I wasn’t able to complete a reply yesterday — got embroiled elsewhere. But I’d very much like to continue the discussion if you’re up for it. I’m still getting used to the formatting limitations of posts here, and so far I’ve managed to screw it up several times which has led to more than [...]

Oh no, that’s it exactly.

hotflashcarol: “See above” refers not to you but to Hedges and those who have been thinking like him. I’ve been putting (see: Hedges, Chris, you know where) in my comments about it to Wendy; I guess it wasn’t clear that (see: above) referred to the previous (see: Hedges…) parenthetical. Sorry for the misunderstanding. You really [...]

Oh, and just for fun, there’s a line in Buffalo Springfield’s revived revolutionary anthem “For What It’s Worth” that seems to be getting some traction. Let’s see if I can remember it: “A thousand people in the street Singin’ songs and carrying signs Mostly say ‘Hooray for Our Side.’” Yep, that’s what we need. More [...]

Wendy, The abuse is really rhetorical, and it seems to be coming primarily from a cadre of “Nonviolence purists” who believe that the proper way to enforce their demands is to be as hostile and offensive toward others and other points of view regarding the topic of “violence” as possible. (see: Hedges, Chris, you know [...]

Due respect noted. If you were subjected to the kind of “nonviolent” abuse I’ve experienced for pointing out the obvious: that Occupy is by definition a Nonviolent Resistance Campaign — and the literally hysterical responses by some Occupy supporters to the throwing of a bottle (see: Hedges, Chris; you know where) you might want to [...]

I use specific and common sense definitions of Violent Resistance Campaigns and Nonviolent Resistance Campaigns: ——————————————————————– A Nonviolent Resistance Campaign is characterized by a strategy of disobedience and unarmed confrontation with illegitimate authority. A Violent Resistance Campaign on the other hand is characterized by a strategy of armed insurrection and use of deadly force against [...]