Forum Post: If OWS were ever to have a leader, maybe it should be Ken O'Keefe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_O'Keefe

Kenneth O'Keefe From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about the anti-war activist. For the American football coach, see Ken O'Keefe.

Ken O'Keefe Kenneth Nichols "Ken" O'Keefe (born July 21, 1969)[1] is an Irish-American activist and former United States Marine and Gulf War veteran. He led the human shield action to Iraq and was a passenger on the MV Mavi Marmara during the Gaza flotilla raid. He said that he participated during clashes on the ship and claimed to have disarmed two Israeli commandos.[2][3]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=yOEpJMJOQQI

http://kenokeefe.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/rise-people-rise-the-global-revolution-is-upon-us/

The weblog of Ken O'Keefe Rise People Rise – The Global Revolution is Upon Us!

The Global Revolution I have for many years lived with the knowledge that we, the masses, the working class, the poor, the white, the black, the brown, the immigrants, the Christians, the Muslims, the atheists, the soldiers/ex-soldiers, the peaceniks, the communists, the anarchists, the students, the people, across the spectrum, we all have a common cause. And yet, we have so tragically allowed ourselves to be duped, to be pitted against each other, fighting each other, finding a million ways to divide ourselves, or simply to be indifferent to each other. In this the tyrant’s smile, they laugh and they joke, about how complete their control over us is. They have been laughing for far too long.

I know how this happens, growing up in my white middle-class Californian life; I was a mindless idiot like most, I had no idea that we in the West were living on the back of the blood sweat and tears of countless people around the globe. I was clueless about our reaping the benefits of the plunder of the world. I too was living in that bubble of indifference, a bubble that is finally bursting. I wonder if the billions who have suffered for our indifference can forgive us? I wonder if we will be honest about our criminal complacency which has resulted in an unfathomable amount of suffering and death?

Ah but alas, the American empire is crumbling, it is rotting from within, like every single empire before it. And how poetic that its accelerated demise was ignited by the rage and desperation of one Mohamed Bouazizi, one of the countless victims meant to be just another statistic; no no, this statistic just kicked off a global revolution.

Think about it, if a street vendor can do that, imagine the power of the people united, intelligent, fearless and indomitable.

And the people of the world are beginning to realize that all the bribe money, all the weapons, all the sleazy tyrants and their minions are nothing, they are spineless fleeing cowards, running away as cowards do. Let them run to the grotesquely corrupt hosts who will receive them, their day is coming soon as well. Soon there will be nowhere to hide, no gold for them to steal, no court to shield them and no stolen land to live on.

Moving forward with this revolution I am sure many such scoundrels will come home to America, the most corrupt land of them all, by virtue of the seeds of corruption it has sowed across the globe… America, possessor of the most disgusting, servile, traitorous government of them all, will soon play host to all its servile tin pot dictators.

America… the land of illusions, with the veneer of civility and prosperity, in truth the essence of destitution and lunacy. I know this land; it is my birth nation, I was indoctrinated in this nation and made insane, like the vast majority of its population. And yet I am blessed for my insanity because I have survived it, and more importantly I remember it, thus I can look at all my lost brothers and sisters and see myself.

I realized upon awakening that it was the height of arrogance to expect everybody else to awaken in unison with me, and so I accept people, as they are, collectively insane but capable of retaining their humanity. I knew for sure that if I could break free, anyone can. I remember how crazy and stupid I was, I remember believing my nation this and my nation that, and I remember pledging my allegiance to The United States of Hypocrisy by reciting the words “with liberty and justice for all”; what a bunch of bullshit! But I believed it.

I owe brother Malcolm X an incredible debt of gratitude for teaching me how stupid I was. I owe my native American brothers and sisters for teaching me of the genocidal history never mentioned in school. I owe my Hawaiian (kanaka maoli) brothers and sisters for teaching me true love of the land and the sea, as well as respect for my elders and the beauty of an extended family.

I owe the United States Marine Corps massively, for providing me my first real taste of injustice; undoubtedly the most critical event of my life. They gave me the rage, for having done the right thing and being punished, they connected me to everyone who knows injustice. How ironic… how beautiful...

http://occupymarines.org/?page_id=373