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Forum Post: READY TO SEE SERIOUS TRACTION? What if millions of Americans & most GA's supported THIS massive action on AUGUST 4th??

Posted 12 years ago on Feb. 26, 2012, 4:09 a.m. EST by therising (6643)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

What: Massive Non-Violent Direct action to accomplish specific goals using proven nonviolent tactics.

When: August 4th

Where: Capitol Hill, Washington, DC

Detail on specific goals, specific tactics and timeline for success: http://occupywallst.org/forum/proposed-list-of-demands-please-help-editadd-so-th/ (over 2,000 people have commented on this direct action plan on this post). .

Why: Because it's time to restore this republic.

Is this something you would get behind? Is it something you think the GA's could get behind? The GA's would, of course, need to approve before such a massive action were possible and before such a massive action was undertaken.

Isn't time for all who support occupy to unify and help one another? The members of the 1% want us to bicker over small things. Once we pay more attention to what we have in common instead of what divides us, we'll be in a position to make decisions from a position of unified strength rather than demands from a position of divided weakness.

26 Comments

26 Comments


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[-] 2 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

this will give the national GA a chance to vote for it in July

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Together we are the 99% and we are unstoppable. At some point the absurdity of 1% dominating the other 99% will dawn on us. And we'll realize that, although our situation is really our own fault, we also, by virtue of the same truth, have the power to restore this republic.

[-] 1 points by Puzzlin (2898) 12 years ago

I'm in. I'm ready for ACTION!!!

I will be there!

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

So, what would it take to make this a reality on August 4th?

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Soon we'll wake up and realize we are the 99%. And it is then that we'll realize that we had the power all along.

[-] 1 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

thanks for putting this together, but I still believe we need to
FIRST get rid of Citizens United
it will make all else fall into place

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

You might be right. So maybe this Aug 4 action could be targeted at just that action. It is one of those listed and no reason we couldn't do these one at a time right?

[-] 1 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

Obviously, I would strongly agree, but how do we persuade our OWS brothers and sisters to join a single purpose effort?

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 12 years ago

Citizens United is the latest in campaign catastrophes

representation reform while require greater input from the represented

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Make it really compelling action with plausible results that wil make a noticeable difference. Everyone likes to make progress towards their goals. We just need to coordinate and push and we all win. If we squabble over the small stuff, we'll squander the tremendous energy that is available... Millions of people want to find a way to support the Occupy cause. Millions. We just haven't given them enough ways to do so. "Just join a GA isn't compelling enough. They need to have an idea of the vision / endgame before they join something.

[-] 2 points by bensdad (8977) 12 years ago

I see a campaign to lobby congress - via email and letter writing -
as the force that can unify America & OWS - here is the key -
In the PFAW Poll 74% of voters say that they were more likely to vote for a candidate who supports a Constitutional Amendment limiting corporate spending in elections
We have the brains and power and national reach of OWS
We have America behind us
Most of OWS may not want to hear this

It is time to stop marching - pay it forward - get it done
It is time to stop organizing - pay it forward - get it done
It is time to stop theorizing - pay it forward - get it done
It is time to stop writing - pay it forward - get it done
It is time to stop dreaming - pay it forward - get it done


There are a dozen amendments already proposed in congress
Imagine 100 OWS members write their congressman & get 3 others to do it
....and those 3 get 3 more....and those 3 get 3 more.....................
day 1 total 0 + 100 = 100
day 2 total 100 + 300 = 400
day 3 total 400 + 900 = 1300
day 4 total 1300 + 2700 = 4000
day 5 total 4000 + 8100 =12100
day 6 total 12100+24300 =36400
day 7 total 36400+72900 =109,300 letters in ONE WEEK!


It is time to pay it forward - get it done

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

I'm for anything that brings unity and gets the job done nonviolently without collateral damage.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Isn't time for all who support occupy to unify and help one another? The 1% wants us to bicker over small things. Once we pay more attention to what we have in common instead of what divides us, we'll be in a position to make decisions from a position of unified strength rather than demands from a position of divided weakness.

[+] -5 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Unite in common cause - A healthy and prosperous world for all.

8,321 signatures as of 9:17 am central 2/26/2012 http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AGDAw/zmfN/B18Bb

SEE ALSO:

FROM : Union of Concerned Scientists http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=WlgTiLnpWj7mm5KM2MI3sQ

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

If we can somehow show people that unity with others can help achieve our own personal goals, then we can start to get some traction.

[+] -5 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

True. I think health and not being poisoned would be a good one.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

Health and not being poisoned are both excellent! :)

[-] 1 points by richardkentgates (3269) 12 years ago

yeah, of course. That is one of the only serious threads on here.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

I want to emphasize that there are certainly lots of details to be worked out. This is very serious and would require a massive amount of effort an planning to be effective. But, that said, I think we have it in us. I've spent time at various occupations and have spoken with countless people and my sense of it is that what we're seeing on this forum and what we're seeing on the news and what we're seeing all over the Internet regarding Occupy is still only the tip of the iceberg.

There is a massive amount of angst in this country. A massive amount of suffering. And people are fed up. The challenge of course is to unify, focus and mobilize. We have already seen countless examples of the potential for direct action since early September 2011. Think back to when 3,000 people took the Brooklyn Bridge and remained nonviolent even in the face of violence by the police. That was extraordinary.

Oh yes, we have it in us.

[-] 1 points by GypsyKing (8708) 12 years ago

This is great! 2,000 already commited. How many will that become by August?!!

It is these kinds of actions, planned long in advance, rather then too many small sporadic actions that really further this movement. I hope by August 4th we have 500,000 commited.

Don't worry, some troll will immediately say you don't have that many people . . . blah blah blah. But if they weren''t afraid they wouldn't be here.

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

I agree that this has potential. And I certainly don't think this specific plan is the end all be all. But I do believe the list of specific goals here aligns with the goals of a great many people, both ardent members of GA's who put a heroic amount of time and energy into the movement AND Americans from all incomes and backgrounds who are working their asses off, getting nowhere and are fed up with the way our system is functioning.

I feel the specifics in the referenced post are intentionally grouped and targeted to help us get the $ out of politics. That is certainly not an end all be all. But it would be a great first step evaluate it would get the foot of corporatists off our collective neck for long enough that we can plan and execute even more nonviolent direct actions to achieve even greater aims.

I fully recognize that in the end this is as much about a revolution of the mind and a complete paradigm shift. And I'm with many in the movement who say our system is incredibly broken. I just think we need to do this in a strategic way and take a number of bites at the apple, large and small. The referenced action would be one good bite in a long series of bites. In this way, with nonviolence, we can raise awareness, focus our energy, achieve real change for real people on the ground.

We are the 99%. Factory workers, elementary school teachers, small business people, nurses, architects, members of GA's, senior citizens, students, surfers, journalists, single mothers, ministers, radical revolutionaries, professors, food service professionals, philosophers, professional athletes, fire and police professionals, engineers, artists, construction laborers, railroad workers, etc. etc. etc. etc. . .

We are the 99%. We are committed to nonviolent tactics. We cannot be stopped.

"Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come."

[-] 1 points by engineer4 (331) 12 years ago

Protests are fine, but the ballot box is where the power is. Until that is properly harnessed, nothing will happen. You want money out of politics? Put it on the ballot or elect people that will enact legislation that will withstand constitutional challenges.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

The people are rising. The Occupy movement is gaining momentum. "Nothing is so powerful as an idea whose time has come."

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 12 years ago

"Sooner or later but mus'

the dam is going to bus'

And everyone will break out

What could stop them? The force?

What force can stop a river of people who know their course?"

  • Bongo Jerry, Rastafarian Poet
[-] 0 points by frogmanofborneo (602) from New York, NY 12 years ago

Ah yes, "restore this republic". To what?

The good ole days when black people were slaves? When women couldn't vote? When McCarthyism ran amok? When working class boys were drafted to fight an illegal and genocidal war while today's current crop of wealthy and connected hawks (Gingrich, Romney, Bush) were home free?

We need a new democratic republic in which money doesn't talk or swear and government strives to solve real problems or facilitate other entities in doing so. The Constitution says nothing about democracy because the framers were not seeking any democracy.

[-] 0 points by incomeforall (64) 12 years ago

Down twinkles.