Occupying Wall Street #1: Non-violence? Demands? Song?

A new post which started in the comments of the last one on Greed.

Although of course the pepper spray videos obviously implicate the NYPD in brutish foolishness (yet again), the image that stunned me in those videos was the protesters shredding their vocal cords screaming "WE ARE BEING PEACEFUL!!!" with rage and fear in their voices. I fully support those protesters, but they are going to consume themselves without some serious discipline--is this about "letting off steam", or is it about changing reality? Because systemic change requires a long, arduous, disciplined (i.e systematic) haul.

So, I've been wondering these days how these occupywallstreet protests will sustain themselves without a serious, coordinated, trained and disciplined non-violence. Which can present some difficulties--to me it means believing in something bigger than yourself (secular difficulty #1), and being willing to suffer for it (materialist difficulty #2)--in the most brutal moments relying on the hope, love and righteousness that come from that bigger belief rather than collapsing into the hatred and despair that can arise from the self-interest of everyday existence.

Plus, where is the singing??? Not 2 line chants screamed out (which are great, too), but actual songs with meaning and melody. It seems to me a successful non-violent campaign needs God (or Equivalent) and singing, to fortify, unify and testify.


Bert Stabler says, "I support them too, in that Wall Street corruption is bad. But capitalism feeds on revolution-- and some anarchists will throw bricks, just like some Tea Party shitheads will wave nooses (which is worse, but the effects are sort of parallel if not similar).

Pepper spray is vicious, but they don't actually have any concrete realizable demands, do they?"


...(possible answers in next post!)