Update:

Note: I don’t subscribe to the view that this is a “flash in the pan” demonstration. On the contrary. It looks remarkably organized, although in a flexible and open-ended style.

Oaklandlocal.com

Consider this from Oakland local poster Richard Wright:

“Although the movement has been open, inviting and encouraging of People Of Color (POC) involvement, it still requires POC organizers to enter a space that can be culturally alienating, and the power dynamic of POCs bringing POC issues to a predominantly white forum, even with the best intentions of progressive and radical white folks…. can be problematic.”

Where to start with so dopey an observation? First of all, there is no “movement,” and Mr. Wright’s delusions of grandeur aside, there are no leaders to “invite or encourage” people of color. If it were a movement, invitations would not be necessary and people from across the social and cultural spectrum would be involving themselves as they did during previous social upheavals. That’s what happens in real social movements.

But second, and more tellingly, is the galling sense of patronizing self-importance of Mr. Wright and his cohorts who time and again involve themselves in flash in the pan demonstrations that serve only to underscore their impotence and cement their status as poseurs of the first order (or sadly to debase the memory of Oscar Grant by smashing windows and grabbing free sports shoes). Does Mr. Wright really think that “people of color” are so dim-witted and unaware that they need invitations? Or would he argue that such is the weight of social oppression upon them that they require aid to enlighten them?

Even the briefest of History lessons would clue Wright in that people of color have not in the past found protest to be “a space that can be culturally alienating.”  Perhaps instead most people, regardless of background, simply find these comic events to be self-defeating and stupid and would never consider being associated with them?”

Comment:

These are exactly my sentiments. What earthly good is accomplished by parading up and down, chanting slogans, and getting into confrontations? Media? Publicity? For what? This country is dying from too much media. What is so difficult about people instead getting together and doing the very simple things that are likely to have a real impact:

1. File suit against banks or universities or lenders who defrauded or misled them

2. Move money out of the big banks

3. Collectively boycott the stock market on a given day

4. Collectively boycott TV for a month.

5. Boycott specific companies associated with the banking scams.

6. Withdraw from universities, instead of begging for debt forgiveness, which methinks is some kind of racket. Anyway, where are the parents of the kids with the loans outstanding? Don’t they have a responsibility to pay?

But no. Gotta have some pointless exercise in annoying everyone that will eventually hurt the very people this is supposed to be assisting.

Out of politics (and this is a form of politics) can only come MORE politics.

Prosperity comes from individuals innovating, thinking, pursuing their own goals, forming businesses, buying and selling. Not as exciting as demagoguery, but guaranteed to put more money in your pockets than you had before. Which is the point, isn’t it?