I haven't been able to visit the Occupy Toronto campsite in the last two days. But I have spent quite a bit of time wondering why so many Canadians seem to hate the occupiers so much? And I mean HATE.
Because this isn't just manufactured bile, this is visceral.
A leaderless movement that initially attracted a disparate collection of well-meaning activists along with just plain folk was ultimately hijacked by a hoi polloi with questionable ambitions.
The rabble that rose each morning from their tents headed off to attend meetings intended to build the infrastructure of some kind of fairy-tale parallel society. Before our eyes, an anarchist collective was drafting a set of demands; the terms, apparently, of any kind of surrender.
Now the Occupy movement is dying. And not a lot of people seem to care
You know when I first read that deranged diatribe, I figured that Mason was just
Because he seems like the kind of guy who would. But then I read some of the disgusting comments, and then I read John Doyle.
It is true, as pointed out in the doc, that some current conditions, especially the cost of third-level education and ensuing student debt, plus higher unemployment, put some young people in a vise of no job, no prospects and no end to financial liability.
However, once we meet some of the “big babies,” sympathy shrinks. Some are slackers, mooching off mom and dad and taking an inordinately long time to figure out what to do with their lives...Boomerang generation, my bum. Some of them are scammers and slackers. Yuckies indeed.
And it shocked me. Because how can you judge a generation by a few characters in a documentary? Isn't it obvious that if you have no job, no prospects, and you can't afford to pay rent, or ever buy a house, you might not be able to live anywhere else?
And why is Doyle quivering with RAGE?
Then I remembered how the bloodthirsty mob screamed for the police to club, tear gas, and shoot the peaceful protesters at the G20 Summit.
Or how after the latest riot in Vancouver the same howling hyenas turned on young people, and sounded like they wanted to throw them all on a bonfire, and gnaw on their charred body parts.
Although to be fair, this time they're sounding more merciful.
It is fun to camp out in pleasant fall weather, but the cold is coming. As pleasing as it would be to many talk-radio callers to see the protesters blasted out of the park with water cannon, the city would be smarter to hang back and let General Winter do their work for them.
Hey. Why beat them, or shoot them, when we can let winter freeze them to death?
Which sounds a little extreme eh?
And makes me wonder whether the real problem is that in an aging country like Canada, too many people are becoming too miserable and cranky. Because as you know, this question haunts me.
But back to the Occupy story, and the burning question: is occupying a park or a physical space the best and only way to spread the message?
I still can't make up my mind. I have to spend more time in the campsite.But from what I've already seen some things seem OBVIOUS.
These people are not The Enemy.
Canada is big enough for ALL of us.
And when old and young join together.
It can be a thing of JOY...
9 comments:
Unfortunately we have a great enemy in this country, even more so than the Cons themselves, and that's the incredibly biased mainstream media. Anything remotely smelling of dissent is vilified without mercy. Combined with the majority of the Canadian public being so fickle and easily manipulated, it makes for a difficult environment for progressive change.
As far as the Occupy protests go, I'm on the fence right now tbh. I'm losing a bit of faith in how effective they will be in Canada in their current form. The evictions in London seem to have started the domino's falling. Personally, I think some changes in strategy should be looked at. I believe the bourgeoisie are much more inclined to take notice when they think their money is at stake.
btw Simon, you should start a forum! I think your articles would spawn a lot of great discussions.
I just said at "Northern Reflections" that almost all the criticisms of the Occupy movement have their origins in either stupidity, ignorance, or fraud.
Uhuh. Scammers and slackers. So they scammed more from society than the fine folks in Wall Street and high finance? I think not.
Slackers? So John Doyle's rockstars of "capitalism" work harder than women in Africa? And what are the "slackers" to do since youth unemployment is so dreadfully high? It can't be that they don't want to work: those people aren't included in the unemployment numbers.
If there were only one or two "slackers", then maybe it's their fault as individuals. But when it is indeed a large percentage of the population, media types can't honestly get away with that nonsense argument (though they spin and spin and do it anyways). 70% of young adults in Italy, and many in the UK and Canada, all simultaneously and individually decided to act this way? No. Something larger is at fault. Something in society is dreadfully unhealthy. And these "journalists" dare blame those forced to grow up in and comply with this sick society, as kids, for that?
hi Rev Effect...I'm afraid you're right, our MSM media may occasionally rise to the occasion. But when corporate interests they all tilt one way like the leaning Tower of Pisa. And since so many Canadians are easily fooled, and cranky, it's not a pretty picture.
As for the Occupy Canada movement I think I agree with you. They have planted some great seeds, but now it's time to water them, and watch them grow in new directions.
Finally, concerning the idea of a forum, I think I would be the one who would have to be watered, because the very thought makes me wilt eh? I'm terrible at answering comments and e-mails promptly AND I'm lazy. So what more can I say? ;)
hi Thwap...I'm afraid I have to agree with you. I know there are problems in the movement, but this country should be big enough to accomodate us all. And all I'm asking people is to visit an Occupy camp if they can, before they judge the occupiers so harshly...
hi anonymous...I agree with you. I find the way some Canadians judge young people in this country callous and cruel. Youth unemployment is a big problem because all the good jobs, especially for working class kids, have been exported. And many of the jobs that remain are temporary ones, with short hours and low pay.
As you point out, youth unemployment rates in some parts of Europe are absolutely frightening. But they are also growing in this country and that will cause problems later...
October 15th was a fabulous experience,nation wide.
i went to the Occupy Victoria event.
So many people all ages and middle class to lower to the unemployed.
The General assembly was engaging.
A high energy day.
But the next week, the tents went up and the word was out.
Free food too.
Whenever the tents go up, the energy goes down.
I quickly emailed Occupy Vancouver about the problems that will develop with the tents and camping, urging them to fold them, but maintain the food/medic tent and hold the GAs t strategic times.
I knew if I went over, I could never
achieve consensus tho.
We all see the homeless eveyday, with or without Occupy.
And we have been there and done that with homeless tenting.
Better to take issues one ny one, and have speakers and noonhour/weekend GAs
But by now,the nergy has waned ,dissipated and there is disappointment.
But hey, Naomi Klein and Bill McGib claim that Occupy helped with the pipeline delay decision
I know tons of young people in their 20's from all over Canada making very good money here. But of course, these protesters are against the Oil Sands.....oops.
I guess I agree but what are all the protesters going to do if they achieve their goal? It's like the hippies, everyone has different ideas of what to do at the end. The occupy movement will disband and in future times be looked on with 'You know, Johnny, I was one of them once' kind of nostalgia. The movement will never accomplish its goals because aside from stopping corruption, has none. It is without a leader and leaderless movements tend to fail.
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