— Musings —11.04.2011 12:20 PM
Baby I’m An Anarchist
You could almost set your watch by it: the compulsion of the majority of commentators to bash the Occupier movement (accusing them of all being rapists is the latest) is so predictable, it’s laughable. Almost.
Anyway, let them continue to defend 25-year-olds in suspenders making million-dollar bonuses, and as Europe melts down. Me, I’ll hum along to this Against Me! oldy but goodie:
Through the best of times,
Through the worst of times,
Through Nixon and through Bush,
Do you remember ’36?
We went our seperate ways.
You fought for Stalin.
I fought for freedom.
You believe in authority.
I believe in myself.
I’m a molotov cocktail.
You’re Dom Perignon.
Baby, what’s that confused look in your eyes?
What I’m trying to say is that
I burn down buildings
While you sit on a shelf inside of them.
You call the cops
On the looters and piethrowers.
They call it class war,
I call it co-conspirators.
‘Cause baby, I’m an anarchist,
You’re a spineless liberal.
We marched together for the eight-hour day
And held hands in the streets of Seattle,
But when it came time to throw bricks
Through that Starbucks window,
You left me all alone.
You watched in awe at the red,
White, and blue on the fourth of july.
While those fireworks were exploding,
I was burning that fucker
And stringing my black flag high,
Eating the peanuts
That the parties have tossed you
In the back seat of your father’s new Ford.
You believe in the ballot,
Believe in reform.
You have faith in the elephant and jackass,
And to you, solidarity’s a four-letter word.
We’re all hypocrites,
But you’re a patriot.
You thought I was only joking
When I screamed “Kill Whitey!”
At the top of my lungs
At the cops in their cars
And the men in their suits.
No, I won’t take your hand
And marry the State.
‘Cause baby, I’m an anarchist,
You’re a spineless liberal.
We marched together for the eight-hour day
And held hands in the streets of Seattle,
But when it came time to throw bricks
Through that Starbucks window,
You left me all alone.
25 year olds in suspenders making million-dollar bonuses? It may have sounded cute when Chrétien made that one up, but it doesn`t quite reflect what goes on in the financial world. As for Europe, their immediate problem is sovereign debt– you know, as in governments borowing too much to pay for social programs they can`t afford. In other words, the stuff left-wing economic illiterates occupying parks want to see more of.
To be honest, I have a lot of sympathy for the occupy movement in the U.S. Many of their claims are legitimate (but their solutions are another matter). But in Canada? Not so much. A bunch of spoiled middle-class babies.
It’s all about their soshulism!! That’s a very simplistic summary of Europe’s debt problems. But you keep on drinking the corporate Kool-aid..whatever floats your boat.
Yes, it is a simplistic summary. it was meant to be. That’s why I said their “immediate” problem is sovereign debt. Believe me, I am welll aware of Europe’s problems and they are not all the result of evil capitalists conspiring to destroy the livelihood of the courageous proletariat. It starts in 1999 with the Euro, and goes on from there.
What I like about posts like yours is the need to accuse people who don’t agree with you of being beholden to evil corporations. That’s always popular.
It was meant to be popular.
Ha. Like I’d ever buy anything you’re selling Gord.
I too have far more consideration for the American movement.
Sadly, their Canadian counterparts seem so less organized and coherent – and that makes them easy prey for their opponents.
So have you paid off your student loans yet? and BTW how much were they compared to today’s load!
Given my age I hope so. But…ummmm…..what’s your point?
At last…….Thankyou!!
Combine the smug, self satisfied, ‘I’ve got mine’ attitude on display each week on Pastor Mansbridge’s Issues and Business panels , with the violent tendencies on display by G 20 police, and I’m old enough to imagine another Kent State brewing. All we hear from the elite TV panels is that these people are worthless, lazy, dirty, immoral, ill informed and stupid. This hands the armed authorities de facto licence to do just about anything they want to them.
Many of we working proletariat are waiting to see just how worthy, dutiful, “moral” (I’ll give you that one!) and intelligent these “Occupy” persons are. I’ve got two young persons working their tails off, “getting good grades, the future’s so bright, they gotta wear shades” and they’ve done it by working two jobs and not getting into debt! They got smiles on their faces each and every day even when their parents give ’em an earful of the crap they deal with. And you know, i smile when I see the satisfaction in their eyes. Too bad the losers on Bay Street can’t reign in their bar tabs.
Screw you and your description of smug, self-satisfied Mansbridges?!
I only wish we made that kind of scratch!
A life well led is the best revenge!
Unlike a certain musing web-leader, I haven’t been on a vacation for four years.
We have a great time around the table though.
Enjoy your self-righteous clap-trap!
Pedro
Your kids are exemplary. A model for youth everywhere. I seem to see a lot around who aren’t doing so well however. Probably their own fault.
I think you missed the edition of “At Issue” I refer to.
I don’t withdraw my concern that many encouraged by you and others may find it easy to bring harsh punitive G20 style violence against these “Occupy”
protestors.
I respond with horror that you imply that we find it easy to encourage and wish to bring harsh punitive G20 style “defensive” violence against these “OccupY” protestors.
Please accept that little except for a few instances of aggressive action against these peaceful if not totally lawful protestors has been taken. Particularly against those in Canada.
I ask each and every protestor in Canada to describe the terrible lack of opportunity they have experienced versus the lack of food and shelter those of similar age have experienced in less fortunate countries. May they please provide to us who pay the taxes the evidence that they are consigned to debtors prisons for the loans they are unable to pay back. Will they provide the photographic evidence of the despair they live in in the tiny, insect-ridden apartments they pay for with their meagre wages.
The dumb look in our eyes is waiting for you to enlighten us.
All “lazy bums”, who were born into the wrong family, eh Pedro?
http://youtu.be/zLpWFhHKiV4
The 22 year-old apple of her mother’s eye and her 20 year old brother can’t figure out how the Occupy people have the time and/or money to stay away from work and school. I’ve told them the sad news that soon to-be elected regimes will take from them what they are earning so that those who can’t will tell us all what we need to know. Their incredulous looks and silence in response was gratifying.
May the divide between those who hope and work versus those who wish and complain continue to grow. It can only lead to the proper resolution of our disputes. The Occupy and pleading persons of the world need to understand the laws of thermodynamics. If you are inactive, the world works upon you,while if you work, you can put energy into your system.
Extremely simple summation. Tell us a little about the parents. From my experience, its who you know is how you get the job. Like Flahertys son being hired by Rob Ford last summer despite the fact the family doesnt live in Toronto. Flahertys from Durham. Some kid who doesnt have connected parents was overlooked. Meanwhile flaherty and his wife are sucking on the public teat. Both making 5 figure incomes. Some poor kid gets nothing not even consideration for the job.
Make that 6 figure incomes. Slight typo.
The grandparents of this group of achievers were first generation European immigrants.
Worked 7-5 pm shifts for 30 years.
Their kids worked for their educations and were generously supported by parents who knew what their education would provide them.
It seems that Jay-TO you are an extremely simple commenter.
Yeah, we know lots of people who have worked hard to get where they’ve gotten.
When those who have similar lives lay them out in their resumes, the recognition factor helps.
Days spent in a tent city don’t seem to make such a big impact!
Good luck tenters!
Why do you assume that those protesting don’t also work hard? Or study hard? Do you think the protestors don’t have real lives in addition to trying to make their point by protesting? Your smugness is showing.
So you’re programming them? That should really help them succeed in the real world.
I think it’s unfair to suggest that anybody and everybody who has a critical word to say about the occupiers is a right-wing reactionary on this issue. I’ve come across lots of different views on the occupy movement, and a lot of balanced, thoughtful, fair stuff. Take the BC Civil Liberties Association, for instance. Their point, which I have a lot of time for, relates to access to ALL persons of ALL views to public space. E.g., what if a bunch of anti-abortion protestors wanted to set up camp on the Vancouver Art Gallery, complete with pictures of aborted fetuses, etc.? Once you let the Occupy protestors do what they’re doing, as the BCCLA has noted, it becomes a quandary about whom you allow to do that and on what basis. Note that the Falun Gong people in Vancouver have today chimed in on the issue (seeing as they basically got evicted from public space a while back), and I can’t say I blame them.
The bottom line is I don’t think someone is being reactionary in the least for pointing out that there’s a legitimate issue here about one group monopolizing public space to hold a protest of indefinite duration. That is a legitimate public policy and civil liberties issue. Public space is to be shared, not monopolized. Otherwise it’s not public space anymore.
A related point is that when people point out legitimate health and safety concerns, I don’t think they’re being reactionary or right-wing or anything like that. I mean, Christ, somebody overdosed at the Vancouver site yesterday. There are some significant fire safety and emergency access issues there.
It seems to that certain people are displaying a black-and-white “you’re either with us or against us” attitude on this issue. You’re either 100% with the occupiers or you’re an evil, reactionary right-wing dinosaur. Ever since George W. Bush expressed a similar sentiment a few years ago (“You’re either with us, or you’re with the terrorists”), I’ve always been wary of that line of argument . . .
I am the AntiChrist!
I am the Antiguest!
I am the Anti Quest!
I am! the Anti One
I am! I am the! I am him!
Does it matter?
Oh, maybe it does!
A Canadian poll shows significant support for Occupy on economic justice and elite control of Canadian governance. This news item ran on page 30, fairly deep in my Edmonton Sun paper last week. My guess if it had gone the other way, we’d see this poll near the front page.
http://abacusdata.ca/2011/10/26/public-opinion-on-the-occupy-canada-protests/
• A plurality of Canadians have a favourable impression of the Occupy Canada protests.
•41% have a favourable impression while 22% have a negative impression. One in five say they don’t know enough to have an opinion.
+ The rich in Canada should pay more taxes: 80% yes… 55% strongly agree 25% somewhat agree
+ The gap between the rich and poor in Canada has grown too large: 81% yes… 55% strongly 26% somewhat agree
+ Large corporations and the rich have too much influence on public policy and government in Canada : 81% yes 46% strongly 35% somewhat
Abacus Data
Re “the rich should pay more taxes”. I’m sure that if you asked a follow-up question “And who comprises the rich?”, you’d get overwhelming agreement from the respondents that “the rich” = “anybody who makes more money than me.”
It’s another roundabout way of saying that somebody else should be stuck with the bill, not me.
Oh please. Gord, you are a piece of work.
Hey, Gord, we’re not your research bureau. The Sun chain, which I know a little about, has been broadcasting and printing stories about the Ottawa Occupier alleged sexual assaults for almost a week, now. It has received extensive coverage.
I thought you were a liberal,no ?