Long in planning, October2011.org will mark the 11th anniversary of the start of the Afghanistan War, October 6th with the first of daily demonstrations in Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC.
October2011.org has multiple agendas but, in common with Occupy Wall Street and other demonstrations around the country, it believes of that the government is favoring the rich over the middle class and disadvantaged, is not doing enough to provide jobs, is involved in senseless wars, and is unresponsive to the nation’s environmental needs. Demonstrators believe only Viet Nam type protests from the 1960s will bring about needed reforms.
An organizer, NewsLanc contributor Kevin Zeese, recently appeared on Countdown with Keith Olbermann to discuss plans and goals.
Very constructive developments in NYC and around the country by October2011 and the “Occupy Wall Street” movements. The general sense of powerlessness, felt by millions, many of whom have been trying, through traditional means, to offset the corrupting and controlling influence of money over our own government, is the prime mover. It is very much related to the revolutions (large and small) going on in several other countries. This worldwide frustration/ theme is that governments, including democracies like England, Israel, and the USA, have been so corrupted by money (and private powerful interests) that the public interest is ignored, or even trampled upon.
Here in Lancaster, we have seen a microcosm of that global corruption detailed by NewsLanc in its coverage of the Convention Center story. When you multiply this singular, somewhat parochial frustration, by the hundreds, at other local, state, and, the national level, you have the makings of a certain amount of civil unrest. But when you add to this the overall squeeze of unemployment, good jobs being shipped overseas, the foreclosures, bankruptcies, declining incomes, increasing prices, wars, union bashing, teacher firings, health insurance costs, higher education costs, etc. etc., it is a wonder that it took people so long to take to the streets.
But not to worry, the interests of money are well taken care of . . . by money itself. Money influences, controls, and owns the mass media, and the media, in all its forms, is the most seductive and manipulative instrument ever to appear in human history. Is there another? Money influences, controls, and, some say, even owns our political institutions, including our courts.. If they are called upon, they will serve. Probably. Stay tuned.