Social liberals are extremely frustrated that the “worker’s paradise” that seemed so near three years ago, is fast slipping away due to voter rejection. With the huge borrowing and spending stimulus failing to revitalize the economy, social liberals took to the streets in Occupy Wall Street movements around the country. But the movement is rapidly being taken over by vicious Marxist elements bent on over-throwing capitalism with violent revolution, called “Black Bloc”.
In 2008, candidate Barack Obama campaigned in Germany and France to trumpet that America would soon bond with Europe and “Together, we must forge trade that truly rewards the work that creates wealth.” These are code words for America is embracing Europe’s collectivist march. Over the next two years, the President and his veto proof Congress legislated for the collectivization of healthcare, socialization of financial services, bail-out the unionized auto industry, and unbounded arrays of new regulatory constraints to fundamentally transform the U.S. economy. In solidarity: the United Nations designated October, 31, 2011 as the beginning of the International Year of the Cooperative to celebrate “the beginnings of a genuine discussion and debate about different economic models –models that value fairness at their core”.
The breadth of socialist ambition and the failure of massive borrow and spend initiatives to deliver economic recovery led to spontaneous rise of the Tea Part movement in America and an epic rejection of social liberal policies at the polls in 2010. Following that electoral shellacking, a broad spectrum of pundits urged President Obama in the words of Politico to: “move to the center to find common ground with the GOP and adopt the “triangulation” strategy employed by Bill Clinton” after his 1994 midterm losses.”
Social liberals have howled this year at what they see as the President lurch to the political center as selling out their core values. Bent on creating their own spontaneous movement; social liberals quickly latched onto the Occupy Wall Street movement. Over $500,000 in donations poured in as labor unions and elected officials embraced the movement. Marches and occupations sprung up nationwide to serve as a national microphone for the cause.
But within the movement, a cadre of hard core Marxists, seeking violence to achieve their goals, has increasingly taking control of governance of Occupy locations across America. In celebration of anarchist tactics of wearing black clothing, scarves, ski masks, motorcycle helmets and other face-concealing items and carry shields and truncheons to vandalize property; these “The Black Bloc” revolutionaries were on violent display in the Occupy Oakland riot last week. .
Occupy locations around the nation have set-up General Assemblies (“GA”) for governance of their communes. The Black Bloc disproportionately influence decisions made at the GAs, since the majority of the Occupy participants only show up for demonstrations; while the Black Bloc is a much more dominant proportion of the group that camps overnight on a consistent basis.
Occupy internet sites and forums make the anarchist justification: “destruction of property is not violence”. Some are arguing that since this movement is nascent, now is not the time for violence since it would alienate the mainstream – but that they would support its use once events have advanced sufficiently.” Even those who disagree with the use of violence and vandalism are unwilling to oppose or condemn Black Bloc; since that would be siding with “the enemy”. But there is real outrage for demonstrators labeled the “peace police”, for failing to respect “diversity of tactics”, who tried stop Black Bloc’s trashing of Whole Foods Market. The “coded idea is that if you are against destruction of property, you are aligning with those of privilege.”
In mid-October, a Time magazine national poll found: “Occupy movement has a 54 percent favorable rating; the Tea Party’s rating is 27 percent.” But after the vandalism in Oakland and reported rapes at Occupy encampments in New York, Dallas, Cleveland and Baltimore; 33% of Likely U.S. Voters hold a favorable view of the protesters, while 43% regard them unfavorably
Cold weather may slow Black Bloc down, but come spring these Marxist will go into overdrive. Last week Occupy Wall Street protesters gave a warm welcome to Alex Callinicos, professor of European Studies at King’s College in London, self-proclaimed Marxist, and author of: “The Anti-Capitalist Manifesto”. Asked if the upcoming revolution can be non-violent he responded violence could only be avoided if the: “1 percent accept the decisions of the 99 percent,” which he predicted would never happen. The growing Black Bloc violence is clearly meant to communicate that Occupy protests are not just against the top 1% anymore; they are against capitalism and the interests of the broad middle class.
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