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The problem with “Occupy Orange County” (or “OccupyOC” or “#OccupyOC”, whatever suits your fancy) is this: it’s not an occupation. It’s a series of rallies. If what had happened in Zuccotti Park, in New York’s Financial District, were simply a series of rallies, it would not have capture attention. Ditto, with more force, the protests in Madison Wisconsin earlier this year, or in Tahrir Square in Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world.
Sorry, but everybody will just have to wait their turn!
An “occupation” — whether a sit-down strike, a “Hooverville,” or a continuing bubbling protest lasting weeks, as in New York — sticks around. It gets in the way. It forces the larger society either to accommodate it — or, often, overreact to it. Whatever the merits one does or doesn’t see in occupation as a strategy (which I won’t address here), the event must be a prolonged and substantial disruption of normal activity or it isn’t an occupation. It’s just a rally. Don’t put the burden of expectation upon it that an occupation deserves.
So when I read that the the Plaza in Orange is being “occupied” today at noon, and that the financial district in Irvine is being “occupied” next Saturday, and that the Federal Building in Santa Ana is being “occupied” on the 22nd, what I say to myself is: “Oh, good — we’re having a series of solidarity rallies.” But that’s all they are. If you’re the police or another part of the government, you can wait out a solidarity rally. You can’t necessarily wait out an occupation, which is like a siege, and so you have to deal with it some other way. And that’s when things get both messy and interesting.
So while I’m all for a traveling series of solidarity rallies — I hear bubblings already about one coming to Fullerton — it mocks the success and the stakes of what is happening in New York to call them part of an “occupation.” Maybe the famed Santa Ana police horses will break up the rally there on the 22nd, but in that case they are just breaking up a rally — as many similar rallies have been broken up before. They would not be evicting people who had pledged to stay, as an irritant and a goad to the broader population, until they achieve enough of what they want.
The “occupation” happening in Los Angeles is also welcome — but is also unlike what has been taking place in New York. The Los Angeles City Council welcomes — embraces, feeds — the occupiers. This is no doubt well-intended — the politicians there know that there votes are likely to be sympathetic with the #Occupy movement — but it also lowers the stakes, turning the occupation into less of a strike and more of a tent city. Part of the problem is that Los Angeles, unlike Manhattan’s financial district, is just not that emotionally connected to the banking industry. (Try to occupy the movie and TV studios in Los Angeles and then you’ll see a strong institutional reaction!)
Orange County has some of the same disadvantages as a site for organizing as does, say, the state of Oregon, where the population is distributed between relatively small Portland, Beaverton, Salem, Eugene and Gresham (sort of Northern Oregon’s North Orange County) rather than concentrated in one area. (Of course, OC has no single municipality that stands out the way Portland does in the above list.) But we do have an advantage: we have a large concentration of extremely wealthy people who do have a similar (albeit smaller) stake in financial industries as one finds in Manhattan. Call them, perhaps, the “Hundredth of a Percent.”
In the Irvine/Newport Beach area — more so than Orange, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, or wherever else one might think of — progressive activists who want to disrupt normal social functioning do have a worthy target, if they want one. But the very worthiness of the target raises the stakes. The Irvine City Council is relatively liberal — but they depend enough on the commercial industries in the area that they could not likely cheerily agree to suffer and to feed an army of protesters. Newport Beach, on the other hand, would not even dream of enduring it. So if you want to highlight income inequality, there you have a choice — commercial or residential? — and a story to tell.
Am I beating the drum here for such an occupation? No — I don’t think it’s my place. This, unlike a one-day rally with a permit, would be serious stuff. People could get into serious trouble, seriously hurt both physically and financially. If activists want to do that, they have to make up their minds on their own. My point is simply that if one wants Downtown New York-style social disruption, highlighting income inequality, it’s not going to happen with one-day rallies (and, frankly, it’s probably not going to happen with “occupations” in Orange, Santa Ana, or Anaheim, either.) If you want to take on the super-rich — you go find the super-rich. And then prepare for the possibility that you’ll be treated like you’re homeless — if you catch my drift.
Mention of the homeless, of course, raises the big advantage that an Orange County has over a Manhattan: our celebrated weather. If you want to occupy rather than rally, you need people who are willing to sleep overnight. Who is most willing to do so? People who don’t have any other choice — who have nowhere else to go.
I don’t mean to disparage one-day rallies in places like Orange or Santa Ana; they are useful, in part for letting people know that others around them share their views and concerns and passions. But society rebounds from them quickly. Those attending such rallies are not poseurs — they’re standing up to be counted. But they’re also going to be discounted by the county’s power structure.
Imagine a different sort of protest for a moment.
How would Orange County society react if homeless people streamed in from across the country with plans to spend the winter camping in the stretch between South Coast Plaza, the Irvine Financial District, Newport Center, and along PCH from the Balboa Bay Club and down the Peninsula into Balboa Island? What if they demanded — and, let’s always keep in mind, non-violently — to be fed and given places to shower and restrooms, if they interacted daily with the cream of Orange County society there? Imagine that for a moment and you see the difference between a Rally and an Occupation. Imagine that and you get a sense of what has been happening around Wall Street, around the Middle East.
Yes, I favor solidarity. But don’t flatter yourself in thinking that you’re engaging in an “occupation” when you aren’t.
Am I proposing this above plan? Frankly, no. For one thing, I doubt that OC as an activist center is up to it. (We ain’t Manhattan in more ways than one.) But if and when you someday hear proposals like that being discussed in earnest, then you will know that Orange County protest has moved from the arena of the symbolic to that of the real.
I doubt that this will happen this year or even next. But if you want to see the specter that might await, if income equality and avaricious looting by “the .01%” intensify, then imagine that sort of non-violent occupation along the Gold Coast. This truly would be the — mild and sunny, of course — winter of Orange County’s discontent.
Well, Greg, like I told you on the phone just now, the word “Occupy” has rapidly become “branded” now. So when we say “Occupy Orange County” nobody is really talking about occupying Orange County, but rallying in Orange County in support of the OCCUPY WALL STREET movement.
I would like to see some of those ideas of yours eventually happen though!
Writing from the Starbucks by the Orange Circle – just heading back out to the Occupy Rally now! – over and out, Vern…
Enjoy the rally! It’s a shame that God had to schedule Yom Kipoor for the same day.
I see a lot of loose talk failing to distinguish between what happened in Madison or Manhattan and what happened here. If people talk about it as a solidarity rally, that’s fine. But this is a serious strategy and Orange County is a serious target for it, if people decided to go that way. I want to underline that we’re not doing what they’re doing — although, conceivably, we could. (At a very high price.)
By the way, Brown just signed the California Dream Act. Let people know!
500 people currently Occupying Sacramento! Yay!!!
See, that’s the thing right there:
“Occupying Sacramento” or “holding a rally in Sacramento in support of Occupy Wall Street”?
The news you’re conveying is very different depending on which it is.
Yeah, I’m with you dude. This thing needs to be re-branded.
Maybe Geoff Willis can call in his buddy Frank Luntz. Oh wait, I forgot…it’s the LEFT who’s had a stranglehold on language for the last few decades.
If “occupy” is another example of that, then they ain’t squeezing hard enough.
onan,
As usually you are wrong!
When you are forming a coalition you need simple common cause slogan and spread it like a seed to germinate.
You would never plant one seed in Wall street and than dance around the country to see if that seed will germinate.
NO!.. you plant millions of seeds and benefit from these which will make it — the thousands will not. That is a rule of nature.
Therefore, it is “occupation” at each location which counts not rally in support of one ocupation.
This movement is without a cause only an exercise to form a coalition.
The real act will happen down the road and it will be more defined, trust me.
And Frank Luntz has noting to do with that nor it does any language.
This is spontaneous GRASS ROOT as it can get.
The danger is that there will be an individual who will hijack it for his own purposes.
Lenin hijack the unrest against Czar in Russia and Hitler hijack the unrest against Banks causing high inflation.
Actually we are flowing the German model because Germany was most industrialized in oppose to Russia which was dirt poor.
It is too soon for you leftist to understand it.
Damn – it’s Stanislav who’s making sense today. Fancy that.
Stanley, just because you think it’s an “occupation” at each location, it doesn’t mean you have to literally call it that. There are other words one can use.
We’ll just have to disagree that “Occupy” is the right word, won’t we?
onan,
Every living organism must “occupy” a space and consume “energy” other than its own.
The life is not about what I or you or Nelson thinks.
The life is because you can witness it.
Please freshen up on quantum physic, skip liberal arts.
Yes, Stanley, I “occupy” a space. I also “inhabit” it. I also “reside” in it.
There’s more than one way to describe and name something.
“There’s more than one way to describe and name something”…… Hmmmm.
True!
But only one way will be correct!
Vern, you’re worrying me! Ask yourself: does it make sense to take advice from Faila on how best to do progressive activism? “IT’S A TRAP!”
Obviously it is a “IT’S A TRAP!” you Encino moron mongoloid because Fiala has KGB education and a degree in political science.
Greg,
Capitalizing “Occupying” should have imparted that Sacramento is partaking in the Occupy endeavor which is to say Sacramentans are supporting Occupy Wall Street. Had I written “occupy,” I could understand your confusion …
Mmmmm, yeah, but part of the communication is how it sounds in your head when you read it. Capitalizing the “O” doesn’t change that at all…it still sounds the same.
Thanks for the clarification. From now on, I’ll refer to it verbally as “Capital-O ‘Occupy’ Orange County.” If people don’t get it then I’ll say “please take it up with Laura.”
Seriously, not to be snotty, but I think that the word “Occupy” has a political meaning worth preserving.
You two leftists have been looking for each other Nelson and Encino.
As to the dream act, I do prefer when Vern is dreaming because it is among consenting adults.
Brown’s and Obama’s dreams are right on the schedule with my prediction.
The occupations are as I predicted, when Brown and Obama were elected, (see my past posts) right on schedule.
Since leftist philosophy can’t fix economical problems, it will get worse and worse and that is good. Only empty stomachs force public to act. Leftists are experts to do that.
I am very happy that white will hurt by this dream act and other leftist crapola cumming from the left so they get over their guilt and start fighting this illegal occupation of our land.
The good indicator will be whether or not we can overturn dream act on the referendum and get some communists out from the Sacramento next election.
You realize that Vern and I are disagreeing here, right? Maybe it’s the enormous gentility on both our parts that has you confused.
I didn’t read the rest of your comment. My neurons had a General Assembly and voted against that action.
“My neurons had a General Assembly and voted against that action.”….. Hmmmm
Did you ejaculated Ecino?
Thanks for playing. Good night.
The devil never sleeps!
The Occupy Irvine folks seem to be intent on sticking to your descriptions. They billed this Orange Plaza protest as a rally to gather support for their occupation of the Irvine Financial District. They intend to camp out and “Occupy” the space.
Do you know where they’ll be getting legal advice? I can try to get some people together, though many may have conflicts.
Greg I’ll send you a link – there’s actually a form to fill out to be part of the “legal team.”
Ah. Here ’tis:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&pli=1&formkey=dE9CVFdpOHQwS0hYZTRjTHp2Mm9QUlE6MQ#gid=0
Good to be on the list when the FBI will get access to it!
“Cowards die a thousand deaths,” Camarillo.
I have Geronimo with rifle in his hand T-shirt stating: Dead cowboys are my heroes.
I have that same t-shirt!
Here is my T-Shirt in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fO8RtgIzrk
Thank you, sir! I signed up for Legal, Civic Liaison, and Conflict Resolution, with scallion pancakes on the side.
I signed up for Legal, Civic Liaison, and Conflict Resolution, when the Union boys start putting on the brown shirts.
Greg, as you probably have sensed by now. The true spirit of “Occupy” is about political renewal, freedom, and volunteerism, and charity and love and survival. So If you think that you have something in terms of advice or know professionals that can help and not sabotage or selfishly profit by the situation then by all means contact the “occupy O.C” group through facebook. or as I did, through the website or word of mouth.
I have done so (and have been involved in discussions elsewhere with OWS itself.) I get the same sense of it as you do; the trick is to get people see the targets, rather than the protesters, as “the Other.” So far, so good.
I don’t think that #Occupy has to be an occupation; I just think that something is lost when we fail to distinguish between a rally an an occupation. If OccupyOC is to be an occupation, though, then I think people have to be more ready for it than I’ve perceived (admittedly second-hand) so far. Unlike Manhattan’s protesters, we don’t have long and extensive experience here with being penned and gassed, etc.
I’ll be writing more about “imagining that future” this week. My best prediction right now is that there are a lot of very excited law enforcement officers down in the central coast, planning away and finding places to pen people up short term. (I hear that Temecula is lovely this time of year.)
This will change us all if it turns from a rally to an occupation.
or blogs. Blogs have been great for the Revolution.
There was a revolution? Was it televised?
2XInd. MIGHT be referring to the Arab Spring, as well as the pretty robust attempts in Wisconsin and Wall Street so far…
OK. I’m used to sarcasm on blogs. Earnestness confuses me. ;7)
Wounded Knee was when brothers Russell and Dennis said “Do we have your attention now?????”
My idea to focus on Santa Ana was shot down by the four horseman who have decided Irvine is the place to be. I returned to critical mass L.A.
Irvine on the 15th, Oddcat. And Santa Ana on the 22nd. And this Tuesday, the Truman Dinner.
We need to Freeway Blog, old roomie.
Depending on what car I take, Irvine can be as much as a $10 round-trip from my part of the county. I can probably be of better use donating the money.
I do think that Irvine’s a better choice than Santa Ana for this protest, though, and am interested (sincerely, not “let me shoot you down”) in why you think otherwise. “The .01%” in this county are not disturbed by what happens on the streets in Santa Ana. Cross south of the 405, though (or get near to it), and you get their attention. That’s my theory, anyway. Reasonable people can disagree, and if they do, LA is ready for them.
This is all sounding somewhat like a 70’s happening – where are the flower children?
They are there with the union workers, the blacks and latinos, the religious people, the teabaggers, and everyone else.
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
I’m glad to see protest culture grow some roots. It’s not like we lack for targets.
Yes, this “movement” is poorly branded. And while I understand the strategy discussed by the “plant many different seeds in different places, and see what grows” strategy, I have to think a better one would be to get behind something simple, like DFA’s, simple, 10 point CONTRACT FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM. This ten-point plan seems to cover most, if not possibly all, the bases. To improve the lot of the “ordinary” U.S. citizen, we will also need to attract major MONEY, i.e. individuals and foundations that are visionary enough to look ahead into the future, say 250 years (or the approximate period since the founding of the USA), and see where our current “competetion at all cost”, social Darwinism, coupled with amazing developments in technology and organizational self-service, is going to take us.
What is the D.F.A.?
I go to the DFA once a month – real nice group of Progressive Democrats. Democracy For America. I went to their monthly meeting last Wednesday and I can tell you that everyone there was more excited about the OCCUPY movement than anything else we were doing.
Some of us are also gonna be at the Occupy the Democratic Party event Tuesday night. Oh – maybe I haven’t mentioned that yet on this blog.
Welcome Hamrod, but I still contend this movement is JUST AS BRANDED as it needs to be.
Hey,….. it’s better than sitting on your ass in front of a computer bitching about things…..so they only “Occupy” things for a few hours or so….I agree it would be great to set up camp at Fashion Island for a month or so, really take it to the 1%, we”d be trucked over to some motel in Costa Mesa faster than you could say ” Ben Bernanke”.
Unfortunately, most of us, Vern excluded, care where we sleep at night. So to start a camped out mob spread over the gelatinous municipal mess that makes up OC is rather problematic. Although starting Wednesday begins the Jewish tradition of the Festival of Shelters. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/taste-320610-bible-good.html
That might throw a kink in some aggressive city attorneys actions against camping out in city boundaries.
Haha — I like that as the basis for an occupation.
“I’m gonna get you, sukkahs!”
They don’t “occupy” things at all, unless you use the word in the sense that shoppers “occupy” South Coast Plaza.
You’re right that most people care what they sleep (although I note that many of the #OccupyWallStreet protesters do stay there overnight, and in much less clement weather.) That’s why I suspect that in Southern California the likeliest “occupiers” would be the homeless. It’s also why I think that, as in New York, it would be most effective politically to have people in one spot.
That is not my call. I’m just describing what makes for an effective protest.
I have been laughing all day at the stupid Alabama protest, when the idiot would not like the civil rights leader speak. Like I said, you only have to look at the idiots at these protests to realize that they are just bored bums, wanting a reason for a party. The Tea party people were well mannered and clean, were as the left moronic movement took a dump on a cop car, refused to let a civil right speaker speak (which was weird beyond belief) and accosted old jewish men…..I look at the Occupy La, NYC, etc…and see trash!
“I have been laughing all day”…. Hmmmmm
Caveat: One who loughs last is laughing best.
That’s funny. I had taken you for the sort who would be more likely to laugh all day after putting a heating element into a fish tank.
what happens if they succeed and there is no one to pay for their welfare checks and food stamps and college grants?? how will they buy their ipads and cell phones. i bet all these downtrodden have a place to live, food, utilities, a tv or two, a car, monthly cell phone bills they can pay, go out and eat, etc. etc. Is it just that someone has more? My income is in the very low range btw and I just make ends meet so don’t attack me as some rich guy. I just never thought about hating people who had more. Yes, this is a very tough time for most, including me. Time to vote out Obama and the CA democrats and reform police and firefighter pensions. E verify, get the illegals to self deport. This will raise wages and increase available jobs for legals. Install a flat tax so when the rich spend their money we get a good chunk in taxes rather than let them hide behind a bunch of deductions. America is the land of opportunity. We all get a spot at the starting line, the finish is decided by the individual. God Bless America and let’s all give thanks for our wonderful country that could use a little tinkering to get back on track. Remember the seven deadlies, those mobs don’t.