How the Wounding of a Vet Who Dared to Dissent Has Stirred More Dissent
by John Nichols, The Nation
“We Are All Scott Olsen!” was the message of vigils held across the United States Thursday night, held in answer to a call from Iraq Veterans Against the War and Occupy Oakland for “occupations across America and around the world to hold solidarity vigils” recognizing Olsen, the former Marine and Iraq War veteran who activists say “sustained a skull fracture after being shot in the head on October 25 with a police projectile while peacefully participating in an Occupy Oakland protest.
In cities across the United States and around the world, "We Are Scott Olsen" vigils, rallies and marches were held. Thousands attended a candlelight vigil in Oakland. In Las Vegas, an image of Olsen was projected at the site of the Occupy encampment. In New York, Occupy Wall Street activist took to the streets chanting "New York is Oakland, Oakland is New York." As far away as London, images of Olsen were displayed at gatherings. The buzz about the wounding of the 24-year-old veteran seemed to be everywhere, and was perhaps best summed up by a message from an activist who had protested at Wisconsin's state Capitol with Olsen in February. It read: "He could be any one of us."
The Washington-insider website Politico speculated about whether the wounding of Olsen would be the Occupy movement's "Kent State moment," a reference to the 1970 killing of four students at an anti-war demonstration in Ohio. No one was killed in Oakland, and Olsen is now expected to recover, although he remains hospilized and is unable to speak. But the images of the young former Marine, standing peacefully in the frontlines of the protest in Oakland -- next to a Navy vet holding a "Veterans for Peace" flag -- and the images from just moments later of Olsen lying on the ground wounded as medics rush to his aid have both shocked and energized activists, in much the same way that violent responses to civil rights and anti-war demonstrations in the 1960s did -- and in much the way that official violence against anti-WTO activists in Seattle in 1999 shifted sentiment in favor of the protests.[ ... ]
Iraq Veterans Against the War featured a statement on its website Wednesday night that read: “It’s ironic that days after Obama’s announcement of the end of the Iraq War, Scott faced a veritable war zone in the streets of Oakland last night. He and other protesters were surrounded by explosions and smoke (tear gas) going off around him as people nearby carried him injured while yelling for a medic. This disturbing video of the incident shows how veterans are now fighting a war at home.”
In fact, it’s not so ironic. Returning veterans who have sought to exercise their rights at home have, at many points in American history, been the victims of violence—especially when they have made demands of Wall Street. When a “Bonus Army” consisting of thousands of World War I veterans camped near the Capitol in Washington, DC, in the summer of 1932—demanding payment of bonuses they had been promised for their service, and that they needed to survive in those Depression Days—they were attacked first by the police and then by the US Army,
Two veterans were killed. One of them, Eric Carlson, was from Oakland, California.
The revulsion at the attacks on the veterans in 1932 would eventually lead to a decision by the Congress of $2 billion to pay immediate bonuses to the World War I veterans.
Retired Major General Smedley Darlington Butler, a two-time recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, joined the Bonus Army at its encampment and supported its demands. Bulter is today remembered for his epic denunciation of the military-industrial complex:
I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class thug for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.
But after the attack on the Bonus Army, he issued an even blunter declaration, announcing in 1933 that: “I believe in…taking Wall St. by the throat and shaking it up.”
Olga Zinoviev: STOP FEEDING WALL STREET!
Olga Zinoviev's Appeal to the Citizens of Russia and the World
STOP FEEDING WALL STREET!
Dear fellow citizens, all decent, thinking people of Russia!
I, Olga Zinoviev, wife and curator of the Russian thinker Alexander Zinoviev's intellectual heritage, appeal to you.
More than 20 years have passed since the collapse of the Soviet Union -- the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th Century -- as Alexander Zinoviev aptly described this event.
For 20 years our country, in his prophetic words, has been a colonial democracy. Russia's life blood is being sucked from her drop by drop by those who aimed their fire at communism but hit Russia.
During this period more than 3 trillion dollars of capital have been taken out of Russia. This is a shocking amount. With this money it would have been possible to repair the damage suffered by our huge country during the Great Patriotic War, the war with fascism, 5 times over.
During this year alone (as yet unfinished) more than 50 billion dollars have already been taken out of Russia.
The Russian Stabilisation Fund is held in inflated United States bonds, and the fund itself is neither
transparent nor under the control of the people.
All the money is credited to the account of the richest country in the world. Instead of being used for the construction in Russia of new roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, an appropriate level of funding for science and education, and everything else which counts as investing in ones own people.
Every rouble which is invested in Wall Street, every rouble of colonial tribute is an act of treachery towards ones own people.
STOP FEEDING WALL STREET!
Today Russia, a poor country in which more than 20 million people go hungry, who live below the poverty line, is one of the 10 countries to have invested the most in the USA. Our country, lacerated by the unimaginable extent of the monetary outflow is cynically being carved up and sold off, as happens in the trade of human organs or even human beings.
The whole country is working for world-wide speculators and financial deals with Wall Street. Money earned by the incredible labour of the entire people is going into the most dishonourable financial soap-bubble in human history.
The Russian people have not been robbed in this way since the times of the Tartar Yoke. Now Russia is suffering under the much more cruel yoke of the world financial pyramid, the `Moloch' of the 21st Century.
I appeal to all the citizens of Russia -- speak out; later you will not be able to forgive yourself for your indifferent silence.
STOP FEEDING WALL STREET!
We are being fobbed off with a surrogate agenda, we are being required to address secondary problems, they are trying to reorient our awareness with distracting requests and invented slogans which sound appalling in the remote villages deep in the heart of ill-treated Russia. It is the people who are paying the excessive colonial tribute, which has been imposed on our country, enslaved by global capitalism. We are told that the actions of "Occupy Wall Street" are not relevant to Russia, that the movement is of no interest to our citizens.
This is a lie. It is simply that, as usual, we are not told the whole truth. Wall Street -- the insatiable American Golden Horde -- represents a greater danger for Russia than it does for the ordinary American citizen.
STOP FEEDING WALL STREET!
This is our answer in solidarity to all those who are dissatisfied with the global dictatorship of financial capital.
I appeal to all the citizen of the creditor countries of Wall Street and the USA, to the donor countries such as China, Europe, Japan, Venezuela, to all the countries in OPEC, to Australia, Brazil, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canada and all those who invest in Wall Street at the expense of their own people.
Today there are acts of protest all over the world against the financial blackmail imposed by Wall Street. The world understands the cause of its illness.
STOP FEEDING WALL STREET!
Enough of meekly allowing our children and grandchildren to be robbed! Do not be silent! Our children and grandchildren will not forgive us.
In the words of that man for all seasons, Alexander Zinoviev, - a prophet who returned to his mother country after the bombing of Serbia by NATO forces, prepared to share the lot of his own people to the very end:
Be alive, be mobile, be active! Act -- using all of the intellectual resources at your disposal.
Be true to yourself, to our country, our Motherland. We are not indifferent to what is happening to Russia.
The most powerful force in the world is Truth.
STOP FEEDING WALL STREET!
Olga Zinoviev,
Comes Rectoris Universitatis, Universität Augsburg,
Russian-Bavarian Alexander Zinoviev Research Center,
Editor-in-Chief, Magazine «ZINOVIEV»
Moscow, Russia,
October 29, 2011
How the Wounding of a Vet Who Dared to Dissent Has Stirred More Dissent
by John Nichols, The Nation
“We Are All Scott Olsen!” was the message of vigils held across the United States Thursday night, held in answer to a call from Iraq Veterans Against the War and Occupy Oakland for “occupations across America and around the world to hold solidarity vigils” recognizing Olsen, the former Marine and Iraq War veteran who activists say “sustained a skull fracture after being shot in the head on October 25 with a police projectile while peacefully participating in an Occupy Oakland protest.
In cities across the United States and around the world, "We Are Scott Olsen" vigils, rallies and marches were held. Thousands attended a candlelight vigil in Oakland. In Las Vegas, an image of Olsen was projected at the site of the Occupy encampment. In New York, Occupy Wall Street activist took to the streets chanting "New York is Oakland, Oakland is New York." As far away as London, images of Olsen were displayed at gatherings. The buzz about the wounding of the 24-year-old veteran seemed to be everywhere, and was perhaps best summed up by a message from an activist who had protested at Wisconsin's state Capitol with Olsen in February. It read: "He could be any one of us."
The Washington-insider website Politico speculated about whether the wounding of Olsen would be the Occupy movement's "Kent State moment," a reference to the 1970 killing of four students at an anti-war demonstration in Ohio. No one was killed in Oakland, and Olsen is now expected to recover, although he remains hospilized and is unable to speak. But the images of the young former Marine, standing peacefully in the frontlines of the protest in Oakland -- next to a Navy vet holding a "Veterans for Peace" flag -- and the images from just moments later of Olsen lying on the ground wounded as medics rush to his aid have both shocked and energized activists, in much the same way that violent responses to civil rights and anti-war demonstrations in the 1960s did -- and in much the way that official violence against anti-WTO activists in Seattle in 1999 shifted sentiment in favor of the protests.[ ... ]
Iraq Veterans Against the War featured a statement on its website Wednesday night that read: “It’s ironic that days after Obama’s announcement of the end of the Iraq War, Scott faced a veritable war zone in the streets of Oakland last night. He and other protesters were surrounded by explosions and smoke (tear gas) going off around him as people nearby carried him injured while yelling for a medic. This disturbing video of the incident shows how veterans are now fighting a war at home.”
In fact, it’s not so ironic. Returning veterans who have sought to exercise their rights at home have, at many points in American history, been the victims of violence—especially when they have made demands of Wall Street. When a “Bonus Army” consisting of thousands of World War I veterans camped near the Capitol in Washington, DC, in the summer of 1932—demanding payment of bonuses they had been promised for their service, and that they needed to survive in those Depression Days—they were attacked first by the police and then by the US Army,
Two veterans were killed. One of them, Eric Carlson, was from Oakland, California.
The revulsion at the attacks on the veterans in 1932 would eventually lead to a decision by the Congress of $2 billion to pay immediate bonuses to the World War I veterans.
Retired Major General Smedley Darlington Butler, a two-time recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, joined the Bonus Army at its encampment and supported its demands. Bulter is today remembered for his epic denunciation of the military-industrial complex:
I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class thug for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.
But after the attack on the Bonus Army, he issued an even blunter declaration, announcing in 1933 that: “I believe in…taking Wall St. by the throat and shaking it up.”
Civil disobedience gathers steam in Athens
An anti-tax rebellion is brewing in Greece, where the embattled government continues to bring in new spending cuts and tax rises. Now, even elected local officials are joining the fray in a seemingly random but increasingly prevalent wave of civil disobedience.
The Decade Wall Street Went Insane - The Zeroes part 1
At the turn of the millennium, Randall Lane, former head of Forbes' Washington bureau, knew what this decade would be about. He started Trader Monthly -- a slick glossy magazine that was to become the GQ of Wall Street. It portrayed a glamorous world of yachts and private jets, fine wines and lavish mansions. Meanwhile, trading floors were functioning like giant casinos, and the banking community was gambling with the average Joe's savings.
Lane and his company got caught up in the madness. They had front row seats to the vast wealth of Wall Street -- and they dreamed that some crumbs would fall their way.
In "The Zeroes," we get a ringside seat alongside Lane to some of the biggest parties of the decade, including a Wall Street "Charity" boxing night held at Manhattan's lavish Hammerstein Ballroom. This 5-part web series pits the fantasy of unlimited growth against the wheeling-and-dealing of Wall Street's glitzy surface.
A morality tale uniquely fitted for our times, "The Zeroes" cuts to the heart of what drove America to believe in dreams too good to be true,
Dalai Lama says China policy in Tibet cause of self-immolation deaths
Tibet’s exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, pointed to what he called China’s “ruthless policy” as prompting the recent deaths of Tibetan monks who set themselves on fire in protest.
Occupy Belo Monte: indigenous stage "permanent" protest against Amazon dam in Brazil
Hundreds of people are participating in a protest against the controversial Belo Monte dam in Altamira, Brazil, reports Amazon Watch.
Occupy the Nor-easter - Wall Street October 29, 2011
I went down to OWS to see how folks were fairing during the nor-easter. The weather was bleak, but spirits were high. I don't think these folks are going any where any time soon. Support your local #occupation this winter.
http://Goodrules.us
Massive rally swamps Tel Aviv
http://rt.com/news/massive-rally-tel-aviv-079/
Prisons, Wars, and the Lust for Profit
In the 21st century the United States of America has rushed head long in to turning the incarceration of human beings into a thriving profit-driven and increasingly privatized business. This nation, in fact, has the the largest documented rate of imprisonment in the world.
Angela Davis at Occupy Philadelphia
The Triumph of America's Supranational Emergency State
On October 26, 2001, the Bush administration and U.S. Congress passed the Patriot (Traitor) Act and used the false flag 9/11 attacks to sell it to the American people.
What the Costumes Reveal
Let me describe a few of the photos. In one, two Baum employees are dressed like homeless people. One is holding a bottle of liquor. The other has a sign around her neck that reads: “3rd party squatter. I lost my home and I was never served.” My source said that “I was never served” is meant to mock “the typical excuse” of the homeowner trying to evade a foreclosure proceeding.
5 Economic Collapses More Ridiculous Than This One
Apocalypse Redux? U.S. Natural Gas Find off Vietnam Could Raise Tensions with China
First, the good news…
U.S. oil company ExxonMobil is reporting a “potentially significant” gas discovery off the coast of Vietnam, stating in a press release, "We can confirm ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Vietnam Limited drilled its second exploration well offshore Danang in August 2011 and encountered hydrocarbons."
Photography of Police dismantling Occupy Oakland
Occupy Dame Street: Day Twenty-One
Occupy Dame Street: Day Twenty-One from Dave Donnellan on Vimeo.
The General Assembly of the Occupy movement worldwide is a key part of its structure. It is open to all members of the public to participate. And whilst this is an admirable attempt at inclusion and open democracy it is not without its problems.At this assembly on the 28 Oct a proposal was made to enter into an alliance with the Enough is Enough campaign which is working against the austerity measures of the Irish Government. The government measures have hit grassroots groups particularly hard. Concerns were expressed though by members of Occupy Dame Street that Enough is Enough was a 'front' for the Socialist Workers Party an active political party in the Dublin region. These claims were rejected by the Enough is Enough campaign. The video shows some of the exchanges during the meeting.
Documenting a movement: iReport photographers capture Occupy
iReporter Sarah Beth Boynton has shot a whole portfolio of Occupy Salt Lake City images. She's not part of the Occupy movement, but she thought its story deserved to be told.
Occupy Wall Street - Songs Of Protest (29-Oct-11)(POLITICS IN ACTION series)
How to Photograph a Protest (Like Occupy Wall Street)
In many ways, it's certainly easier to photograph protests and demonstrations. They're colorful, exciting, and offer countless photographic opportunities -- and these days especially everyone expects to be photographed so even the newbie documentary or street photographer with a hesitation over photographing random strangers need not be too inhibited. But then again, there are good protest photographs and plenty of bad ones.
Brainwashed Two: What Is Anarchy
My take on Anarchy, as limited as that is. It serves as a once-over. Had this one rolling around for a long time, and I'm glad to FINALLY get it out there under the "Brainwashed" series.
One note about this: I really neglected to properly give the impression of how huge this movement is. It's monumental. It makes the rebellion of the 60s look quaint. A media blackout has the non-participants fooled into thinking there's nothing for them to do. THAT's why this appears in the "Brainwashed" series.
And it does it without a leader, OR needing everybody to be "on the same page".
Think about that.
Music: "TGI Doomsday" by Blackstrap
Anonymous – CIA Fear Pump / True Democracy Party Calls For “END THE FED DAY” : “FREEDOM FROM THE FED DAY” When They Move, We Move!
Monopolise Resistance? - how Globalise Resistance would hijack revolt...
"The protesters are winning. They are winning on the streets. Before too long they will be winning the argument. Globalisation is fast becoming a cause without credible champions." Financial Times, 17th August 2001
Top 10 Bizarre Belief Systems
Gladio (5 of 16)
3/10/1970
"There may be times when HC (Host Country) governments show passivity or indecision in face of Communist or Communist-inspired subversion, and react with inadequate vigor to intelligence estimates transmitted by U.S. agencies. Such situations are particularly likely to arise when the insurgency seeks to achieve tactical advantage by temporarily refraining from violence, thus lulling HC authorities into a state of false security. In such cases, U.S. Army intelligence must have the means of launching special operations which will convince HC governments and public opinion of the reality of the insurgent danger and of the necessity of counteraction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu6VqFeWr9A&#t=4m07s
To this end, U.S. Army intelligence should seek to penetrate the insurgency by means of agents on special assignment, with the task of forming special action groups among the more radical elements of the insurgency. When the kind of situation envisaged above arises, these groups, acting under U.S. Army intelligence control, should be used to launch violent or non-violent actions according to the nature of the case. Such actions could include those described in FM 30-31 as characterizing Phases II and III of insurgency.
In cases where the infiltration of such agents into insurgent leadership has not been effectively implemented, it may help towards the achievement of the above ends to utilize ultra-leftist organizations."
http://cryptome.org/inscom-foia02.htm
Revealed: The secret report that shows how the Nazis planned a Fourth Reich ...in the EU
The paper is aged and fragile, the typewritten letters slowly fading. But US Military Intelligence report EW-Pa 128 is as chilling now as the day it was written in November 1944.
US Military Intelligence report EW-Pa 128
Enclosure No. 1 to despatch No. 19,489 of Nov. 27, 1944, from
the Embassy at London, England.
S E C R E T
SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
Office of Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2
7 November 1944
INTELLIGENCE REPORT NO. EW-Pa 128
SUBJECT: Plans of German industrialists to engage in undergroundactivity after Germany’s defeat; flow of capital to neutral countries.
SOURCE: Agent of French Deuxieme Bureau, recommendedby Commandant Zindel. This agent is regarded asreliable and has worked for the French on Germanproblems since 1916. He was in close contact withthe Germans, particularly industrialists, duringthe occupation of France and he visited Germanyas late as August, 1944
Koudelka brings Prague Spring to Russia
Moscow is set to host the first ever-Russian personal display by legendary Magnum photographer Josef Koudelka, the creator of the world famous Prague Spring series.
Occupy camps an eye-sore? Let’s compare photos…
There are many comments from several “concerned” officials – and citizens – that the Occupy camps are “eyesores” and express concerns over sanitary issues. Many city officials are using these excuses to shut down and remove camps set up within various cities around the world.
Let us take a look and compare these “eyesores” and “unsanitary” camps to other areas around the world which draw in, or have drawn in, grotesque amounts of profit…
Occupy The World ('Put On' Occupy Wall Street Remix)
A remix of Young Jeezy's Put On for Occupy Wall Street
by Ryan Sartor & DP THoT
