Members of Occupy Boston posted a You Tube video documenting their occupation of the Israeli consulate on November 5, 2011 in response to Israel’s halting of the latest flotilla attempt to reach Gaza. The video, however, confirms what critics of the occupy movement have been saying for weeks: there is scant consistency in the movement as it inspires fringe groups to pursue agendas that are far from the movement’s initial condemnation of Wall Street greed.
Who Occupied Boston’s Israeli Consulate?
According to the You Tube posting, twenty protesters, primarily young people, marched to the site of the Israeli consulate chanting pro-Gaza slogans and “occupied” the lobby long enough to repeat slogans and “facts” fed to them by an older member. The impression left by the young occupiers sitting on the lobby floor was that they probably couldn’t point out Israel or Gaza on a world map. The video clip was subsequently posted on the Free Gaza Facebook page.
The Inconsistencies of the Occupy Movement
The term “occupy” has become a description of protest. November 5, 2011 was designated as “bank transfer day” and although not officially part of the occupy movement, the term was used liberally by social media and the press to draw comparisons to the many so-called grassroots occupiers angry with increasing bank fees. But transfer day was on a Saturday, a day almost every bank was closed.
At least some occupy protesters are part time participants that are working but appear eager to embrace a cause in their spare time. In Greensboro, North Carolina, for example, Facebook posts differentiate between the “24/7” committed campers living in a makeshift tent village and the not-so-committed helpers that might march with the group before returning to warm homes or apartments.
One occupier in the Carolina heartland posted a link about “ghetto foreclosures” which garnered the following response from another participant: “I think my dad is working on a case involving that. I’ll find out more and send it to you.” A careful reading of discussion posts on the Facebook pages of similar occupies movements across the nation shows similar examples. One Occupy Winston Salem protester promised, in a post, to be at a demonstration once he completed his workout at the local gym.
More Problems than Solutions
The occupy movement is no American “Arab Spring.” American voters attuned to the Republican primary are more concerned with the candidates’ views on job creation and economic growth rather than the evils of banking. Response to allegations of sexual harassment involving Herman Cain, for example, according to media interpretations of recent polls, demonstrates that Republican voters still support him. (Jon Cohen, Washington Post, November 4, 2011)
Washington Democrats and Republicans may already have figured out that what most voters are concerned about doesn't conform to the many occupy marches across the American nation. Americans are angry at arbitrary bank fees, but they also care deeply about job growth and run-away federal spending.
What began as a New York-based protest against Wall Street greed is becoming an open-ended ticket for any “cause” that can add “occupy” to its agenda. Thus, the anti-Israeli Boston group can identify with Occupy Boston. In Oakland, California, the occupy protest of November 2, 2011 was hijacked by a small group of anarchists, resulting in violence and destruction. In an October 20, 2011 item from Louisville, writer Terry Boyd comments on an anarchist group calling itself the Black Cross that attempted to infiltrate Occupy Louisville.
The goal of establishing occupy groups in every state has made the movement trendy. This also contributes to inconsistency. Many of the weekend participants angry at big banks, however, carry gas and store credit cards, many of which are owned and operated by the same large corporations and banks targeted by occupy anger. Two of the largest are Citibank and G.E. Money Bank.
The Metamorphosis of a Movement
When Occupy Wall Street began it was often compared to the conservative Tea Party. As the occupy movement expands, however, any initial comparisons have become blurred. Tea Party ideology may be dogmatic but remains focused while the occupy movement becomes more socially fluid, attracting participants with agendas far from the original movement’s goals. Occupy will be unable to effectively channel extremist groups away from media exposure and this will impact future support of the occupy movement.
Sources:
- Terry Boyd, “Paranoia on Jefferson Square: Are anarchists hijacking Occupy Louisville like the extreme right took over the Tea Party?” Insider Louisville, October 20, 2011
- Jon Cohen, “Cain rises in Post-ABC poll despite scandals; most Republicans dismiss allegations,” Washington Post, November 4, 2011
- Facebook pages: Occupy Greensboro, Occupy Winston Salem, Free Gaza, Occupy Oakland, Occupy Atlanta, Occupy Louisville
