Not a leader
I'd like to address your repeated characterizations of me as a leader of Occupy Winston-Salem ("Protesters have rights; specifics needed," Oct. 14; " 'This is a people's movement,' " Oct. 9). The Occupy movement has no leaders because none are needed. We all share in moving the group forward. If you feel it necessary to give me a title, how about "doer"? I've seen things that needed to get done, and I did them. There are many people in the group who contribute just as much as I have and get no credit.
We make our decisions using consensus. Through consensus, every voice is heard. Those who disagree with an item being voted on can "block" it and state their case. It's a long and sometimes agonizing process that requires a lot of patience and leaves no room for ego. A facilitator is chosen at the beginning of each meeting to help keep order and move the conversations along. The people plan our course of action, not me or any other individual.
Any actions that take place after the assembly are done by whoever takes the initiative to do them. I have a lot of initiative and motivation, but that doesn't qualify me to lead anyone. I'm a high-school dropout who makes websites for a living. Before this I had never protested in my life, nor had I written a press release, taught nonviolence or facilitated a general assembly. We've been learning by doing, and doers are exactly what we need.
MARCUS HODGES
Winston-Salem
A huge success
The co-founders of Equality Winston-Salem would like to thank everyone who made Pride 2011 a huge success on Oct. 15: our sponsors; the police department for its traffic management and flexibility in extending our parade route to accommodate the 1,000 parade participants; our Grand Marshal, N.C. Rep. Marcus Brandon, and all other former and current elected city officials and politicians who appeared for support; all city permit and utilities employees; our 61 vendors who lined the street; city businesses that offered support; all media outlets for promotional and informational coverage; all LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning) family members and straight allies who signed the signature ad for the Journal; our Equality lead committee of 30 volunteers, and the 100 parade and event volunteers who worked for them; the parade participants and entertainment performers/volunteers; the more than 20 LGBTQ groups and the 12 churches in the Interfaith Consortium who provided additional volunteerism; and certainly the 4,000 others who came to support and enjoy this wonderful day, which included our many cherished straight allies.
Our goal was to increase our visibility in the community and make everyone aware that there are actually thousands of people (not just a "few groups") in this county who are denied equality and full citizen rights. As more churches join the consortium and more people recognize the need for equality, we look forward to doubling our size in Pride 2012! Many thanks to all.
DIRK ROBERTSON
REPRESENTING THE CO-FOUNDERS OF EQUALITY WINSTON-SALEM
Winston-Salem
I'd like to address your repeated characterizations of me as a leader of Occupy Winston-Salem ("Protesters have rights; specifics needed," Oct. 14; " 'This is a people's movement,' " Oct. 9). The Occupy movement has no leaders because none are needed. We all share in moving the group forward. If you feel it necessary to give me a title, how about "doer"? I've seen things that needed to get done, and I did them. There are many people in the group who contribute just as much as I have and get no credit.
We make our decisions using consensus. Through consensus, every voice is heard. Those who disagree with an item being voted on can "block" it and state their case. It's a long and sometimes agonizing process that requires a lot of patience and leaves no room for ego. A facilitator is chosen at the beginning of each meeting to help keep order and move the conversations along. The people plan our course of action, not me or any other individual.
Any actions that take place after the assembly are done by whoever takes the initiative to do them. I have a lot of initiative and motivation, but that doesn't qualify me to lead anyone. I'm a high-school dropout who makes websites for a living. Before this I had never protested in my life, nor had I written a press release, taught nonviolence or facilitated a general assembly. We've been learning by doing, and doers are exactly what we need.
MARCUS HODGES
Winston-Salem
A huge success
The co-founders of Equality Winston-Salem would like to thank everyone who made Pride 2011 a huge success on Oct. 15: our sponsors; the police department for its traffic management and flexibility in extending our parade route to accommodate the 1,000 parade participants; our Grand Marshal, N.C. Rep. Marcus Brandon, and all other former and current elected city officials and politicians who appeared for support; all city permit and utilities employees; our 61 vendors who lined the street; city businesses that offered support; all media outlets for promotional and informational coverage; all LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning) family members and straight allies who signed the signature ad for the Journal; our Equality lead committee of 30 volunteers, and the 100 parade and event volunteers who worked for them; the parade participants and entertainment performers/volunteers; the more than 20 LGBTQ groups and the 12 churches in the Interfaith Consortium who provided additional volunteerism; and certainly the 4,000 others who came to support and enjoy this wonderful day, which included our many cherished straight allies.
Our goal was to increase our visibility in the community and make everyone aware that there are actually thousands of people (not just a "few groups") in this county who are denied equality and full citizen rights. As more churches join the consortium and more people recognize the need for equality, we look forward to doubling our size in Pride 2012! Many thanks to all.
DIRK ROBERTSON
REPRESENTING THE CO-FOUNDERS OF EQUALITY WINSTON-SALEM
Winston-Salem
Not a leader. Sounds very Quaker.
ReplyDeleteWhitewall.....what do the 'Occupy Wall St' people want? Do they want capitalism to be destroyed, and for total socialism to take its place?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the movement is going nowhere to me.
Bucky...from pollster and analyst Doug Shoen re the OWS "Demands Group" presentation: "Their Demands Group has put forward their agenda, subsequent to the publication of my poll. And their demands closely mirror what my survey showed they want.
ReplyDeleteThe core essence of their proposals involve $1.5 trillion in new revenue to create 25 million public sector jobs paying union wages, free public transportation, free university education, a single payer health care system and other initiatives.
They also favor "reappropriating our business structures and culture, putting people and the earth before profit."
Further, they want to end free trade, spend a trillion additional dollars on environmental programs, and forgive all debt".
Citations WW? I've been looking for an official pronouncement of proposals.
ReplyDeleteBob....Now There's No Doubt About What Occupy Wall Street Believes
ReplyDeleteBy Douglas E. Schoen
Published October 22, 2011
| FoxNews.com
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/10/22/now-theres-no-doubt-about-what-occupy-wall-street-believes/#ixzz1biYfwAaY
Good afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: Interesting, pure democracy in action. The movement is quite fascinating from both a sociological as well as a political view point. Since the SC has given corps free reign to buy politicians, it will be extremely difficult if not impossible to separate corps from the political arena. The practice of corps generating the bills will only become more entrenched. As multi-national corps begin asserting their influence on all countries in which they have a presence, there will be a decline in the concept of nationalism with corporatism taking its place. Eventually, what country you live in won't matter as much as who you work for.
LTE 2: Hopefully, the success will carry over to next year and defeat the restrict marriage amendment.
Incredible.......in short, they want to turn the U.S. into Cuba.
ReplyDeleteI never thought I'd see the day. However, since nitwits like Rush abound, I figured it wouldn't be far off.
Doug Schoen is a well known Democrat too. He worked on both Bill and Hillary Clinton's campaigns, and he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University. So, he should know what he's talking about.
SCaaaaaaaaarrry!
Well, Bob, you won't find a list of demands because none has been produced.
ReplyDeleteFox News, as usual, when it is unable to twist things its way, simply makes them up. The article WW referenced quotes the Demands Working Group, which is in no way affiliated with Occupy Wall Street.
One of the reasons that the Republican Party is in such chaos is that Republicans are not interested in the truth, but only in beating the Democrats. So in a case like this, they accept whatever some news hack says rather than looking for the actual source.
Doug Shoen is a Democrat pollster who also works with Pat Caddell, another Dem pollster. They are not flacks but are on the outs with the Progressive Wing of the Democrat party in favor of the DLC wing of the party. Doug made his initial presentation on Lou Dobbs Friday night and the article followed over the weekend. There were two parts- individual interviews and policy statements. What the Lefty OWS handlers present in denial is what they want in print. Not truth. I'll stick with Shoen and his decades of experience and reputation. All can decide for themselves.
ReplyDeleteDoug Schoen has worked for Rupert Murdoch too long. Murdoch has more political shills in his pocket Fox is beginning to look like a bunch of Republican political losers. Mark Sanford, ha. Doug may have worked for Hillary and Bill, but Perry worked for Al Gore, so what's your point?
ReplyDeleteA degree at Harvard magna cum laude is impressive, so is editor of the Harvard Law Revue. "they want to turn the U.S. into Cuba" you never cease to amuse me, Bucky. there is also:
Fox News' Doug Schoen's Dishonest Claims About His Own #OWS Poll
http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/fox-news-doug-schoens-dishonest-claims-
Not surprising. The OWS has a statement on their website pointing out that the Demands Working Group has nothing to do with OWS, but since it fits your fantasy, go ahead and believe it. I prefer to wait until OWS itself says what it wants. Never have liked made up "news".
ReplyDeleteAnd any "reporter" who makes stuff up is a hack. the New York Timkes would fire him for it, but I'm sure that the wall Street Journal and Fox don't care.
Schoen, Caddell, and Mark Penn are Fox's "house Democrats". I pay them no mind.
ReplyDeleteusing an opinion poll as a citation to the goals of OWS, hmm, that falls a bit short on credibility.
ReplyDeleteGosh boys, moderate Democrats can't be trusted anymore? They present on Fox because the other outlets don't want to hear it. Doesn't fit their script. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans want to eliminate regulations on corporations but regulate everyday citizens. Maybe one day they will realize that people are people too.
ReplyDeleteno ww, I would never generalize from one Doug Schoen that therefore all moderate democrats can't be trusted anymore, just like I wouldn't generalize from one Michele Bachmann that all republicans are crazy.
ReplyDeleteDo you trust moderate Republicans, WW? You're the one who's always saying that politics is a manichean struggle between the extremes, and that people like us can't co-exist.
ReplyDeleteJust like Joe Scarborough, with whom I agree on certain things, I am sure there are some things I may agree on with Doug Schoen. If opinion polls set political goals, the republicans would be first in line to raise taxes on the rich.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that Doug is the only one who will attempt this job as he is not part of the "narrative". I already have a good take on the OWS. DLC Dems are not welcome anymore. Opinion polls seem to set everything now days and anything that strays from the approved narrative on OWS is immediately attacked because it has to be. I am told I have to be tolerant of moderates and if so, that will include Dems too. The OWS will make itself clear soon enough. We'll see.
ReplyDeletelol, Rick Perry, if at first you don't secede, go birther, lol, ye ha go aggies, lol
ReplyDeleteMitt Romney changes positions faster than a NASCAR driver.
ReplyDeleteWell, now we find that Schoen lied about the results of his own unscientific poll. He's a perfect fit for Murdoch's dishonest tandem of WSJ and Fox Lies...I mean, News. They probably gave him a raise.
ReplyDeleteThe NASCAR analogy is apt. Romney once looked like a safe port in a storm of GOP clowns. Now he looks more like Kyle Bush a-ziggin' and a-zaggin' and a-crashin'. Boogity, boogity, boogity...
ReplyDeleteThis is my 13th presidential campaign. In all the previous 12 combined there have not been as many loonies as there are in this one alone. I'm still planning to vote for Bachmann in the primary next spring. Oh what fun!
There just something about the Republican candidates that reminds me so much of a movie: The King of Hearts.
ReplyDeleteA great movie. Saw it for the first time in Boston at a theater where it had been running for almost three years. Who is insane...the escapees from the asylum or the German and British soldiers? Anyone who has served in a combat zone has seen the same sort of insanity.
ReplyDeleteThe ThinkProgress take on Schoen's poll is where he "lied" in his own poll? No? Where?
ReplyDeleteThe Democrats better heed Schoen’ advice and not ThinkProgress’ if they want to try to distance themselves from the radical base. President Obama has recently reiterated his support for the Occupy protesters, reinforcing the view that their socialistic goals and the president’s are harmonious. But then again, it may be too late, and agitating the radical contingency of the party may be all he has left.
Politicalcrush.com has a different take from Thinkprogress and crooksandliars. Just means the messenger is to be shot and the outlets he used are to be shot, drawn and quartered. Proves nothing except that maybe he sort of hit the mark with his warning... to his party by the way. The response is predictable and traditional.
ReplyDeleteRadical...socialistic...agitating...
ReplyDeleteLaughable! The words of Theophilus Eugene "Bull" Connor down in Birmingham, circa 1963.
And you're wrong about the manichean struggle BS. Anyone who has made a rudimentary study of politics knows that the extremes, right or left, are irrelevant. It is almost always the great center that makes the decisions.
Two fairly recent examples prove the rule. The communists seized power in Russia in the early 20th century. And the NAZIs did the same in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s.
But both failed miserably. The Soviet lasted barely 70 years, a blink of the eye in the history of mankind. The NAZI's moment in the sun was even briefer.
If you look at presidential administrations in our lifetime, you will find that they move back and forth across dead center by only a few percentage points, LBJ a few to the left, Nixon a few to the right, Reagan talking farther right but acting much less so, Obama talking farther left but acting much less so.
The average American's perception of any administration reflects their own biases far more than they reflect what is really happening. Was Reagan a fascist? No. Is Obama a socialist? No.
Whatever you say about any administration just tells us that you are the opposite of however you characterize them. So if you use the term fascist, then you are a socialist. And if you use the term socialist, then you are a fascist.
Either way, your contribution to the situation is not very helpful. Fortunately, life will go on as it always has and the forecasters of doom will be the ones left behind.
OT...sorry but I just can't stay up as late as some people. Eleven o'clock is my limit and that's pushing it.
ReplyDelete"Radical, socialist, agitating" even Nazi, Communist, fascist were and are words in use today in print and news events from DC to NY and beyond. Attaching an irrelevant name from the past like "Bull Conner" is a misdirect from current news events.
I don't know where "manichean struggle" came from as it was used by another poster and given to me. I have a view that I believe is correct and supportable by the flow of current events.
Anyone with a knowledge of politics knows the extremes and the great center...well yes. I have a very keen knowledge of politics and more to the point, an understanding of ideologies and their origins and outcomes when the "great center" is not allowed to be a factor. In your two examples, the Communists and Nazis, the great center decided to fall in line instead of die so an extreme carried the day.
I know there are a lot of people who suscribe to the political notion of "what will be will be" and maybe these folks are not persuadble. I choose not to be one of them. Since the "great center" is the decider, then I believe they are persuadable and thus I will continue. Constantly standing on the ground vacated by the Left is not a viable future for America unless we want to be an echo of what became of western Europe.
And to think, all this started from polling analysis of OWS by a Democrat trying to warn his own party. Very telling.