Occupation

It is worthwhile to repeat the short story of a journalist who asked Gandhi once what he thought of Western Civilization. Gandhi responded: “It is a good idea!” Witnessing the sweep that NYPD made a few nights ago (early hours of the morning in fact) makes one wonder about the meaning of democracy every US leader boasts about so much. US occupation of other countries of the world such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, began with the intention of exporting democracy. However, when a group of people occupies a piece of public land in the US, they encounter armed riot police, evicting them from their encampments. So occupation has a double meaning, US government’s occupation is for expanding “democracy”, but people’s occupation is against “democracy”. Obviously, the meaning of democracy we hear from US officials and American media at least once a day is something other than one’s ability to occupy a public land! When US drones and military machine attacks people of Middle East, it applies its own brand of democracy without considering the will of those that are victimized. Or, maybe a free will is permitted to some people, i.e. high government officials and wealthy people, and not to the rest. For the same reason, free will is permitted outside of the US to those who observe American interest before the interest of their own people.

We select our governments to rule for us, not on us. When the government’s responsibility is protecting financial market owned by a selected few against the majority of the people, such government needs to be armed to the teeth, have a military budget equal to the rest of the world’s military budgets combined, keep about 3.1% of the population under correctional supervision (incarcerated, probated, paroled; according to the US bureau of Statistics in 2009), and leave a great majority homeless, hungry, and without any medical care. Since 1976, 1,277 convicted have been executed in the US. Compared to other countries in the world, US ranks number 7 among 38 countries in number of people executed, after China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Congo, and Egypt (source: nationmaster.com). A government that kills its own people in such a rate cannot be expected to respect people of other countries .Exporting democracy to other countries of the world follows the same definition of democracy. When US and its allies topple the governments of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, and install a military government that brings hunger, death, and homelessness to the population, its drones kill Pakistanis in a daily basis, create wars in Africa in order to exploit the land, their brand of democracy must be different.

History of demonstrations and picketing in the US goes back to the foundation of this country. Haymarket demonstration was recorded as the earliest demonstration where the government cracked down through violence and murder. Usually in any demonstration the media plays the main role in the outcome of the event. Since the media is in the hands of the establishment, internet plays a prime role in broadcasting voice of the people in occupation movements of today. For example, people created an internet station in Zuccotti park in order to broadcast live coverage of the demonstrations. The movement that started locally, grew worldwide in such a rate that the establishment with all its military and police and intelligent force could not stifle. It is a global message that people do not need austerity measures in order for businesses to survive, but governments’ guaranty of basic nutrition, shelter, health insurance, jobs, and above all, freedom of speech. Western governments are learning what democracy means via the occupations!