On Morning Joe minus Joe...

[dkf]

They were comparing the civil rights movement with OWS. I think it was Halperin who said that without the growth of the types of organizations the Civil Rights movement produced along with a charismatic leader like MLK, Jr. he thinks the movement won't be able to accomplish what it wants and will wither over time. Jeffrey Sachs says we are only in the beginning stages and it took a few years for the civil rights movement to organize and create change. Civil rights leaders basically took one phrase " what do we want? Freedom! When do we want it? Now!" without initial demands so he doesn't see the current leaderless state as being insurmountable.

Halperin thinks that with the speed of information things are different now so it needs to gel faster.

Not having lived through the civil rights era I thought it was an interesting discussion.

[winstars]

1. Morning Meeka

Still pretty bad, but better than when the Scar is there. Halperin, "It's a good day for John McCain" is just the worst ever. I think Meeka referred to him (the ladykiller) getting sinus surgery 'again late last week. All that shitty blow from FL in the 80's???

[dkf]

2. She was going off on Newt. Too funny.

[marions ghost]

3. We may be past the days of charismatic leaders--

though I hope the movement grows anyway. How about a few leaders (non-charismatic?) This is a group effort by a segment of the population that is profoundly distrustful of anointed ego-maniacs.

OWS is right in stressing mass peaceful protest. There are no other real options.

Because of the validity of the cause, I don't think the idle criticisms will stick.

[dkf]

4. Yes one point was that OWS needs to keep growing its supporters...

Occupy the 99% I think Sachs said. That is made easier with a charismatic leader and without one there needs to be another method of attracting people. I think there was consensus that it was still pretty limited as it is only 2 months old after all.

[marions ghost]

5. People attract people

--there can be many local leaders, many organizers. After the abuses of Bush, the follies of Edwards (and others like him), the disappointments of Obama, why do you think people need charisma? Why depend on a single magnetic personality to carry all the weight? I think people are tired of that. It seems fake these days. People are looking for honesty and authenticity.

OWS is onto something with their refusal to single out and elevate "stars."

[lamp_shade]

6. I foresee a very strong outpouring of support when Occupy Voting Booths gets off the ground....

https://www.facebook.com/OccupyVotingBooths

[Larkspur]

7. The Civil Rights movement started in the wake of the Civil War

It was ignored until TV came into everyone's homes and thanks to TV, the Civil Rights movement and the brutal reprisals by the police was witnessed by most Americans.
MLK came during the TV stage of the Civil Rights movement.

OWS will survive as long as there are millions of Americans without work. What OWS needs to do is begin taking over the Democratic Party at the grassroots level, like the Tea Party did to the Republicans and help vote in Democrats sympathetic to the movement's goals.