My dismay at the continued incoherence of the crowd on Wall Street has some folks saying my ‘negativity’ hurts the movement, that I should recognize democracy is messy, etc. They are wrong — not that negativity hurts, but that I am being negative. In fact, I want the protest in Manhattan to succeed. I want their success so badly, I can taste it.
Ironically, my critique of the messaging coming out of New York is the very same one lobbed by the left at Democrats: they don’t stick to a single set of simple talking points. There is no communications strategy. It’s easy to complain that the media is ignoring you, but much harder to rally diverse progressives around a two- or three-word slogan that the media can’t ignore.
My first suggestion, TAX THE BANKS instantly recalls the bailouts, the bonuses, the shorts and shenanigans that made our economic doldrums possible. It’s a sharp contrast to the false frame of austerity, invoking Michael Moore’s “we are not broke” speech. Until now, Wall Street has been able to ignore the protest in its midst, but this sign is guaranteed to get their attention. Indeed, voluminous and sustained repetition of this slogan will scare the bejeezus out of the Randian producer set. It is exactly what they don’t want to hear.
A crowd carrying these signs while chanting TAX THE CORPORATE PEOPLE is a clear economic message that doesn’t glaze eyes over with words like “corporatism” or “corporate personhood.” Yes, I agree we’re living in a fascist oligarchy, but that doesn’t mean most Americans understand what a corporate fascist oligarchy is or how it works. You want to do education? Great! Stick to some talking points about the upward transfer of wealth we’ve experienced. Talk about fairness. Talk about George Bailey. Just don’t expect Americans to “get it” when you speak in dialectic.
Two words that forcefully capture the essence of the crisis and appeal directly to the vast majority of Americans. Talking points include polls showing that Americans are more concerned with unemployment than deficits, the continuing failure of Congress to put jobs ahead of partisan concerns, green jobs as the way forward, etc. I would also suggest the term “work ethic” in this context: you know what happened to the American work ethic? There’s no work, is what! Yes, you can insert your favorite talking point about a new Civilian Conservation Corps here, too. Just do stay on topic.
I had a breakthrough moment at Appalachia Rising last year when the first arrestee got lifted and hauled towards the bus by Park Police: unbidden, the words COME ON TEABAGGERS, LET’S SEE YOU DO THIS blurted from my mouth. There is a fundamental contrast in American political organizing; I am not the only one who objects to the way tea parties enjoy press attention and soft police treatment while calling for a democratic economy gets you arrested without CNN cameras in evidence.
Yet I maintain the proper response to this unfairness is to throw it right in everyone’s face. Remember, the whole point of nonviolent activism is to make the powerful look bad by comparison.
Talking points: this is the tyranny the tea party was looking for. We Shall Overcome. This is what democracy looks like. You’re not doing anything wrong; in fact, you’re doing exactly what Americans are allowed to do, supposed to do, must do. When the NYPD kettles the crowd to make mass arrests over blocked streets and sidewalks, carry a sign that announces what you are doing — and more importantly, what they are doing — in an unmistakable, all-American way.
I was gratified this morning to discover that Occupy Wall Street is expanding. That’s good — progressives desperately need a nationwide organizing medium. After the success of 2008, the movement stayed in its silos and inexplicably treated OFA/DFA as the only possible source of leadership-by-email-blast. If you are planning protests in Madison, Wisconsin and are shocked at being forced to use your own email list, you are doing it wrong. I’ll be following this story eagerly, and pray it develops into more than rowdy crowds.
All three signs are formatted for 8.5 x 11 inches, in .PNG format. Click to embiggen.
