Occupy Oakland Being Undermined?

The Christian Science Monitor posed the very interesting question “Is the message of Occupy Oakland being undermined by the violent actions of a few people”? Indeed, the violence has gotten the brunt of the media coverage, but to say that it automatically undermines the message may be a misfire.

Social movements, such as the Occupy protests, sweeping across the country often have multiple branches. Take the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. While the world remembers Martin Luther King and non-violence. There were elements within the African-American community who advocated violence as the means to an end. You’ll find similar behavior in virtually any movement.

The task for the Occupy movement is to prevent the burning buildings and overturned cars from becoming symbolic of the movement. Don’t let the few speak for the many. I repeat: “Do not let the few speak for the many.” That’s the real problem in this country right now.

 The average citizen feels like big business and special interest groups have bought our representatives, so the average person has no voice as various entities continue to take more and more from those who can least afford to give more.

Europe’s Greek Headache

The situation in Greece continues to grow more out of control by the day. Runaway debt, riots in the streets that show no signs of slowing, and now the Greek debt titlewave may be preparing to claim another victim: Greece Prime Minister George Papandreou.

 Papandreou is now facing a party revolt and a no confidence vote after calling for a referendum on the European Union’s latest bailout package. The call for referendum angered many European leaders, but others saw the referendum as Papandreou’s commitment to austerity measures and debt relief.

What worries me beyond the obvious ramifications for a teetering Europe, is that Greeks are rioting in the streets and setting fires and Papandreou offers a referendum? Although, I applaud his commitment to democratic processes, he needs to take bold action and a referendum doesn’t seem bold enough.

 What happens if the measure fails on referendum? Can Greece really afford to say no to Europe? This would be like spitting in the face of Europe and may prove to waste valuable time that neither Greece, nor Europe can afford. Can we really afford three months of riots?