Occupy Wall Street
The world has become fascinated with the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protests in New York City. It is gaining strength with no signs of letting up. Pundits compare it to the free-culture movements of the 1960’s that shared its loosely organized assembly that projected an even looser message of ‘peace, love, and drugs’ all around the nation.
But there is a message in the movement somewhere… dissatisfaction with current economic policies and a unified complaint about a misdirected U.S. government. The people want job creation and a fair tax on the wealthiest one percent. Republican leaders call the Occupy Wall Street assembly a ‘mob’ while President Obama applauds their voice and relatively peaceful demonstration.
London Riots
America’s protest is certainly far from mob violence. While I was back home over the summer, Britain’s fears of recession and the failures of the Euro-zone spawned real ‘mob’ violence. You saw the images of gang looting and rioting in the streets, not only in London, but in Birmingham. We all ask what prompted the street gangs to provoke such damage?
Many Brits complained that the educated immigrants are taking jobs from the native laborers. Ironic, this is the very year Brits commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Luddite Rebellion.
The Luddite Rebellion
As the frame machines of the cotton textile industry lay dormant, the Luddites too complained of greed. The British Prince Regent became the new fashionista. The rebellion protested the new capitalist credo of the British East India Company and a Royal edict as it heralded, “Linen not Cotton!”
Linen not Cotton!
George IV
The history books tell us America announced it was not happy with Britain’s decision to cut off cotton from Britain’s textile frames.
Indeed, cotton was forsaken and the prospect of linen from Russia became the rage. Worst of all, the Luddite Rebellion triggered the assassination of its Prime Minister. Fear of recession, loss of profits, lack of jobs, loss of wages… all sound familiar? As America declared war on Britain, the focus on riots immediately transitioned into the War of 1812.
War of 1812
Western societies need to heed history’s lessons. It should be a warning to Western societies. How can the world stop its riots? If Britain wants to ensure a nonviolent image, it is time for selfishness and greed to take a backseat. America’s Republican party is tainted by epithets and those members tauting greed and denial of public programs need to heed history’s lesson… Revolution is at hand!
Olympic rings
The credo of Britain’s present Prime Minister, David Cameron, is “Educate the Children!” Promote kindness and competitiveness, not the spoils of the sponsors. I hope he is not secretly more concerned about Britain’s image for the upcoming London Olympic Games.
Liberation Tigers
Lessons must be learned from the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement. It has remained peaceful. Chanin Dar Yazeer, one of my classmates at Parson Academy who has Tamil heritage, reminded me that Britain witnessed the Quarter Million Tamil March in April of 2009.
During the public hunger strike, only three protesters following the civil disobedience were arrested for disorderly conduct. That’s in sharp contradiction to the Sri-Lankan government reports of the rebellious guerrilla activities of the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam during their long civil war on the island referred to ‘India’s teardrop’.
Chanin Dar Yazeer has his own blog you can visit at http://parsonacademy.com.
Kelly McCallen
Kelly McCallen's Blog! 