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The Forum > Article Comments > After the Melbourne crackdown: rebuilding the ‘We are the 99 per cent’ movement > Comments

After the Melbourne crackdown: rebuilding the ‘We are the 99 per cent’ movement : Comments

By Tristan Ewins, published 27/10/2011

Social movement against neo-liberalism need to be broad and tolerant.

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Curmudgeon. There seems to be a lot of commentary around delusion. You have nothing to say about the protest itself you say, except that the protestors are deluded and clueless. Sounds like you have plenty to say about the protests! I have had conversations with people loosely aligned with the movement who are erudite, articulate and rational. They are concerned that an imbalance is occurring between democracy and capitalism and that the only recourse is to take to the street and announce this to the world. Politicians no longer speak for the people, they speak for there own self interest and the interests of the most powerful lobby groups. People feel disconnected and disaffiliated from the organs of power, so they do the only thing they can do - protest. It has always been thus. I acknowledge there are some extreme ideas attached to the movement, and ironically when I disagree with their ideas I get the same response from them as from you - you're delusional! Unfortunately, this is the state of contemporary debate. Polarisation and a lack of dialogue.

Again, I really do not understand how anyone can justify the actions of the police last Friday. The Age today has revealed that the reasons given for the eviction are very shaky and will provoke a legal challenge. What a mess. The city has become angry and divided from an event that could have fostered the beginnings of fresh dialogue regarding our democracy. Who actually asked the protestors what they wanted? Nobody. There have just been assertions and insults. From what I gather the Baillieu government has given carte blanche to police strong arm tactics. Nixon and her successor were attempting to introduce more tolerant models. The Baillieu government made short work of those ideas by ousting Overland and the Victorian police have used this opportunity to come out swinging. Back to the Kennet era when batton wielding police knocked down lines of mothers and children. There needs to be more dialogue and less aggravation. We all want a better world, right?
Posted by jord, Friday, 28 October 2011 2:37:39 PM
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Nothing at all, Tristan Ewins

>>Pericles - what specifically is "undemocratic" about my arguments?<<

I was talking about your proposed "solutions", which are freely accessible by anyone with the patience to wade through your blog, your web site, your articles for the Fabians etc. etc. ad naus.

If you were advocating a more responsible government, who a) have defined policies, b) articulated those policies prior to their being elected and then c) adhered to those policies once elected, you'd have my vote. That would be a reasonable facsimile of democracy, in my book.

Instead, you continually frame the problem in terms of class warfare, whose concepts and terminology rightfully belong in a distant, largely-imaginary and pinkly-hued past. The only possible conclusion is that you would like to achieve the removal of "class warfare" through undemocratic means, since the Australian electorate has demonstrated - democratically - many times over, that it prefers things to remain reasonably stable.

Sure, have a moan about the rorters of the system, but leave the system itself alone, please.
Posted by Pericles, Friday, 28 October 2011 2:51:32 PM
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jord

In fact, all I had to say about them was the straight truth. that they are copying an american protest movement without realising that conditions here are completely different. I don't know anything about why or under what conditions the protest was broken up, or about the behaviour of either side, so I have no comment to make on that aspect of the matter.

The fact that members of the protest seem articulate and intelligent in casual conversation is neither here nor there. They are still blindly copying an American protest that doesn't apply here.

That makes them clueless by any definition. Why anyone would want to defend them from that point of view is beyond me.
Posted by Curmudgeon, Friday, 28 October 2011 4:01:11 PM
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Curmudgeon. The movement does not copy America. It is inspired by America where the worst examples of economic mismanagement are prevalent. The system of deregulated capitalism has spread throughout the world. The protests have followed a similar trajectory. Europe, Australia, NZ, the Americas. Are they all clueless as well? I don't think so. There is a sense that something is not right and people are responding. Deregulated capitalism has disempowered governments, which has disempowered people. This international movement is about readdressing this power imbalance. This is healthy for democracies everywhere. As stated in my previous post there are glaring inequalities in Australia. To add to this consider indigenous people living in third world conditions in one of the richest countries in the world - fact. The conversations I mention are relevant as these people form part of the movement and are certainly not clueless. Such statements are misinformed unless you have taken the time to challenge protestors directly. Supporting protestors is supporting democracy - simple as that. I certainly don't agree with the whole range of opinions. But I support this author stance! A swing back to the left is what this country needs so we can start looking after people again and not just the pursuit of profit.
Posted by jord, Friday, 28 October 2011 10:56:22 PM
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