The Occupy Protests have a good heart.. but no brain. D: They really need a leader b/c right now they're making a lot of noise but are only loosely affiliated to each other by a similar name and a few similar goals.. I heard the OWS group is London is also protesting Scientology? That may not be accurate, but you know.. if it is.. wtf? lol And the group in Oakland is also protesting police brutality? There's too much going on. As much as they may despise Capitalism, they need to run this more like a business and less like a group of angry college kids to get anything done. I'd love to see them set up some solid ideas and try to get a new political party started. They certainly have enough support for the signatures they'd need and if each person protesting gave a dollar.. they could raise enough money as well. But, I'm worried they're going to run out of steam and significance without having accomplished anything because their goals are too vague and broad
No, the first goal of a protest is to get the msg out. Of course you could claim that the should start a party etc, but then again. we do have a gov, we do have 'leaders', we have all these institutions. SO The primary goal as I see it is to tell them that WE as people expect them to do something about the system. So basically they air their opinion and that a good thing.
Of course, if the establishment doesn't listen and doesn't change anything, it might be a possibility to get more organized but again, I don't think you should critize the people right now for not going all the way. Maybe we go there, but just aren't there yet. For the moment, I think we should enjoy that people actually try to do something - instead of watching TV, that's a plus.
Of course the movement would be better organied if there was a 'leader', but that's not how this form of protest works. Even though it might be huard to understand for you, the fact that ecerybody is equal in this movement is what makes it attractiv for people to join. No obligations, no fear, you protest as long and as loud as you want to and can. Also, the other side would love to have someone they can put a target on his or her back, it's easier to corrupt or silence the movement that way. That's also why the gov has no idea how to handle this....because it's just 'the people' ... so even though of course, not to have a structure hurts the movement at times, you gotta also understand it is its strength. And give it a lil time, if it grows and keeps going, maybe a structure is developed but for now it's good the way it is. It'd be just nice for the politicans (that actually should represent the people) to react. I doubt they will. And yes I fear that at some point peaceful protest could turn into something ugly, which nobody can be intersted - even though, as Sofi mentioned, maybe is sometimes needed in history.
Anyway, a friend of mine is occupying my city for a couple of weeks and it's damn cold out there, you gotta respect it....