I was reading in bed last night, as I do every night, when I came upon this quote:

‘You leave me without hope,’ Brys said.

     ‘I am sorry for that. Do not seek to find hope among your leaders. They are repositories of poison. Their interest in you extends only so far as their ability to control you. From you, they seek duty and obedience, and they will play you with the language of stirring faith. They seek followers, and woe to those who question, or voice challenge.
     ‘Civilization after civilization, it is the same. The world falls to tyranny with a whisper. The frightened are ever keen to bow to a perceived necessity, in the belief that necessity forces conformity, and conformity a certain stability. In a world shaped into conformity, dissidents stand out, and are easily branded and dealt with. There is no multitude of perspectives, no dialogue. The victim assumes the face of the tyrant, self-righteous and intransigent, and wars breed like vermin. And people die.’

          — from Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson (Malazan Books of the Fallen)

It just struck me as something opt and timely, worth of sharing amongst this Occupy hubbub. The book came out in 2004, so it could very well have been a commentary on the world that just happened to fit beautifully in the context of the book as well.

Anyhoos, on to the links!

Civil rights lawyers move to fight Occupy evictions nationwide
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/01/civil-rights-lawyers-fight-occupy-evictions

“These are just first amendment activities” said Verheyden-Hilliard “Why are they being treated like criminals? People camp out before a major movie screening or outside stores at Thanksgiving. The difference is that one group of people are engaged in a constitutionally protected and cherished activity. The others want a sale.“

It does seem rather odd that people are allowed to pitch up in the street, on parking lots, for sales and movies… but not to exercise their first amendment rights. Okay sure, I get the argument that long-term encampment could lead to unsanitary conditions, but oh… if perhaps portapotties were allowed? Oh, that’s probably very silly for me to think, just like it’s obviously hilarious to consider treating people like humans:

Pepper Spray Inventor Says It’s ‘Fashionable’ to Use Weapon on ‘People Who Have an Opinion’
http://www.inquisitr.com/164152/pepper-spray-inventor-says-its-fashionable-to-use-weapon-on-people-who-have-an-opinion/

“It is becoming more and more fashionable right now, this day and age, to use chemical on people who have an opinion. And that to me is a complete lack of leadership both in the police department and other people who cannot really deal with the root of the problem and they want to spray people to quiet them down. And it’s really not supposed to be that. It’s not a thing that solves any problem nor is it something that quiets people down.”

That quote is from the man who created pepper spray, Kamran Loghman. Because of the normalization of black and white thinking, you’re either the enemy or not. If you do not fall in line, then it only follows that you are the enemy and need suppression. I know – I’m sure you’re trying to fervently deny that to yourself, even while knowing there is validity to that assertion. I wish in my heart of hearts it wasn’t the case, and I hope that continued awareness brings things back around to where innocent and peaceful people are not ‘the enemy’.

Finally:

‘We are the 99 percent’ joins the cultural and political lexicon
http://warincontext.org/2011/12/01/we-are-the-99-percent-joins-the-cultural-and-political-lexicon/

Whatever the case, the concepts and phrases of this movement are sticking in hearts and minds. While that doesn’t win the war, it does show that awareness is spreading and taking root. It will be fascinating to see how this is utilized in future days…

Until next, have a great Friday!