Thursday, 20 October 2011

Significant matters - the kind that are close to the heart

"History is full of examples of people who are drawn to a single movement for a host of reasons. There are some who were attracted to the Civil Rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s because of visceral anger at having a loved one die because a white hospital refused to treat him or her, or because the daily indignities of racism (denied voting, jobs, etc.) were too pressing for the spirit. But anger cannot be the driving force for a durable struggle" (Words of Jeffrey O.G. Ogbar, a professor of history and the associate dean for the humanities at the University of Connecticut, author of "Hip-Hop Revolution: The Culture and Politics of Rap."

Occupy Wall Street cannot be any different. Our generation can't afford it if we wish to be taken seriously.

Anger and hatred cannot be the driving force behind people's actions. Love and peace don't do it anymore either.

We want to be taken seriously. We want to be heard.

The media won't ignore you, but what will you say once you are heard?

Like in Latin America, revolutions are worthy because some need to be reminded they are not alone.

But disorganization and chaos often just leads to dead end roads.

Let's hope OWS will be different. Let us hope that our generation is smart enough to stop and listen; to learn from the past. Let us hope that Che Guevara's saying: "Cruel leaders are replaced only to have new leaders turn cruel," can be proved wrong.

I am not a liberator. The People liberate themselves.

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