I’m heading to New York City shortly, and will make an effort to check out first hand the state of Occupy Wall Street. The nationwide protest seems to be waning in both intensity and public support, despite some hopeful, futile voices (like the New York Times editorial page) who persist in claiming that its message is “important.”
I’m not denying that it could be. At this point, however, it is in danger of redefining itself as (or, in my case, confirming the diagnosis) a self-indulgent, expensive mess that never succeeded or even tried to articulate its goals clearly enough to avoid overtaken by the worst side-effects of such protests: violence, damage to property, threats to safety, and harm to innocent bystanders. Yesterday, for example, having failed to disrupt the operations of Wall Street, the New York contingent decided to disrupt the subway system—the mode of transportation overwhelmingly used by “the 99%.”
Stupid.
Words and clear thinking are not only helpful, but an obligation for those seeking social change. As an example of how words can inspire, I offer this, the speech that Charlie Chaplin wrote and delivered at the end of his film, “The Great Dictator.” I am far from four-square with Chaplin’s politics, but he knew how to craft an inspiring rally to change—exactly what the “Occupy” should have done. Then, at least, we would recall it for what it aspired to, rather than all the annoyance and cynicism it launched. Here is a link to an editorially enhanced version of the scene and here is the text:
The Jewish Barber (Charlie Chaplin): I’m sorry but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible; Jew, Gentile, black men, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each others’ happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.
Greed has poisoned men’s souls; has barricaded the world with hate; has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge as made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost. The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in man; cries out for universal brotherhood; for the unity of us all.
Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women, and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say “Do not despair.” The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.
Soldiers! Don’t give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you and enslave you; who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel! Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder! Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men—machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have a love of humanity in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate; the unloved and the unnatural.
Soldiers! Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty! In the seventeenth chapter of St. Luke, it’s written “the kingdom of God is within man”, not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people, have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy, let us use that power.
Let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfill their promise. They never will! Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfill that promise! Let us fight to free the world! To do away with national barriers! To do away with greed, with hate and intolerance! Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness.
Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us all unite!
Ethics Alarms 
Actually, the Occupy folks have embraced Charlie’s message over and over, at least from what I’ve seen on Facebook.
Sure, the movement is quite messy now, and will be for who-knows-how-long. That’s not the point. A big change is coming down the pike. A change for the better. Hope you’re ready, Jack.
Juxtaposition of the day – “Thousands protest the country”/Fox News declares Occupy Movement dead.
The problem with the Occupy Wall Street movement is that they have no clear message or goals. They seem to be an unorganized undisciplined mob that is so busy “playing” 1960’s radical protestor and preaching to each other that they have forgotten that if you want to facilitate change you have to have objectives that are not only clear to the members of your movement but more importantly to those outside of it. Right now, I don’t see that and without that they won’t change anything. Also, if you want to get my support don’t riot, destroy public and private property, or interfere with my using the roads, bridges, or subway. Because the minute my freedom of movement and safety on the street threatened by a group, or individuals, I automatically go into a self-defense thought mode and shut out any ideas they may be putting out there.
>Because the minute my freedom of movement and safety on the street threatened by a group, or individuals, I automatically go into a self-defense thought mode and shut out any ideas they may be putting out there.
That is a somewhat disappointing and reactionary attitude.
Why should I allow anyone to infringe on my freedom of movement and safety? And why would anyone think that it is ok to do so and I should be fine with that? If a group wants me to listen to them they shouldnt threaten me. They have NO RIGHT to do so and anyone who thinks they do is wrong.
Whatever rights the OWS’ers think they are standing up for, defending, or upholding, no one gets their rights at the expense of another’s. I have a right to speak my mind, but have no “right” to an audience. The OWS’ers may demonstrate all they please and, if they have the talent and intelligence to do so persuasively, may gain sympathy and support for their cause. But, and I’m with Bill on this one, they may not—and should not—demonstrate in such a way as to disrupt my life, which is a violation of my rights. Old saying: “Your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins.”
I was trying to think of that saying but it couldnt come to me. thanks.
I have been called a “knee-jerk liberal”. I am 100% behind the 1st Amendment. It supports “”the right…of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the Government for redress of their grievances.” Right on brother!
It does NOT support any “right” of the Occupy People to interefere with other people and prevent them going about their lawful occasions, or blockading street or pedestrian traffic.
Then they become “Little Dictators”.