Saturday, February 11, 2012
Battle of Oakland -- The Video
The Battle of Oakland from brandon jourdan on Vimeo.
This video covers the events of January 28, 2012, from the perspective of the Oakland Commune/Occupy Oakland; it tracks closely with other depictions of the events and even with most of the mainstream narratives.
It's 20 minutes, be warned. But it's worth the time.
This is what's going on, and it's [what] has so many people so frightened.
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My goodness... just imagine: providing food for the homeless! A dry place to meet! Taking an abandoned building that lies empty and transforming it into a vital vibrant space for those who need it. The horror!The horror! Clearly these people are a dire threat to...um...er...um...well they must be dangerous or the good police wouldn't be out in force, right?
ReplyDeleteJust about the only right thing in this country right now is the occupy movement. This is the potent reminder of what real democracy looks like, red chair (a detail I love as it speaks to how the domestic front is the political front is the human front) and all.
I will be equal parts haunted by the sounds of people crying out to be careful about their mothers and the elderly and the ease with which the police tilt into knee-jerk violence, and inspired by the courage of my fellow Americans. To know that children were there is really amazing. The testimony from those arrested who were denied medications is just another layer of this criminal abuse.
Thanks, Che, for this fabulous coverage and all you do.-- Morning's Minion
"The horror!" indeed.
ReplyDeleteInitially, I was a bit leery of the video because it seemed to be too frankly self-serving. But then I really got to appreciate it, because it focuses in on the demonstration at least as much as the battles, and what's stayed with me are not the scenes of conflict, but the images of intentions and demonstrations. It's not just about good works; it's about how to ensure a better world.
That's ultimately what this Occupy Thing is all about (IMHO, of course!)
Another world really is possible, and we really are winning.
Courage!
Nice to see you here, MM; please feel free to visit or comment any time.
We're always open!
Ché
Ché, yours is one of the voices I most miss at UT. Teri, another great loss, just sent me this link, and it reminded me of how impressed I am with your blog and especially this coverage, so it's great to be back visiting.
ReplyDeleteI do think this footage does invaluable service. It's expertly edited, and so often what people see is the loud, cacophonous, jumpy cuts that seem to suggest it's all about chaos, something that speaks to the fear many Americans have of change.
Have you seen the new coverage of Breitbart screaming at the protesters: "You're animals; you're freaks!"? I wonder if he'll review the coverage and ponder what's wrong with himself. Almost certainly not. He's the face of what's wrong.
I'm really looking forward to May 1st and hearing about more events. What this clip demonstrates is how many clear-minded, courageous, and thoughtful people have an actual plan to turn this mess around. It is enormously heartening during these dark times to be reminded of what matters and what's worth saving.
----
The name of your blog and images (to say nothing of content) make me smile each time I log on. You can tell a lot by the face one puts forward. It's (what you call) che classy.--Morning's Minion
How nice of you to say, MM. Thank you. I don't think I'm doing all that much, but I do what I can.
ReplyDeleteThe Oakland video is really very good. Those who have a problem with the way they do things -- and I was just on another conference call with some people in Oakland who are still upset about the events of J28 -- might do well to step back for a while or go do something else. There is no requirement to Occupy!
I did see the Breitbart Thing. What a sad man he must be.
May 1 is likely to surprise us. I have few details, but what I'm hearing is that as people learn about it, they're figuring out all sorts of strategies to be off work that day.
There is so much courage on display already.
Cheers,