This column, unsurprisingly, will turn an eye toward the Occupy Wall Street movement and its endeavors. Now, I’m sure my readers must be asking: “What could you possibly be squeezing out of this thoroughly beaten horse?”
As long as the movement continues to exist and evolve, it’s fair game and will continue to be prevalent in the media, so you may as well shut up and read on.
But in all seriousness, I’d like to discuss a reality that has been placed on the back-burner for too long — something which, no matter which side of the divide they may reside on, most people aren’t willing to touch with a 10-foot pole. What is this red-headed stepchild of a topic?
Why, only the question of violence, of course. But before we jump into the most taboo of subjects, I’d like to clarify a few things.
The Occupy Wall Street movement, whether its supporters are aware of it or not, isn’t exactly bringing anything new to the table. Whether it’s the 99 percent versus the 1 percent, the Marxist proletariat versus the bourgeoisie, the Hegelian slaves versus masters or the Zapatistas versus the proponents of a neo-liberal agenda, at their core, all these struggles are essentially the same. It’s the oppressed rallying against the oppressors in the name of justice, civil liberties and a humanist agenda.
So, as we can easily see, this isn’t something that’s only been going on for two months but, I would argue, it’s something that the entire world has been struggling with for centuries.
I’m not trying to belittle the Occupy Wall Street movement. As I’ve said before, I admire what they are doing. Awareness and protest are two very important components of change, and I would be protesting — or, dare I say, revolting — if I could somehow shirk the binds of academia and the fear that, if I did, it would only make me worse off. But doesn’t that realization beg the question: if so many people have been discontented for so long, why haven’t we seen any change?
Even if OWS were something seminal, isn’t two months (and counting) of protesting enough for politicians to concede that something needs to change? Have we seen a single politician say, “Maybe it’s time to rethink what we’ve been doing?” Not really.
We are dealing with a ruling class that is completely unwilling to change from the grossly unjust status quo, and if they won’t heed the cries of logic, wisdom and reason, what else is there to do but forcibly remove these malignant individuals from society? Unfortunately, no amount of protesting is going to accomplish this and the only valid way to achieve such a feat may just be violent means.
“Violence?!” you must be thinking, “How barbaric!” But, before you throw this newspaper down in disgust, I implore you to just read a little longer. I’m not asking that we all go guns-blazing into the White House; it’s a little more complicated than that. Violence is a very easy tool to misuse and, as Marx said, “Most attacks are not directed at the conditions of production, but against the instruments of productions themselves.”
That’s why it’s important that, if the oppressed do resort to violence, it needs to be backed by the same intellectual foundation of their peaceful protest. In the most dire of times the pen must work in unison with the sword.
As the majority of humanity becomes marginalized by encroaching proletariatization and neo-liberalism, it may be time to remove the “barbaric” stigma from violence as it becomes the last viable weapon against the oppressive ruling class.