Black Bloc should be like the Panther Party

Posted by

Categories: Discussion, Open Mic, Reflections

I know that this might be a bit far fetched, but I was present when there was a proposal to try and keep the non-violence in the Occupy Movement. It seems like it’s going to be difficult to get people to comply to a resolution that separates the non-violent protesters from the Black Bloc protesters within the movement. I think the Black Bloc’ers could organize and serve as like a militant sect within the movement. I don’t know if that should be something that is proposed. but I do see it as a way for the movement to be inclusive, but not jeopardize the safety of the non-violent protesters at the encampment because of actions of the Black Bloc participants. Not that I think it’t the way I would choose to protest, but something has to be done about the police violence; and if we know that the police will respond with violence we have to try to stop that.

5448

4 Responses to “Black Bloc should be like the Panther Party”

  1. drwxrxrx

    How are the pro black bloc folks abusing direct democracy?

  2. margaret

    A militant sect within the movement?! What qualifies these people for something like that? Why would anyone chose a “militant sect” who are reckless and inexperienced enough to keep bringing wider police and FBI surveillance on those in our communities who find it least welcome. Why would we choose people who are still in the raging phase and who hold the regular people of our cities in contempt. We dont need a militant sect, but if we had one it’s first job would be protecting us from these bullies and poseurs.

  3. David Heatherly

    I sometimes think the way that you think, but I get more and more demoralized over the days because the supporters of the “black bloc” tactics are really confrontational and loud at the General Assemblies, very intimidating. They are creating a negative atmosphere and abusing direct democracy.

    But this is just a phase or a moment in the life of Occupy Oakland. Obviously these people, many of whom we’ve all broken bread with and shared intense experiences with over the last month, have a future in this movement if indeed there is a future for this movement. And of course Occupy Oakland is much bigger than what’s happening down at Frank Ogawa plaza. People who want to be romantic about being so uber-militant sometimes really piss me off because in their own way, they are elitists. But, they are passionate and they are not apathetic. So even though I despise their tactics, I respect them in the same way I respect the Tea Party more than regular Republicans — at least they aren’t fucking apathetic anymore and just voting for the people they’re told to vote for and all that.

    I think that if they want to use these tactics, they cannot use the Occupy encampments as a home base and expect the rest of us to shelter them. So that is a non-starter here in Oakland. Anybody who would even consider exposing someone else to the police is a snitch, worse than the cops. So that is the sort of paranoia that they sow, the hateful atmosphere they are nurturing, and the extreme direction they are driving Occupy Oakland towards.

    It’s too much to expect them to show any restraint. That proposal before the GA on Wednesday night was fucking pathetic. “Please” — it said that 3 times. “Please don’t break anything that belongs to small businesses.” You don’t accomplish anything when you speak from a position of weakness. Our lack of discipline is the reason for a lot of our problems right now, and the lack of discipline is due to our lack of leaders and the difficulty of passing consensus. Which is one of our strengths but also a weakness. We have to figure out how to solve that problem, here in Oakland hopefully but for sure nationally or this movement will fail and we will fall into decline permanently in America.