Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Friday, October 21, 2011

Occupy Toronto: Who Are These People?

"It is a speaking out, coming out, dancing out." says playwright Eve Ensler. "It" being Occupy Wall Street, of course.

In Toronto, to where the protests have spread since Saturday, the movement is certainly "speaking out," although it's rather difficult at times to hear what they're saying. "Dancing out"? Well, if this is a dance, as Ensler calls it, then the performers are tripping all over each other.

St. James Park -- Toronto's Zuccotti -- is playing host to the Occupy Toronto protesters. Porta-potties have been installed, tents are being erected, and people from all walks of life are coming to see what exactly it's like to protest in the 21st century. I imagine this was much to the chagrin to the young couple who were being married that day in St. James Cathedral (a favourite spot of the Queen when visiting the city), which would explain the bridesmaids' black dresses.

When I first get there, I count more cameras than signs, and suddenly remember the G20 when every Ryerson student and his blogosphere kin thought if he just got that one picture, he'd be the next Marinovich. But as the day wore on, more and more painted signs crowned the crowds, the majority of them announcing the end of capitalism, that "revolution is the only solution," and that "if you can't beat 'em, eat 'em." Pictures of Marx and Mao were common features, as well as the crossed out images of former president Reagan.

The crowd is a hodgepodge of the things headlines are made of, and stereotypes wrought. Between these two extremes are more everyday folk, from parents with young children, to the veterans of protests gone by, happy to see the return of emotion on the street. A great deal of the protesters wear Guy Fawkes masks of (sadly) V For Vendetta fame. These masks, whose rights are owned by Time Warner, are meant to express the anonymity of various protesters, members of Anonymous amongst them. Robin Hood costumes are abundant, as well as the type of clothes one would expect to find at a rave (I imagine these to be the stragglers from the World Electronic Music Festival unable to let go of their glow-sticks).

Full Article
Source: Huff 

No comments:

Post a Comment