Category: Essays & Letters

Engaging the Powers – Book Review

By Catherine Alder Rarely does a book show the history of nonviolence for thousands of years, explain the Just War Theory clearly, correct the understanding of Jesus’ radical peace and justice statements that have been watered down by confused Christians, and help readers imagine ways of unbalancing systems of unjust power in which they do…

Occupocrisy

by Tracy Mattner Often, the primary criticism leveled towards any dissenting party is that it presents no coherent alternative to the paradigm which it resists. Indeed, the Occupy movement has, since its inception, struggled to face down this jeering challenge. Although many individuals within the Occupy movement have expressed the sentiment that conditions in the…

Blind Justice: Why There’s No Such Thing as A Good Cop

This article is about a currently contentious topic. The editors are posting it along this contrary article, which takes a different perspective. We offer them both, together, as a way of fostering discussion and debate. By Devon Warren The response in Oakland to Occupy Oakland’s move-in day on January 28 came as a surprise for…

Hey, Hey! Ho, Ho! “F— The Police” Chant Has Got to Go!

This article is about a currently contentious topic. The editors are posting it along this contrary article, which takes a different perspective. We offer them both, together, as a way of fostering discussion and debate. By St Jason I had a debate going to the OccuPicnic at Chapman, but after throwing out my back, doing…

Racism 101 – The Makeup Class

Editors Note: This piece is a follow-up to another piece written by the same author. Read it, and the comments referenced here, by clicking this link. by Ahjamu Umi Although there were several very well thought-out and comprehensive responses to the Racism 101 article, the majority of replies indicate a clear failing grade for the…

Anarchism

by Lester Macgurdy Since Karl Marx’ immense intelligence and noteworthy contributions to the field of Political Economy redefined the working man’s struggle against Capital and made him the pre-eminent anti-capitalist thinker in the 19th Century, anti-capitalist leftism, including Anarchism, has been marching to the beat of his drum. Obscured beneath Marx’s dialectic Materialism lay forgotten…

On the History of a Burned American Flag

This author and this website do not advocate any specific act of violence or crime against property. This essay was crafted and published as solely a piece of rhetoric, and it ought to be interpreted as nothing else. by Adam Rothstein On the night of January 28th, protesters from Occupy Oakland entered Oakland’s City Hall,…

Google Changes Business Model to “Do Evil”

By Lester Macgurdy Point number six of Google’s stated philosophy is- “You can make money without doing evil.” This just begs the question: “What does Google define as evil?” Evil, if Google’s philosophy is to be the source of divine inspiration on the topic, is not to be defined as setting old people on fire…

How ALEC Influences Legislation

This article is from the Occupied News Wire. Originally published in the Boston Occupier. by Josh Sager The American Legislative Exchange Council, otherwise known as ALEC, is a non-profit group funded by some of the largest corporations in our country. ALEC’s diverse corporate donor list includes large petrochemical companies, such as Koch Industries, and pharmaceutical…