politicalprof:

I hate that the “V” Guy Fawkes mask has become associated with the Occupy movement. That it appears to be at the choice of the Occupiers makes it so much the worse.

Consider, for a moment, the political symbols embedded in the two photos above. On the left, there is a hard piece of plastic shaped into a deliberately grotesque form. It is a caricature of an attempted regicide and mass murderer who tried to blow up Parliament for religious reasons—namely, that he and his co-conspirators were Catholic and the regime was Protestant. (That the wearer is also apparently garbed in a Palestinian keffiyeh further complicates the symbolism.) The mask was subsequently co-opted for the character “V,” an actual bomber who manages to blow up Parliament … but no one really is supposed to mind because the regime is corrupt. The entire vibe is angry, frustrated and alienating: creepy people with angry intentions are in their audience’s face, insisting that almost anything is legitimate because the ruling regime is so vile.

On the right we have a green field, a blue sky, and a man and a woman talking freely and happily. He is costumed (as the “V” protestors are); however, his costuming is evocative of American values and American memories: the experience of winning freedom from the British in the American Revolution. It has Thomas Jefferson, a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag and, seemingly appropriately in America, a do-it-yourself moving truck in the background. The people are smiling—proud to be asserting their opinions into the debate of the moment.

I don’t care that what the Tea Partiers want is stupid. What I care about is that their symbols appeal to and evoke a shared American history and a deep appreciation for the mythologies that make Americans American. They invite others to join in a cause that is deeply culturally embedded. By contrast, the Guy Fawkes “V” mask does none of this. 

The American wing of the Occupy movement needs symbols that engage and embrace the American public rather than alienating and intimidating it. Put another way, it’s easy to generate sympathy when college students sitting in a quad get pepper sprayed. It’s much harder when mask wearing who-knows-what-they-ares get attacked. 

Drop the mask, people. 

(via uncdan)

"My part of Oakland is full of poor people. There’s at least one murder a week. Old creeps pimp out teenaged girls in broad daylight. You can buy crack or heroin 30 feet from my door, and two of my neighbors have been held up at gun point this summer. And the City of Oakland says they don’t have the police to stop any of that. But a bunch of people protesting the fact that rich people got a bail out and everyone else got nothing? The city shuts them down tight. Bang. Done. Riot act. Do you ever get the feeling you’ve bean cheated? I do. Every day."

@el_gallo on BoingBoing.com (via lordmoudemort)

Oakland, Oakland. If you’re from Northern CA you’d understand what even the name of that city evokes. Talk about somewhere that people’s human rights are blatantly disregarded. Particularly in the black areas.

(via daniellemertina)

Like my dad who grew up in the East Bay and left California as soon as he could always said: California is the state of equal opportunity racists.

(via akagoldfish)

(Source: alfredodistefano, via ghost-of-algren)

newsweek:

What’s amazing about this photograph (by David Shankbone, Mr. Coolest Last Name Ever) is the ‘Charging Bull’ sculpture was initially installed without the consent of the authorities. It’s guerilla art!

The rest of the Occupy Wall St. photos from ‘In Focus’ are equally fascinating, go check ‘em out. (And hey! There’s a rumor Radiohead might be performing for the protesters at 4pm. Woah.)

(via autentico-decadente)