Try and stop what we do – Rise above – When they can’t do it themselves

Change comes from within.
Change comes at a price.
Change comes when you least expect it.
You can’t fight change. Change is.

Jealous cowards try to control
Rise above
We’re gonna rise above
They distort what we say
Rise above
We’re gonna rise above
Try and stop what we do
Rise above
When they can’t do it themselves

We are tired of your abuse
Try to stop us it’s no use
– Rise Above, Black Flag

I have some acquaintances who seem hell-bent on discrediting Occupy.
Not always because they disagree with the message, although there are some who feel that way.
But because of how the message is being put forth. They like to poke at the movement by finding every negative bit of press and posting it on Facebook – sometimes even to my own wall. They only ever look at the criticisms and no matter how I try to explore both sides of the discussion – and I *do* post about the good and bad issues of Occupy – they only want to push the agenda that Occupy is Wrong. And even more telling – these are always people who have not gone to visit any Occupy site. It’s all hearsay and what they believe without any personal substantiation.

I welcome discussions of what Occupy is doing, with your opinions attached. But ONLY if you are achieving these opinions via real, concrete observation and interaction. Otherwise, you’re just being an asshole who fears change and should fuck off.

In related news, here’s a great link from someone with experience who suggests how to deal with Assholes within the Occupation – Occupy’s Asshole Problem: Flashbacks From An Old Hippie

And another good link from the same person – What To Do When The Media Says A Protester Attacked A Cop

1) Challenge the assumption that the violent protester(s) are actually Occupy Wall Street protesters.

The media move fast, they don’t believe it is their job to know who started the violence, just that it started. If someone looks like an Occupy Wall Street protester, they are an OWS protester, even if they are an editor from the Right Wing publication American Spectator who is at the protest specifically to discredit the movement.

2) Scour all the footage and photos you can find of the instigators of the violence at the protest.

3) Crowd-source the images and ask for help identifying them.

4) Write a post about it on a blog with info on the person(s) and their background.

5) Contact the media and point out who that protest was started by.

Mirrored from xiane dot org.