by Philip A. Farruggio
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
December 26, 2011
Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr
To all the young students and 20 somethings who are part of this fine Occupy Daytona movement:
I finally attended one of your meetings on Tuesday night. It was a great feeling to see, finally, after almost 40 years, young people meeting for more than just a round of Buds and Babes! I applaud all of you for the effort and passion you have! I can recall, as if it were yesterday, what transpired in 1970 when I first tasted activism. We students at Brooklyn College were outraged by the Kent State massacre and of course, the ongoing 6 year phony ‘ Vietnam War ‘ . We massed in great numbers and closed down our school, chasing the military recruiters off campus. {You can google ‘Kent State Massacre 1970 ‘and read about it in detail.}
I heard your mission statement and would like to elaborate on something crucial to the success of Occupy movements nationwide. If you have seen the Oliver Stone film ‘ Nixon ‘ there was one powerful scene that helps make my point now. In this scene Nixon goes, with only his valet, to visit the students who are occupying the Capitol area. He makes this visit in the dead of night, unbeknownst to anyone. Nixon comes upon students camping out inside the Lincoln Memorial, and engages them in conversation. Being Richard Nixon, he attempts to ‘reach them‘ by talking football. This goes nowhere. Suddenly, a young woman challenges him with ‘Why don’t you just stop the war?‘ Nixon begins to explain to her that it is ‘not as simple as that‘. He tells her that the whole war and actually the whole system are analogous to a beast that cannot be controlled … she interrupts him and makes the most cogent point of the whole film: ‘You really can’t stop it even if you wanted to!” As Nixon was escorted out of the memorial by the Secret Service, he turned to his valet and said something like: ‘That 19 year old girl knew more than 90% of the people running our government.’ You see, what Nixon was referring to by the beast is our American empire and its controllers, The Military Industrial Complex (Google Eisenhower’s January 1961 Farewell Address to get a clearer picture).
My goal as activist is to urge others, especially you passionate and caring young folks, to connect the dots. Your protests of corporate greed and all it entails, with massive budget cuts and union busting etc, is all part of what this beast, our militaristic empire, is all about. When over 50 cents of every federal tax dollar we send to Uncle Sam goes for military spending… and phony wars and occupations, drone attacks killing women and children and the elderly… when can we agree that ‘ enough is enough ‘? If only those of us who stand and protest this outrageous mindset of more and more military invasions and occupations can join with you who protest corporate greed etc. As my dear 80 something activist friend Barbara S. states: ‘It is all connected!‘ I urge all the Occupy movements nationwide to place the protests of this empire and its deeds to the top of the totem pole of priorities. Imagine, as we in the 25% Solution movement realize, if we cut military spending immediately by 25% and ended all occupations and began shutting down the 800+ bases worldwide. Think of how that $160+ billion per year could be used to eliminate our state and city budget shortfalls, saving jobs, needed public services and our credibility as a nation worldwide. Then, with a more sustained economy and international prestige could we focus on the greed and corruption that incited and then profited by this militaristic empire’s deeds.
My friends in this town stand each week with but a mere handful of participants in support of the above. Imagine if more of you fine young folks would come stand with us each week, even but for one hour. Little by little we could educate and influence our neighbors with the two most important tools: Truth & Passion!
Philip A. Farruggio is son and grandson of Brooklyn, NYC longshoremen. He is a free lance columnist (usually found on the fine Dandelion Salad site), an environmental products sales rep and an activist. Since 2010, Philip is a spokesperson for the 25% Solution Movement to Save Our Cities by cutting military spending 25%. Philip can be reached at paf1222@bellsouth.net.
see
Noam Chomsky: Arab Spring, American Winter
Michel Chossudovsky and Rick Rozoff: Military Buildup Across the Globe
Are we living in a fool’s paradise? By William Bowles
Occupy Wall Street on Dandelion Salad
Dandelion Salad 
All good points, but it seems to me that the small group of anti-war protesters should go join the larger group that is the occupy movement , and bring their concerns about the Empire there where it will get more attention. Those who have been protesting for years and gaining little support should not make this into a competition, if the aim is to get more people engaged, they have the numbers to make that happen and they are open for all to air their special concerns and grievances.To insist the Occupy people join a demonstration that has been on the corner once a week for years and hasn’t been able to attract more than a few followers becomes just an ego trip.
The difference between the peaceful protests and the occupy movement is civil disobedience. Unfortunately, that is exactly what needs to be done in order to make changes in the system.
I also encourage Philip and others to join their local Occupy movements.