{PBJFlorida} Occupy and Arab spring at Amnesty International conference

Max Berger from the Occupy Movement and Asmaa Mahfouz from the Egyptian Uprising: Rising Up: Demanding Our Rights, Claiming Our Future presented by Amnesty International

 

            From the conference  agenda..."This session seeks to highlight the power of grassroots activism, identify the strategies and tools used to mobilize and examine how these various tools and strategies have helped advance human rights....the catalysts and/or tipping points that have contributed to the emergence of the Arab Spring and the Occupy Movement."

            Max Berger, who claims he is one of many, not a leader, is organizing a new campaign aimed at allowing homeless people to live in foreclosed homes. He commented on the Occupy beginnings: "Occupy was inspired by the Middle East...We were so thirsty for open spaces and we saw the connection forming in the Middle East."  The abuses Americans saw happen in the Middle East made Occupy come to power. Now  he projects Occupy rising up with the spring. "People will come to the streets to work for what is necessary--direct action. We cannot wait for institutional action. I don't know what it will look like but people are there. We are ready."

            Police violence scares people, he said. He identifies a "newly endangered population of crusty white punk kids getting the crap kicked out of them just as others have in past years." (An interesting point. I wonder if  OO protesters fit into this category.) Berger continues that being in jail radicalizes protestors.(All violence breeds resistance. It seems like authorities would know that by now.) He ends by celebrating movements around the world where people found courage to stand up.

 "We just went out! You can do it!"

            Asmaa Mafouz was introduced as the young woman who helped to start the Egyptian uprising. She's young, pretty, small, and she wears a scarf. For all of these reasons the authorities in Egypt did not consider her a threat. When they finally saw what she was made of and threatened her, she sent out a call to all Egyptians to protect her. Thousands responded and the uprising started. She was jailed, and in 15 minutes her bond of 20,000 Egyptian pounds was raised. She maintains that the revolution started years ago. The objective is not women or men, Muslim or Christian, but humanity. She says that some in Egypt followed the Tunisian example of self-immolation. She declares, and Max nods in agreement, "Now another world is possible. Freedom is really coming."

            She follows nonviolence. Once violence begins, the groups get creative. For instance, a caricature of the doctor who performed the virginity checks was made and posted all over the city. They had poetry readings and made music. Violence unifies the protestors. They "face weapons without weapons, they stand their ground, the form human barriers to protect each other. We own our own country by our actions, presence, and creativity." She said she was saved while in captivity by responses from Amnesty International. She closed" We must get in solidarity even with our differences. We all need to stand with all who are oppressed."   

 

Everybody say AMEN!

--

Penny

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