5/12/2012

April 30th, 2012, 11am OWS Press Conference, Zuccotti Park, New York


As for today, April 30th 2012, 150 cities world wide have called for General Strike on May Day. 
 
It is not a matter of whether all of those involved in the General Strike can or even should come together under some ephemeral political umbrella to plot a shared course with clear, concise goals and agreed-upon demands. The truth of the matter is that the General Strike needs no demands. In fact, ideally it would abhor such a configuration, insofar as those of us striking out know full well that our own angers and desires far exceed any demands, or set of demands, that might be made. No laundry list of fucked up conditions, or of alternatives or solutions (which always precede, assume, and ultimately fail to attack the injustices they seek to address) can even begin to exhaust the range and scope of our rage.

Likewise, the Occupy movement, more and more openly transforms the tiring effects of excessively passive petition drives, letter writing campaigns, and permitted marches and rallies where professional activists are both literally and figuratively penned in, separated not only from their ostensible targets, but from one another as well.

We are the 99% therefore we need to creatively rethink what a General Strike means for us in 2012.

It means that:  
 
- We act collectively to establish new and inspiring forms of mutual aid and solidarity.
- We imagine how we go against effectively to the systems of racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, economic, political, and police oppression that are virtually indistinguishable from one another.
- We realize that many of us live in a “stop-and-frisk” world within which everyone is illegal (although some certainly more than others), and terms such as “police brutality” are increasingly recognized as redundant.
-We govern ourselves is acting upon social problems by our presence, commitment and by sharing the commons. We are open and public and we are not afraid to speak and act.
- We create new ways of being and living together, outside of wage and property relations; this especially means that we are thinking of ways to support those we work with, rather than those we work for or profit from.
- We start learning how to develop the strength and courage to view and treat our lives as they truly are: NOT NEGOTIABLE!

Most importantly General Strike calls for Infinite Strike and not just for a day of action because it calls for a social change. It calls for transformation and it is for each one of us to make that transformation possible on the streets, in public. We stick with each other and we do not compromise anymore on symbolic gestures but actual actions that promote and sprung our efforts. We make the city our playground and we abandon the places that oppresses us. We enjoy, we share, we change ourselves and others. We move forward.
 
This General Strike then calls for life and only by envisioning how our lives should be we can build this global General Strike.

From the May Day struggle that brought the 8 hour work day, to the people who want it all for all– 

EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE! GENERAL STRIKE!!
NO WORK! NO SCHOOL! NO SHOPPING! NO BORDERS! TAKE THE STREETS!

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