What is the theoretical justification or demanding that OWS proclaim a list of demands?
It seems to me, prima facie, that such a list would trivialize the Occupation. I guess we need to analyze the concept of "Demands" and place that in some theoretical context.
I suppose the 'model' vaguely held in the thought of those demanding demands is that of the Strike: The union demands certain moves by management in return for which the workers will return to work. Closely similar is the Building Occupation and the Lunch Counter Occupation of the '60s. Students occupy the Aministration Building and announce that they will not leave until the University Administration grants specified privileges (such as literature tables on the quad) to students or takes specific actions to increase the proportion of minority students admitted to the school. Now, something like that situation has occurred in Chicago, and the Chicago Occupation has made specific demands on the City. I coy their resolution at the end of this post. (I have some marginal concern over whether this resolution carries enough support from participants in or friends of the Occupy Chicago to produce the number of demonstrators which will be needed to give reality to the projected Occupy City Hall. It _may_ be the result of maneuvering by ISO within Occupy Chicago, but I don't really know the concrete situation there and cannot judge.) But this "demand" by Occupy Chicago was generated by a specific action(or series of actions) by a specific authority, and it can be granted on the same institution (City of Chicago) that is the target of projected mass pressure in the form of Occupy City Hall. It isNOT theresult of a few defective theorists developing a Demand Fetish and isnsistign that demands be made (on WHOM?). That seems to me gross amateurism and the result of an anti-theortical mind set on the part of those demanding demands. They simply have not produced any theoretical justification for their disruptive behavior within and without OWS. Instead of providing such a theoretical justification they have simply taken it for granted that demands are a good thing and no demands is a bad thing. Sad.
Carrol ------ The Chicago resolution (As reported to me by a friend)
Last night at the General Assembly meeting of Occupy Chicago, consisting of about 200 people, the group unanimously voted for the following proposal:
Background
Since July, anti-war organizers in CANG8 (Coalition Against NATO / G8) have delivered letters and attempted to meet with the city regarding respect for the 1st amendment rights of protesters during the NATO and G8 summits that will take place in Chicago in May 2012. Our first communications were met with silence, and then repeated calls to city officials in charge of the permitting process were met with a run-around and then with continued silence. The G8 ("Group of 8" of the largest industrialized nations) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance are two of the institutions which bear some of the greatest responsibility for the wars and economic violence traumatizing millions of people around the world. As such, the City should forthrightly commit to upholding the 1st amendment rights of protesters.
The Proposal
That Occupy Chicago participate in a non-arrestable action on Wed., Oct. 26 dubbed "Occupy City Hall." The purpose of the action is to put pressure on Mayor Emanuel to publicly commit to giving march permits "within sight and sound" of the May 2012 G8/NATO summits in Chicago, and that Police Superintendent McCarthy cease making threatening statements against would-be protesters. If by early next week, Occupy Chicago is still being stonewalled by the City over its demand for a permanent campsite, and/or other civil liberties demands, those concerns will also be part of the demands of the action.
Another person and I amended the proposal to include the following:
We also demand that the City of Chicago drop the charges against last Saturday night's Occupy Chicago participants and against any who might be arrested at this Saturday's Occupy Chicago action.
The action is to begin immediately after the 1:30 PM General Assembly meeting at Jackson & LaSalle this Wednesday, October 26. It is very important not only that CANG8 members make a good showing at Wednesday's action, but at the action at 6:30 PM, tonight (Saturday), also beginning at Jackson & LaSalle.
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