> Now wait a minute, This is hardly a fair characterization
> of alt banking ( i am a participant and am currently fielding
> "social networking" activities for the group). First there are
> finance people but the way this email makes it sound,
> these people are somehow "untrustworthy". as someone
> who knows these people who they reference personally
> they participate because of how fed up they are with the
> system and they want to use their expertise to help ows.
Nathan,
I know Chris and I respect him a lot. I don't think he intended to characterize alt banking. He's narrowly referring to one time he participated in a meeting of that group. Chris (and Sara, his wife) has been among the URPErs who's been involved with OWS from its inception, with teach-ins, etc. First time he participates in this group, but he's been involved with other groups regularly. Now, the guy is very knowledgeable of monetary policy, banking, and all that. He is a radical who used to work at the Fed.
The way I read his message is a call to arms for URPErs to get engaged. He wasn't trying to discredit or diminish the efforts of anybody. Chris feels very strongly against the DP and RP influences hijacking the movement, etc. I have my own opinion about the DP and OWS, which David Laibman has articulated in ways I am comfortable endorsing (http://juliohuato.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/david-laibman-concerning-the-occupy-movement-and-insidious-threats/).
As far as Chris' tone seeming a bit too patronizing (you guys learn, we'll teach you), which I believe shag referred to, I'm sure that's also the result of particular choice of tone in this message, which was intended to excite URPErs. He could speak for himself of course, but I don't think this is any reflection on Chris' attitude. Chris is a profoundly democratic comrade. And no, he is not a professor (as far as I know). Again, in the URPE SC, if there's anybody who believes that we should learn from OWS that one is Chris. There's no doubt this is a two-way road. So, even in the terms of his appeal, he has a point. It's no accident that URPE (in spite of all) has maintained itself as a relatively healthy organization since the 1960s, just as it is true that URPE's purpose is not its own survival, but helping promote our broader social struggles. So, yes, it does have something to offer in the current struggles.
In solidarity.