The Politburo
I posted this on the Occupy Melbourne site, but I expect it to get deleted.
noelconway says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
October 26, 2011 at 9:15 am
I expect this message to be deleted. No matter.
I have found some of the organisers of Occupy Melbourne to be aloof, if not outrightly rude. I have tried to involve myself as an interested, independent, free thinking of the Occupy Melbourne movement. I have not been a member of the inner sanctum, I have simply visited the City Square occupation and been a part of the citizens who were assaulted by the police on the 21st of October, which I call Black Friday. It was a black day for all of our rights, and those rights are enshrined in Victorian law.
I have made some efforts to inform people of what those rights are. Usually I have been shooed away from the organising people, who are “simply to busy organising” to be concerned about one insignificant individual. On Tuesday the 25th at the General Assembly one of these people asked me to move. I was at the top of the stairs and apparently too near the organisers. But when he said “move” all I heard was the ePolice saying “move, move, move,” dressed in riot gear and crushing peaceful demonstrators as they tried to move us up Swanston Street. It reminded me of Orwell’s Animal Farm, where the pigs make everyone equal, but the pigs are made just a little bit more equal than all the rest.
Well I can understand the need for organisation and coordination. But some of us are just ordinary human beings. We are not always in the right place at the right time. Apparently I was in the wrong place in this instance, just like I was in the wrong place on Black Friday.
I posted details of my dealings with the ombudsman in relation to the injuries I suffered on that day on this site, and the kindly people have felt the need to remove them. I don’t know why that would be. I thought the information might have been useful to others. No-one bothered to contact me. I have also twice emailed to email contacts on this page, and have not received a response. It doesn’t say much for the organisation, but I am sure the organisers are only dealing with important matters, the ideas and thoughts of ordinary individuals do not matter.
So I guess it does not matter that I am writing this. I am nobody, just like the rest of the 99% who you are meant to represent. I can tell you, most powerfully, that I do not represent the 99%, nor the 1%. I find that quite patronizing. We represent ourselves. The Occupy Melbourne people represent the Occupy Melbourne people, not one person more or less. It’s kind of arrogant to say that you represent people you don’t even know.
Anyway, that’s my peace. I will be at the protest to call for Doyle’s resignation. My rights were trampled on that day. But for the rest of it, I will leave it to you guys. It is obvious you don’t need me, and that I am not wanted. Again, I have tried, and failed. But that is not for the first time. But always remember, when you start to look like the people you protest against, maybe it is time to end your protest.
