Why Chicago Is Occupy Ground Zero

By Scott Galindez, Reader Supported News

09 February 12

Reader Supported News | Perspective

�

�

he year was 1999, and the world came to Seattle. A loose-knit coalition of direct-action groups, labor, and faith-based activists delayed the start of a meeting of the World Trade Organization, and forced it to end early without any agreements. The potential is there once again to build that kind of coalition, this time to disrupt a meeting of NATO and the G8.

Imagine 50,000 people from all around the world taking to the streets of Chicago, using various non-violent, direct-action tactics designed to disrupt the most powerful nations on earth from meeting. Imagine people from all over the world coming together in the Windy City to say enough is enough; economic inequality must go.

Imagine Rahm Emanuel showing that he is the new Richard Daley, ordering Chicago's finest to crush the protests. Imagine the labor movement coming together and marching as one, the way they did in Seattle, then joining the youth in the street to defend them from over-zealous police.

Imagine leaders of faith-based communities telling NATO that might does not make right, and that militarism is a root cause of poverty.

Imagine young people arm-in-arm sending a message to the heads of eight of the world's most powerful countries that they are ready to build a new world that is not controlled by the wealthy elite.

Let us not just imagine these things, let's make them happen in Chicago this May. It happened once in Seattle: the anti-globalization movement grew after Seattle, but lost momentum after 9/11.

I was in Los Angeles on 9/11. We were organizing what would have been a historic march that was backed by labor, immigrant's rights groups, and dozens of other social justice groups. "The Mobilization for Global Justice" was cancelled, as most groups decided it would not help their cause to be in the streets protesting while the nation was mourning.

It has been a long road back. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq distracted our attention in the United States. It was September 17th, 2011, when we finally got our focus back.

We can once again come together and fight corporate greed. While we must continue to fight to bring the rest of the troops home from Afghanistan, we must recommit to the fight for economic justice here at home and around the world.

We must be inclusive. It's not time for fighting over who should lead, but a time for all groups fighting for economic justice to unite and a build a common mosaic.

We don't have to agree on tactics. Let labor build a massive rally and march, let the Occupy movement attempt to establish an encampment, let faith-based groups hold marches and vigils, and let direct-action groups attempt to disrupt the summits. The anarchists will be there too, let's hope they do not sabotage the work of the organizations that will be working to change hearts and minds.

2012 will be a long year. After Chicago many will be heading to Charlotte and Tampa for the conventions. While important, we will not have the same unity that we can build in Chicago.

Just realized ... I have focused on American groups, ignoring that the World will be coming to Chicago.

Scott Galindez attended Syracuse University, where he first became politically active. The writings of El Salvador's slain archbishop Oscar Romero and the on-campus South Africa divestment movement converted him from a Reagan supporter to an activist for Peace and Justice. Over the years he has been influenced by the likes of Philip Berrigan, William Thomas, Mitch Snyder, Don White, Lisa Fithian, and Paul Wellstone. Scott met Marc Ash while organizing counterinaugural events after George W. Bush's first stolen election. Scott will be spending a year covering the presidential election from Iowa.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.