Adbusters: TACTICAL BRIEFING #27 - STRATEGIC RETHINK

[Generic Other]

in my email:

Alright you wild cats, nimble dreamers and jammer tacticians,

In a sudden about-face, the United States has conceded a victory to Occupy and moved May’s G8 summit to Camp David, an impenetrable military base in rural Maryland. Wow! Looks like the specter of 50,000 occupiers ready to swarm with a list of demands has turned the climactic Showdown in Chicago into a humiliating G8 Backdown. Bravo! Splitting the G8 and NATO summits was a deft move… but now we’ve got a major tactical rethink on our hands.

The big question is do we follow Mao’s advice (“when the enemy retreats, we pursue”) or Sun Tzu’s (“Do not pursue an enemy who simulates flight”)? We’ve heard persuasive arguments on all sides. Some occupiers say the movement should lay chase and go for #OCCUPYCAMPDAVID against all odds … a month of tree-sits, lockdowns and nomadic encampments in the woods and nearby Thurmont. Others believe it’s best to up the ante with #OCCUPYCHICAGO: an even bigger mobilization beginning with the May Day General Strike. Still others advocate an unpredictable everywhere-at-once global insurgency of anarchic swarms throughout the month of May.

When Ben Ali first attacked then tried to hide from his people, he was toppled. When Mubarak refused to negotiate and tried to beat his people back into line, he was deposed. Now the White House and the G8 are repeating the mistakes of last year’s autocrats … first they try to scare us with tough talk of repressive anti-Occupy ordinances, crowd suppression technologies and paramilitary policing, then they make a hasty retreat to the safety of Camp David.

The world’s leaders flee from us … so what do we do? Maybe we just laugh at them?

[Leopolds Ghost]

1. Any previous versions of these online? I await clarification on the unpredictable global swarms, heh

Last edited Tue Mar 13, 2012, 02:10 AM - Edit history (1)

Camp David is a dumb idea in my opinion, tree-sitting for purposes other than to save trees and wildlife... twinkle down on that.

Occupy does not have to be in the same physical place as G8 in order to have an impact in this age of electronic media participation.

If the two events are happening simultaneous, all the more reason not to abandon Chicago and/or multi-city model.

I also want to know what happened to Occupy the Mall in early spring, did that get quashed or pushed back to summer?

[Leopolds Ghost]

2. "YOU CAN'T WRITE POEMS ABOUT TREES WHEN THE WOODS ARE FULL OF POLICEMEN" (Bertold Brecht)

My thoughts on the Camp David idea

[napoleon_in_rags]

3. My tactical two cents: the answer to the G8 is the G9T9

OWS should hold its own summit. This G8 will be focused largely on energy issues and managing energy costs, you can take it to the bank. So OWS should do the same, showcasing bike commuting, alternative energy companies, etc. Open for all to attend and see.

Show the power of transparency and accessibility over the G8 secrecy and reduced access. Show people an alternative to the way the G8 runs things, that they may understand the different way of doing things.

[Leopolds Ghost]

4. Nice acronym. Also: Should, um, whomever really be relying on Adbusters to front for Occupy at every

opportunity? I think one motto of the movement should be: don't front! Speak on ones' own behalf, not for everyone. Just my personal opinion... If it's a good one then others will agree. If it's a good one and sadly unappreciated then it serves no purpose to foist it on others. If it's a bad one then it'll tend to sink. Of course, we should never underestimate the ability of the American public to let bad ideas rise to the top...

[Leopolds Ghost]

5. Referring to Adbusters that is.

[napoleon_in_rags]

13. Yeah! I don't speak for OWS.

That must be the mantra for everybody involved in OWS.

I was writing a response to somebody who criticized a speculative somebody being quoted in reference to a respected scientist, and I almost said: Science is concerned with the truth value of things people say, politics is concerned with the truth value of people. I realize later I stumbled on something true: The same way there is a fundamental theorem of calculus and a fundamental theorem of algebra, this is the fundamental theorem of elite political control: perpetuate the idea that people, not ideas have truth value, so if a person can be shown to be flawed, by association ideas they have professed are flawed as well...and inversely, if their flaws can be concealed, then their ideas must be flawless.

So long as the fundamental theorem of elite control stands, the power structures which diverge from reason and lead us into madness will stand. The answer for progress is then is to decouple the idea from the personality, to redirect consciousness away from the personality and into the truth value of the words.

[Leopolds Ghost]

14. That's a great formulation! -- I hope you didn't think I was referring to you, but to Adbusters

I really like the way you put it, I am of a similar mind also.

I think we all ought to speak out as much as we can here, especially since we're not in person, so there's no danger of talking over each other -- for the ideas not the personalities, as you say -- but Adbusters has a particularly large bullhorn so I am hoping it does not go to their heads especially if they wish to remain in solidarity with the other groups involved in Occupy... the key to them getting their ideas out there is to set an example, like you gotta give the Kony 2012 people credit for actually doing. They got to keep moving and not get bogged down in single-issue focus or appeals to other people to do stuff... If they don't have the capability to push a media action (since after awhile you tend to use up your cred if the same people are pushing idea after idea) then go behind the scenes, they can find others who can. We don't want it to appear like the movement is driven by a specific group of individuals or a specific (Canadian) publication that the media can then target for derision...

CARTMAN ❤ CANADA

[napoleon_in_rags]

16. I was taking it generally.

Who controls Occupy? The movement has been successful because it is divorced from personalities, godmen and women who would direct its outcome, only to bring it down later when they are discovered to be mortals - the endless clown show of politics as we know it. So for each individual involved, there is an almost spiritual direction in not even dreaming of being a leader of it, but finding fulfillment in being a part. Its about the rejection of all the illusions that keep politics so dumb, the rejections of cults of personalities and the idea that elites get everything done (the fundamental illusion of the 1%) and the embrace of the truth that normal people working hard, doing their part, make the world go round.

As far as adbusters, the issue is that some prominent media sources are playing up that role. Adbusters has a lot to contribute in terms of good ideas with resistance to mindless consumerism, but the fundamental idea must not be challenged:

There is no elite 1% of protesters who direct the rest, of that we can all be sure.

PEace

[Generic Other]

6. Here's the rest of the email I received...

On May 18, the day the G8 leaders meet in Camp David, why don’t we, the people of the world have a #LAUGHRIOT. Let roars of laughter rise up from towns and cities everywhere at the spectacle of the world’s leaders trying to crisis manage the economy from behind closed doors and razor wire fences.

Laughter is one of the most powerful tactical weapons of memewar … it signals supremacy and loss of fear. So let’s pull off the greatest comedy of howling flash mobs, riotous street parties and hysterical pranks the world has ever seen. May 18 could be a monumental tipping point… an ahahaha! moment when the people of the world have a collective epiphany, and from that point on start thinking differently about how the world should be governed.

Jammers, whatever we do this Spring, let’s float like butterflies and sting like bees! Let’s bend the G8 and NATO to our will with shock tactics and audacious culture jams that capture the imagination of the world. We may be far closer to a Global Spring than any of us has so far dared to imagine …

for the wild,
Culture Jammers HQ

OccupyWallStreet.org / Tactical Briefing #25 and #26 / OccupyWallst.org / G8Protest.org / OccupyChi.org / CANG8.org / Takethesquare.net / OccupyMay1st.org / MayDayNYC.org / Facebook / Twitter / Reddit

PS. Tell us your strategy for the Global Spring … and send your funniest G8/NATO spoofs, memes and jams to [e-mail] and let’s get ready to laugh til it hurts.

[Leopolds Ghost]

11. I think this whole memewar thing needs to be refined further, or simply taken to small groups

The Yippies did this sort of thing, as mentioned in a previous thread, but it's not something you can incite large groups of people to do over the Internet. The only way to incite a meme is to get one going. If it doesn't catch on, it's just another forced meme.

[zipplewrath]

7. They have alot of control around Camp David

They can and will close the entire park around Camp David and they can also enforce curfews. Too bad too because the actual facility isn't all that big and one could easily "surround" the facility. They built a very nice perimeter road with alot of greenspace on both sides. One could easily move around there and have a continuous "march" around the whole facility with only a few hundred people. With some beating drums, they'd always know you were there.

[KoKo]

8. Peaceful silent demonstrations on the roadways?

Problem is that most will helicopter in to Camp David...assume? But, if there are limo's don't they still have to use a highway or road to get in from the airport? Perhaps staff will have to drive in.

I don't know logistics of Camp David...but, peaceful silent protests with hand held poster board signs might work if the protests could be situated in places where some of them can be seen.

I say hand held poster board signs because when George W. came to our state to meet with one of his big donors after the Iraq Invasion...we peace activists lined the roadway so his Black SUV convoy with him in the Presidential Limosene could be seen. Many had signs with stake holders and the police made us remove the stake holders because they said the stakes could be used as weapons. They did bring barracades to cage us but, we were close enough that we saw the Unitary Executive smirk at us through his tinted glass window. And, the whole entourage knew that there were protestors peacefully demonstrating.

If there is a town nearby Camp David perhaps a vigil could be held there if the roadways are shut down.

Just thoughts.

[KoKo]

9. Also...there are East Coasters

who could more easily do vigils in Maryland than Chicago. Might even attract more occupier who would have found Chicago hard to do both cost and time wise.

[zipplewrath]

10. Look at Google Earth

Take a look at the place. It is very secluded if they only close a couple of roads. It's in the middle of a national park, and they admit to closing it on occasion for "security". You'd have to be sure to know which road to go to if you expected to be seen by the attendants, and that presumes they don't arrive by helicopter.

If there had been time, one might have been able to go to court to get "walking priviledges" around the perimeter road, where you'd be close enough to be heard. But on this short notice, I'm not sure what can be accomplished.

[KoKo]

12. Yep..fortified for sure. Road looks more like a path...

They must helicopter them all in and not bother with cars.

Maybe a vigil at the entrance to the park....even if it's block with cops...might be a public road that could be used.

Wonder what the public outcry will be for closing a State Park in good weather, though.... Taxes pay for State Parks, and something might be worked out legally by Occupy for closing the State Park for security reasons.

[99th_Monkey]

15. Into Camp David => "Parade of Shame" wall of silent Occupiers lining the route?

into Camp David? I don't know much about CD's layout geographically, or the auto routes
in/out of there; which might render this plan logistically not feasible. And it will also depend
on where police and security establish their "parameter", where the public can no longer go.

Aerials: turned up on Google
http://cryptome.org/eyeball/david3/david3-eyeball.htm
https://www.google.com/webhp?sa=N&hl=en&tab=lw#hl=en&sugexp=cqn&gs_nf=1&tok=-h5J3N86NVhGM2bldiu6ww&cp=16&gs_id=1t&xhr=t&q=camp+david+aerials&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Camp+David+areal&aq=0jl&aqi=g-jl1&aql=f&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=25cdb3d2f0978fa0&biw=1537&bih=905

But the idea would be to just simply line-up 2-3 deep on both sides of the highway with signs maybe,
but mostly just with our heads bowed in silence, rather like the famous "walk of shame" silent protest
they did at Univ. of California Davis when Univ. President was walking to her car.
http://sfist.com/2011/11/19/video_uc_davis_chancellors_eerily_s.php

It wouldn't take many people, and might have a positive impact. ... but there are lots of variables
and unknowns, esp. relating to how police and secret service plan their set-up there and how they
would respond to protesters just outside their parameter.

Just a wild random idea.

[KoKo]

17. +1

[Leopolds Ghost]

18. Only problem is they'd probably helicopter in everypony, if only because...

... it'd be a grueling limo ride from the airport.

I missed that, whatever happened to the president of UC Davis?