By
Nadin Abbott.
July 19, 2012 (San Diego) One of the most striking elements of the Occupy movement is that the main stream press stopped giving it the time of day a while ago. It did not matter, it's not like "Occupy" got good press. In the meantime "Occupy" moved to phase two.
From personal experience in San Diego, "Occupy" has been involved in many things, both inside and outside the system. In other words, this is running in parallel. Today, members of "Women Occupy San Diego," were part of the coalition of activists that went before the City Planning Commission, hoping the Commission would block the Quail Bush power plant project. This project is slated to go on the Mission Trails Regional Park, and the Commission essentially blocked the power plant.
There are other things that the local Occupies, there are multiple, have been involved in. They include bringing to the attention of multiple city councils, up all over the North San Diego County, San Onofre, and it's potential for a major disaster. To say that Southern California Edison is all but pleased and that they are now in the problem children category for the National Regulatory Commission, is to put it mildly.
"Occupy" has moved from just being in the streets, (they did much more from the beginning), to being fully involved in the political process. This is a two track project, with people running well within the constraints of the political system, and well outside of it. In other worlds, at least locally, "Occupy" has discovered what makes social justice movements successful, and that is a mufti pronged approach.
Yes, register voters, and vote in elections, but do "occupy" your local Democratic party delegation. Yes, protest Citizens United, but still run for office. In fact, use your run to make a point about it. Yes, protest Quail Brush and San Onofre, but also go inside the corridors of power and educate those who inhabit them. This is what "Occupy" has become, at least in my neck of the woods..
Suffice it to say, this is a more difficult thing to define for major media outlets. After all, how do you attack those who register voters? And phase two will be much longer than phase one. It is, I suspect, for the long haul.
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