Occupy Atlanta blocked a local Congressman from speaking at their general assembly. Essentially, the general assembly’s rules require consensus to pass any resolution or to allow anybody to speak. Nothing else will do. So, when the Congressman (a veteran of civil rights marches and used to taking a leadership role) asked to speak, one member of the assembly crossed his arms in strenuous opposition. He didn’t like the idea of people attempting to lead the movement. It worked. The Congressman was denied an opportunity to speak, and the assembly rolled on, leaderless.
John Robb
“Fortunately, the Occupy movement is organized in a way that makes taking control difficult.
Here are some of them: * Consensus decision making (blocks leadership as per the above). * Geographic Decentralization. Not many people in any one location. * No hierarchy or bureaucracy. A coup de tat requires a bureaucratic hierarchy. To sieze control, all you need to do get the bureaucracy to accept your orders. If it does, you are now in control. Occupy doesn’t have a bureaucracy to sieze control of. * No behind the scenes space. Everything is out in the open/transparent. How do you cut a deal in a smoke filled room when there isn’t one? * Lots more here… any more and I’d have to write a pamphlet e-book on it. ;->”
(via we-never-jump-ship)
(via un--man)
