Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Moderates vs. Radicals

At least, that's the drift I got while observing this afternoon's General Assembly at the Occupy Philly encampment at City Hall. The question being discussed is whether or not they're to move voluntarily from City Hall. They're being pressured to do so. The usual constipated intellectual types were arguing very precisely that they should do exactly that-- to somewhere a little more out of the way. "It's time for other tactics," they pleaded weakly. Paine's "summer soldiers and sunshine patriots." (Easy for me to say.)

Fortunately there were a few hard core impassioned radical types, like a very compelling black dude named Blue, and a very large blonde woman named Ivanka. Of course, they're right. You don't willingly give up a winning location. You stand together. In pushing for change, leverage is everything. (Which I never got through all the way to the ULA.)

But what do I know?

To me, moderates are the death of any organization or group pushing for change. I speak from experience.

1 comment:

King Wenclas said...

Think about chess. If you've established a position at the center of the board, you don't give it up for one to the side-- not without getting a great deal in return.