Moneybox: Is the Occupy Movement Anti-Democratic?

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Moneybox Is the Occupy Movement Anti-Democratic? The global protests may actually undermine democracy rather than strengthen it. By Anne Applebaum Posted Monday, Oct 17, 2011, at 05:48 PM ET On paper, it isn't easy to reproduce the oddity of the Occupy the London Stock Exchange rally that took place on the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral last weekend. It's all very British—people are cooking pots of porridge on the sidewalk—yet reverent homage is being paid to the original Occupy Wall Street protests, too. The London demonstrators have even adopted the "human mic" used in New York's Zucotti Park—the crowd in front repeats whatever the speaker says, so that the crowd in back can hear—despite the fact that megaphones and microphones have not been banned in London. The effect, as can be heard on the Guardian's online video, was something like this:       "We need to have a process" (We need to have a process!)       "This meeting was called for a reason!" (This meeting was called for a reason!)       "We know that you are there!" (We know that you are there!)       "And we have solidarity with you" (We have solidarity with you!) Unintentionally, it sounds a lot like a scene from the Monty Python movie Life of Brian, the one in which Brian, who has been mistaken for the messiah, shouts out at the crowd, "You are all individuals!" The crowd shouts back: "We are all individuals!" To my American ear, the resemblance is reinforced by the fact that the speakers are British, and thus sound as if they belong in a Monty Python movie anyway. But this isn't unusual: Inevitably ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Lithwick: How To Avoid Getting Arrested at Your Local Occupy Wall Street Protest Why Roz Chast Hates Superheroes. And Elevators. And Carnivals. And ... Who Cares if Running Backs Don't Do Much Running?	Advertisement
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