Comments on: How do you teach history, as it’s happening?

By: J.R.

J.R. — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:46:50 +0000

AIPCSParent,
What I was actually getting at is that just because people look a certain way does not preclude them from being an anarchist or troublemaker. Basically you cannot read peoples minds, or their hears or intent.You stated:

“Look at the faces in these 1000+ pictures of people at Occupy Oakland and you will get a different perspective of the kind of normal middle of the road people who actively support Occupy”.

These could all be people who are dependent on public sector money(taxes)in one way or another and tend to lean toward or sympathize with anti-business and or free market ideologies to begin with. George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson warned about Government being too big, and amassing too much public debt. We made things much worse when we created the federal reserve and fractional banking. ignorant people don’t realize that you don’t just create jobs out of thin air, you have to take risks,have capitol,market conditions,customer base and so forth. the productive taxpayers are tired of the BS, while we know greed is a problem, we also know that only 53% of the 99% pay taxes, and even less pay taxes from money not originating from tax money.

By: AIPCSParent

AIPCSParent — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:08:49 +0000

@JR… the issue is not “Anarchist” per se.

I included the term in quotes as it was used by Nextest.

Some of my best friends are anarchists (not really, but the political philosophy is not the problem per se).

If you want to know what the problem people “look like” , the look like the people in this wikipedia article about Black Bloc tactics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_bloc .

By: Ms. McLaughlin

Ms. McLaughlin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:52:31 +0000

As someone who has occupied Oakland, semi-peacefully, for the last 30 years, I respectfully suggest that it’s time for the Occupy encampment to regroup, re-strategize, declare Victory, and possibly move along. Yes, corporate greed is a valid thing to protest. But on the other hand, there are small, LOCAL businesses near the Occupation area that have been steadily losing business as a result of some of the mayhem and media attention.

The holiday season is upon us, too. Our local restaurants and shops depend upon that seasonal income for their very survival. When the protests are, however unintentionally, causing decent, blue-collar people to be laid off from their jobs, then the Occupiers are CAUSING some of the same problems they originally set up camp to demonstrate against.

And friends and neighbors, this of all years as we’re out making our holiday purchases and having our holiday evenings out, let’s all remember to Shop Oakland, OK?

By: J.R.

J.R. — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:44:51 +0000

“Yes…young , white, and dirty-

They are the ones trying so hard not to look white”

I bet there is quite a story behind that statement.

Mount resentment is the biggest of all.

By: Nextset

Nextset — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:02:40 +0000

A communist looks like a disingenuous white liberal. It’s very easy to spot them. There’s a particular affect. Think Obama’s buddy Ayres, Think the SLA, Think the UC Faculty. Now there are ethnic variants. We know who they are also. Profiling is really not difficult. The urban public school faculty is likely full of them.

Save us from White Liberals.

By: lisbon

lisbon — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:10:35 +0000

Yes…young , white, and dirty-

They are the ones trying so hard not to look white

By: J.R.

J.R. — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:10:10 +0000

AIPCS,
I saw some teachers in there, some familiar faces, but that is to be expected as it was stated by Troy flint that 200-300 Oakland teachers would be there. What does an anarchist or communist look like? Does anybody know?

By: AIPCSParent

AIPCSParent — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:03:46 +0000

Nextest said:

“Anyway, when you get extreme right or left you get to the same point in the circle.”

ABSOLUTELY Correct!

And interestingly, I find that when you go to the base of the Tea Party Movement and the base of the Occupy movement you get to the exact same place…. as articulated in this political cartoon: http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/store/add.php?iid=72187

In any event, Nextest, you really undermine your credibility when you resort to such silly generalizations about the Occupy movement. The “Black Bloc,anarchists, drug-addled ” folks are a small minority of the people who support the movement.

Look at the faces in these 1000+ pictures of people at Occupy Oakland and you will get a different perspective of the kind of normal middle of the road people who actively support Occupy. View the pics at http://www.scottolsen.org/?page=2

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:27:09 +0000

Thanks, 5th year Oakland Teacher. I’d love to hear more about those class discussions and the connections students are drawing. Do your students seem more interested in learning about, say, the industrial revolution than your classes in previous years?

By: 5th year Oakland Teacher

5th year Oakland Teacher — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 04:41:12 +0000

On the topic of Occupy, as a history teacher I found it was very useful as a way of discussing how people react to inequalities as we learned about social Darwinism, socialism, utilitarianism and other responses to the development of capitalism during the industrial revolution. In the class, and in society in general, the Occupy movement seems useful in creating discussion and bringing attention to things that have been ignored.