The Protest That Never Was

image credits: ycanada_news

One of my favorite movies is V for Vendetta written by the Wachowski siblings and released in 2006. It was about a much needed revolution, at some time in the future, from a tyrannical intolerant government that was brought about by the actions of one man who wore a Guy Fawkes mask. It resonated with my sense of justice and what is wrong with the World and what can be done to fix it.

We have a modern 2011 Guy Fawkes. The indomitable Anonymous Group that has been wreaking havoc across the globe against groups, governments and companies that they believe have taken advantage of common man for their own financial gain.

Last week they released a video calling for the resignation of Ben Bernake, the chairman of the Federal Reserve. They asked the public to stand with them and occupy public space on the 14th of June in order to show solidarity and give the movement the kind of support that we all witnessed when the Egyptians occupied Tahrir Square earlier this year.

The 14th of June came and went, with no public show of support. If one or two stragglers went to a public space with signs, no media outlet covered it or showed that something was going on. It seems that the balloon that was threatening to pop lost all its air from the opening... fizzing out slowly and quietly into nothing.

Where was everyone? In their offices? Was the 14th inconvenient? Should it have been the weekend? I'm not quite sure what everyone's reasons were, but I can give you mine.

In 2010 the G20 meeting was held in Toronto in Canada, and as usual, wherever the G20 meet there will be protests. People with signs camping close by shouting slogans at the Presidents and their representatives as they gather at whatever meeting place was set up. The protests degenerated quickly into mass arrests that put the RCMP squarely in the sights of protesters and their lawyers. It was an inglorious mess.

Occupying public space only puts you in danger of being arrested and marked as a disturber of the peace. In such a time as this when there is a great struggle to find and keep jobs, to feed hungry mouths at home spending a few days in jail does not seem to be a good use of time. Shouldn't I be more concerned about the future and what could happen and what I could do to change things now?

Maybe. Maybe if I could be Anonymous too, not be able to be found or located and effect change without being caught like some news reports have suggested, maybe I would. But...

Let's just have it out. I'm a coward.