Thursday, December 4, 2014

Farewell Occupy, on with the Umbrella Movement?!

A message from an anonymous Umbrella Movement member

Envisioning an evolution more so than a revolution?

Festive Christmas decorations have joined Halloween ornaments and Umbrella Movement symbols on display at Admiralty in recent weeks -- but in the aftermath of the botched attempt to escalate the protests late Sunday night and early Monday morning, it's looking more and more likely that Occupy Admiralty (and Causeway Bay) will be gone by Christmas, if not earlier.

Rather than see the withdrawal from the protest areas as an admission that the Umbrella Movement has failed, however, I would be inclined to look upon it more as an admission and realization that a change in tactics needs to be effected.  Among other things, alternative -- and better -- methods need to be found to encourage those Hong Kongers who are not inherently anti-democracy or (even) anti-"Occupy" to be more (openly) supportive of the Umbrella Movement, its aims and ideals.  

Also, other, better and more efficient ways need to be found to better utilize the efforts and goodwill of the (hundreds of) thousands of people who have supported and taken part in the Umbrella Movement over a period of time that's actually surpassed by several weeks the length of the student protests that took place at Tiananmen Square between April 18 to June 4, 1989

When that happens, I believe that people will come out once again to make their voices heard -- and send a definite message to the authorities about what they really want, now and for the future.  So come on, those of you who seek to lead us to a better future, put your thinking caps on and come up with at least one solid plan, pretty please! (And, actually, since many of the best aspects of the Umbrella Movement have come from people who haven't said anything about being leaders, everyone should feel free to offer up viable options too!) 

3 comments:

nulle said...

I think now the direction should be toward continued universal sufferage via 2016 LegCo Elections and take back every seat so Beijing only control 30 it blocked off.

Next would be on the lookout for anything like Internet or Real World ARticle 23 or National Education or erosion of liberal studies. These things needs to be defeated and Umbrella movement needs to actively attack above things...

next we need to get rid of the mainland culture and force efforts to have mainland newcomers integrate and assimilate into hong kong society...not the other way around...

Susan Demeter said...

The smallest voices can make the loudest roar :) I agree with you too, never give up.

Stopping by to say hello, and wish you the best of the season.

YTSL said...

Hi nulle --

You have many ideas of what should be done. Any ideas of how to make them doable?

Re "forcing" mainland newcomers to integrate and assimilate: the ironic thing to me sometimes is that they are behaving like how some people think Hong Kongers behave -- or, at least, did some time back!

Hi Sue --

Thanks for stopping by once more. Upwards and onwards, and wishing you plenty of good this season too. :)