Alright this might be a controversial thread title but today I read a news article that blows my mind. You know how Arab spring is often credited to the American Government and people of America influencing the Arab world to do something they wouldn't have done other wise. Many people on this very site accused America of taking advantage of the weak and frail countries and the desperation of the people to directly cause change.
Well in this case my country is taking the blame for doing the exact same thing to the mighty United States of America. It seems that Occupy Wall Street was not an idea that American's came up with. Rather a Canadian media corporation cooked up the idea for the movement and decided to medal in US affairs. Kalle Lasn co-editor of famed Canadian magazine adbusters and explains what he did and why. It would appear his reasons for provoking the biggest protest movement in recent American history was simple. "We just felt America was ripe for a Tahrir moment of its own," but it would appear adbusters while intending to start a movement in the US did not expect to see the success they are today "The way this has bubbled to the top is quite amazing," he told the Globe. "We really didn't expect it."
So just how did the Canadian firm go about provoking this protest, in July the magazine decided to put their plan to change America into action. The magazine used the caption "What is our one demand?....#OCCUPYWALLSTREET, September 17, Bring tent." in their center spread depicting a ballerina balancing on Wall Streets iconic bull.
Kalle Lasn goes into further detail "We just did this thing and watched as it started to grow and grow," Lasn marveled. "Then some groups in New York got behind it. The buzz grew, and suddenly it took off, and now it's a real movement." It appears Lasn also had alterior political motives behind the move. He says that this movement has the potential to revive the liberal movement in the USA. "I was scared the loony left would take over again, and the whole thing would fizzle into nothing. But real, substantial people are turning up, people with a bit of backbone," said Lasn. "They are starting to have the same sort of chutzpah that the Tea Party has. That's what the political left sorely needs."
So it appears the biggest and most influential movement in recent American history wasn't even an American movement to begin with. It was a group of Canadian Liberal's who decided they wanted to see change in the US and used their magazine and media influence to motivate and influence the American people to do something that they would not have done on there own.
I have to admit I am not proud of this move, I don't think Canadian's really have the right to go and meddle in America's Government and directly start a move to bring down the Government and Wall Street. I think the move should have been started and inspired by Americans themselves it is there country.
What do you think, was this Canadian group right to go on the direct offensive against the US political system and influence American's who are ripe for influence? Or should the company have allowed American's to start their own movement and allowed the American political machine to operate on its own? As an American are you glad to see Canadian's getting involved directly in changing your Government? As a Canadian are you proud of our fellow Canadian's who brought about the biggest American political movement in recent history? As an international citizen what is your opinion on people from another country starting a movement with the plan to completely change that countries political system?
-JC7
"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer
