Last night I became Anonymous for the first time:
The Growing Mass of Us
“The country needs more than a
building right now – it needs hope”
V for Vendetta
Anonymous is a group
you can be in or out of at any point you choose, there is no membership list
and like the Occupy movement, its cause is the many; from freedom on the
internet, to anti-war, anti-cuts and a stand against the ugly attack on
disability benefits as well as the control of bankers and corporate interests
over our governments.
At the demonstration on
Guy Fawkes night talk too was of the currently breaking
news about paedophilia; the government, judiciary and BBC are blamed for
involvement and silencing of the victims over many decades and an unwillingness
to act for
those still suffering .
The sea of V for Vendetta masks was an incredible sight –
anonymous yet character-full individuals of all backgrounds and for all
reasons, gathered together to make themselves heard, make the government aware
that they cannot act without witness and that these people are not going to sit
back and take it quietly.
To those still not active with Occupy, Anonymous, UK Uncut,
unions, environmental, disability and student groups – the country and indeed
the world must look like a map of markers of uprisings perhaps seeming
unconnected; they aren’t. I was
interviewed earlier in the day and asked what it was everybody was complaining
about and the interviewer observed that we “can’t just keep saying things are
wrong and not presenting a way to do it right.” My reply was:
“Each
uprising large or small, here or somewhere else is essentially the same
uprising – we the people no longer find the current system to be fit for the
way we would choose to live our lives. From Tahrir Square to Kuwait, Bahrain,
Wall Street and London – we the people KNOW what we want; social justice, a
fair crack at life for all and not just the 1% with the power and the money.
“The very vast majority of the people in the world would never choose
war as a tool of government, would never see poverty, hunger and abuse go
uncared for and would never want to inflict misery on another – yet THIS is
what our governments tolerate and even facilitate.”
So I went to join Anonymous and it was liberating to be so.
The masks have been an almost comforting presence at every Occupy event and
occasion and I wanted to support them in return; what I found was much more.
Do any of these actions change anything?
Yes. They changed me and they changed the person next to me
and others that listened. They change onlookers and viewers, they empower
individuals and those individuals – connect across the world at a level not
dictated by our politics, religion, location, wealth or status. We are united
in our anger at the way things are and in a society disconnected – this changes
everything.
“And the scabby grey anti-climb
paint and withdrawn amenities
~ In
case socialising promotes anti-social behaviour”
I find myself amidst a society re-shuffle where instead of
gathering under our usual labels of job, gender, religion, politics and
location – we are gathering a new kind of mass made up of otherwise unrelated
individuals united by our determination to find a better way; not just for one
group, party or type but for all.
Tina Louise
Occupier
The Growing Mass of Us
