Category Archives: Sociology

This is an article that has been a long time coming. I’ll be (hopefully) getting it all put up in the next few days. Here’s a confession: I am one of those annoying people who discusses politics in mixed company, … Continue reading →

Two debates at the general assembly on October 9th stood out to me as possibly being thematically linked: the issue of whether or not to adopt the US flag as an official symbol of Occupy Portland and the issue of occupying or ceding Main Street, the bit of road between our twin encampments.

I saw Lindsay make a quick presentation about her flag proposal maybe half an hour before the general assembly got underway, and I had a chance to have a few words with her afterward, though I wasn’t the only one trying to clarify what she meant. Here is my understanding of the issue: Someone gave a speech during the march early that Sunday wherein it was suggested the Occupy movement “reclaim” the US flag as a symbol of the 99%. My understanding of Lindsay’s perspective (and I stress that it is my understanding, as I have no desire to put words in her mouth) is that she believes the flag has been soiled as a symbol—that the violence and oppression she alleges has been done under that banner make it ill-suited as a symbol for the movement. Continue reading →