Huddersfield’s Occupy London protestor Robin von Mickwitz speaks ahead of his court date
Bacup: “Once again, the attacks on a protestor but nothing about those people taking billions out of this country, failing to pay taxes or hiding money in Switzerland. To concentrate on one person and to ignore the greater injustices being perpetrated by the real scroungers seems to miss the point. To focus your energies in finding fault with every single protestor (if you could) seems to me to miss the point.”
Nownow: “Think its you that miss the point Bacup, with the greatest respect. You see I would wager everyone in the country hates banks, bankers and MPs for what they have done and what they are doing but there is a way to change that without wanting to live in a tent with your mates all sleeping together, quite literally, and causing trouble. But there is a necessary evil, an evil that makes us be able to survive and feed ourselves as a society in an uncertain world.”
Bacup: “It is an old trick to do the capitalism / communism comparison. It is an interesting fact that the only sector of the economy which is growing is that of co-operatives. In a number of settings people are realising that their best way forward is to build a future together. Whatever may happen in the larger economy, people are building alternatives based on mutual respect and gaining strength. We may live in a competitive system which rewards the 1% who live off other people and we may have a Government which (like Labour before) celebrates such people. Don’t underestimate the power of co-operation.”
Nownow: “Taking on board Mr Mickwitz’s comment about capitalism not working, I think we should give them a taste of the alternative, which would be communism. Now let me think. what would Russia or China do with a group of anarchist student types who don’t like the way they are running things and want to bring the house down while claiming food and shelter from the state instead of going out, finding a job, and contributing to society.........”
Nownow: “Regardless of comparison, it is none the less fact that the communist countries that these people seem to yearn to be like would not tolerate this anti social behaviour. This episode is just an excuse for a get together for the student/ner do well and disillusioned. As for your argument that 1% of fat cats live well off workers, well that is true, but as unfair as that is, that’s life, and at least the fat cats in big business give opportunity to the workers in employment by using their brains, education and tenacity. Mr von Mickwitz’s dream of us all locally running our own affairs and doing away with banks, government and big business is unfeasible to the point of ridicule and if a communist style state is so good why is it that even China is moving into the 21st century towards capitalism?”