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NOVEMBER 2011 Community Advisor PAGE 17FURNITURE DENAppliances & Electronics778-2016 • 4807 50 Ave.* Rebate amount will vary depending on the number of qualifying LG Home Appliance products purchased, up to a maximum of $1100.Retailer has the right to limit quantities. See Sales Associate for details. © 2011 LG Electronics. “LG” and the “LG Logo” are registeredtrademarks of LG Electronics and its affi liates. All rights reserved.(Continued from page 7)curred in 1968 in Czechoslovakiawith the ‘PragueSpring’. Ironically, 1969was the year a junior militaryofficer called Gaddafioverthrew the Libyanmonarchy in a bloodlessrevolution.Today, a similar widespreadprotest dynamiccould be occurring. Indeed,the current change movementsmight turn out tohave a more dramatic effecton power elite policies thanthe protests of the 1960s. Alot will depend on the reactionof those in power.The financial situationis the current spark behindmuch of the unrest. Muchof the Arab Spring waslargely driven by a crumblingeconomy, with foodprices and unemploymentrising dramatically in someArab countries and elsewhere.To be sure, westerninvolvement also had a lotto do with the extent of theprotests in some Arab countries.This is particularlytrue where armed attacksby rebel groups occurred.In the U.S., protestshave sprung up nationwidein support of the OccupyWall Street movement.Greece has perhaps takenthe lead in massive protestsagainst the financialpolicies of the day. Unfortunatelythere has been lossof life in this country duringthe events. Still the levelof public support is quitehigh. In a survey publishedin June 2011 by Public Issueon behalf of the GreekTV channel Skai, 95% ofpeople asked said they hadpositive impressions aboutthe movement.Three years after thefact, Icelanders are stillmarching outside their parliamentbuildings demandingan end to financial policiesthat penalize innocentpeople and reward banksengaged in questionableactivities. In fact, the OccupyWall Street movementis giving more impetusto ongoing protestsaround the world. The Irishprotests against the financialsystem have been givennew life by the OccupyDame Street movement,focusing on that country’sfinancial district. In Canada,the Occupy movementis also spreading across thecountry.One of the main criticismsof the new protests isthat there is little cohesionbetween the concerns ofvarious protesting groups.For example, in the 1960’sprotests, there were specificgoals shared, such asending the Vietnam War orensuring civil rights for all.However, in the modernday protests, correcting anunjust financial system isindeed a clear overarchinggoal for the various protest.It could also be consideredthat the variety in the concernsof the protest groupsbeyond their push to changefinancial policy is indicativeof the democratic natureof the movement.It is far too early to tellif the growing discontentand level of activism willhave a significant effectthis time around. However,(Continued on page 26)