"As someone who participated in OWS, I can confirm that this is one of the reasons why the protest failed -- if not the main reason.
I can't begin to tell you how many meetings were derailed by women and minorities obsessed with identity politics.
Time and again, white guys would provide plans for organization, suggest strategies, and begin outlining steps to the realization of a goal that the group agreed upon.
Their plans were almost always met with objection from feminists, queer activists, blacks, latinos, et al. A lot of the time these people didn't even have points of concern. They just stood up and started complaining about lack of diversity, the victimization of their specific identity group, etc.
Always, always, always reminding everyone about how everybody was victimizing them.
What happened?
Smart, able, organized white guys left the protest. They threw up their hands and walked away.
I was one of these people.
It did more to change my political views than any book or screed or barroom conversation.
I'm still a far leftists -- but I fucking despite "identity politics" more than anything. I'm convinced its the reason why the left is absolutely fucked and useless today...
While there were several factors that led to the rapes and assaults (including NYPD redirection of homeless people, drug dealers. and criminals to Zucotti Park), one of the major unspoken factors was the lack of strong and decent men to provide protection. They were around during the early days. Several grew disenchanted with unending focus on minorities and feminism. didn't like being dismissed as "privileged." and so they left. They stopped sleeping at the park.
Security then became a growing issue. Feminists tried grouping together to provide security, but this did little to stop the assaults. They had to go to the cops to clear thugs from the sleeping areas (embarrassing. given that they'd been calling them pigs and fascists all day) -- but without anybody to offer security within the park, the thugs just went right back.
If l rememoer right, there was one incident where a 5'3" militant lesbian tried to push a thug who was accused of molestation. The lesbian was clocked and started crying.
In all, everything went to shit pretty quickly after white dudes started leaving.
(As an aside, I should note that the non-violent positions of many liberal men also led to brash acts by thugs, too. Since OWS, I've re-read a lot of Orwell, and finally understand why he hated liberal pacifists so much -- especially in books like Homage to Catalonia.)"
