Occupy Wall Street (2 Viewers)

[guderian]

Lol at YOU laughing at the base getting riled up on queue. You have made more posts than anyone in this thread by a substantial margin and the tone, attitude and message has been pitch perfect in every single one. If getting riled up on queue is humorous, you're the funniest man in the world.

There's a line for getting riled up? Somehow I don't think the intent of these protests was to get the right wingers energized...

I'll admit that this gets me riled up. I went to school with morons like these and I still have a bunch of friends like this who owe their lack of financial success to a wide variety of reasons--and "Wall Street" would be pretty far down the list. Want a better economic situation? Look in the mirror. Anyway, why did it take them over 3 years to get this mad at Wall Street? Sounds to me like the real problem here is the ####tiest recovery in modern economic history and their 3-year delay is yet more proof.

This is playing out just like it always has. They got worked up by the rhetoric, made a bunch of arguments that were easily refuted and now they're trying to distract the issue by playing victim and admonishing the authorities or anyone else that takes issue with their methods.

 

[Christo]

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-november-16-2011/occupy-wall-street-divided

Nicely done.

I'm against private property. This is personal property.

 

[jamny]

This is playing out just like it always has. They got worked up by the rhetoric, made a bunch of arguments that were easily refuted and now they're trying to distract the issue by playing victim and admonishing the authorities or anyone else that takes issue with their methods.

Most people wanted to know "what is your message?" That's it. I was completely wide open to the cause, feeling a connection with some of the early issues. But once I felt they were protesting just to protest, they lost me. It's just a continuation of Arab Spring here in America and the kids who feel they helped out there, via social networks, want to bring it home. And vice-versa. Unfortunately there isn't a clear goal as in Egypt, Libya, Syria, etc. But what the hell...lets protest too!Go ahead protest. Organize, speak your mind. Get your people in office to make a change in the system. Times are tough right now. OK, let's go after the 1% I'm all for it. That's not what this is about anymore. This is leading to anarchy. It will die down for the winter. Get ready for spring and the 2012 election.

 

[Apple Jack]

This is playing out just like it always has. They got worked up by the rhetoric, made a bunch of arguments that were easily refuted and now they're trying to distract the issue by playing victim and admonishing the authorities or anyone else that takes issue with their methods.

Most people wanted to know "what is your message?" That's it. I was completely wide open to the cause, feeling a connection with some of the early issues. But once I felt they were protesting just to protest, they lost me. It's just a continuation of Arab Spring here in America and the kids who feel they helped out there, via social networks, want to bring it home. And vice-versa. Unfortunately there isn't a clear goal as in Egypt, Libya, Syria, etc. But what the hell...lets protest too!Go ahead protest. Organize, speak your mind. Get your people in office to make a change in the system. Times are tough right now. OK, let's go after the 1% I'm all for it. That's not what this is about anymore. This is leading to anarchy. It will die down for the winter. Get ready for spring and the 2012 election.

Unfortunately, some very legitimate and serious concerns have been missed thanks to too broad of scope, if any scope at all, and the co-opting of the whole thing by malcontent clowns. It's a shame, because there was a real opportunity there with the media attention. But they blew it and now it's just a punchline. But anybody downplaying that there are fundamental problems with money in Washington and how the financial world has been operating since Gramm–Leach–Bliley has simply not been paying attention, or are one of the few benefitting from it and thus are just looking out for number one. Anybody who doesn't understand why people are pissed needs to watch the Inside Job for an intro.

 

[guderian]

4.5 billion shares traded on the NYSE on "Shut Down Wall Street Day".

 

[guderian]

This is playing out just like it always has. They got worked up by the rhetoric, made a bunch of arguments that were easily refuted and now they're trying to distract the issue by playing victim and admonishing the authorities or anyone else that takes issue with their methods.

Most people wanted to know "what is your message?" That's it. I was completely wide open to the cause, feeling a connection with some of the early issues. But once I felt they were protesting just to protest, they lost me. It's just a continuation of Arab Spring here in America and the kids who feel they helped out there, via social networks, want to bring it home. And vice-versa. Unfortunately there isn't a clear goal as in Egypt, Libya, Syria, etc. But what the hell...lets protest too!Go ahead protest. Organize, speak your mind. Get your people in office to make a change in the system. Times are tough right now. OK, let's go after the 1% I'm all for it. That's not what this is about anymore. This is leading to anarchy. It will die down for the winter. Get ready for spring and the 2012 election.

Unfortunately, some very legitimate and serious concerns have been missed thanks to too broad of scope, if any scope at all, and the co-opting of the whole thing by malcontent clowns. It's a shame, because there was a real opportunity there with the media attention. But they blew it and now it's just a punchline. But anybody downplaying that there are fundamental problems with money in Washington and how the financial world has been operating since Gramm–Leach–Bliley has simply not been paying attention, or are one of the few benefitting from it and thus are just looking out for number one. Anybody who doesn't understand why people are pissed needs to watch the Inside Job for an intro.

I agree that they'd probably have success if they stuck to the message of corporate influence on politics.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

 

[Master of Past and Present]

Just got this e-mail about DT Portland

------------------

Have you heard about the latest antics downtown? They've been marching around, were on the sidewalks so cops let them march. When they spilled into the street, cops quickly formed a blockade of cops in riot gear, cops on horseback, cops on bike, you name it. Cops just wanted everyone out of the street, back on the sidewalks. Tense face off for several minutes, then some idiots started jabbing at the mounted police with their signs. Then they started shoving the cops. If the cops shoved back, surely that's police brutality!!! Of course everyone had their camera phone out ready to record "brutality." Then things seemed to dissipate a little. That's when my break ended.

One of my friends works at a bank downtown. The protestors broke the banks doors, and the whole building went into lockdown.

----------------

at anyone who claims these people are peaceful.

 

[Card Trader]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

 

[jamny]

Of course everyone had their camera phone out ready to record "brutality." Then things seemed to dissipate a little. That's when my break ended.

I wish I could find the video I saw about an hour ago on TV. It showed a group of protestors antagonizing a cop and as soon as he started pushing back, there were like 20 arms extended with cameras/phones in their hands trying to get the best camera angle. It was really freaky to see and so revealing.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

You don't think that the practices that nearly brought down the entire world economy deserved a coordinated and decisive response, but a bunch a street protests did? I think that's the point here, we can see that when the powers that be decide a swift and strong response is warranted, we see action... so why have exponentially more protest members been arrested than those that perpetuated the practices that caused a worldwide financial crisis that still continues to this day?

 

[Apple Jack]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

Why?

 

[Card Trader]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

Why?

It took them a long while to enforce park rules

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

Why?

It took them a long while to enforce park rules

I would have been very pleased with a two month delay between detection of bank impropriety and enforcement. Very pleased.

 

[The Comedian]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

You don't think that the practices that nearly brought down the entire world economy deserved a coordinated and decisive response, but a bunch a street protests did? I think that's the point here, we can see that when the powers that be decide a swift and strong response is warranted, we see action... so why have exponentially more protest members been arrested than those that perpetuated the practices that caused a worldwide financial crisis that still continues to this day?

It's a dumb quote because they are two completely unrelated things, and attempting to compare them this way comes off as a lame, stupid attempt at irony that doesn't make any sense. In that way it is a microcosm of the entire OWS movement. A lot of anger and resentment, but no ability to effectively articulate it.

 

[guderian]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

You don't think that the practices that nearly brought down the entire world economy deserved a coordinated and decisive response, but a bunch a street protests did? I think that's the point here, we can see that when the powers that be decide a swift and strong response is warranted, we see action... so why have exponentially more protest members been arrested than those that perpetuated the practices that caused a worldwide financial crisis that still continues to this day?

Because a couple of those who were responsible were subsequently put in charge of writing the the legislation to regulate the industry.

 

[davidbostonsbicepsfan]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Again, they should be protesting Washington then.

 

[jamny]

Facebook post from a NYPD friend of mine.

I wish I could be in NYC right now....To everyone who is take a look around at what other unions are there participating in attacking and assaulting the Police...lets not forget that...

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

You don't think that the practices that nearly brought down the entire world economy deserved a coordinated and decisive response, but a bunch a street protests did? I think that's the point here, we can see that when the powers that be decide a swift and strong response is warranted, we see action... so why have exponentially more protest members been arrested than those that perpetuated the practices that caused a worldwide financial crisis that still continues to this day?

It's a dumb quote because they are two completely unrelated things, and attempting to compare them this way comes off as a lame, stupid attempt at irony that doesn't make any sense. In that way it is a microcosm of the entire OWS movement. A lot of anger and resentment, but no ability to effectively articulate it.

Aren't the protests the thing that make them related? I think they are comparable in the way that any priority set and carried out by law enforcement is comparable. Perhaps the way the anger is being articulated seems ineffective on its face, yet the opposition to OWS is spending a lot of time trying to discredit it, so it has been at least effective at getting the attention of those that would be in opposition to its goals.

 

[BoneYardDog]

They are now terrorizing small kids trying to walk to school...

They are making America hate them and what they stand for...

Why hasn't obama done anything except to placate them, he is a shameless campaigner and has no interest in what is best for America he is just trying to get elected, screw America should be his mantra...

This is far worse than Bush and Katrina, Bush actually tried to help the situation, obamas inaction speaks volumes about what his priorities are...

When the unions co-opted this, OWS lost all credibility and support...

The longer it goes on the more they show themselves for what they have become and the greater the opportunity for severe violence. Yes America is watching and the picture they see is not the one that OWS thinks it is...

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Again, they should be protesting Washington then.

If you don't like the ventriloquist's act, do you tell the ventriloquist, or his dummy?ETA: Protests in Washington are appropriate too as the seat of those who were asleep (willingly?) at the wheel of the apparatus to regulate and stop the looting of our economy, and they will surely follow - but for an initial symbolic impact, Wall Street seems to be doing just fine.

 

[davidbostonsbicepsfan]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Again, they should be protesting Washington then.

If you don't like the ventriloquist's act, do you tell the ventriloquist, or his dummy?ETA: Protests in Washington are appropriate too as the seat of those who were asleep (willingly?) at the wheel of the apparatus to regulate and stop the looting of our economy, and they will surely follow - but for an initial symbolic impact, Wall Street seems to be doing just fine.

"the value of the mortgages they re-sold on the secondary market was implicitly guaranteed by the government. This caused them to hold less capital to support their mortgages in case of loss. As a result, Fannie and Freddie were pressured to take on risk to be profitable but knew they wouldn't suffer the consequences if things turned south."

 

[Apple Jack]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Again, they should be protesting Washington then.

If you don't like the ventriloquist's act, do you tell the ventriloquist, or his dummy?ETA: Protests in Washington are appropriate too as the seat of those who were asleep (willingly?) at the wheel of the apparatus to regulate and stop the looting of our economy, and they will surely follow - but for an initial symbolic impact, Wall Street seems to be doing just fine.

Protesting is much more sanitized and controlled in Washington. The whole taking it to DC thing only works if you have massive numbers. Otherwise, protesters in Washington are a dime a dozen and you'll just mix in with the regularly scheduled noise.

 

[The Comedian]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

You don't think that the practices that nearly brought down the entire world economy deserved a coordinated and decisive response, but a bunch a street protests did? I think that's the point here, we can see that when the powers that be decide a swift and strong response is warranted, we see action... so why have exponentially more protest members been arrested than those that perpetuated the practices that caused a worldwide financial crisis that still continues to this day?

It's a dumb quote because they are two completely unrelated things, and attempting to compare them this way comes off as a lame, stupid attempt at irony that doesn't make any sense. In that way it is a microcosm of the entire OWS movement. A lot of anger and resentment, but no ability to effectively articulate it.

Aren't the protests the thing that make them related? I think they are comparable in the way that any priority set and carried out by law enforcement is comparable. Perhaps the way the anger is being articulated seems ineffective on its face, yet the opposition to OWS is spending a lot of time trying to discredit it, so it has been at least effective at getting the attention of those that would be in opposition to its goals.

No, not really. You keep lumping everything into one body - "the powers that be," "law enforcement." That's an extremely simplistic view of the system. NY is breaking up the protests for NY-related reasons. The SEC isn't out there picking up tents. Different things are going on in Dallas, Portland, Boston, etc. There is no one law enforcement agency that's leaving a pile of white collar crime folders on its desk to go out and break up these protests. That's why it's a dumb quote.I don't think anyone needs to try very hard to discredit this movement now. It was interesting during the ascension, but clearly it's peaked, and now they're resorting to throwing themselves at police and attempting to screw up public transportation for some reason. I don't think there's a lot of 1%ers taking the subway, but that's just me. Every single OWS protestor I've seen interviewed comes off as a complete moron. You may be against many things going on in the system, as I am, but that doesn't mean that you need to take up this banner.As for goals, still not really sure what their goals are. The problem with OWS is that it started off as a grass roots, individualistic movement with as many different causes as there were members...and it stayed that way. There was no end game, no leadership, not even an answer to winter. Ultimately that's why in a couple years, this won't really be talked about all that much in a relevant way.

 

[Zeff]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Again, they should be protesting Washington then.

If you don't like the ventriloquist's act, do you tell the ventriloquist, or his dummy?ETA: Protests in Washington are appropriate too as the seat of those who were asleep (willingly?) at the wheel of the apparatus to regulate and stop the looting of our economy, and they will surely follow - but for an initial symbolic impact, Wall Street seems to be doing just fine.

"the value of the mortgages they re-sold on the secondary market was implicitly guaranteed by the government. This caused them to hold less capital to support their mortgages in case of loss. As a result, Fannie and Freddie were pressured to take on risk to be profitable but knew they wouldn't suffer the consequences if things turned south."

It would have been quicker to just type, "I don't get it."

 

[bueno]

I was in Vancouver B.C. the past three days. They have their own little OWS camp in a small park on the 800 block of Howe Street (edge of financial district).

It looked like a pretty clean camp, and being close to the Pacific center, there are likely plenty of clean public restrooms in the food courts. But when I went by at night, nothing. No lights in the tents, no protestors, Guess they go home at night. I asked my cab driver about it. He pointed out that the same tents were there pitched in the same places they were for every protest for the past several years. I found that kind of interesting. Almost like professional protestor up there have reserved spots.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

No, not really. You keep lumping everything into one body - "the powers that be," "law enforcement." That's an extremely simplistic view of the system. NY is breaking up the protests for NY-related reasons. The SEC isn't out there picking up tents. Different things are going on in Dallas, Portland, Boston, etc. There is no one law enforcement agency that's leaving a pile of white collar crime folders on its desk to go out and break up these protests. That's why it's a dumb quote.I don't think anyone needs to try very hard to discredit this movement now. It was interesting during the ascension, but clearly it's peaked, and now they're resorting to throwing themselves at police and attempting to screw up public transportation for some reason. I don't think there's a lot of 1%ers taking the subway, but that's just me. Every single OWS protestor I've seen interviewed comes off as a complete moron. You may be against many things going on in the system, as I am, but that doesn't mean that you need to take up this banner.As for goals, still not really sure what their goals are. The problem with OWS is that it started off as a grass roots, individualistic movement with as many different causes as there were members...and it stayed that way. There was no end game, no leadership, not even an answer to winter. Ultimately that's why in a couple years, this won't really be talked about all that much in a relevant way.

I don't think anyone is implying that the exact same people who are breaking up the protests were responsible for enforcing bank regulations - the idea is that is if those regulations were enforced with the same zest and relative sense of urgency, we would be in a lot better place economically. If you are right that there was no plan for winter, why not just let the protests end naturally that way? Judging by the crowds out there tonight, they have just prolonged the protests and emboldened the protesters with their actions.

 

[Zeff]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

You don't think that the practices that nearly brought down the entire world economy deserved a coordinated and decisive response, but a bunch a street protests did? I think that's the point here, we can see that when the powers that be decide a swift and strong response is warranted, we see action... so why have exponentially more protest members been arrested than those that perpetuated the practices that caused a worldwide financial crisis that still continues to this day?

It's a dumb quote because they are two completely unrelated things, and attempting to compare them this way comes off as a lame, stupid attempt at irony that doesn't make any sense. In that way it is a microcosm of the entire OWS movement. A lot of anger and resentment, but no ability to effectively articulate it.

Aren't the protests the thing that make them related? I think they are comparable in the way that any priority set and carried out by law enforcement is comparable. Perhaps the way the anger is being articulated seems ineffective on its face, yet the opposition to OWS is spending a lot of time trying to discredit it, so it has been at least effective at getting the attention of those that would be in opposition to its goals.

No, not really. You keep lumping everything into one body - "the powers that be," "law enforcement." That's an extremely simplistic view of the system. NY is breaking up the protests for NY-related reasons. The SEC isn't out there picking up tents. Different things are going on in Dallas, Portland, Boston, etc. There is no one law enforcement agency that's leaving a pile of white collar crime folders on its desk to go out and break up these protests. That's why it's a dumb quote.I don't think anyone needs to try very hard to discredit this movement now. It was interesting during the ascension, but clearly it's peaked, and now they're resorting to throwing themselves at police and attempting to screw up public transportation for some reason. I don't think there's a lot of 1%ers taking the subway, but that's just me.

NYPD reporting 32k+ in NYC today.

Every single OWS protestor I've seen interviewed comes off as a complete moron. You may be against many things going on in the system, as I am, but that doesn't mean that you need to take up this banner.

Every single whiner in this thread has come off as a complete moron, but that doesn't stop you.

As for goals, still not really sure what their goals are. The problem with OWS is that it started off as a grass roots, individualistic movement with as many different causes as there were members...and it stayed that way. There was no end game, no leadership, not even an answer to winter. Ultimately that's why in a couple years, this won't really be talked about all that much in a relevant way.

See? Moronic. Not only do you still have no idea what the goals here, are, despite boo-hooing incessantly, but you also fundamentally misunderstand why this protest is effective, while everything else that's been done since...oh, 1900 or so...has been masturbatory. The very things you cite as weaknesses are the reasons this thing continues to swell, even though the media pundits have been insisting it's on its deathbed for weeks. You're dying for it to be as simpleminded as the Tea Parties were, but it's not. This isn't a political movement. It's a cultural one. Cultural movements don't make unified demands. They don't go away quietly. They don't have leaders that can be bought off. They don't waste their time butting heads against lobbyists.They change ####. They put the dice back in the can, and give it a shake. This one's going to change ####. I'll agree if your premise is that the way it's going to change #### likely ain't going to be pretty in the short term, but that's a necessary precondition to any meaningful change. You don't make an omelet without sucking a little teargas.

You've got a system with millions of people in despair. Millions, and growing daily. And all the while, they get to tune into any channel and watch as criminals are rewarded, seven...eight...nine zeroes at a time. That's culturally unsustainable, plain and simple. It may be your idea of capitalist survival of the fittest, but you failed to sell that dream to the people taking to the streets all around the world for the last year or so. It was never going to last.

I'm just interested to see what comes next, culturally. This go around lacked inspiration.

 

[The Comedian]

Exhibit A.

 

[The Comedian]

See? Moronic. Not only do you still have no idea what the goals here, are, despite boo-hooing incessantly, but you also fundamentally misunderstand why this protest is effective, while everything else that's been done since...oh, 1900 or so...has been masturbatory. The very things you cite as weaknesses are the reasons this thing continues to swell, even though the media pundits have been insisting it's on its deathbed for weeks. You're dying for it to be as simpleminded as the Tea Parties were, but it's not. This isn't a political movement. It's a cultural one. Cultural movements don't make unified demands. They don't go away quietly. They don't have leaders that can be bought off. They don't waste their time butting heads against lobbyists.They change ####. They put the dice back in the can, and give it a shake. This one's going to change ####. I'll agree if your premise is that the way it's going to change #### likely ain't going to be pretty in the short term, but that's a necessary precondition to any meaningful change. You don't make an omelet without sucking a little teargas.You've got a system with millions of people in despair. Millions, and growing daily. And all the while, they get to tune into any channel and watch as criminals are rewarded, seven...eight...nine zeroes at a time. That's culturally unsustainable, plain and simple. It may be your idea of capitalist survival of the fittest, but you failed to sell that dream to the people taking to the streets all around the world for the last year or so. It was never going to last.I'm just interested to see what comes next, culturally. This go around lacked inspiration.

Yeah, clearly a tremendous amount of change happening. I'm also interested to see what comes next. So far we have amassing in large groups of dirty, unemployed, whiny people taken care of. Where can I find out what step #2 is?

 

[The Comedian]

NYPD reporting 32k+ in NYC today.

Link to this NYPD report of 32,000 protestors?

 

[Joe T]

Exhibit A.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

NYPD reporting 32k+ in NYC today.

Link to this NYPD report of 32,000 protestors?

It's from police scanners, no verified news report yet, but helicopter shots seem to jive with the number

 

[The Comedian]

NYPD reporting 32k+ in NYC today.

Link to this NYPD report of 32,000 protestors?

It's from police scanners, no verified news report yet, but helicopter shots seem to jive with the number

if that turns out to be true then it would seem the demise of the OWS has been greatly exaggerated. we'll see.

 

[MaxThreshold]

NYPD reporting 32k+ in NYC today.

Link to this NYPD report of 32,000 protestors?

It's from police scanners, no verified news report yet, but helicopter shots seem to jive with the number

if that turns out to be true then it would seem the demise of the OWS has been greatly exaggerated. we'll see.

Nope, not true at all.

Continue demise of the Flea Baggers.

 

[guderian]

NYPD reporting 32k+ in NYC today.

Link to this NYPD report of 32,000 protestors?

When they shut down Zuccotti the NYT said there were 220 protesters there. Even I was shocked at the small number.

 

[Steve Tasker]

This is far worse than Bush and Katrina

 

[Mr Two Cents]

Occupy Wall Street protesters are flocking to nearby health clinics for STD and HIV testing after getting their freak on in ’60s-style hookups with crusty strangers, sources told The Post yesterday.

“Last week was free love,” said a medical professional at a clinic located a short walk from Zuccotti Park, referring to the number of people who organizers have referred for sexually transmitted disease testing.

A volunteer at the park admitted concern among protesters about STDs.

 

[Fensalk]

Peaceful OWS protester charged with making terrorist threats-

A protester was arrested in Zuccotti Park Wednesday after he threatened to fire bomb the city — and his rant went viral on YouTube, police said.Nkrumah Tinsley, 29, was busted after cops saw a video of him claiming he would torch the city during Thursday’s mass protest posted online, police said.“On the 17th (of Nov.), we’re going to burn New York City to the f---ing ground,” an angry Tinsley told a crowd of demonstrators in the video posted on Tuesday.“In a few days, you’re going to see what a Molotov coctail can do to Macy’s.”When officers from the NYPD’s intelligence division saw the video, they immediately began working on trying to identify the raging man, police said.“We didn’t want him out there [Thursday\]. We wanted him in our custody,” said Paul Browne, top spokesman for the NYPD. “He was specific as to date, location and method for the fire bombing ...maybe it was just a rant, but we didn’t want to take that chance.”Cops later identified Tinsley at Zuccotti Park Wednesday and collared him about 5 p.m., police said. He was charged with making terroristic threats.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/zuccotti-park-protester-nkrumah-tinsley-arrested-threatening-burn-city-article-1.978770

The NYPD (among others) stopped things from being peaceful quite some time ago.

Yeah, its hilarious that non-violent protestors are habitually pepper sprayed and beaten by badge-less police officers.

Oooookkkkaaayy.I'll just file this away as representative of Slapdash's world view.

I know your habits, and your tendencies. I know how you think. You may fear me, hate me, misunderstand me, or appreciate what I do but I'm prepared to fulfill my function just as you serve your place in the herd.

That was great.

 

[PaperBagHead]

A friend's facebook post:

Just came back home over the [brooklyn] bridge. . . . We saw one officer, about 8 feet away from us, with a look of pure insane hatred on his face, swinging and swinging his baton at someone we couldn't see. Three feet from us in other directions were several children, one about two years old, one about five. Not so good. But, otherwise, very good. As I've typed here before, I saw maybe five nutty kids with green hair (the two protesters who will appear in the Post tomorrow), and congratulations to them on discovering hair dye, but otherwise it was union members, teachers, healthcare workers, grandmas, community groups, etc., none of whom will show up in the photos.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

“If only they enforced bank regulations like they do park rules, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Dumb quote.

You don't think that the practices that nearly brought down the entire world economy deserved a coordinated and decisive response, but a bunch a street protests did? I think that's the point here, we can see that when the powers that be decide a swift and strong response is warranted, we see action... so why have exponentially more protest members been arrested than those that perpetuated the practices that caused a worldwide financial crisis that still continues to this day?

It's a dumb quote because they are two completely unrelated things, and attempting to compare them this way comes off as a lame, stupid attempt at irony that doesn't make any sense. In that way it is a microcosm of the entire OWS movement. A lot of anger and resentment, but no ability to effectively articulate it.

Exactly.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Aren't the protests the thing that make them related? I think they are comparable in the way that any priority set and carried out by law enforcement is comparable. Perhaps the way the anger is being articulated seems ineffective on its face, yet the opposition to OWS is spending a lot of time trying to discredit it,

Really? Most of the "opposition" I've seen has taken the form of bemused pity. That's certainly my attitude toward this. Do people really take this thing seriously?

 

[IvanKaramazov]

See? Moronic. Not only do you still have no idea what the goals here, are, despite boo-hooing incessantly, but you also fundamentally misunderstand why this protest is effective, while everything else that's been done since...oh, 1900 or so...has been masturbatory. The very things you cite as weaknesses are the reasons this thing continues to swell, even though the media pundits have been insisting it's on its deathbed for weeks. You're dying for it to be as simpleminded as the Tea Parties were, but it's not. This isn't a political movement. It's a cultural one. Cultural movements don't make unified demands. They don't go away quietly. They don't have leaders that can be bought off. They don't waste their time butting heads against lobbyists.

They change ####. They put the dice back in the can, and give it a shake. This one's going to change ####. I'll agree if your premise is that the way it's going to change #### likely ain't going to be pretty in the short term, but that's a necessary precondition to any meaningful change. You don't make an omelet without sucking a little teargas.

You've got a system with millions of people in despair. Millions, and growing daily. And all the while, they get to tune into any channel and watch as criminals are rewarded, seven...eight...nine zeroes at a time. That's culturally unsustainable, plain and simple. It may be your idea of capitalist survival of the fittest, but you failed to sell that dream to the people taking to the streets all around the world for the last year or so. It was never going to last.

I'm just interested to see what comes next, culturally. This go around lacked inspiration.

Bloom -- Do you see why some of us find OWS funny?

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Aren't the protests the thing that make them related? I think they are comparable in the way that any priority set and carried out by law enforcement is comparable. Perhaps the way the anger is being articulated seems ineffective on its face, yet the opposition to OWS is spending a lot of time trying to discredit it,

Really? Most of the "opposition" I've seen has taken the form of bemused pity. That's certainly my attitude toward this. Do people really take this thing seriously?

If I go through this thread and read most of the Anti-OWS stuff, I would say there's more there than bemused pity.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

Aren't the protests the thing that make them related? I think they are comparable in the way that any priority set and carried out by law enforcement is comparable. Perhaps the way the anger is being articulated seems ineffective on its face, yet the opposition to OWS is spending a lot of time trying to discredit it,

Really? Most of the "opposition" I've seen has taken the form of bemused pity. That's certainly my attitude toward this. Do people really take this thing seriously?

If I go through this thread and read most of the Anti-OWS stuff, I would say there's more there than bemused pity.

Indubitably.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

See? Moronic. Not only do you still have no idea what the goals here, are, despite boo-hooing incessantly, but you also fundamentally misunderstand why this protest is effective, while everything else that's been done since...oh, 1900 or so...has been masturbatory. The very things you cite as weaknesses are the reasons this thing continues to swell, even though the media pundits have been insisting it's on its deathbed for weeks. You're dying for it to be as simpleminded as the Tea Parties were, but it's not. This isn't a political movement. It's a cultural one. Cultural movements don't make unified demands. They don't go away quietly. They don't have leaders that can be bought off. They don't waste their time butting heads against lobbyists.

They change ####. They put the dice back in the can, and give it a shake. This one's going to change ####. I'll agree if your premise is that the way it's going to change #### likely ain't going to be pretty in the short term, but that's a necessary precondition to any meaningful change. You don't make an omelet without sucking a little teargas.

You've got a system with millions of people in despair. Millions, and growing daily. And all the while, they get to tune into any channel and watch as criminals are rewarded, seven...eight...nine zeroes at a time. That's culturally unsustainable, plain and simple. It may be your idea of capitalist survival of the fittest, but you failed to sell that dream to the people taking to the streets all around the world for the last year or so. It was never going to last.

I'm just interested to see what comes next, culturally. This go around lacked inspiration.

Bloom -- Do you see why some of us find OWS funny?

I never expected anything but a reaction from some that dismisses OWS and latches on to whatever qualities or people in the movement that match pre-conceived notions as predicates for that dismissal. The fact that so many spend so much breath dismissing it is a sign that it is working. If it was really as pointless and full of people who don't matter as some say, then why spend so much time opposing it?

 

[Fensalk]

See? Moronic. Not only do you still have no idea what the goals here, are, despite boo-hooing incessantly, but you also fundamentally misunderstand why this protest is effective, while everything else that's been done since...oh, 1900 or so...has been masturbatory. The very things you cite as weaknesses are the reasons this thing continues to swell, even though the media pundits have been insisting it's on its deathbed for weeks. You're dying for it to be as simpleminded as the Tea Parties were, but it's not. This isn't a political movement. It's a cultural one. Cultural movements don't make unified demands. They don't go away quietly. They don't have leaders that can be bought off. They don't waste their time butting heads against lobbyists.

They change ####. They put the dice back in the can, and give it a shake. This one's going to change ####. I'll agree if your premise is that the way it's going to change #### likely ain't going to be pretty in the short term, but that's a necessary precondition to any meaningful change. You don't make an omelet without sucking a little teargas.

You've got a system with millions of people in despair. Millions, and growing daily. And all the while, they get to tune into any channel and watch as criminals are rewarded, seven...eight...nine zeroes at a time. That's culturally unsustainable, plain and simple. It may be your idea of capitalist survival of the fittest, but you failed to sell that dream to the people taking to the streets all around the world for the last year or so. It was never going to last.

I'm just interested to see what comes next, culturally. This go around lacked inspiration.

Bloom -- Do you see why some of us find OWS funny?

I never expected anything but a reaction from some that dismisses OWS and latches on to whatever qualities or people in the movement that match pre-conceived notions as predicates for that dismissal. The fact that so many spend so much breath dismissing it is a sign that it is working. If it was really as pointless and full of people who don't matter as some say, then why spend so much time opposing it?

I have found the flaw in your line of thinking. Let's illustrate by applying your train of thought to another topic:The fact that so many spend so much breath dismissing Rebecca Black is a sign that she is a great singer. If she was really as pointless and doesn't matter as some say, then why spend so much time opposing her?

 

[Reaper]

See? Moronic. Not only do you still have no idea what the goals here, are, despite boo-hooing incessantly, but you also fundamentally misunderstand why this protest is effective, while everything else that's been done since...oh, 1900 or so...has been masturbatory. The very things you cite as weaknesses are the reasons this thing continues to swell, even though the media pundits have been insisting it's on its deathbed for weeks. You're dying for it to be as simpleminded as the Tea Parties were, but it's not. This isn't a political movement. It's a cultural one. Cultural movements don't make unified demands. They don't go away quietly. They don't have leaders that can be bought off. They don't waste their time butting heads against lobbyists.

They change ####. They put the dice back in the can, and give it a shake. This one's going to change ####. I'll agree if your premise is that the way it's going to change #### likely ain't going to be pretty in the short term, but that's a necessary precondition to any meaningful change. You don't make an omelet without sucking a little teargas.

You've got a system with millions of people in despair. Millions, and growing daily. And all the while, they get to tune into any channel and watch as criminals are rewarded, seven...eight...nine zeroes at a time. That's culturally unsustainable, plain and simple. It may be your idea of capitalist survival of the fittest, but you failed to sell that dream to the people taking to the streets all around the world for the last year or so. It was never going to last.

I'm just interested to see what comes next, culturally. This go around lacked inspiration.

Bloom -- Do you see why some of us find OWS funny?

I never expected anything but a reaction from some that dismisses OWS and latches on to whatever qualities or people in the movement that match pre-conceived notions as predicates for that dismissal. The fact that so many spend so much breath dismissing it is a sign that it is working. If it was really as pointless and full of people who don't matter as some say, then why spend so much time opposing it?

That's not what I see at all.... I see people spending time mocking and discussing THE METHOD of the protest, THE OCCUPATION over the real Issues.I'd say most people have sympathy and can relate to a lot of what we think OWS is about, but, many also think this is just plane stupid, dangerous and costly. That includes the likes of Jon Stewart who would be ALL-IN if this thing was done the right way.

IMO, there are smarter and more effective ways to get your point accross in todays climate.

This whole thing has moved away from debating the politics of the movement and SOLUTIONS to stories and videos about Tents, Boobs, Taunting, Mace, Rats, Disease, Assaults, and the ironic Class system that quickly developed in this community.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

See? Moronic. Not only do you still have no idea what the goals here, are, despite boo-hooing incessantly, but you also fundamentally misunderstand why this protest is effective, while everything else that's been done since...oh, 1900 or so...has been masturbatory. The very things you cite as weaknesses are the reasons this thing continues to swell, even though the media pundits have been insisting it's on its deathbed for weeks. You're dying for it to be as simpleminded as the Tea Parties were, but it's not. This isn't a political movement. It's a cultural one. Cultural movements don't make unified demands. They don't go away quietly. They don't have leaders that can be bought off. They don't waste their time butting heads against lobbyists.

They change ####. They put the dice back in the can, and give it a shake. This one's going to change ####. I'll agree if your premise is that the way it's going to change #### likely ain't going to be pretty in the short term, but that's a necessary precondition to any meaningful change. You don't make an omelet without sucking a little teargas.

You've got a system with millions of people in despair. Millions, and growing daily. And all the while, they get to tune into any channel and watch as criminals are rewarded, seven...eight...nine zeroes at a time. That's culturally unsustainable, plain and simple. It may be your idea of capitalist survival of the fittest, but you failed to sell that dream to the people taking to the streets all around the world for the last year or so. It was never going to last.

I'm just interested to see what comes next, culturally. This go around lacked inspiration.

Bloom -- Do you see why some of us find OWS funny?

I never expected anything but a reaction from some that dismisses OWS and latches on to whatever qualities or people in the movement that match pre-conceived notions as predicates for that dismissal. The fact that so many spend so much breath dismissing it is a sign that it is working. If it was really as pointless and full of people who don't matter as some say, then why spend so much time opposing it?

I have found the flaw in your line of thinking. Let's illustrate by applying your train of thought to another topic:The fact that so many spend so much breath dismissing Rebecca Black is a sign that she is a great singer. If she was really as pointless and doesn't matter as some say, then why spend so much time opposing her?

yeah but people stopped talking about Rebecca Black about a week after her song came out... here we are two months after OWS started... the best way y'all will convince me to stop caring about OWS is if y'all stop caring about it.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

I have found the flaw in your line of thinking. Let's illustrate by applying your train of thought to another topic:

The fact that so many spend so much breath dismissing Rebecca Black is a sign that she is a great singer. If she was really as pointless and doesn't matter as some say, then why spend so much time opposing her?

That doesn't mean she is a great singer... was never her objective... it means she got an absolute ton of hits and publicity.Her objective was "look at me" and she was phenomenal at it. Oh, and she scored over a 100,000 dollars.

** corrected the extra 0 in dollar amount.