Occupy Wall Street

[leave_nothing]

I'm sorry, these videos are just too gosh darn funny.

[Nepenthe]

Are you still using hyperbolic statements in an effort to combat hyperbolic statements? I thought we discussed this already, dude.

[Flyboy Fox]

I don't think it's as bad as all that, SpikySprinter... I think you're exaggerating greatly. I don't see a hateful or violent spirit in what people are doing. Personally I just feel that it's a disorganised mess with no real focus, which wants to make a noise but isn't entirely sure what else it wants (as a whole). I also think that a LOT of people are just using it as an excuse to party and make a stand about something. I think there are genuine heartfelt protesters there too, who just want a better life and future... but it's all getting drowned in unfocussed mass movement with no real goal or combined mindset.

[Flyboy Fox]

You always get a handful of anarchistic opportunists in the crowd when there's protesting going on... but despite my cynicism about the effectiveness and organisation of this mass statement, I simply don't feel that it's founded on hateful and bigoted rhetoric.

[Nepenthe]

This is what I honestly believe. They are using hateful rhetoric. The movement is concentrated hate. Distaste for the opposition instead of optimism for their own side. Burning cars, being racist, isn't that hateful? I'd like to reiterate that nobody here is being hateful, but with these protests, it seems to be mostly jumbled rage. These are the Black Panthers of the fiscal Left (well, sorta. At least the Black panthers had a real goal). There are peaceful liberal protests all all the time, but Occupy is anything but peaceful.

[Cynical]

What?

There's rascism and anti-semitism (There's still real supporters of Nazism around? wut) in these protests?

Well, time to re-educate, if not by words, but by force, because when they say no, WE SAY YES.

But seriously, I thought Occupy America was about fixing the economy, not screaming and shouting "Kill the Jews, KILL THE JEWS!!"

Ugh, supremacists...

Edited October 18, 2011 by Cynical

[Kevin]

You always get a handful of anarchistic opportunists in the crowd when there's protesting going on... but despite my cynicism about the effectiveness and organisation of this mass statement, I simply don't feel that it's founded on hateful and bigoted rhetoric.

I agree. Don't buy into the cherry picking the media likes to do. There's always going to be at least one crazy person in any protest, but these people do not represent the majority of the protesters.

I'm curious for opinions, do you think this protest should have a real leader, or should it remind leaderless, but focused on one particular message? One thing that has surprised me is that that there still hasn't been any official list of what these protesters want. I would think if people were going to protest something, they could at least make a list of what they want in terms of their grievances.

[Nepenthe]

I agree; it's more important for them to get a concise list of problems first and foremost. I'm not bothered by the lack of leadership at this point and frankly believe that would be one of the easiest ways to derailment. They've got the numbers, now they need get a focus on that energy.

[Cynical]

I think thee should be a leader.

Protesters for Civil Rights had a leader, and Protests for Immigrant workers rights had a leader.

So in this case, Protesting for Economic Rights (or fix.) should have a leader

[Stacy]

I think thee should be a leader.

So, anyone want to point out the recent influx of racism, violence, and anti-semitism in the Occupy America protests? Neither does the media, despite their claims that the Tea Party is all of the above.

Occupy Wall Street is a perfect demonstration of pure, concentrated hate and filthy rhetoric. Plus, theyre spectacularly misguided. They don't even have a clear goal! At least other violent, hateful, extremist groups have a certain goal. Most of the people at the Occupy protests are Obama supporters, yet Obama was the largest recipient of Wall-Street campaign money in history. Am I saying they should be protesting Obama? Well, if they're gonna protest this, then yes. Then again, I dread to see their violence and chaos brought to DC.

Violence? London Riots, LA Riots now they were violent.

Apart from a handful or anachists and thugs which nealry every protest these days attracts. I would say they have been largely peaceful in the USA at least.

Don't tell me you watch Faux News, thinks that they are all communists?

I don't know if anything has kicked off over here. I think after the London riots people are being cautious plus I think public in general is sick of seeing protests get hijacked by thugs and wannabe anachists.

Edited October 18, 2011 by BW199148

[TheGerkuman]

Not to be pointing fingers or anything, but isn't it generally that racism comes from the more conservative members of US society, or is that just an exaggeration the media gives? Certainly there seems to be a lot of Racist Tea-Party supporters. I'm not going so far as to say that the beliefs of the Tea Party are anything to do with it, more that when you have a bunch of disgruntled people, you'll find disgruntled racists.

[DarkOverord]

I spotted a copycat of this in Manchester actually and never was so confused in a while. Not only did they seem not to even have a message behind them, no spokesperson, and no actual meaning. If it was to do with the economy, the one man with his "Make War not Wars" on top of his tent was lost. The remaining signs were just #OccupyMcr...

Good job on the meaning guys. Seen as the police isn't beating them I'd assume they'd at least make an attempt at an actual protest rather than camp and hope that people google it later... Seriously. I miss when protests had a genuine clear cut meaning behind them, and was actually the people, as in the common man, not a load of students with the odd "average joe". 'cus that's all I've seen.

Edited October 18, 2011 by DarkOverord

[DarkOverord]

Sounds like he should get a psychologist, then he can continue protesting.

[Tornado]

Well, as soon as the message becomes concrete, the whole movement will be seen as an act of terrorism by the CIA, that will probably send down military forces, seize the protestors and send them to Guantanamo or the like. That's why the movement is so fleeting and rather airy.

[Stacy]

...

What the fuck are you talking about?

[DarkOverord]

Well, after his visit at his psychologist, he knows what he shall protest against. He has a clear message after that, ya know.

Edited October 18, 2011 by DarkOverord

[DarkOverord]

Look at U.S History for a moment. Every single movement towards the left or just neutrality has been seized by domestic forces and set to prisons with the poor motivation of "keeping out the anti-americans". It's been that way for over 100 years and will go on if the attitudes doesn't change. This movement is a HUGE leap towards at least neutrality.

Waaaaaaaaaaaait. Wait. Wait. It's now about Neutrality? I thought it was all an Anti-Capitialism we hate the bankers grrrr no jobs grrrr thing.

[Badnik Mechanic]

This movement is a HUGE leap towards at least neutrality.

You are saying that this is a protest/movement towards neutrality, and not just that... but a HUGE leap towards it. Lovely, well thats all fine and dandy except for just one problem.

Only 4 people in the world have a bloody clue what the hell they're protesting about. Up until a few hours ago I had no idea that there was an occupy London going on, let alone one aparently going on in Manchester too.

It must be one hell of a banner fucking movement if not only do they not know what they're protesting about but nobody else in the entire country seems to know what they actually exist let alone that they're fighting... ... .. whatever it is that they're fighting.

Now when it comes to stuff like this. I don't think that you have a clue as to what people are protesting about, nor do I think that you have anywhere near an accurate finger on public opinion. Reason being is that you just seem to like an excuse for a bit of turmoil and public disorder... or to a lesser extent, giving the middle finger to the man.

In the London Riot topic back in August, you were quite supportive of the rioters and practically said that it was anarchy in the UK. You also claimed that the reason people were rioting was that it was the people wanted to do something to change and improve their lives? Yet now people have been prosicuted we know that the bulk of the people involved actually had good job prospects, some of which had well paid jobs and in a respectable profession, and one girl was in fact an olympic athelete!

You were wrong then and you're wrong now. Why don't you just admit, that you don't have any idea why these people are protesting... that the bulk of these people don't know why they're protesting, and that the only reason that they're doing it is because like you, they enjoy giving the middle finger to 'the man' and then coming up with some stupid excuse to justify it.

[Stacy]

You were wrong then and you're wrong now. Why don't you just admit, that you don't have any idea why these people are protesting... that the bulk of these people don't know why they're protesting, and that the only reason that they're doing it is because like you, they enjoy giving the middle finger to 'the man' and then coming up with some stupid excuse to justify it.

You reminded me of this guy who calls up Chatterbox in GTA 3 who says he is starting is starting a protest/rally but never says what it is about or for. Lazlow call him out telling he that he doesn't really know what its for.

Really damn funny. Man, that games brings back so many memories!

Edited October 18, 2011 by BW199148

[Badnik Mechanic]

You reminded me of this guy who calls up Chatterbox in GTA 3 who says he is starting is starting a protest/rally but never says what it is about or for. Lazlow call him out telling he that he doesn't really know what its for.

Really damn funny. Man, that games brings back so many memories!

Amazingly, thats what I was thinking of last night when I was watching the youtube videos of people trying to explain what the protest was about!

[Stacy]

Amazingly, thats what I was thinking of last night when I was watching the youtube videos of people trying to explain what the protest was about!

LOL, I just thought of that myself thats why I brought it up. You're probably right that few people at these rallies know what they are protesting about, them videos that 'leave_nothing' posted seem like some of the 'protesters' were treating it like a damn festival!

[Nepenthe]

Have we really gone to "They don't have a specific list of demands and no leadership" to "no one in the movement knows why they're protesting?" It's been made clear what specifically they're protesting already: capitalistic corruption in Wall Street, excessive corporate influence on politics, and the US's record levels of wealth disparity. This can be gleaned from a simple Google search. :|

[Badnik Mechanic]

Have we really gone to "They don't have a specific list of demands and no leadership" to "no one in the movement knows why they're protesting?" It's been made clear what specifically they're protesting already: capitalistic corruption in Wall Street, excessive corporate influence on politics, and the US's record levels of wealth disparity. This can be gleaned from a simple Google search. :|

No it hasn't been made clear at all...

Because nobody other than the people down there have any clue that this thing is even going on.

Let alone what it's about.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Hogfather

[Flyboy Fox]

The thing is, those are all very vague and nebulous things to protest about. They sound bad, and while I'm sure that there are plenty of protesters who have in fact done their homework, know the real numbers, and know exactly where things need to change and by how much in order for more people to be better off than they are now... I think a huge number of people doing this are jumping on the wagon because it gives them something to be angry about. That doesn't mean that those issues aren't real... but I do wonder how many of the protesters are doing this because they have a focus and understanding of the situation and want to put that across to those in charge, and how many are doing it because everyone else is and because slogans are fun to chant.

[Nepenthe]

No it hasn't been made clear at all...

Because nobody other than the people down there have any clue that this thing is even going on.

The exposure of the protests is a very different issue from the actual message of the protests. The protests certainly have a message. The problem is a severe lack of explicitly defined goals, which is allowing a whole bunch of people with different political viewpoints and ideas- albeit with the same anger towards the elite- to converge into them. There's actually controversy about this lack of specialization within the movement itself, but to say the protest has no message whatsoever is an exaggeration.