The future of OWS from the perspective of an old protester...

[Drew Richards]

In the 60's I fought for my Country,
In the 70's I marched, camped, protested, got struck with batons, got gassed and arrested.

We didn't always have a direct conducive message,
We didn't always have leaders that actually represented us or all our specific views,
We really didn't know how to make the changes we sought but we came out in force to demand change and took it to Washington, DC.

The reason I am telling you all this is the point of fact that Occupy Wall Street is EXACTLY how our Anti-War/Equal Rights/Economic Rights Movement started...

ORGANICALLY! ALL OVER THE COUNTRY! Over Social/Economic unrest, against the Government, and the Corporations, that were sending us to die in East Asia; while letting the country economically and domestically go to hell and be picked clean by the Corporations.

They never sent their own kids, but they did forcibly, through selective service, send us.

They sent us to die for wealth.
They sent us to die for politics.
They sent us to die for their own God damn egos.

Make no mistake it was never about Democracy in South East Asia, It was about covering Frances ass once again and then attempting to gain a Far East outpost within the sphere of Communism for their OWN Economic gains!

In turn, they IGNORED domestically WE The People of The United States and our Constitutional Rights to Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness through

Economic Suppression and Inequality.
Sexual Suppression and Inequality.
Gender Suppression and Inequality.
Racial Suppression and Inequality.

They did it to allow the Corporations to RULE the Country, just like they tried in the 1860's (1869 Black Friday) and again in the 1920-30's (Teapot Dome among many other scandals)or allegedly in the 1940s-50s trying to overthrow FDR and the Government and install a Corporate Oligarchy.

Here we are full circle and the Corporations, the Wealthy, and the Religious Fundamentalist are once again attempting to take control of our Government and create a two class system...

Excuse me did I say attempting?

THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED this time and we are way behind in trying to thwart their ugly designs.

The point of this little history lesson is to attempt to get through to ALL OF YOU that:

SOCIAL/POLITICAL Change may start organically and be fractured and originate in multiple venues BUT,

IF YOU REALLY WANT THINGS TO CHANGE
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE YOUR VOICES HEARD
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE A CHANCE AGAIN AT ECONOMIC FREEDOM

Then you Must do two things!

Y0U MUST DO THESE TWO THINGS!

1. VOTE ALL THESE SONS OF BITCHES OUT OF OFFICE, LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY, MAYORS, GOVERNORS, THE LEGISLATURES, IN THE HOUSE AND IN THE SENATE VOTE THEM OUT!
GET GRASS ROOTS PEOPLE IN THAT BELIEVE IN "HUMANISM", EQUALITY, FAIR TAXATION, FINANCIAL REGULATIONS, DOMESTIC TECHNOLOGY and MANUFACTURING AND FAIR TARIFFS.

2. *******ORGANIZE A NATIONAL PROTEST MOVEMENT AND OCCUPY WASHINGTON, DC. THE CAPITAL, THE ELLIPSE THE ENTIRE DAMN TOWN, AND DON'T LEAVE UNTIL THINGS ARE REDRESSED.****************

TAKING IT TO THE POLITICIANS AND MAKING THE PROTESTS, BOYCOTTS AND SHUTDOWNS SO HUGE, IN THE TENS of MILLIONS, SO THAT THEY CANNOT IGNORE US ANY LONGER,

THEN AND ONLY THEN CAN WE TRULY AFFECT CHANGE IN THIS GOVERNMENT AND IT'S POLICIES OF CATERING TO THE TOP 2% OF THE COUNTRY AT THE DETRIMENT OF THE REST OF US...

REMEMBER THE THIEVES OF WALL STREET COULD NEVER HAVE DONE WHAT THEY DID WITHOUT FIRST POLITICIANS THAT WERE IN COLLUSION WITH THEM TO DISMANTLE REGULATIONS PROTECTING THE REST OF THE ECONOMIC STABILITY OF THIS DEMOCRACY. NOR COULD THEY HAVE GOTTEN A FREE BAILOUT WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY WITHOUT THE COLLUSION OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FEDERAL RESERVE.

OCCUPY WASHINGTON NOW!
VOTE THE BUMS OUT WHEN YOU CAN!

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. Yes, yes, yes! Thank You!

[villager]

2. Yup

:thumbsup:

[socialist_n_TN]

3. You didn't mention it, but you do realize that you just

made the case for smashing capitalism, don't you? Everything you mentioned historically, is WHY capitalism can't be regulated. IT DOESN'T STAY REGULATED! Because they've got most of the wealth and all of the power by owning the means of production.

[DCKit]

4. It also looks much like a lot of the Teahadii crap I've seen posted on the side of trucks....

in VA - "Vote the Bums Out".

'Dunno, maybe we just have some common ground.

[Drew Richards]

8. are you trying to be insulting or just clinging to a phrase you don't like?

maybe "WE" don't have common ground.

Maybe you and the Tea Party have some but "WE" obviously don't.

I make it a rule not to slather broad brush accusations against another Du'er without reading the history of their posts.

But hey, that is just me.

It is funny that out of all that I said in this post, the only thing you come away with is a phrase that reminds you of the tea party and so therefore the entire post is tea partyish? rather than exactly what it is.

As PURE A Democratic philosophy AND Actions as there has been since the 60's.

[DCKit]

9. I only cited ONE part of that missive that "reminded" me of the Teabagger shit I've seen in VA.

As I said, if that's the one and only point of common ground we can find with the Teahadii, let's use that... and explore the rest. You seem to be the one with a problem finding common issues. In case you haven't noticed, we're ALL fucked.

I don't think you're a nice person.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Very early on it was a populist movement

That is why you seen that. Then they got captured, used and transformed.

This one is a tad harder.

Oh and yes. They share that anger with you.

[DCKit]

13. Your and Drews following response are both welcome.

Both demi and semi-apology (accepted, because of your post) and an explanation of why people are so damn angry. I'm fuckin' furious. All the time.

I'm damn angry too. It's keeping me from sleep, ruining my teeth and making me ache, even though I have a great bed.... oh shit, that's just the family issues.

I love you guys, and that's all I should have to say.

Kit

[Drew Richards]

14. THx for forgiveness, its nice to be nice to the nice...:P

[truedelphi]

28. The early Teabaggers were around - just starting out in Fall of 2008

Among other things, they hated the notion that there was about to be a lot of Socialism for the Rich, via Bank Bailouts.

Then the movement got co opted. We started seeing a lot more of Sarah Palin, than we saw of Ron Paul.

My neighbor who was caught up in that early movement, even voted for Barack Obama,hoping he would truly honor the pledge that he made in OCt of 2008 - to see to it that the banks used the largesse granted them by the public for the interest of the public.

but Barack quickly became too busy in other things, and except for one "sound scolding" that he offered the banking crowd in 2009, the Banks kept the Capital they were "lent" and our economy was depleted by

One) having that money forked over to the Finanical elite
Two) While there was money aplenty for bank bonuses, the President's own Money Man, Tim Geithner, refused to see to it that banks loaned the people the money they needed. He even told Schwartzennegger that the state of California could not be helped via a twenty billion dollar loan, as that would cause a problem for the deficit.

Oh really, little Timmy? It would NOT have caused an additional drain on the nation's budget - not if you had the wisdom to see that the money was mandated to be taken from your buddies on Wall Street. But instead of helping California out, your friends at Goldman Sachs spend XX amount on ahug4e wildlife preserve in Patagonia!

[Drew Richards]

12. you know

I try to be nice, I try to be a pleasant person, I even feel bad when I post a rebuff or person attack.

(I don't think you're a nice person)
Sorry you feel that way.

Perhaps I took your post out of context, or reacted too extremely, maybe I just should of said nothing.

I only know what you posted offended me for some reason and I responded with snark.

Sorry about that.

[DCKit]

17. I've learned to STFU on a lot of issues and posts I don't understand.

When I'm here, I read almost everything, but I neglect to post comments on those I don't fully understand - but probably not as much as I should. I am no saint. I also try not to comment on posts that I have no idea what they're about, even if I rec or derec them. Some are just right, some are just ugly. Both the best and worst deserve comments, and most are destined to die.

However, when my point is taken as an attack or a misrepresentation, I try to answer back.

I would like to suggest the same tactics to you. We're not an adverse bunch, but you came in that way, and I couldn't possibly explain why I detest that tactic. You'd have to meet the family. Thanksgiving is coming up. Find an intentional family - people who choose to be together.

When I'm here, I read almost everything, but I neglect to post comments on those I don't fully understand - but probably not as much as I should. I am no saint. I also try not to comment on posts that I have no idea what they're about, even if I rec or derec them. Some are just right, some are just ugly. Both the best and worst deserve comments, and most are destined to die.

[Drew Richards]

7. No, no that is just your conclusion I believe. Let me explain.

Capitalism without proper regulations of a moral imperative to fairness, is unsustainable just as any pure form of economic theory or government has been proven to be unsustainable.

Pure Capitalism is survival of the fittest and the rest can just die. This also means expand and monopolize or die. This is economically and especially "Socially" incompatible with the average human that has use of their brains functionality of morality and compassion...granted I believe most of the corporations and their boards could be classified as Sociopaths..but meh that is a digression.

What the country has now is not Capitalism it is Capitalistic Socialism for the Wealthy rather than Socialistic Capitalism for the Nation.

From the inception of this country even some of the Constitutional signers wanted this form of economy and control of government through Capitalistic Socialism for the Wealthy Land Owners exclusively... They Lost the debates and we created a Social Democracy with checks and balances against the wealthy gaining control of government..."a relatively fair if not level playing field".

What has occurred now is the fact that the Wealthy, the Corporations and Religious Fundamentalists have corrupted our Social Democracy through the use of Power, Wealth and possibly illegal (electronic voting manipulation) means to supplant the Constitution with a declaration of Laissez-Faire Capitalism and religious Dominionism.

I love "Social" Capitalism, as long as there are logical regulations on industry.

Personally some may call me a Socialist instead of what I am a "Social Capitalist" because, from all my economic theory I believe the US Government should have a 10% ownership/stock stake in corporations for those corporations to be called US companies and for them to avoid tariffs on shipped products or goods. This in turn would force them to maintain domestic production AND the proceeds from the 10% stock ownership would be used specifically and exclusively, for Small Business Development loans, thus forcing these corporations to have an investment in the Nation and it's people rather than currently how they go for maximizing the off shore corporate dollar at the detriment of the Nation and the American people as a whole.

That help?

Or did I just confuse everyone?

[Scuba]

20. No, you're exactly on the money....

"What the country has now is not Capitalism it is Capitalistic Socialism for the Wealthy rather than Socialistic Capitalism for the Nation."



Thanks for your service and thanks for posting.

[DCKit]

30. You've got it. Psychotic, pathological capitalism is killing us all.

THEY used to get it too. That all changed since Reagan.

[stevedeshazer]

5. +1

You are correct.

[Matariki]

6. Before we can "vote the bums out" we need REAL election reform.

Funding, campaign reform, verifiable vote counting.

And thank you for the protesting you've done. We all owe a debt of deep gratitude to those who put their personal safety and comfort aside to stand up for what's right. Thank you.

[tcaudilllg]

15. And how the hell do you expect to get that without voting them out?

[Matariki]

16. And how the hell do you expect to vote them out if you vote isn't being counted?

[tcaudilllg]

19. You're paranoid to the extreme. *IGNORED*

[Matariki]

24. LOL. I'm delighted to hear that.

[Blue_In_AK]

11. Power to the people.

:hippie:

[Drew Richards]

18. If the vote is overwhelming then it is much harder to hide the truth

But yes, when they can manipulate the vote at their whims it is quite depressing.

[Le Taz Hot]

21. I can only Rec this once.

Here's a kick and I LOVE your #1.

[LWolf]

22. re: voting the bums out...

Where do we start? When neither party offers up "not bum" choices on the ballot?

THIS is an overwhelming obstacle. Candidates who are authentically "not bums" either don't make it on the ballot at all, or if they do, they are marginalized, disenfranchised, and sneered at for being "unelectable;" a self-fulfilling prophecy for all who buy into it.

[Drew Richards]

23. Do you find that as gospel? Or is it just your impressions?

We can at least try right?

Elizabeth warren is up and coming...


I mean at least we had Grayson for a term before he was voted out so it is not impossible...

But yeah it used to be...

Nissan ist Mach knowledge is power

now it is

Geld ist Mach money is power.

[a simple pattern]

26. They have a stranglehold on the knowledge as well

Things that rightfully belong in the commons and things that should not be used at all

[MadrasT]

25. "Occupy Washington"

^^^ YES!!! ^^^

Can you imagine if all the pissed off people "Occupying" cities all over the place all converged on WASHINGTON?

Of course they would possibly run them out of town just like they did the Bonus Army, but THAT would make a statement.

[county worker]

27. I would like to add this. There were non violent protests and violent protests on the 60's

Black Panther Party, the Students for a Democratic Society, the Weather Underground Organization, and the Youth International Party, or the Yippies.
The Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 in Oakland, California


Those of you who are afraid that violence will happen better get use to it. If there is to be real change there will be violence.

The establishment does not give up without at fight.

Another thing. Don't fight for your benefit but for the benefit of those who will be coming after you because the fight will last a long time if it is to be effective.

[Drew Richards]

29. Well if there is one thing that I learned from the 70's protests

It is that yes there is always violence when "the people" stand up against tyranny.

There are always people that are either agent provocatures or just everyday people that have reached their patience point of needing to vent violently.

The key in the end barring the protests and the violence is the fact that the minds of public opinion were swayed in our favor eventually and the old 1950's dinosaurs realized they better change their toon or be voted out.

That is why my two points are so important,


Occupy Washington

and

vote em out