Who are these "'Occupy" guys?

[Lady Freedom Returns]

Some say anarchist others say Liberals. I worry that they are headed by some conservative hoodwinker's trying to show that they want to help the "common man". So what is the scoop?

[salin]

1. if you live anywhere near a place that has an occupation.... go visit.

locally its a very ecclectic group - all concerned with the lack of voice we have in our representative govt due to the corrupting force of corporate money in the election system.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

13. I know that in Springfield MO that they have had a protest where the down the street to...

the local homeless shelter with donations of food and cloths for them. It was one of oddest protests I ever seen.

[salin]

63. you find that odd? I find it symbolic.

Certainly the homeless in our society are among the most marginalized.

A protest to call attention to problems in society that actually also tries to provide some goods to those most marginalized seems a good thing.

Unless, of course, one views the homeless as the 'undeserving poor'.

[Huey P. Long]

2. I'd heard a rumor there was a moon landing. Whats the scoop?!

[Lady Freedom Returns]

7. After what happen in Joplin ( I am a Surviver of the May tornado)...

I trust no one without checking with the DU family first. BTY do not trust FEMA!

[deutsey]

3. "conservative hoodwinker's trying to show that they want to help the 'common man'."

That would be the Tea Party.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

12. How true!

Bad thing is they are good at it.:banghead:

[deutsey]

31. It helps when you own most of the news media, too. n/t

[blogslut]

4. Sigh

Really?

The OWS movement is a nefarious wingnut plot?

Do tell.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

5. Huey P. Long Has placed a different thread about these guys

So they are located in different countries as well?

[blogslut]

6. Can you please rephrase?

What you just said makes no sense.

EDIT ADD: Did you mean to say that some DUer with the nickname Huey P. Long started a thread about the OWS movement?

[Lady Freedom Returns]

9. Sorry, all fixed.

:hide:

[Huey P. Long]

18. haha, I see it is an honest inquiry...OWS IS real. It is happening globally too.

It is NOT a right wing 'plot'. OWS is a genuine insurrection/protest. Sure, some will try to co-opt, but that is the nature of sucess.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

28. So it is Liberal friendly? Good.

They seem to be getting real vocal here and I was thinking of going to one of the rallies but I wanted to get some information first. I have got real cautious on things that looked for real but find out it was some tea party thing. I know, it is a hazarded of living in this part of Missouri. But if they are getting the OK from other DUer's then they must be the real thing.

[Hutzpa]

46. Are you guys working together?

:shrug:

[piratefish08]

60. what a team!

[spanone]

8. 'some say'.....

[coalition_unwilling]

10. We are the shock troops of the proletariat, come to seize your

possessions, to rend your garments and have our way with your wives.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

[socialist_n_TN]

19. LOL!...........

:rofl: Also as starry said one day. We're here to take your shit, so we can sit around the house and eat bon-bons all day. :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Hey...as long as they are sugar free.

[socialist_n_TN]

48. Yep. Sugar free for you nadin

:) We'll "liberate" a whole factory just for you!

[Starry Messenger]

42. If anyone has an xbox, leave a post-it note on it for me.

:D

[Hutzpa]

47. I was gonna say NETFLIX

nothing wrong with watching movies all day either.


B-)

[socialist_n_TN]

50. A Xbox factory just for you comrade!

:)

[Generic Other]

57. Hide ya kids, hide ya wives

There's occupiers in Lincoln Park. He's climbing in ya windows...he's snatching your people up...we gonna find you...so you can run and tell that...run and tell that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw

[backtoblue]

11. They are us and we are them.

[PETRUS]

14. We are people who know that money & power are being abused. nt

[kctim]

15. The scoop is

that they are primarily liberals/progressives, anarchists and a few libertarian types who represent the views of maybe 20% of the population.

[PETRUS]

23. 80% of Americans are opposed to democracy? Interesting... nt

[kctim]

25. No

They are opposed to those groups views of 'democracy.'

[PETRUS]

29. You are wrong.

OWS is saying that wealth inequality is distorting public policy. According to scientific polling organizations, more than two-thirds of Americans agree that economic inequality is a serious problem, and more than three-quarters of Americans agree that deep-pocketed special interests exert too much influence in government.

I gather you personally believe OWS stands for something with which you disagree.

[kctim]

32. Sorry, but lack of OWS numbers show I am right

While EVERYBODY may agree what the problem is, they do NOT agree on the solutions to fix it.

There are some things I agree with OWS on, many things that I do not.

[PETRUS]

34. You are implying two related things that are untrue.

1. That OWS is a monolithic entity.

2. That OWS has an "official" consensus on specific policy prescriptions.

OWS is a decentralized group of hundreds of encampments (thousands, if you include the international components) open to anyone and everyone and bound only by the shared understanding that current policy favors a few at the expense of the majority. Vigorous discussions about the origins and manifestations of the resulting problems - and potential solutions - are ongoing.


(Edit to add - as I pointed out earlier, majorities support the basic premise of the protests. Also, pluralities (in the 42%-48% range) support the protests themselves.)

[kctim]

43. I am 'implying' nothing

I am stating that while the majority may support the idea that current policy favors a few at the expense of the many, they do not agree with OWS on who is to blame or how to fix it.
Vigorous discussions between like-minded individuals is NOT going to garner support from the masses, especially when it's from 'decentralized groups' with different grievances and demands. Who the hell wants to protest against Wall Street corruption alongside somebody protesting for the end of capitalism?

Of course slim majorities support their basic premise, hell, almost everybody probably does, but who is to blame and what should be done to fix it is not factored into those polls. I doubt if rural areas are either.

The average person wants to know what, why and who they are protesting. They are not going to just show up because a few thousand people think their lives suck.

[PETRUS]

51. "Like-minded individuals" with "different grievances and demands?"

Bye now.

[kctim]

59. But of course

much easier than facing facts.

Bye.

[Hutzpa]

49. You seemed to be conveniently talking out of your

..........................................................

.......................................


:crazy:

[kctim]

61. And yet the numbers support me

Eh. Better than ignoring of what is in order to pretend what isn't.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. So...you are ok with not taxing the 1%?

What about the banking system? Are you ok with further deregulation?

[kctim]

26. The 'solution' to those things are where the problems arise

The majority of Americans still favor capitalism and individual rights. IF they didn't, there would be millions in the streets, not thousands.

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. Free clue those are demands of the GAs

You even go to one? I yet have to hear them famous words....

People were also for civil rights...they were not out by the millions.

I think kctim has bought the right wing spin that they are run by acorn and fascists all at the same time.

[kctim]

33. I have been to more than one

and have watched more than one livestream. So sorry, trying to say I am not informed or attempts to avoid the facts by claiming 'right wing spin,' don't hold water.

The simple fact of the matter is that OWS is mainly made up of liberals/progressives and Paulites. There are a few things the majority agree with them on and many that they do not. If OWS disappeared tomorrow, the majority of Americans would not bat an eye.

IF I am wrong, the 2012 elections will be the beginning of a progressive type revolution and I will acknowedge that I was wrong.

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. I think you are still trying to distract

And I think you are scared...my personal opinion.

But when general assemblies are demanding taxing the one percent, which by scientific polls 65% of Americans want, and medicare for all, which scientific polls told us 70% wanted...you are trying to distract.

Your question is not 20% fringe, they are not, but rather how broken is a system that indeed ignores 65 and 70 percent of the population. That s hardly a minority.

Which brings me to the next point, until what ails the system is fixed at structural levels, you will be able to continue to smugly ignore the obvious.

Here are some famous words that you'd better start paying attention to though..." Those who prevent peaceful revolution..." oh and stop it, before you say it, if we reach that point all kinds of bets are off.

[kctim]

45. Distract?

Well let's just face the facts then, shall we?

Of course people don't have a problem with raising taxes on OTHER people, but OWS isn't really about just raising the taxes on the wealthy now, is it.

70% want medicare for all, but yet less than half of that 70% were willing to pay for it. So how many people really support medicare for all enough to have it?

OWS thoughts on what should be done IS fringe. IF they were to stick to just fixing Wall Street corruption, then you would have a point, but they are not. And since they have not really mad anything official, we can only go by their posts, livestreams and what they say.

What ails the system and how to fix it is NOT agreed upon by all. Some blame banks others blame Washington etc...

A FEW thousand people are NOT going to start some progressive peaceful revolution when they are not supported by those who are not progressives.

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. Did you just imply OWS are a bunch of Marxist leninists

Cute.

Enjoy the fear...it's continuing to grow.

[kctim]

62. Tire of the facts so soon?

That's a new one even for you NB.

Seeing how I have already STATED who makes up the majority of OWS, the ONLY implication of them being 'Marxist leninists' is coming from you. Why is that NB? You sure are trying hard to dismiss facts and deflect away from what OWS supporters are preaching and demanding. My guess is that YOU fear the label 'Marxist leninists' because you know it will kill the movement.

[valerief]

41. Yeah, in MSM Reportingland, which covers an imaginary nation. nt

[kctim]

66. Really?

Heck, I'm a fair guy, show me those are NOT the primary groups of people involved with OWS and I will gladly change my mind.

Going by what we actually know though, the only thing "imaginary" is the huge wave of support and strength of OWS.

[TBF]

16. Feel free to report back that "they" are citizens who are sick of being ripped off -

and tired of the economic inequality in this country.

[Ellipsis]

17. hmmm.

[mmonk]

20. People who have figured out they are in the 99% of the population

that isn't in the 1% of the highest income in the US which Reaganomics and political corruption serves at the expense and harm to the 99%.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. It's global

And the best way to learn is go visit.

I promise, we don't byte.

[valerief]

30. Oh, it's all a big publicity stunt to sell Auk-Q Pies, a new organic pie with a gay auk mascot.

:rofl:

What a dumb question.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

35. Well I just don't want a pie in the face if I support them in some discussion.

:blush: There is no way I want to get called on it by a conservative repuke.

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. That will happen even here

:-)

Some people fear them, period.

[valerief]

40. Have you been to an Occupy protest and held a sign? Unless you have,

I wouldn't carelessly call people repukes. I'm NO repuke. Not even the least bit conservative. But I can smell one a mile away by their questions.

AND I have a sense of humor to boot!

[Hutzpa]

53. Would you like cherry on top of that pie?

inquiring minds would like to know.. :shrug:

[Generic Other]

58. You're going to put cherries on a pizza?

:hippie:

[Zorra]

38. Mic check. I am a democrat that leads collectively and follows no one.

I recognize that enormously wealthy, greedy, malevolent megalomaniacs have established, in their own self interest, a global economic program that is causing widespread and completely unnecessary misery, hunger, suffering, and death to multitudes of people.

This program is responsible for the establishment of undemocratic governmental policies that value and promote the accumulation of wealth by wealthy private interests over the needs and wishes of the overwhelming majority of human beings.

This program promotes the rampant and almost unhindered poisoning and destruction of the environment of our planet.

This program supresses and neutralizes the democratic endeavors and democratic systems that the overwhelming majority of human beings who exist on the planet wish to employ, in order to create, establish, and maintain a government of, by, and for, themselves, individually and collectively.

I seek to assist in bringing about economic justice, and the unfettered democratic ability of my people to govern ourselves by removing any and all power that wealthy private interests have over our lives, and then to assist in establishing a system of egalitarian democracy that recognizes and values the individual and collective dignity and well being of all human beings, and the necessity of respecting all life and maintaining a healthy planetary environment for ourselves and for all future generations of human beings to enjoy.

That's just me, I hold the microphone. I am one "Occupy" woman.

Passing the mic.

"When the power of Love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace".
James Marshall Hendrix

[piratefish08]

39. they can't be right wingers. their signs are all spelled correctly.

no guns or slogan wrapped Koch financed tour buses, either.

watch out for those conservative hoodwinkers!

go visit a protest - the "scoop" is very evident.

have a nice stay.

[LeftyMom]

44. If you can't tell anarchists from conservatives, that should be your real concern.

Who are they and what do they want? Go ask them. Unless you live in the moon there's probably an occupation near you, there was even one in Antarctica.

[Hutzpa]

52. Me thinks this individual is being deliberately ignorant.

they've always carry this idea that progressives/liberals can be easily fooled and
all you have to do is just ask them and they will you the answer.

Just like the internet, where they're trying to screw everything up as we speak.

[LeftyMom]

55. I don't doubt it for a moment. nt

[Jkid]

54. Who are they?

1. Employed people
2. Underemployed people
3. College Students
4. Unemployed people
5. 1%'s who support them
6. Homeless folk
7. Anarchist/Crusty Punk/Modern-day Gypsy
8. NEET
9. Conservatives who support the movement
10. Democrats who support the movement.

[salin]

65. your description matches the local Occupy group

in my midwestern neck of the woods.

[lonestarnot]

64. 99% of America, that is who they are.