Occupy Wall Street and Everywhere else

[sk716]

Since we don't have an all encompassing OWS thread I thought we might need one. Spinning off of Brian's Protest Mural thread (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?211631-OccupyAmerica-my-12-x-20-piece-of-protest-art.).

I expect a lot of stuff isn't being widely reported and the internet and its million different sources are the primary news source making it very difficult to keep up with what areas are having problems and what areas are getting along well with the Cities and Police Departments.

So, what's going down in your neck of the woods?

[Personamanx]

Bunch of Folks just a few blocks over are doing it here in Halifax.

I'm not caught up on Colbert, Stewart, or Mercer so I can't even say I know what all of this is.

[Stressfactor]

They had a 'solidarity' march and protest in KC in the park across the way from the Federal Reserve Bank.

It's a good situation because the park is public not privately owned and part of it is literally across a not-very-wide street from the Fed.

[jhota]

there was a 99-hour protest that got a permit and worked with the city to keep from disrupting things.

because that's how we roll around here; even our protests are polite.

[Glitch]

I live in a small town but we have a surprisingly big group. I like having them there. They stay in the town square but move for the Farmer's Market on the weekends, and sometimes, they play music. One of the ladies let my nephew hit her drum and she made his day. As far as I know there have been no issues with the police.

[Matt Doc Martin]

Nothing in my immediate area...

[Danimal]

We had a walk out on my campus in solidarity and a march that weekend. Everything was very mellow, as is appropriate to New Mexico.

[Patrick Gerard]

I get the idea of solidarity but as I'm fond of saying, if the wealth was distributed evenly enough that more than a handfulofplaces were worthoccupying, there'd be no need for the protests.

[sunbird]

There's a camp of them out in Civic Square here in Wellington. The problems aren't quite as bad here as everywhere else, and the Kiwis are distracted by the rugby still.

[sk716]

Bunch of Folks just a few blocks over are doing it here in Halifax.

I'm not caught up on Colbert, Stewart, or Mercer so I can't even say I know what all of this is.

You aren't the only one. A CBS poll published yesterday showed that 30% of respondents didn't know what it was all about (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20125515-503544/poll-43-percent-agree-with-views-of-occupy-wall-street/) (it's possible that part of that 30% disagrees with the movement and just didn't want to admit it). Luckily, Rolling Stone printed an explanation in plain English.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/owss-beef-wall-street-isnt-winning-its-cheating-20111025

[bert]

The one in Austin is fairly small. . but they have been there for a couple of weeks at City Hall.

last "Newspaper" story I can find is from ~ 2 weeks ago. . but the papers have been pretty negligent in reporting on the movement anyways, haven't they?

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/blotter/entries/2011/10/13/occupy_austin_demonstrators_be.html?cxntfid=blogs_ the_blotter

Occupy Austin demonstrations resume outside City Hall

By American-Statesman Staff | Thursday, October 13, 2011, 01:10 PM

About four dozen demonstrators had rejoined the Occupy Austin protest in front of City Hall today despite a handful of overnight arrests. Some said that the demonstration would continue into the weekend.

Demonstrators resumed the protest by 6 a.m., after officials had asked them to clear the area for four hours overnight so city crews could clean. Between 2 and 6 a.m., four demonstrators who refused to leave were arrested.

City officials are planning a press conference at 2 p.m. to discuss the reasons for clearing the plaza and the arrests.

Some demonstrators Thursday had little sympathy for the those who were arrested.

“These are a bunch of guys who wanted to get arrested for silly things,” said Tom Friedley, who described himself as working as a pro bono multimedia coordinator at Occupy Austin. “They can stay in jail for all I care.”

Friedley said the demonstrators were warned several times that a cleaning crew needed to access the area during the four-hour window.

“It’s like when you have kids, and they are sitting on the couch, you ask them to pick up their legs to clean around them because grandma is coming over,” Friedley said.

He said he and others have been told to treat the area as their home and to avoid using permanent paint or markers on the grounds. In the past few days, a demonstrator used permanent marker while decorating a poster and paint spilled onto the grounds.

Blake Scott, a 28-year-old University of Texas graduate student studying history, said there are many factions coming together at the plaza, and some “have a lot of time on their hands that represent a fringe element.”

“There are a lot of opinions,” Scott said. “There are no leaders to this movement.”

In video footage of one arrest of a male demonstrator, some can be heard yelling words of support: “This is what democracy looks like,” and “we love you Eric.” The footage was posted on a YouTube account under the Occupy Austin name.

“I think that I can see both sides,” said Catherine Neman, a 66-year-old who has protested on the plaza for eight days. “We were told the city would clean the area.”

Neman described the protests as generally peaceful and said she has been impressed at the support that has come together to send a warning of the challenges of finding work in today’s economy. Neman herself has had trouble landing a part-time job, she said.

“The American dream of ‘if you had worked hard and you would find something; is not working out,” she said.

She also equated the protests to those she had participated in during the 1960s.

“I see the spirit of the 1960s being revived here,” she said.

Several demonstrators said a march is planned for Saturday from City Hall to the State Capitol. Scott said the movement has 11,000 followers on Facebook, and hopes are that thousands show up to the march.


Earlier: Demonstrators who have been at city hall for almost one week will be forced to leave between 2 and 6 a.m. Thursday, as crews come in to clean the area, officials said.

People posted on the Occupy Austin Facebook page about the closure of City Hall Plaza and the mezzanine that hundreds of protesters have been occupying for almost a week.

People will be asked to leave for cleaning crews to do their work, Austin Police said. If they don’t leave, they may be arrested.

[sk716]

As far as I can tell, all of the Occupy Arkansas protests and encampments are not having any police problems, as yet.

Occupy Little Rock was camped on the front lawn of the Clinton Presidential Library. Monday, LRPD and some city reps went down and said due to city ordinances they couldn't camp in the city owned park but they could have a city owned parking lot two blocks over and the city would provide a dumpster. An anonymous donor provided port-a-potties for the new location as well.

In Hot Springs they have been asked to not frighten the tourists, so they wave signs in front of the downtown Bank of America building. I don't think anybody is camping down there. The Bank of America location seems to object so the Hot Springs crowd is treading very lightly. The Mayor is a fundy and a Tea Partier, if anywhere in Arkansas blows up, it'll be in Hot Springs.

Occupy Jonesboro had a run in with the Tea Partiers (http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2011/10/17/koch-heads-routed-in-jonesboro#.TqWXeyNXq64.facebook).

[Little Scandal]

This is a little old, but they held one here in Toronto a week or so ago. All I have to say is that I work for the people they are protesting against :surrend:...

[t.c.johnson]

Here in Washington DC? Nothing much going on at all.

[Chris Jones]

Oakland turned into a fucking nightmare last night.

Here's a video of the police lobbing flash grenades at people who are trying to help somebody up; watch carefully at around 34 seconds.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sO1a092bxk&feature=watch_response

And here's one of Veterans-for-Peace member Scott Olsen being carried away after being shot in the face by a rubber bullet(or after having a tear gas canister bounce off his skull, I've heard both versions).


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lbbWAgBy7E&feature=related

I'm speechless.

[HamsterRage]

Occupy Oakland is absolutely horrific. What happened their shows that we need more former military to move in force to help some of these protesters.
The fact that they shot a Marine Vet in the face with a rubber bullet is horrifying.

On the subject of information... I'm surprised by how many people "know" about the movement but don't understand it. It's not about the unemployed or one's personal finance. It has to do with our entire economy and infrastructure being tanked by the 1% who've taken over this country.

George Carlin says it best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q

[sk716]

Everything I've read about Occupy Oakland indicates that it was a clusterfuck from the get go. There was at least one sexual assault and a whole lot of illegal drugs. I ran across a photo diary last night of the camp pre-raid and I got the impression that they had gone out of their way to recreate the Haight-Ashbury (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haight-Ashbury) in the late 60s with the inclusion of being "run" by anarchists and communists.

While I agree that the Oakland PD have gone too far, Oakland was bound to spiral out of control.

[Jae Namkyoung]

There's Occupy Seattle to my north, and Occupy Portland to my south.

Here's my addition, since I can't physically protest, I can... but I'd like to stay safe. [pregnant]

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc151/roxsoxboi/OA-1.png

[Stressfactor]

Everything I've read about Occupy Oakland indicates that it was a clusterfuck from the get go. There was at least one sexual assault and a whole lot of illegal drugs. I ran across a photo diary last night of the camp pre-raid and I got the impression that they had gone out of their way to recreate the Haight-Ashbury (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haight-Ashbury) in the late 60s with the inclusion of being "run" by anarchists and communists.

While I agree that the Oakland PD have gone too far, Oakland was bound to spiral out of control.

Worse, I'm seeing stories that Oakland actually called in cops from other jurisdictions to help out and that these cops, which were supposed to have been under Oakland's control, may have been the ones responsible and they may have been using ordinance that Oakland banned using in this situation....

Which then makes Oakland's cops look even more like chumps because they've touted the co-operative deal with the other departments and promised the public that nothing bad would come of it and now it looks like something bad came of it and Oakland couldn't excersize the control they promised the public they could.

There's too much video on this there's no way Oakland's going to squirm out of this. Even if they try to say that those weren't Oakland cops they're still on the hook for their actions because THEY called the other cops in and THEY promised that the other cops would be under the control of the Oakland PD.

[Chris Jones]

Worse, I'm seeing stories that Oakland actually called in cops from other jurisdictions to help out and that these cops, which were supposed to have been under Oakland's control, may have been the ones responsible and they may have been using ordinance that Oakland banned using in this situation....

Which then makes Oakland's cops look even more like chumps because they've touted the co-operative deal with the other departments and promised the public that nothing bad would come of it and now it looks like something bad came of it and Oakland couldn't excersize the control they promised the public they could.

There's too much video on this there's no way Oakland's going to squirm out of this. Even if they try to say that those weren't Oakland cops they're still on the hook for their actions because THEY called the other cops in and THEY promised that the other cops would be under the control of the Oakland PD.

I wouldn't trust that so much; the OPD has a long, brutal history of violence and deceit. They'll say or do anything to make it seem like they were less responsible. Even in a statement released recently they said that there were "no reported injuries" at Tuesday night's raid. This was on the raid that put Scott Olsen in a coma. I'm not kidding. (links to the PDF seem to be broken but if I find a working one I'll link it back here)

[Briareos]

It's the same pattern. OWS didn't get any press till they started to get violent and the cops in NY had to respond. Then when the media coverage dies down a bit they'll get violent again to get back in the news and claim "police brutality".....

[Larime Taylor]

It's the same pattern. OWS didn't get any press till they started to get violent and the cops in NY had to respond. Then when the media coverage dies down a bit they'll get violent again to get back in the news and claim "police brutality".....

This is going to end well. *gets popcorn*

[Briareos]

This is going to end well. *gets popcorn*

Well they didn't decide to block the Brooklyn bridge till they realized their protest wasn't going anywhere. That's when the media coverage started.

[Larime Taylor]

Your willful ignorance is astonishing.

[Chrysame]

Wha...?

Laramie, if you share your popcorn, I'll share my root beer.

[Briareos]

Your willful ignorance is astonishing.

What am I ignorant about?

[Briareos]

Wha...?

Laramie, if you share your popcorn, I'll share my root beer.

Can I have some too?

[Briareos]

Now this is something everyone should get behind:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/oct/27/richmond-tea-party-says-city-gives-occupy-richmond-ar-1412408/

Why should OWS get away with not getting the correct permits and paying the fees if the Tea Party and other groups played by the rules.

[HamsterRage]

It's the same pattern. OWS didn't get any press till they started to get violent and the cops in NY had to respond. Then when the media coverage dies down a bit they'll get violent again to get back in the news and claim "police brutality".....

I don't think you're going to last long here Bri.

Start backing your statements up or get the fuck out of this thread and others like it.

[Jae Namkyoung]

Wasn't there a guy with this same name on CBR? Huh, hey if you guys have the popcorn and rootbeer, I've got some reeses pieces.
I'm also for the please provide links and back ups for your statements.

[HamsterRage]

Here's one of several reasons why Bri is an idiot:
Fox News and Huffington post articles calling for the same thing: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/19/lawrence-lessig-occupy-tea-party_n_1018844.html
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/10/13/hey-tea-partiers-go-join-occupy-wall-street/

The Tea Party... THE REAL Tea Party not the cartoon versions that Palin, Beck and the Koch Brothers bought have been joining OWS.

ALL of us are part of the 99%.

The cartoon version that Bri is spouting off about... doesn't exist. The people of OWS are Libertarians, GOP, Tea Party, Liberals, Demmocrats, Socialists, Vets, and more.

This is about ALL of us fighting against the Oligarchy... this is about US vs. THEM anymore. It's about recognizing that the 1% rigged the game in the 80's and continued it with the repeal of the Glass Steagle act in 1998.

[Briareos]

It's not links. It's about noticing a general pattern. OWS wasn't really a national story till the arrests happen on the Brooklyn Bridge. Then it dies down after a couple of days then all of a sudden a violent episode breaks out. Notice you never see in any of these "police brutality" videos the police and the protestors just standing around then WHAM the police attack. You always see it in mid episode so no context can be provided.

[Briareos]

Here is something I think you guys should read:

http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2011/10/25/5_myths_helping_to_drive_occupy_wall_street

[HamsterRage]

Total crap. Thanks for playing the part of right wing sycophant Bri.

Perry was the frontrunner a month ago and called Social Security a Ponzi scheme... That's just one point of many easily debunked by that nonsense article.

I'm putting you on ignore tommorow morning. You continue to add nothing to conversations.

[Briareos]

I am more then willing to defend any and all of my political beliefs in a game of Magic: The Gathering. I will prove to you all that I am right when you face my Township Tokens deck!!!!!!

[ZimMan2]

Some guy named Cain, as quoted in Rolling Stone:

"I find the one thing [the protesters] have in common revolves around the human emotions of envy and entitlement," he said. "What you have is more than what I have, and I'm not happy with my situation."

I literally slapped my forehead when I read this.

Also, Matt Frank posted the story about the police throwing a flash grenade at people trying to help a dude up.

Seriously, I hope something good comes out of all this, or else I'll throw a TV out a window.

[Briareos]

Some guy named Cain, as quoted in Rolling Stone:

"I find the one thing [the protesters] have in common revolves around the human emotions of envy and entitlement," he said. "What you have is more than what I have, and I'm not happy with my situation."

I literally slapped my forehead when I read this.

Also, Matt Frank posted the story about the police throwing a flash grenade at people trying to help a dude up.

Seriously, I hope something good comes out of all this, or else I'll throw a TV out a window.

Well we don't know the full story about that grenade incident. I'd love to know if there was video before of what led to that guy being down in the first place.

[HamsterRage]

http://i.imgur.com/yGfyU.jpg




http://vimeo.com/31187119

[Briareos]

http://i.imgur.com/yGfyU.jpg




http://vimeo.com/31187119

They got what they wanted. You don't think they were trying to make this happen? I notice you didn't mention the obviously violent mob behind them that looked ready to riot at any moment. The video doesn't even really show what happened. Oh and I love how the reports turned from "OMG HE'S GOING TO DIE" to "He's in fair condition" I didn't realize that free speech became "You can do anything you want as long as your protesting for left wing causes" If anyone gets hurt it's on them. The police shouldn't be used as their pawn to get attention.

[Briareos]

Here's exactly what I'm talking about:

http://blogs.redding.com/dcraig/archives/2011/10/protesting-mari.html

[Briareos]

So how about everyone take a deep breath till we found out the WHOLE truth before jumping to conclusions ok?

[Chris Jones]

They got what they wanted. You don't think they were trying to make this happen? I notice you didn't mention the obviously violent mob behind them that looked ready to riot at any moment. The video doesn't even really show what happened. Oh and I love how the reports turned from "OMG HE'S GOING TO DIE" to "He's in fair condition" I didn't realize that free speech became "You can do anything you want as long as your protesting for left wing causes" If anyone gets hurt it's on them. The police shouldn't be used as their pawn to get attention.

Either you're blind, you're so tied to your right wing ideals that you're unable to tell right from wrong or you're completely fucking stupid. I think it's a mix of the second one and the third one. If you think the police fired a gas canister into a group of people trying to help up a wounded soldier on accident, you're a fucking moron. If you think that it was a justifiable use of force you're an amoral gargoyle.

Which is it, bud? Are you a ghoul or a dipshit?

[Briareos]

Either you're blind, you're so tied to your right wing ideals that you're unable to tell right from wrong or you're completely fucking stupid. I think it's a mix of the second one and the third one. If you think the police fired a gas canister into a group of people trying to help up a wounded soldier on accident, you're a fucking moron. If you think that it was a justifiable use of force you're an amoral gargoyle.

Which is it, bud? Are you a ghoul or a dipshit?

Who knows it was a chaotic scene. Again this never would have happened if they just obeyed the police instructions. Why don't we wait till all the facts are known? Is that too much to ask?

[Briareos]

I'm done posting in this thread for awhile. Most of the people here are behind the OWS and aren't interested in hearing another side to the issue.

[Chris Jones]

Who knows it was a chaotic scene. Again this never would have happened if they just obeyed the police instructions. Why don't we wait till all the facts are known? Is that too much to ask?

The FACT is that the police assaulted an unarmed, non-violent group of people who were trying to medically aid somebody who suffered a severe wound. The FACT is known. The FACT is that if you consider that to be a valid use of force, you are, once more, a simpleton or a monster. Pick one.

[HamsterRage]

The FACT is that the police assaulted an unarmed, non-violent group of people who were trying to medically aid somebody who suffered a severe wound. The FACT is known. The FACT is that if you consider that to be a valid use of force, you are, once more, a simpleton or a monster. Pick one.

He's both, sadly.

The fact of the matter is that OWS is not about right or left in spite of how the mainstream media tries to paint it.

[KJ!]

It's not links. It's about noticing a general pattern. OWS wasn't really a national story till the arrests happen on the Brooklyn Bridge. Then it dies down after a couple of days then all of a sudden a violent episode breaks out. Notice you never see in any of these "police brutality" videos the police and the protestors just standing around then WHAM the police attack. You always see it in mid episode so no context can be provided.

Because the police aren't generally nice enough to tell you that they're about to kick the shit out of you.

THAT'S why these things tend to have video start mid-episode.


That's pretty elementary.


EDIT: Wait, is this the same Briaros that used to post at CBR? That'd explain a HELL of a lot.

[Stressfactor]

EDIT: Wait, is this the same Briaros that used to post at CBR? That'd explain a HELL of a lot.

Yes.

Which is why, unlike Crowley, I put him on 'ignore' the instant I saw his name.

Leopards don't change their spots.

[Corrina]

Yeah, sorry, it just took us a little lag time to impose the ban. Sorry about that.

[FemGeek]

Soooo yeah, to get back on track..
There's a little one going on down here in Cork, but I gotta say it's pretty unimpressive. Unlike the global ones the Occupy Cork movement seems to be 100% crusties and professional protestors, camped out on the only bit of green on the south Mall; the WWI memorial. They have marches every now and then and organise speeches and music playing, and that's it for them really. The guards aren't supervising at all since they don't need to, so no money wasted with security. Hopefully they won't leave the place a mess when they're done and for memorial day. Also, they are right next to the river so could be flooded out at any time (tis floddin' season!). Some of their signs are a bit stupid, but others there seem to know what they're on about. Haven't gone that way in a bit though so not sure how they're looking this week.

[Tobias M]

Soooo yeah, to get back on track..
There's a little one going on down here in Cork, but I gotta say it's pretty unimpressive. Unlike the global ones the Occupy Cork movement seems to be 100% crusties and professional protestors, camped out on the only bit of green on the south Mall; the WWI memorial. They have marches every now and then and organise speeches and music playing, and that's it for them really. The guards aren't supervising at all since they don't need to, so no money wasted with security. Hopefully they won't leave the place a mess when they're done and for memorial day. Also, they are right next to the river so could be flooded out at any time (tis floddin' season!). Some of their signs are a bit stupid, but others there seem to know what they're on about. Haven't gone that way in a bit though so not sure how they're looking this week.

Ah Jaysis lads, get it together.

;-)

[Patrick Gerard]

Now this is something everyone should get behind:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/oct/27/richmond-tea-party-says-city-gives-occupy-richmond-ar-1412408/

Why should OWS get away with not getting the correct permits and paying the fees if the Tea Party and other groups played by the rules.

Personally, I think the very idea of parade ordinances and protest permits come from a flawed and revisionist interpretation of our Bill of Rights and civil tradition.

America was founded by people who believed in criminal sabotage of entrenched powers and the right of people to revolt, through force. The French Revolution and Civil War just turned us all lilly livered when we had to face the horrific side of our ideals. It never really changed what the underpinning of our ideology is, though, and that is one where we support unsanctioned, uncontained civic disruption as a culture. We just don't like to think too hard about it.

So as far as I'm concerned, I think it speaks ill of both the Tea Party and some of the Occupy groups how compliant they are. What we need is not a civil dialogue. What we need is a radical restructuring of the system.

I don't fault the Tea Partiers with a lack of civility. They have too much, if you ask me, veiled behind inflammatory rhetoric that they don't really believe or seek to make good on.

I fault them with being wrong on their views.

But if you want to have all these damned bumper stickers calling for assassinating the President, I'm almost more appalled by the obscenity of the slacktivism than the message. You want to call for politicians' deaths, take your assault weapons that you say people will have to pry out of your cold dead hands, and take up arms against the United States armed forces in an uprising or shut your bigoted mouth and admit that you're all talk. That's MY attitude towards the Tea Party.

You want to go around spewing about the glory of the Confederacy and States Rights or bitch about the U.N. as an occupying force? Start a militia and do something about it or admit you're a hypocrite.

[Danimal]

Personally, I think the very idea of parade ordinances and protest permits come from a flawed and revisionist interpretation of our Bill of Rights and civil tradition.

America was founded by people who believed in criminal sabotage of entrenched powers and the right of people to revolt, through force. The French Revolution and Civil War just turned us all lilly livered when we had to face the horrific side of our ideals. It never really changed what the underpinning of our ideology is, though, and that is one where we support unsanctioned, uncontained civic disruption as a culture. We just don't like to think too hard about it.

So as far as I'm concerned, I think it speaks ill of both the Tea Party and some of the Occupy groups how compliant they are. What we need is not a civil dialogue. What we need is a radical restructuring of the system.

I don't fault the Tea Partiers with a lack of civility. They have too much, if you ask me, veiled behind inflammatory rhetoric that they don't really believe or seek to make good on.

I fault them with being wrong on their views.

But if you want to have all these damned bumper stickers calling for assassinating the President, I'm almost more appalled by the obscenity of the slacktivism than the message. You want to call for politicians' deaths, take your assault weapons that you say people will have to pry out of your cold dead hands, and take up arms against the United States armed forces in an uprising or shut your bigoted mouth and admit that you're all talk. That's MY attitude towards the Tea Party.

You want to go around spewing about the glory of the Confederacy and States Rights or bitch about the U.N. as an occupying force? Start a militia and do something about it or admit you're a hypocrite.

I see a lot of the bumper stickers around my town that read "I'll keep my money, my guns, and my freedom. You can keep the CHANGE!" The funny thing to me about this is how it plays on such primal fears that have no real grounding in reality. For one, people with this sticker ignore that the party they side with would rather tax them than the rich because they hope to one day be rich. Also, what anti-gun legislation has been introduced since Obama became president? Finally, the freedom thing I think largely connects to healthcare reform, but again, it returns to the tired old cries of socialism! instead of focusing on any reality.

[HamsterRage]

Went down to Occupy Chicago to talk to people and take notes today.

I urge everyone to go talk to people at you local Occupy movements. You're going to be very surprised by the mix of people.

[Alex]

There's Occupy Seattle to my north, and Occupy Portland to my south.

Here's my addition, since I can't physically protest, I can... but I'd like to stay safe. [pregnant]


...!

Congrats!

[Hugin]

I'd like to stay safe. [pregnant]
Isn't pregnancy normally the result of not staying safe? ;) Congratulations.

[sunbird]

An interesting christian persepctive on the Occupy movement (http://burnsidewriters.com/2011/10/28/16916/).