Occupy Wall Street Protester

[Guest]

Gimme a break my wife just called to tell me as she drov done buena vista she ran into Occupy Wall Street protesters on Parr Drive. She said they were older and assumed to be residents of The Villages. Perhaps they are left over hippies from the 1960's ....make love not war OWS Start by going to the town square and dancing and leave your signs at home least you accidentally smack your partner and knock him/her to the ground

Geeeeezzz ..... betcha these are the same folks captivated by the Kardashian divorce drama...Get a life

[Guest]

PS Sorry I have to edit my fingers much better saw some keystroke errors

[Guest]

Gimme a break my wife just called to tell me as she drov done buena vista she ran into Occupy Wall Street protesters on Parr Drive. She said they were older and assumed to be residents of The Villages.

You posted at 11:05 and that's about the time I saw them in full force (about 10 or 15 of them) as I drove west down Parr Drive. I wondered what it was about. Actually, I saw them when they were first forming at 10:00 AM., as I was on my way to government day at Laural Manor. (Gotta love that! :oops:)

Anyway, I did manage to slow down to read one sign that said, "Hands Off
Social Security!" Perhaps I should go back and see some of the other signs. However, assuming they are all on the same page, I wonder what they hope to accomplish.

By coincidence, I came to this board to start a new thread to ask about this subject. (rubicon, you beat me to the punch!)

What's the deal? What do they hope to accomplish by holding up signs to passing cars? Is Social Security in danger of being cut?

If anything, the retirement age might go up, but that would not affect them. The other thing is they might require rich people to pay in more money. Are the protesters against that? Ha! I better go back and get more information. Stay tuned. As the terminator said: "I'll be back!"

:wave:

[Guest]

I hope they are protesting the golf fees on the championship courses at least that would be productive

[Guest]

I walked back there (good exercise) but they were gone. While I was there, I noticed that Bank Of America was open for business and there was a law enforcement officer walking around outside. I asked him if he knew what happend to the protesters and he said they left at 11:30 am.. Darn! I guess they wimped out. Or maybe it was lunch time.

I wonder how they got organized in the first place. I would guess they belong to the Democrat's Club or something like that.

:wave:

[Guest]

Leftover Dopers from the Sixties.

[Guest]

Probably just another club, and another excuse to go out to lunch with a large group. That's an all important activity here in TV. I wonder if they have a meetings listing in the Recreation News insert?

I saw these yahoos at the Mitt Romney event at Colony Cottage with their signs saying reading "Hands Off My Social Security" when nobody anywhere is threatening these ancient mariners with anything of the kind.

I wonder who's filling their little heads with all this misinformation. It couldn't be the liberal media and Democrat activists now; could it? Would they be so deceitful?

Did these same people tell them that Obama cut $500 Billion from their Medicare? What do you think?

[Guest]

I wonder if the police asked them to leave?

[Guest]

Probably just another club, and another excuse to go out to lunch with a large group. That's an all important activity here in TV. I wonder if they have a meetings listing in the Recreation News insert?

I saw these yahoos at the Mitt Romney event at Colony Cottage with their signs saying reading "Hands Off My Social Security" when nobody anywhere is threatening these ancient mariners with anything of the kind.

I wonder who's filling their little heads with all this misinformation. It couldn't be the liberal media and Democrat activists now; could it? Would they be so deceitful?

Did these same people tell them that Obama cut $500 Billion from their Medicare? What do you think?

Polls say that Romney can beat Obama.

'nough said. Unless of course you want 4 more years of hope & change.

[Guest]

Rich,if it was the Tea Party would you feel the same way?

[Guest]

We were not talking about the Tea Party or romney. We were talking about participants in the OWS protest at Parr Drive t hat is the subject matter. Does anyone know how when or wy they left? Does anyone k now why they were protesting and/or if they plan future protests?

[Guest]

Rich,if it was the Tea Party would you feel the same way?

I don't quite understand your meaning. How does what you say apply to what I meant?

[Guest]

We were not talking about the Tea Party or romney. We were talking about participants in the OWS protest at Parr Drive t hat is the subject matter. Does anyone know how when or wy they left? Does anyone k now why they were protesting and/or if they plan future protests?

This protest is really catching on in far away places.

http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad51/wakytimes/381754_10150400812744185_704639184_8191108_8007582 18_n.jpg

[Guest]

Rich,if it was the Tea Party would you feel the same way?

Tea Party people do not trash places and go the bathroom anywhere they want like dogs. Tea Party people have coherent thoughts and ideals. There is no comparison. TP people are my neighbors and friends not a bunch of hippie wanna bees who are doing drugs and having sex like animals.

[Guest]

In addition to the aforementioned. The Tea Party had to pay a user fee, to organize, fees for security and supply port-a-potties. They also picked up their trash and left the meeting area spotless.

[Guest]

It is better to see the humor in all of this. I lived a few miles from Woodstock and drove by a few times during the "protests". In the main they were drugged up youths who waddled through the mud and the only impact was their effect on the poor farmers property. If you go to Woodstock today you will see small booths selling what are obvious drug pipes, etc. and a few nutty old painted up hippies playing a guitar in the square.. On Sunday they catch the noon bus back to New York City for the week. A friend manages the Woodstock Golf Course and he designed and sells a golf hat with "Golf in Peace" as the logo. There are a bunch who buy it as a statement they were there. These are wealthy people demonstrating their own humor at the drama going on. It is truly humorus that the senior members are demonstrating against society as they live in paradise. Come on now..This is all funny drama! :jester:

[Guest]

Loveitthere I must disagree with you.

[Guest]

Tea Party people do not trash places and go the bathroom anywhere they want like dogs. Tea Party people have coherent thoughts and ideals. There is no comparison. TP people are my neighbors and friends not a bunch of hippie wanna bees who are doing drugs and having sex like animals.

Your description of the Tea Party matches what I saw when I visited Occupy Boston.

[Guest]

You posted at 11:05 and that's about the time I saw them in full force (about 10 or 15 of them) as I drove west down Parr Drive. I wondered what it was about. Actually, I saw them when they were first forming at 10:00 AM., as I was on my way to government day at Laural Manor. (Gotta love that! :oops:)

Anyway, I did manage to slow down to read one sign that said, "Hands Off
Social Security!" Perhaps I should go back and see some of the other signs. However, assuming they are all on the same page, I wonder what they hope to accomplish.

By coincidence, I came to this board to start a new thread to ask about this subject. (rubicon, you beat me to the punch!)

What's the deal? What do they hope to accomplish by holding up signs to passing cars? Is Social Security in danger of being cut?

If anything, the retirement age might go up, but that would not affect them. The other thing is they might require rich people to pay in more money. Are the protesters against that? Ha! I better go back and get more information. Stay tuned. As the terminator said: "I'll be back!"

:wave:

Maybe they're here because many have the notion that if you are a Villager, you are rich. Ha! The ones that think that don't live at my house!

When we first came, we attended a seminar (you know, the ones you always have a flyer for in your mailbox) and one of the businesses involved was Milhorn Law Firm. He told us not to put the license tag, The Villages, on the front of your car. He said that 441/27 is referred to as "have a wreck road" by many of the lawyers because when the scammers see that tag, they associate it with an opportunity for big bucks and easy prey. He was the one that told us too many non-Villagers think everyone in TV has lots of money.

[Guest]

:Maybe they're here because many have the notion that if you are a Villager, you are rich. Ha! The ones that think that don't live at my house!

When we first came, we attended a seminar (you know, the ones you always have a flyer for in your mailbox) and one of the businesses involved was Milhorn Law Firm. He told us not to put the license tag, The Villages, on the front of your car. He said that 441/27 is referred to as "have a wreck road" by many of the lawyers because when the scammers see that tag, they associate it with an opportunity for big bucks and easy prey. He was the one that told us too many non-Villagers think everyone in TV has lots of money.

That may be true but what you are describe are insurance scams and for obvious reasons. The interesting thing about these folks is that they know the insurance companies know they are scamming but they love to play the game. Normally there are a few doctors and lawyers working in concert to make such a scam effective. I think the reason they do it is because they agree and adhere to Obama's philosophy of a redistribution of wealth:crap2:

[Guest]

Your description of the Tea Party matches what I saw when I visited Occupy Boston.

Well. in Kalifornia they are destroying property and there have been hundreds of police arrests. Are you actually defending these animals?

[Guest]

Your description of the Tea Party matches what I saw when I visited Occupy Boston.


I don't think there was any reports of crack dealing at Tea Party gatherings.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/11/04/3-charged-with-dealing-crack-occupy-boston-deteriorating/

[Guest]

As reported by CBS Los Angeles-"SoCal Street Cart Vendors Hurting After ‘Occupy’ Group Splatters Blood, Urine"...
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/11/07/socal-street-cart-vendors-hurting-after-occupy-group-splatters-blood-urine/

[Guest]

As reported by CBS Los Angeles-"SoCal Street Cart Vendors Hurting After ‘Occupy’ Group Splatters Blood, Urine"...
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/11/07/socal-street-cart-vendors-hurting-after-occupy-group-splatters-blood-urine/

These vendors had started off by offering free snacks and drinks to the protesters. When they stopped doing that they were violently attacked and had their pushcarts (their businesses) practically destroyed. It doesn't pay to be nice, I guess.

How anybody can see parallels between these miscreants and the supporters of the Tea Party is so absurd.

[Guest]

I can see one parallel - hijacking.

There's some big conservative money now behind the Tea Party (to say nothing of Fox News) on a national scale and it certainly did NOT start out that way.

In that article, I found an interesting comment:

Over a million protesters were participating in the occupy protest. No violence was to be seen. No press were to be seen. Everyone wanted to ignore the protest all together. They said it was too small and had no real gumption. Escalation of the protest is the only way to be heard. The people that hear are looters and predators. They hijack the protest. Big business jumps in… after all they are looters and predators.

Moral of the story: Pay attention to the peaceful protesters. Help them fix the problem they are upset about. Unfortunately when you ignore them, the protest will become hijacked and out of hand. Hard to control. Because the original cause of the protest will not even be considered. This protest will happen again once the current hijacked protest subsides.


Most everything back east has still been peaceful. Makes me wonder why the problems seem to be eruting in California - but, then, we all know that things are (how can I put this politely) "different" in CA.

Drunks, addicts and homeless tried to crash the group in Boston and they were forcibly removed with the help of the Boston Police Department.

Perhaps Boston's history helps keep things orderly.

Out west it seems to be a different story.

I would imagine that the OWS and Tea Party are still in lock-step agreement about bank bailouts - so there's another parallel.

[Guest]

These vendors had started off by offering free snacks and drinks to the protesters. When they stopped doing that they were violently attacked and had their pushcarts (their businesses) practically destroyed. It doesn't pay to be nice, I guess.

How anybody can see parallels between these miscreants and the supporters of the Tea Party is so absurd.

There is no comparison despite attempts to lump them together. The Tea Party is comprised of comcerned working citizens who are peaceful and respectful of property. The occupiers are bums, and societies rejects who have nothing better to do then do drugs and destroy property. Who would ever hire one of those hippie Wanabees?

[Guest]

Great column by Mary Beth Hicks on TownHall.com. These kids need to grow up.

http://townhall.com/columnists/marybethhicks/2011/10/20/some_belated_parental_advice_to_protesters/page/full/

[Guest]

There is no comparison despite attempts to lump them together. The Tea Party is comprised of comcerned working citizens who are peaceful and respectful of property. The occupiers are bums, and societies rejects who have nothing better to do then do drugs and destroy property. Who would ever hire one of those hippie Wanabees?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - have you (or anyone) gone down there and actually SEEN any of these demonstrations?

I found a few loonies when I went there - sure enough and I won't deny it. But I also found college students, school teachers, veterans, police officers, firefighters, unemployed financial services personell (people who, like me, used to work at Fidelity and Putnam).

Again, be careful when you paint with a broad brush. After all, some people went to Tea Party rallies and found stuff like this:

http://www.blueridgemuse.com/node/3539

or...

http://likeawhisper.wordpress.com/anti-obama-protest-signs/

or..

http://www.philly2philly.com/politics_community/politics_community_articles/2010/3/21/43497/tea_party_has_become_movement_racism_

or...

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/16/are-tea-parties-racist-is-al-qaeda/

[Guest]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - have you (or anyone) gone down there and actually SEEN any of these demonstrations?

I found a few loonies when I went there - sure enough and I won't deny it. But I also found college students, school teachers, veterans, police officers, firefighters, unemployed financial services personell (people who, like me, used to work at Fidelity and Putnam).

Again, be careful when you paint with a broad brush. After all, some people went to Tea Party rallies and found stuff like this:

http://www.blueridgemuse.com/node/3539

or...

http://likeawhisper.wordpress.com/anti-obama-protest-signs/

or..

http://www.philly2philly.com/politics_community/politics_community_articles/2010/3/21/43497/tea_party_has_become_movement_racism_

or...

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/16/are-tea-parties-racist-is-al-qaeda/


Didn't dig deep enough DJ. The Hitler signs like other accusations were adequately debunked. Lyndon LaRouche supporters admit the Hitler signs are theirs and that they have no Tea Party Connection.
http://mrctv.org/blog/larouche-supporter-admits-liberal-media-falsely-connected-tea-party-their-obamahitler-sign

Maybe you might was to read noted speaker, author and columnist Walter E. Williams' take on racism before you search for old accusations against the Tea Party to try to use to prop up the naive children being used by leftist socialists to give cover for their anti-capitalist agenda.

http://townhall.com/columnists/walterewilliams/2011/10/12/its_hard_to_be_a_racist/page/full/

[Guest]

the only thing that is shown in the media are the loonies, fire bombing, and all the other mob scene stuff.

Are some of you saying that what they show in the national news is not representative of reality? I just don't understand how that could possibly be. Isn't the media the all knowing? All seeing? Unbiased reporting (barf).

Yes the above is sarcasm:D

btk

[Guest]

Bill, that's exactly my point. You hear about 3 OWS locations having problems (Oakland, Seattle, LA). Yet the peaceful demonstrations going on in literally HUNDREDS of cities worldwide goes unreported.

Just like the people who screamed how racist the Tea Party was. I'm sure some members ARE, but the core message is actually quite similar to OWS (at least at the beginning and the Tea Party HAS stayed more 'in focus' by a LONG shot)

[Guest]

Bill, that's exactly my point. You hear about 3 OWS locations having problems (Oakland, Seattle, LA). Yet the peaceful demonstrations going on in literally HUNDREDS of cities worldwide goes unreported.

Just like the people who screamed how racist the Tea Party was. I'm sure some members ARE, but the core message is actually quite similar to OWS (at least at the beginning and the Tea Party HAS stayed more 'in focus' by a LONG shot)

djp you may be right except they ought to be venting their frustration at Washington

[Guest]

Tea party people=mostly employed normal Americans.

Occupiers= mostly unemployable bums and dropouts who will never be good citizens.

[Guest]

djp you may be right except they ought to be venting their frustration at Washington

Some of that outrage IS geared towards Washington (for the bank bailouts). But mostly it's geared at:

- The bank that foreclosed on their (or their parent's) mortgage while giving CEOs multimillion dollar bonuses.

- The multinational corporation that reports record profits while simultaneously refusing to create new jobs AND asks for more tax cuts.

- The health insurance companies that drop you as soon as you're no longer a profit center.

[Guest]

Tea party people=mostly employed normal Americans.

Occupiers= mostly unemployable bums and dropouts who will never be good citizens.

So all those teachers, firefighters, veterans, police officers and other 'regular folk' I saw in Boston in ADDITION to students is something I made up?

I've seen this kind of ploy before. You demonize the opposition - make them look or sound "sub human" and you can rationalize ANYTHING.

They'll "never be good citizens"? You know them all personally and you have psychic powers to read all of their future fates? Have you, oh, I don't know, TALKED to any of them?

Let me tell you something. I made no secret of the fact that I voted for Reagan "as many times as I was legally allowed" when talking to the folks down there. Sometimes I got a bit of a guarded reactions, sometimes surprise at the fact that I was talking *with* them and finding common ground.

[Guest]

So all those teachers, firefighters, veterans, police officers and other 'regular folk' I saw in Boston in ADDITION to students is something I made up?

I've seen this kind of ploy before. You demonize the opposition - make them look or sound "sub human" and you can rationalize ANYTHING.

They'll "never be good citizens"? You know them all personally and you have psychic powers to read all of their future fates? Have you, oh, I don't know, TALKED to any of them?

Let me tell you something. I made no secret of the fact that I voted for Reagan "as many times as I was legally allowed" when talking to the folks down there. Sometimes I got a bit of a guarded reactions, sometimes surprise at the fact that I was talking *with* them and finding common ground.

Excreting on police cars and selling dope from tents?

[Guest]

You just go on believing that picture of the guy crappingo n the police car was an OWS protestor. He was a homeless (and most likely mentally ill) man.

The homeless caused the only problems the Boston protests have seen when they tried to crash the site for free food. Occupy Boston has a pretty damn strict no alcohol and no drugs policy - in line with the policies in other cities (of course, I can't vouch for how strict it is elsewhere but Boston seems to have been going along fine).

[Guest]

You just go on believing that picture of the guy crappingo n the police car was an OWS protestor. He was a homeless (and most likely mentally ill) man.

The homeless caused the only problems the Boston protests have seen when they tried to crash the site for free food. Occupy Boston has a pretty damn strict no alcohol and no drugs policy - in line with the policies in other cities (of course, I can't vouch for how strict it is elsewhere but Boston seems to have been going along fine).

Defend them if you please, but do not compare them to the Tea Party. It is absurd.

[Guest]

Defend them if you please, but do not compare them to the Tea Party. It is absurd.

VG: When you changed your screen name, why didn't you use your real name?

[Guest]

Defend them if you please, but do not compare them to the Tea Party. It is absurd.

What is absurd is that you highlighted the part of my post where I said I was finding common ground and then put in YOUR two cents of suggesting that it was selling dope and excreting on police cars.

There are a lot of posters here that I disagree with but still respect.

Think about what you said. You basically accused me of being a dope-selling, mentally handicapped indigent.

Yeah. I take offense at that.

[Guest]

What is absurd is that you highlighted the part of my post where I said I was finding common ground and then put in YOUR two cents of suggesting that it was selling dope and excreting on police cars.

There are a lot of posters here that I disagree with but still respect.

Think about what you said. You basically accused me of being a dope-selling, mentally handicapped indigent.

Yeah. I take offense at that.

That was not intentional and I think you already knew that. My bad, sorry.

[Guest]

Tea party people=mostly employed normal Americans.

Occupiers= mostly unemployable bums and dropouts who will never be good citizens.

Where do you get your information?
Some months ago Greenspan called this a two tiered recovery. The middle class is not participating. We have lost eight million jobs in this recession that have not yet come back. The rest of us have to endure with zero percent raises and a fear that things won't get better. Many of these people that you call occupiers had solid jobs ten years ago or were in college five years ago. They are not bums they are extremely unlucky.

I think that you right wingers are devoid of empathy for this new underclass because you are ignorant of the new economic reality. Your parents are no longer around to tell you just how bad things were in the Depression.

[Guest]

What is absurd is that you highlighted the part of my post where I said I was finding common ground and then put in YOUR two cents of suggesting that it was selling dope and excreting on police cars.

There are a lot of posters here that I disagree with but still respect.

Think about what you said. You basically accused me of being a dope-selling, mentally handicapped indigent.

Yeah. I take offense at that.

I agree with many of your posts. However, I will never be a Red Sox fan.

[Guest]

Where do you get your information?
Some months ago Greenspan called this a two tiered recovery. The middle class is not participating. We have lost eight million jobs in this recession that have not yet come back. The rest of us have to endure with zero percent raises and a fear that things won't get better. Many of these people that you call occupiers had solid jobs ten years ago or were in college five years ago. They are not bums they are extremely unlucky.

I think that you right wingers are devoid of empathy for this new underclass because you are ignorant of the new economic reality. Your parents are no longer around to tell you just how bad things were in the Depression.

We are ignorant? LOL Have you read some of the left's posts here? Have you really dissected yours?:loco:

[Guest]

Where do you get your information?
Some months ago Greenspan called this a two tiered recovery. The middle class is not participating. We have lost eight million jobs in this recession that have not yet come back. The rest of us have to endure with zero percent raises and a fear that things won't get better. Many of these people that you call occupiers had solid jobs ten years ago or were in college five years ago. They are not bums they are extremely unlucky.

I think that you right wingers are devoid of empathy for this new underclass because you are ignorant of the new economic reality. Your parents are no longer around to tell you just how bad things were in the Depression.

Yes, Mr. Katz' mother is still around. She is pretty sharp too...she says "None of this foolishness of protesting went on. People who needed help were helped by the community. Everyone worked hard at whatever work they could find. People were still clean and behaved themselves...and they made do with what they had."
Her cousing is 90ish and pretty sharp also. Will get her opinion when she joins us for Thanksgiving!

[Guest]

We are ignorant? LOL Have you read some of the left's posts here? Have you really dissected yours?:loco:

Don't try to put me on the defensive. There is a great deal of misery out there through no fault of the victims, and you have no sympathy for them.
Put this in context. You've called these people bums.

They are instead victims of a shrinking share of an economy that is growing painfully slowly. I submit that you are safe in your sunny utopia and have a fundamental disconnect with the problems of America because you have no reason to look at the economic realities.

[Guest]

Where do you get your information?
Some months ago Greenspan called this a two tiered recovery. The middle class is not participating. We have lost eight million jobs in this recession that have not yet come back. The rest of us have to endure with zero percent raises and a fear that things won't get better. Many of these people that you call occupiers had solid jobs ten years ago or were in college five years ago. They are not bums they are extremely unlucky.

I think that you right wingers are devoid of empathy for this new underclass because you are ignorant of the new economic reality. Your parents are no longer around to tell you just how bad things were in the Depression.

Yes, Mr. Katz' mother is still around. She is pretty sharp too...she says "None of this foolishness of protesting went on. People who needed help were helped by the community. Everyone worked hard at whatever work they could find. People were still clean and behaved themselves...and they made do with what they had."
Her cousing is 90ish and pretty sharp also. Will get her opinion when she joins us for Thanksgiving!

You may want to ask her how bad things were and would have been if it wasn't for Roosevelt.

[Guest]

[quote=KatzPajamas;417255]

You may want to ask her how bad things were and would have been if it wasn't for Roosevelt.

Roosevelt prolonged the Depression.

[Guest]

[quote=KatzPajamas;417255]

You may want to ask her how bad things were and would have been if it wasn't for Roosevelt.

Already said that things were bad. Point is that people didn't resort to animal-like behavior.
Will ask the Roosevelt question today.

[Guest]

Don't try to put me on the defensive. There is a great deal of misery out there through no fault of the victims, and you have no sympathy for them.
Put this in context. You've called these people bums.

They are instead victims of a shrinking share of an economy that is growing painfully slowly. I submit that you are safe in your sunny utopia and have a fundamental disconnect with the problems of America because you have no reason to look at the economic realities.

I said the people who were at that occupy were bums, not the people who are trying to make a life for themselves. I lived through the Carter years, I know hard times. Waiting in lines for hours for gas in my 10 year old car, no cell phone, iphone, ipad, color television, food stamps, welfare money.

[Guest]

I said the people who were at that occupy were bums, not the people who are trying to make a life for themselves. I lived through the Carter years, I know hard times. Waiting in lines for hours for gas in my 10 year old car, no cell phone, iphone, ipad, color television, food stamps, welfare money.

I remember the Carter years as a post Vietnam malaise. The gas lines were there during the Nixon years too. Inflation caused interest rates on 20 year Treasury Insured Growth Receipts to go to eleven percent. That was during Reagan's first term.

I said that the occupiers are those who had jobs or who were promised jobs at graduation. These occupiers have lost hope. Our education system prepares people for jobs at corporations and little else. My education didn't prepare me to open a store and move inventory. My education didn't teach me how to do day trading. It prepared me for a job in one of America's thousands of corporations.

There's only one problem, America's corporations have stopped hiring Americans.

Here's proof:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU

Here's a report from a famous Conservative Lou Dobbs.
Lou Dobbs has since been fired from CNN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi1R4iDx3Lg

[Guest]

I said that the occupiers are those who had jobs or who were promised jobs at graduation. These occupiers have lost hope. Our education system prepares people for jobs at corporations and little else. My education didn't prepare me to open a store and move inventory. My education didn't teach me how to do day trading. It prepared me for a job in one of America's thousands of corporations.

tonyafd...you are SOOOO CORRECT! Our education system does NOT TEACH or in anyway ENCOURAGE people to LEARN how to THINK FOR THEMSELVES!!!!....If you can read, write, do the basic math, and have no fear of getting your hands dirty, you can TEACH YOURSELF ANYTHING!!!!!!!

[Guest]

I said the people who were at that occupy were bums, not the people who are trying to make a life for themselves. I lived through the Carter years, I know hard times. Waiting in lines for hours for gas in my 10 year old car, no cell phone, iphone, ipad, color television, food stamps, welfare money.

I've yet to see anyone respond directly when I've pointed out that, when I went to Occupy Boston, I saw cops, firefighters, teachers, *veterans* and kids with degrees (and I say 'kids' because I'm 49 and they were in their 20s). Are all of THEM 'bums'?

[Guest]

I've yet to see anyone respond directly when I've pointed out that, when I went to Occupy Boston, I saw cops, firefighters, teachers, *veterans* and kids with degrees (and I say 'kids' because I'm 49 and they were in their 20s). Are all of THEM 'bums'?

Enough "bums" in the crowd to cause the protest to be looked on in utter distain.

You really going to try to educate me on "your" cause while you're hanging around with communists, arsonists, anti-Semitics, rapists and druggies?

I'm going to turn my back on you because I can SEE your bad judgement. Why would I listen to anything you might want to say?

[Guest]

So by the same toke, I should listen to all the "Tea Partiers are racist bigots" characterizations?

In other words, you're going to believe sensationalist news reporting instead of eye-withness accounts?

You're going to concentrate on a few isolated incidents and ignore the HUNDREDS of other protests that are going on without a hitch?

I saw *two* Communists in Boston. TWO. They were basically being laughed at by the rest of the crowd - one was the ridiculously-name "Anarchist Communist" and the other was carrying around a Che Guevara flag and *every* *single* other protestor I talked to wondered if that guy even KNEW what ended up happening to Che.

[Guest]

So by the same toke, I should listen to all the "Tea Partiers are racist bigots" characterizations?

In other words, you're going to believe sensationalist news reporting instead of eye-withness accounts?

You're going to concentrate on a few isolated incidents and ignore the HUNDREDS of other protests that are going on without a hitch?

I saw *two* Communists in Boston. TWO. They were basically being laughed at by the rest of the crowd - one was the ridiculously-name "Anarchist Communist" and the other was carrying around a Che Guevara flag and *every* *single* other protestor I talked to wondered if that guy even KNEW what ended up happening to Che.

Did it ever occur to you that Boston was the exception and not the rule?:confused:

[Guest]

So by the same toke, I should listen to all the "Tea Partiers are racist bigots" characterizations?

In other words, you're going to believe sensationalist news reporting instead of eye-withness accounts?

You're going to concentrate on a few isolated incidents and ignore the HUNDREDS of other protests that are going on without a hitch?

I saw *two* Communists in Boston. TWO. They were basically being laughed at by the rest of the crowd - one was the ridiculously-name "Anarchist Communist" and the other was carrying around a Che Guevara flag and *every* *single* other protestor I talked to wondered if that guy even KNEW what ended up happening to Che.

There not even a comparison here. It's like comparing the breaking of a window on one house to the leveling of another.

[Guest]

They kicked them out so they could clean up their mess. They probably needed to wear HazMat suits. It was more then likely a disgusting job.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/nypd_raiders_roust_rabble_Dp5jSkaFLwGXYElqsxsWjO

[Guest]

the question being asked about the teachers/firemen/etc is easy to answer when one places themselves at the scene of the unlawful/disgusting activities by some of the participants. What do you consider yourself in such a situation?
I suspect we could say ditto for the firemen/teachers/etc.

btk

[Guest]

This is my first post but my wife has been keeping me posted. We are one of the 99% that protest down at the square. She's been called a hippie, part of a drama group, whimpy, a doper and so on and so on. That's fine. You can call us whatever you want. The reality is, we're trying to make a statement on your behalf. I know, I know, most of you are republicans and conservative and don't like liberals. But, I'm thinking that most of you aren't in the 1% and probably not even in the 5%. If you are, good for you. If you're not, the republicans are looking to increase your medicare costs and cut your social security. You don't have to believe me, you can search on John Boehner quotes. Eric Cantor too. My wife and I happen to believe that the bottom 155 million people in America should have more than 2 1/2% of the nations wealth. We believe that 12% of American's shouldn't go to bed hungry every night. We happen to believe that in the richest country in the world that 1.5 million people are living on the streets. But, you can believe what you want to. This is America after all. I won't call you names. I'll just feel sorry for you and your lack of empathy for people who are struggling.

[Guest]

All of you anti OWS need to stop and think about what words you are using and what you call people. Words mean things and you are judging people you don't know. In fact, there is only one entity who can judge and it's not you.

The media skews news and depending on your political belief, it's easy to find a media that supports your belief. I'm assuming Fox is your news of choice. Of course, I don't watch Fox because it doesn't correlate with my beliefs. Yet to each our own because I don't judge.

I am a retiree who has an advanced degree. I'm in the 99% and live here in The Villages. I am not a druggie, hippie, yahoo, or doper. I do not smack my partner nor do I knock my partner to the ground. I don't have a little head (at least I don't think I do) nor am I wimpy or try to create chaos. I also do not consider myself part of a drama group.

I am well respected among my peers. I am a board member of a professional group club. I have grown children who are productive and successful. I have grandchildren whom are the sunshine in my life.

I may be your neighbor whom you socialize with and like...being unaware of my stance because I don't discuss it for fear of getting into a nasty debate and being judged.

Don't judge me because I believe in, support, and participate in OWS. In fact, I will be at LSL tomorrow night protesting. Come visit our group and talk to us. I may even hug you...because I don't judge you even if we disagree.

We are individuals who can believe however we want. I am not going to get nasty and call you names because I am on opposite sides. It's too bad all of us can't accept opposite points of view without putting nasty tags or words to each other.

Shame on you!

[Guest]

All of you anti OWS need to stop and think about what words you are using and what you call people. Words mean things and you are judging people you don't know. In fact, there is only one entity who can judge and it's not you.

The media skews news and depending on your political belief, it's easy to find a media that supports your belief. I'm assuming Fox is your news of choice. Of course, I don't watch Fox because it doesn't correlate with my beliefs. Yet to each our own because I don't judge.

I am a retiree who has an advanced degree. I'm in the 99% and live here in The Villages. I am not a druggie, hippie, yahoo, or doper. I do not smack my partner nor do I knock my partner to the ground. I don't have a little head (at least I don't think I do) nor am I wimpy or try to create chaos. I also do not consider myself part of a drama group.

I am well respected among my peers. I am a board member of a professional group club. I have grown children who are productive and successful. I have grandchildren whom are the sunshine in my life.

I may be your neighbor whom you socialize with and like...being unaware of my stance because I don't discuss it for fear of getting into a nasty debate and being judged.

Don't judge me because I believe in, support, and participate in OWS. In fact, I will be at LSL tomorrow night protesting. Come visit our group and talk to us. I may even hug you...because I don't judge you even if we disagree.

We are individuals who can believe however we want. I am not going to get nasty and call you names because I am on opposite sides. It's too bad all of us can't accept opposite points of view without putting nasty tags or words to each other.

Shame on you!

These the guys you're defending flipflopz???? You kidding me???

People threatening to burn NYC to the ground???

Wake up and smell the anarchy!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilq_66LnRaw

[Guest]

This is my first post but my wife has been keeping me posted. We are one of the 99% that protest down at the square. She's been called a hippie, part of a drama group, whimpy, a doper and so on and so on. That's fine. You can call us whatever you want. The reality is, we're trying to make a statement on your behalf. I know, I know, most of you are republicans and conservative and don't like liberals. But, I'm thinking that most of you aren't in the 1% and probably not even in the 5%. If you are, good for you. If you're not, the republicans are looking to increase your medicare costs and cut your social security. You don't have to believe me, you can search on John Boehner quotes. Eric Cantor too. My wife and I happen to believe that the bottom 155 million people in America should have more than 2 1/2% of the nations wealth. We believe that 12% of American's shouldn't go to bed hungry every night. We happen to believe that in the richest country in the world that 1.5 million people are living on the streets. But, you can believe what you want to. This is America after all. I won't call you names. I'll just feel sorry for you and your lack of empathy for people who are struggling.

You do not represent me or any of my friends. Republicans are not against social security. You believe in wealth redistribution and I believe in wealth gained by working hard and saving and investing. You people are not America. The Tea Party is America.

[Guest]

Richie: Have you seen the video of the Berekley 'break up'? The one where the cop starts wailing on people with his club when they are just standing ther. Oh, and for good measure, he picks on the shortest woman in the line - a 4' 10" Asian student instead of the beefier males around her.

There's a LOT of blame to go around.

[Guest]

Richie: Have you seen the video of the Berekley 'break up'? The one where the cop starts wailing on people with his club when they are just standing ther. Oh, and for good measure, he picks on the shortest woman in the line - a 4' 10" Asian student instead of the beefier males around her.

There's a LOT of blame to go around.


http://www.verumserum.com/?p=33490

[Guest]

Richie: Have you seen the video of the Berekley 'break up'? The one where the cop starts wailing on people with his club when they are just standing ther. Oh, and for good measure, he picks on the shortest woman in the line - a 4' 10" Asian student instead of the beefier males around her.

There's a LOT of blame to go around.

I won't blame the undermanned and crowd harassed police that are just trying to keep the peace in difficult circumstances. The only other outcome would be complete anarchy.

If I was a cop on the line and I was threatened I would immediately make my power known to make my antagonist think again about escalating the situation. I would make it clear that his head is the first one I crack open if he persists in fanning the flames.

The biggest danger to the keeping of the peace is for the police to show weakness.

You didn't mention the threat to burn down NYC, and Macy's in particular. Why?

[Guest]

I won't blame the undermanned and crowd harassed police that are just trying to keep the peace in difficult circumstances. The only other outcome would be complete anarchy.

If I was a cop on the line and I was threatened I would immediately make my power known to make my antagonist think again about escalating the situation. I would make it clear that his head is the first one I crack open if he persists in fanning the flames.

The biggest danger to the keeping of the peace is for the police to show weakness.

You didn't mention the threat to burn down NYC, and Macy's in particular. Why?

To be fair, I only saw some of that yesterday - been a little busy here with deadlines at work (yes, I know, hard to imagine for someone who works for the government but today's my day off and I have a little more leisure time) and getting the contractors going to fix my house from the freak snowstorm a couple of weeks ago.

Again, it's the coverage. The "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality. With that number of protestors, you're going to find some hotheaded dipsticks who don't really know what they're talking about. I would equate them to the Tea Party factions that say things like "Show them your Second Ammendment solutions!".

Quite frankly, I find it more damaging to the OWS credibility to find out that the "committee" from Zucotti park was having meetings to try and decide on things like agendas, position statements, logistics, etc. Nothing wrong with that. But they were having this meeting IN THE ATRIUM LOBBY OF THE DEUTSCHE BANK BUILDING!!!! No problem in that, apparently, they were allowed there. But do they not see how that LOOKS????? It was just unbelievably ironic, IMO. And, of course, you didn't see it on the major news networks (as far as I could tell). I only knew about it because Jon Stewart had one of his people there interviewing the OWS folk.

And, in case you missed it, he made them look pretty bad at times - there's apparently some class-ism going on - or was until the breakup - and the park was rather segregated between the students and unemployed in one area and the "upper east side" types in another area.

The cop in Berkeley wasn't threatened. It's not like that place is a stranger to demonstrations. Personally I blame it on bad training. Whether you agree with the tactics or not - if you look at how the cops in NYC moved in and defended their positions, it was WAY different from the cops in Berekeley. To me it looked like the difference between amateurs and professionals.

Kind of like the Rodney King episode. Most people looked at that tape and saw cops beating a defenseless man. I looked at that and saw incompetent police officers who had no business wearing a badge. (Police departments all over the country are taught how to take down an unarmed suspect when you outnumber him 12-1 - one cop goes for each limb and they work together to get the guy in cuffs - you don't have 2 guys whipping and 10 more watching)

But "look at this shocking footage...." gets ratings.

[Guest]

I personally object to the notion of the 99%, because it is far, far, FAR from true. The sign toters trying to represent a majority certainly do not reflect me or most people I know.

99% is a smoke job....just like the media focusing on any of these gatherings and presenting them with any kind of credible representation.....they just are not.

It is news (some seem to think)....it is strictly political...the two added together = no real credibility.

Did I mention the 99% was an over blown position that is just not true?

btk

[Guest]

Bill: I have no trouble believing that there's a lot there at OWS that doesn't represent you.

But you *are* one of the 99% when it comes to the effects of things like obscene bailout and golden parachute packages, ever increasing drug costs to finance executive compensation, lobbyists from these same corporations buying influence that you could never hope to have access to.

It's not about confiscating wealth. It's far more about curbing the unbridled avarice that has become evident in our society.

We look at other countries and their high tax rates and laugh at them. It used to be that we could point to so many things that we had better than they did - but those things are going away. Look at the economies in Northern Europe. They have higher standards of living, better health care, lower unemployment, etc. It's damn scary when you look at it.

Have we spent so much time patting ourselves on the back for WWII that we forgot some of what GOT us to that lofty position?

Our infrastructure is falling apart, health care costs are going through the roof and have been for 20+ years, education is becoming optional (sometimes because we threw so much 'aid' at the problem and the prices just kept being hiked) - we are falling behind. The only thing it seems we're still #1 in is the stereotypical fatcats. What other country tolerates the behavior we do? The bank bailouts were just one part of it. At least with the bailout of GM and Chrysler, it helped repair a dysfunctional MANUFACTURING sector. The banks? They got their bailouts and continued on their merry ways without so much as a 'thank you'.

You ARE the 99% in one way or another. I wouldn't expect you to agree with everything that was going on in the parks, just as I don't. But when you look at some of the charts that have been produced and see the kind of vile corruption in Washington - you have to wonder what it's going to take to even SLOW DOWN what's going on - much less stop and FIX it.

The "99%" is a slogan - I grant you that. But these days you need a slogan to at least start to catch someone's attention.

Take a look at who some of the 99% were in New York City:

The Philadelphia police lieutenant or captain: http://i.imgur.com/rFPgD.jpg

Or how about something from https://www.democracynow.org/2011/11/17/paramilitary_policing_of_occupy_wall_street


retired New York Supreme Court Judge Karen Smith, who worked as a legal observer Tuesday morning in New York after the police raided the Occupy Wall Street encampment. "I was there to take down the names of people who were arrested... As I’m standing there, some African-American woman goes up to a police officer and says, 'I need to get in. My daughter's there. I want to know if she’s OK.’ And he said, 'Move on, lady.' And they kept pushing with their sticks, pushing back. And she was crying. And all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he throws her to the ground and starts hitting her in the head," says Smith. "I walk over, and I say, 'Look, cuff her if she's done something, but you don’t need to do that.’ And he said, 'Lady, do you want to get arrested?' And I said, 'Do you see my hat? I'm here as a legal observer.’ He said, 'You want to get arrested?' And he pushed me up against the wall."


That's right - a retired New York Supreme Court justice.

That's one reason I've been "defending", if you can call it that, these protests. I haven't seen such a wide range of people since the Vietnam protests - and that's a little fuzzy since I was young and living in San Francisco at the time.

[Guest]

Bill: I have no trouble believing that there's a lot there at OWS that doesn't represent you.

But you *are* one of the 99% when it comes to the effects of things like obscene bailout and golden parachute packages, ever increasing drug costs to finance executive compensation, lobbyists from these same corporations buying influence that you could never hope to have access to.

It's not about confiscating wealth. It's far more about curbing the unbridled avarice that has become evident in our society.

We look at other countries and their high tax rates and laugh at them. It used to be that we could point to so many things that we had better than they did - but those things are going away. Look at the economies in Northern Europe. They have higher standards of living, better health care, lower unemployment, etc. It's damn scary when you look at it.

Have we spent so much time patting ourselves on the back for WWII that we forgot some of what GOT us to that lofty position?

Our infrastructure is falling apart, health care costs are going through the roof and have been for 20+ years, education is becoming optional (sometimes because we threw so much 'aid' at the problem and the prices just kept being hiked) - we are falling behind. The only thing it seems we're still #1 in is the stereotypical fatcats. What other country tolerates the behavior we do? The bank bailouts were just one part of it. At least with the bailout of GM and Chrysler, it helped repair a dysfunctional MANUFACTURING sector. The banks? They got their bailouts and continued on their merry ways without so much as a 'thank you'.

You ARE the 99% in one way or another. I wouldn't expect you to agree with everything that was going on in the parks, just as I don't. But when you look at some of the charts that have been produced and see the kind of vile corruption in Washington - you have to wonder what it's going to take to even SLOW DOWN what's going on - much less stop and FIX it.

The "99%" is a slogan - I grant you that. But these days you need a slogan to at least start to catch someone's attention.

Take a look at who some of the 99% were in New York City:

The Philadelphia police lieutenant or captain: http://i.imgur.com/rFPgD.jpg

Or how about something from https://www.democracynow.org/2011/11/17/paramilitary_policing_of_occupy_wall_street



That's right - a retired New York Supreme Court justice.

That's one reason I've been "defending", if you can call it that, these protests. I haven't seen such a wide range of people since the Vietnam protests - and that's a little fuzzy since I was young and living in San Francisco at the time.

Great post. Easy to read and understand w/o bias.

[Guest]

The OWS protests are farcical. These people couldn't find their arse in the dark with both hands. They have no coherent message and demonstrate with their pitiful congregations that their vision is unworkable and anarchy.

A great article in the WSJ says it better than me: "The Brain Dead Left"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203611404577044352579113824.html?m od=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read

[Guest]

The OWS protests are farcical. These people couldn't find their arse in the dark with both hands. They have no coherent message and demonstrate with their pitiful congregations that their vision is unworkable and anarchy.

A great article in the WSJ says it better than me: "The Brain Dead Left"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203611404577044352579113824.html?m od=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read

Richie, I don't intend to be insulting with this so please take this in the spirit in which it's intended.

My *impression* is that you see the variety of voices in the Occupy protests and see it as a mass of muddled ideas.

But going down there and talking to the people myself - in addition to reading interviews that are more than just sound bites tells me a different story. It's that there are a LOT of protests all balled up into one somewhat amorphous heading.

Now, I'm right there with you on the silliness of the finger-wiggling to show support or opposition to a particular topic... Lordy it looks like something straight out of "Romper Room".

Richie, you're better than taking some cable news talking points as gospel. You're articulate, you bother to actually look things up from time to time and you're very often intelligent in expressing your opinions.

Heck, I'll give you a softball. What do you think of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yIEgZxU1kc

It's a bit heavy-handed, I grant you, entitled "Obama Administration Hypocrisy on 'Humanitarian Intervention' and Occupy Wall Street".

*This* is something that has a lot more gravitas for indicting the Obama Administration's double-standard. You want to make the argument that perhaps the banks own our President? Then watch this - and then think about this at the end... How come GM and Chrysler had to fire their executives for their bailouts but Citigroup and the other banks didn't have to?

This is one reason I don't take some of those Wall Street Journal pieces very seriously. They have skin in this fight.