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Occupy Wall St - Occupy Everywhere, Occupy Together!

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E

eBay Huckster

Member
moop2000 said:
I'm sorry, the point was lost on me...
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Probably referencing the whole flag pin "controversy" with Obama from the last election cycle.
akira28 said:
Yeah ya'll have seen that picture of the protests, that points to every bit of plastic or cardboard and points to a corporation that produced it. Highlights all their phones and laptops and points to electronic corporations?

I know they think they have a point, but its like showing us instead how far off they are. People think that this is some random and unfocused rage against society. I didn't know people felt so openly identified with Citigroup CEOs and Wall Street lobbyists.
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No you see everyone here is anti-corporation because that fits my preconceived notions of what these protests are about.
 
ReBurn

ReBurn

Gold Member
AstroLad said:
that would be totally meaningless and ineffectual. this was like the guy 20 pages ago that said if you think the finance industry is broken you can fix that by closing your bank account. are people really so small-minded and solipsistic that they think that would make any difference whatsoever, even on an aggregate scale?
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So if it is impossible for one person to make a difference then why is anyone protesting at all? It's ok to perpetuate the system through participation because nothing changes if they abstain? What changes by just showing up?

I'd like to see this movement mean something, but if this is the attitude the supporters have perhaps they're wasting their time. Change has to start somewhere.
 
O

onadesertedisland

Member
ReBurn said:
So if it is impossible for one person to make a difference then why is anyone protesting at all? It's ok to perpetuate the system through participation because nothing changes if they abstain? What changes by just showing up?

I'd like to see this movement mean something, but if this is the attitude the supporters have perhaps they're wasting their time. Change has to start somewhere.
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The protests are a symptom of the illness.
 
A

akira28

Member
eBay Huckster said:
No you see everyone here is anti-corporation because that fits my preconceived notions of what these protests are about.
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I'm very pro-business, but more co-op than corporation. I'm a dirty Socialist.
 
M

Myansie

Member
JohnnyPhatsaqs said:
I wonder how many of these super concerned smart protesters that are against the machine are tweeting from their Apple iPhones and iPads using AT&T while drinking a Starbucks latte while wearing their cool abercrombie clothing and Oakley sunglasses, and drove there in their Toyota Prius, that they put Exxon gas in, listening to Sirius radio on the way.

And then when they get done will go home and play on their Microsoft Xbox or Sony Playstation on their Samsung flatscreen that they pay for using a BoA debit card or Capital One credit card. Using these devices powered by a huge energy conglomerate while they charge their green cars with power from a coal burning cogeneration plant.

Then they will jump on their Apple MacBook or HP computer to complain about the man using Comcast Internet in a home financed by Chase Bank while eating a Subway sandwich and drinking a Pepsi. They'll be chomping on their food while checking status of an order from Amazon and reading an anti establishment book on their Kindle under a GE light bulb while sitting on an IKEA couch. All the while enjoying an air condition system built by Trane that uses ozone destroying refrigerant.

Fuck off.

You want to make a difference? Do it with your pocketbooks. That's what they'll feel. Don't sit and bitch about the evil companies MAKING you do shit. Go be Amish. Be consistent and quit supporting these companies with your money if you believe in it strongly enough. Otherwise, you're just as full of shit as the people you're protesting.
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bangladesh said:
This post is correct. I was at the protest a few hours ago and it was just one massive first world problem party. These people are just having fun, really. It gives them something to talk about when they go back to their petty, insignificant lives. People actually started to chant and dance and form little mini cults. Bunches of lonely sad fuckers dressed really nice were looking around aimlessly holding their DSLR cameras.. People with heavy duty backpacks with camera equipment and iphones and kindles and 4g this and thats.. The chanting was really, really creepy.
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One of these companies is not like the others. Can you guess which? I'll give you a clue, they occupy Wall St and they don't produce jack shit.

Chase Bank are one of the bad guys responsible for the GFC, the rest of these companies are fine.
 
E

eBay Huckster

Member
ReBurn said:
Then what is the cure?
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A post-punk band that formed in 1976.

Alternately, aggregation of enough discontent - maybe not necessarily corporate boycotting, as this is largely agitation against financial-sector corporations - amongst hundreds of thousands or even millions of people right on the doorstep of the US Capitol, in addition to what's already happening.

(Perhaps, if they wanted to try to take down the system from within, even mobilize that discontent in a way that's actually going to sway some of the bought-and-paid-for in Congress through a lobbying group funded by small contributions from the discontented.)
 
O

onadesertedisland

Member
If this works the way it should, it will be just like the way the tea partiers affected congress by electing congress and senators that hold our beliefs and will govern accordingly.
 
ReBurn

ReBurn

Gold Member
eBay Huckster said:
A post-punk band that formed in 1976.

Alternately, aggregation of enough discontent - maybe not necessarily corporate boycotting, as this is largely agitation against financial-sector corporations - amongst hundreds of thousands or even millions of people right on the doorstep of the US Capitol, in addition to what's already happening.

(Perhaps, if they wanted to try to take down the system from within, even mobilize that discontent in a way that's actually going to sway some of the bought-and-paid-for in Congress through a lobbying group funded by small contributions from the discontented.)
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I would like to see them take this to the Capitol and confront Congress with it. Hold all of them responsible for perpetuating the system. I was reading up on the OccupyDC activity and they were going to march on a bank today. I was disappointed that they weren't marching on the institution that spent billions to prop up the banks and failed to hold them accountable.
 
A

areal

Member
AstroLad said:
that would be totally meaningless and ineffectual. ... are people really so small-minded and solipsistic that they think that would make any difference whatsoever, even on an aggregate scale?
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If this really is a popular movement then changed consumer behaviour would make a difference. It's not enough, of course, but it would be consistent with the protests.
 
C

coldvein

Banned
ReBurn said:
I would like to see them take this to the Capitol and confront Congress with it. Hold all of them responsible for perpetuating the system. I was reading up on the OccupyDC activity and they were going to march on a bank today. I was disappointed that they weren't marching on the institution that spent billions to prop up the banks and failed to hold them accountable.
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it will get there.
 
P

pj

Banned
MuseManMike said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN2LZ8N2uj0&feature=relmfu&#t=3m30s

Decent rant. Not my favorite YTer, but makes a good point about the people who took the loans versus the people who gave the loans.
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Seth%20Rogan,%20Typical%20Movie%20Nice%20Guy%20(he's%20riding%20the%20geek%20chic%20wave%20Hollywood%20style).jpg


's angry older brother?
 
T

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
Found this on reddit. Not sure if anyone will like it here...

uOErd.jpg


...Well, I got a kick out of it. :/

So, have the protestors focused on issues yet or is it still a scattershot of demands?
 
J

JambiBum

Member
Don't know if this has been posted or not but these people were protesting a bank by moving their money out of it. End result is that they get locked in the bank and arrested.
here
 
C

cooljeanius

Member
coldvein said:
brace yaself. they're coming for you. WHERE YOU WORK.
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They actually came into the office building I work in on the Hill on Thursday, but I was still in class and didn't get there until about an hour after they had been cleared out.
 
ReBurn

ReBurn

Gold Member
JambiBum said:
Don't know if this has been posted or not but these people were protesting a bank by moving their money out of it. End result is that they get locked in the bank and arrested.
here
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Why don't they ever show the whole thing? There had to be more than "excuse me, I would like to close my account" going on. What happened before the cops came?
 
R

railGUN

Banned
ReBurn said:
Why don't they ever show the whole thing? There had to be more than "excuse me, I would like to close my account" going on. What happened before the cops came?
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Hopefully a robbery, I don't see why upset customers should be arrested just because it's a bank. Unless some real threats were made of course.
 
E

Ether_Snake

安安安安安安安安安安安安安安安
bill gonorrhea said:
If a group wants to represent 99% of America, they should be representing her Flag...
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How about the flag represents the 99%?
 
K

Koomaster

Member
JambiBum said:
Don't know if this has been posted or not but these people were protesting a bank by moving their money out of it. End result is that they get locked in the bank and arrested.
here
Click to expand...
Whoa, what the hell? Were they seriously being arrested for closing their accounts? They way they pushed that lady inside was horrible. If they are truly customers they have a right to their own money and to take it out of the bank if they want. What reason do the police have for being there, locking people inside and then arresting them????? I hope this gets more attention; if all that's true, that's low.
 
K

Koomaster

Member
[url=http://new.citi.com/2011/10/citibank-statement-regarding-protester-arrests.shtml]Citibank Response[/url] said:
Citibank Public Affairs issued the following statement regarding today's incident: "A large amount of protesters entered our branch at 555 La Guardia Place around 2:00 PM today. They were very disruptive and refused to leave after being repeatedly asked, causing our staff to call 911. The Police asked the branch staff to close the branch until the protesters could be removed. Only one person asked to close an account and was accommodated."

To be clear: no one was arrested for closing an account; we didn't lock people in our branch - the police decided to close the branch; and we didn't ask for anyone to be arrested - that is a police decision
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Hmm, be interesting to see how disruptive they were being then. Banks tend to be very quiet, any noise is bound to frighten workers. Still can't say I agree with people being locked inside till the police came to arrest them. Could have just told everyone the police were on the way, and given them a chance to leave voluntarily after that.

Edit: Err, apparently BofA is doing the same thing. Not allowing protesters to close their accounts, and threatening to lock them inside till police arrive. :s

Two members from the Occupy Santa Cruz group went to shut down their Bank of America account when they were shut down instead.

The video posted on Youtube shows two women who were carrying signs that said, " I am closing my BOA account today." They walked into a Santa Cruz branch of Bank of America and were told that "you can not be a protesters and a customer at the same time."

The two woman offered to take their signs outside but a woman who worked at the bank told them they had to leave and they could not close their account, the video showed. According to the protesters the bank manager said that she would lock them inside the bank until the police came to arrest them.

When the women left the bank they called the police to the scene because the bank would not let them inside to close their account. The officer talked to the bank manager and told the protesters that the manager said she was told "If they came in with the signs and they were part of the protest earlier, then they are protesters and cannot be customers at the same time."

The women said that they would return to Bank of America the next day, sans signs, and close their accounts taking their "money away from the banking elite and into a local credit union."

Central Coast News has contacted Bank of America to get their side of the story. In an email Colleen Haggerty with Bank of America released this statement to Central Coast News. "It is our responsibility to ensure a safe environment for customers to conduct financial transactions. So, due to the disruptive nature of protests lately and the potential for safety or security issues, we do not allow protestors inside of our banking centers. If a customer who is participating in a protest wishes to conduct bank business, including close an account, we ask them to come back when they are not protesting or they may also conduct their bank business at a nearby branch away from protest activities."

Haggerty also said that Bank of Ameica, "respect everyone's ability to exercise their first amendment rights, however we also have to balance safety and business needs for all customers."
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Protesters are unsafe?
 
Angry Fork

Angry Fork

Member
ReBurn said:
Why don't they ever show the whole thing? There had to be more than "excuse me, I would like to close my account" going on. What happened before the cops came?
Click to expand...
Are you serious with this shit?
 
empty vessel

empty vessel

Member
bill gonorrhea said:
What part of the American flag does not represent them? That flag allows them to do what they are doing.
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The flag is a symbol of a nation. We are the nation. Your symbolism fetish is bizarre. You realize that symbols are abstract representations and don't have actual power, right?
 
A

akira28

Member
Flag, psychological focus, patriotic symbol, banner, untouchable immune representation of hypothetical ideal, blah blah, symbol of fear and death if you're at an Afghan wedding. I'm tired.

Flags are pieces of fabric dude. It's the belief in what it represents that's important. You know that right?
 
M

MIMIC

Banned
JambiBum said:
Don't know if this has been posted or not but these people were protesting a bank by moving their money out of it. End result is that they get locked in the bank and arrested.
here
Click to expand...

Despicable. But I hope that the movement is moving in this direction where there is an actual goal in mind, reached by performing a specific action.

Phase 1: Occupy Wall Street and Raise Awareness
Phase 2: ???

Like with the civil rights movement came the bus boycott. I'm ready for someone to state a specific (peaceful) method of attack.
 
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