Well, it's been going on for almost 2 weeks now so I guess it's newsworthy, yet I haven't seen much about it. It's a protest on Wall Street, primarily on the greed and corruption that festers in that area. Between government bailouts of big banks, lobbyists being the directors of lawmaking, and politicians who give in to these obvious benefits, we've seen a great deal of corruption in the US as of late.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20114012-503544.html
Just May of this year, Obama's appointed Meredith Baker went from being the FCC Commissioner to a top lobbying position for Comcast-NBC. Something, just months prior she had used her FCC vote to try and benefit. An obvious conflict of interest.
Or how about General Electric(GE) getting tax refunds by making its profits all off-shore.
Now, this certainly isn't a Cairo sized event, but it very similar to how their protests began. It started with a large group of young citizens, of course. It's usually a common dismissal for some people. "Yeah, yeah, they're college aged kids who think they'll make a difference, whatever." The fact is, is that protests will always come from this group first and foremost. They don't have the daily responsibilities of taking care of a family which ties older age groups down. Not that different age groups can't support them via the means of internet media.
Well, anyway, there has also been accounts of police misconduct. The protests have been primarily peaceful sit-ins, regardless there was use of pepper spray in one instance.
If you're interested, keep your eye on this movement. I doubt it will be a revolutionary event, but it does express a lot of popular disdain for current issues with corruption.
Occupy Wall Street Protests
Occupy Wall Street Protests
i wonder how this would play out if the demonstrations got to size as the ones in cairo did
It made news overseas but it's not surprising that it's not being discussed much by mainstream news agencies in the US. Recently (in the last 10-15 years) protests that mainly consist of "young" people are not featured on mainstream news organizations. When they are mentioned it is usually to deride and make fun of the "silly" causes the students/young people are protesting.
Before 9/11 there was a yearly protest organized by Amnesty International and other organizations in front of the School of America. It was never really covered on mainstream news agencies and when it was the newscasters made derogatory comments about the stupid college kids. Then there were the protests in PA where cops pepper sprayed students at their university during the G20 meeting two years ago. Newscasters did mention the protests but didn't discuss the tons of youtube clips of police pepper spraying, tear gassing and antagonizing students.
The Daily Show did mention this protest (the wall street protest) and showed the youtube clip of the girls being peppered sprayed (one of the episodes this past week).
Before 9/11 there was a yearly protest organized by Amnesty International and other organizations in front of the School of America. It was never really covered on mainstream news agencies and when it was the newscasters made derogatory comments about the stupid college kids. Then there were the protests in PA where cops pepper sprayed students at their university during the G20 meeting two years ago. Newscasters did mention the protests but didn't discuss the tons of youtube clips of police pepper spraying, tear gassing and antagonizing students.
The Daily Show did mention this protest (the wall street protest) and showed the youtube clip of the girls being peppered sprayed (one of the episodes this past week).
There's a lot of talk about the prevalence of cameras and the ease of spreading a video/message these days, especially surrounding things like police brutality. They say the police always have to be careful, because there's always the chance someone is recording it. And I think it's good, overall, for more information to be available rather than less.
But maybe I am getting too cynical/old/something else or I am tired. Because in some of those videos, the ratio of camerapeople to actual participants was pretty suspicious. And that pepper spraying video got me thinking about the sincerity of all of this. Pepper spray, and mace, and CS, and tear gas are all pretty nasty - but that woman came across (to me) as totally hamming it up for all the cameras. Like a little kid throwing a tantrum.
I'm not saying their cause isn't righteous, or their motivations aren't sincere... but a lot that I saw actually taking place just seemed hokey and staged. And again in the pepper spray video, she looked pretty helpless and penned in by that (cool looking) police net thing. But these videos are all like 40 seconds long. "RAW FOOTAGE" and "UNEDITED POLICE BRUTALITY" - in select, half minute, doses.
Edit: I forgot, too - Guy Fawkes masks don't really give them any credibility, either.
I totally could be wrong - hell, I agree that there a lots of fundamental problems in our banking systems. But I just can't look at these people and believe them at all.
But maybe I am getting too cynical/old/something else or I am tired. Because in some of those videos, the ratio of camerapeople to actual participants was pretty suspicious. And that pepper spraying video got me thinking about the sincerity of all of this. Pepper spray, and mace, and CS, and tear gas are all pretty nasty - but that woman came across (to me) as totally hamming it up for all the cameras. Like a little kid throwing a tantrum.
I'm not saying their cause isn't righteous, or their motivations aren't sincere... but a lot that I saw actually taking place just seemed hokey and staged. And again in the pepper spray video, she looked pretty helpless and penned in by that (cool looking) police net thing. But these videos are all like 40 seconds long. "RAW FOOTAGE" and "UNEDITED POLICE BRUTALITY" - in select, half minute, doses.
Edit: I forgot, too - Guy Fawkes masks don't really give them any credibility, either.
I totally could be wrong - hell, I agree that there a lots of fundamental problems in our banking systems. But I just can't look at these people and believe them at all.
Caitsith.Mahayaya said: »
Well, it's been going on for almost 2 weeks now so I guess it's newsworthy, yet I haven't seen much about it.
My sociology professor just talked about this on Thursday. The government doesn't want us to know what's going on....O.O
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^^ this. http://www.getmoneyout.com/
Fenrir.Terminus said: »
But maybe I am getting too cynical/old/something else or I am tired. Because in some of those videos, the ratio of camerapeople to actual participants was pretty suspicious. And that pepper spraying video got me thinking about the sincerity of all of this. Pepper spray, and mace, and CS, and tear gas are all pretty nasty - but that woman came across (to me) as totally hamming it up for all the cameras. Like a little kid throwing a tantrum.
I was watching sxephil's news show on YouTube, and he was talking about how the police apparently arrested some news reporters and other people with cameras to control the scene, and when people found out it isn't against the law, everyone made a point that they could indeed use their camera to record the things going on in the protest.
And I think I'd probably throw a tantrum too if I got pepper sprayed for simply pointing at an officer and being confused.
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If you're the victim in an act of police brutality, your tantrum is pretty justified.
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Cerberus.Savannah said: »
The government doesn't want us to know what's going on....O.O
It was mentioned on my local news for about 10 seconds calling it a peaceful protest while showing an image of a police officer slamming some kids head into the ground.
the protests have spread across the country now, and unions are joining in, and on lolfoxnews, they said that people in 147 cities are protesting now.
occupy wall street @ cbsnews
occupy wall street @ cbsnews
Wow, two weeks. I haven't heard much about it either. Sav probably makes a good point, that it's intentional that we're not hearing about it.
its been all over lolfox today (somebody please get me out of this house or put me out of my misery), though theyve been painting them as idiotic liberal hippie communists, as expected
It's just a shame that their current proposed list of demands is completely asinine. :/
It's really sad to see the bottom statement...
If they think mandatory minimum wage of $20 an hour will help create jobs, they must be smoking some kinda rock. I mean, that effectively kills small businesses, paralyzes medium business, and forces large businesses to go elsewhere.
As the admin note states, this list isn't the proposed list of all the people, but rather a post on their forum that WANT to make a change but don't really know how.
It's really sad to see the bottom statement...
If they think mandatory minimum wage of $20 an hour will help create jobs, they must be smoking some kinda rock. I mean, that effectively kills small businesses, paralyzes medium business, and forces large businesses to go elsewhere.
As the admin note states, this list isn't the proposed list of all the people, but rather a post on their forum that WANT to make a change but don't really know how.
edit: meant to post this in random thoughts, so as not to derail >.>
edit2: wow, that list.... i mean, *** yea they sound good, but do people really think that some of those demands can be legitimately preposed and be taken seriously?
edit2: wow, that list.... i mean, *** yea they sound good, but do people really think that some of those demands can be legitimately preposed and be taken seriously?
Cerberus.Irohuro said: »
edit: meant to post this in random thoughts, so as not to derail >.>
edit2: wow, that list.... i mean, *** yea they sound good, but do people really think that some of those demands can be legitimately preposed and be taken seriously?
edit2: wow, that list.... i mean, *** yea they sound good, but do people really think that some of those demands can be legitimately preposed and be taken seriously?
haha, I guess some people did. But again, it was just some proposed list.
Fortunately, the group doesn't have a formal list of demands and I'm sure it will be a LOT more well thought out when/if they do.
That list is absolutely stupid.
20 dollar minimum wage? Peace out small and medium size businesses.
I've worked mainly for small businesses all of my life. They get by on a razor thin budget. The owner also has to work stupid amounts of hours each week for a relatively small paycheck.
Also they want to spend like 4 trillion dollars instantly. We pull in about 3 trillion in taxes and spend about 4.5 trillion per year, just on everything in the budget now. If I remember right since haven't looked at the federal budget in a minute. So spending 4 trillion instantly wouldn't even be possible.
Also the erasing of all debt has be baffled. If you erase it all, that means that credit card companies and banks have to just eat it. That also means that they would just shut down, because why would you continue to loan if some crazy person might say all the debt is erased again?
So a normal person would never be able to buy a house or own a credit card.
You could go on and on about almost every single thing in those demands. If that's really what a majority of them are protesting for, they are straight up insane.
20 dollar minimum wage? Peace out small and medium size businesses.
I've worked mainly for small businesses all of my life. They get by on a razor thin budget. The owner also has to work stupid amounts of hours each week for a relatively small paycheck.
Also they want to spend like 4 trillion dollars instantly. We pull in about 3 trillion in taxes and spend about 4.5 trillion per year, just on everything in the budget now. If I remember right since haven't looked at the federal budget in a minute. So spending 4 trillion instantly wouldn't even be possible.
Also the erasing of all debt has be baffled. If you erase it all, that means that credit card companies and banks have to just eat it. That also means that they would just shut down, because why would you continue to loan if some crazy person might say all the debt is erased again?
So a normal person would never be able to buy a house or own a credit card.
You could go on and on about almost every single thing in those demands. If that's really what a majority of them are protesting for, they are straight up insane.
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They are protesting against Obama administration policies huh? Clearly racist.
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Lakshmi.Jesi said: »
You could go on and on about almost every single thing in those demands. If that's really what a majority of them are protesting for, they are straight up insane.
Yeah, it's stupid, but don't write off the movement just yet. When the movement started, there were all sorts of people involved: liberals, conservatives, and everything in between. Now the media's spinning it like it's 100% leftist movement, or something in direct opposition to the Tea Party movement.
I wouldn't be surprised the proposer of that list is just some kid who thinks that will change the world. I'm sure the majority of people in the movement know that at least half that stuff is ludicrous.
I'm just going to watch how it goes. If they state what their specific demands are(and if they're somewhat reasonable), I just may make a sign and march down there to join them.
That list isnt official.
Source: occupywallst.org
Misinformation by the news.
Edit: The wonders a little bit of search can do. Sorry I don't believe anything just because someone said it.
Quote:
Admin note: This is not an official list of demands. This is a forum post submitted by a single user and hyped by irresponsible news/commentary agencies like Fox News and Mises.org. This content was not published by the OccupyWallSt.org collective, nor was it ever proposed or agreed to on a consensus basis with the NYC General Assembly. There is NO official list of demands
Misinformation by the news.
Edit: The wonders a little bit of search can do. Sorry I don't believe anything just because someone said it.
Asura.Bitesized said: »
They are protesting against Obama administration policies huh? Clearly racist.
Holy crap, that is a great video. He really pointed out something that I hadn't noticed.
Phoenix.Amael said: »
That list isnt official.
Source: occupywallst.org
Misinformation by the news.
Edit: The wonders a little bit of search can do. Sorry I don't believe anything just because someone said it.
Quote:
Admin note: This is not an official list of demands. This is a forum post submitted by a single user and hyped by irresponsible news/commentary agencies like Fox News and Mises.org. This content was not published by the OccupyWallSt.org collective, nor was it ever proposed or agreed to on a consensus basis with the NYC General Assembly. There is NO official list of demands
Misinformation by the news.
Edit: The wonders a little bit of search can do. Sorry I don't believe anything just because someone said it.
Right, I've said in the past three of my posts that it isn't an actual list of demands, but a proposed one. Should I include your post with the list to make sure everyone doesn't write off the movement by thinking that's an actual list?
No, but at least cite sources.
wow bitesized great find
this guy hit the ball out the park
think imma see if hes got a channel. I wanna sub now
this guy hit the ball out the park
think imma see if hes got a channel. I wanna sub now
So rather than go protest the people who give us a HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE set of rules in DC they instead go protest those who respond to the rules in a rational and self-interested way. This seems well thought out.
Bahamut.Aeronis said: »
Where the *** are these police when Westboro Baptist Church is protesting a dead soldier's funeral?
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I'll keep my thoughts on capitalism these days and revolution but i'm glad to see all these ppl protesting. Keep it going.
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