2011: A Year in Revolt
Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 3, 2012, 7:52 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
2011 will be remembered as a year of revolution, the beginning of the end for an unsustainable global system based on poverty, oppression, and violence. In dozens of countries across the Arab world, people rose up against broken economies and oppressive regimes, toppling dictators and inspiring the world to action. Popular rejection of austerity measures and attacks on worker's rights brought millions to the streets in Greece, Iceland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the UK, Chile, Wisconsin, and elsewhere.
By midsummer, murmurs of "occupying Wall Street” were stirring online, and on July 14th, we registered the domain occupywallst.org and began organizing. The first New York City General Assembly was held August 2nd and the Occupation of Liberty Square began on September 17th.
Fueled by anger at the growing disparities between rich and poor, frustrated by government policies that benefit a tiny elite at the expense of the majority, and tired of the establishment’s failure to address fundamental economic inequalities, OWS offered a new solution. We built a People’s Kitchen to feed thousands, opened a People’s Library, created safer spaces, and provided free shelter, bedding, medical care, and other necessities to anyone who needed them. While cynics demanded we elect leaders and make demands on politicians, we were busy creating alternatives to those very institutions. A revolution has been set in motion, and we cannot be stopped.
As the mainstream media ignored us, we learned from other leaderless resistance movements in places like Tunisia, Egypt, and Iran to use social media and live video streaming to spread our message. We are part of a global movement that has radically democratized how information is created and shared, rendering centralized, corporate-funded mainstream media increasingly irrelevant. The rapid exchange of information allowed us to make collective decisions quickly, discuss information and ideas across the globe, mobilize effective direct actions, and document police brutality. Now more than ever, when we chant “The Whole World Is Watching!” it is not an idle threat.
Today, tens of thousands of everyday people are putting ideals like solidarity, mutual aid, anti-oppression, autonomy, and direct democracy into practice. Individuals are joining together in city-wide General Assemblies and autonomous affinity groups. Through consensual, non-hierarchical, and participatory self-governance, we are literally laying the framework for a new world by building it here and now -- and it works.
The rest is history. In honor of a new year, here is a run-down of what we accomplished since then. It would be impossible to list every action or mention every place an Occupation has occurred. But let us start a new year by celebrating a few highlights of our victories -- along with a sneak preview of what's to come!
SEPT 17: We Occupied Wall Street.
Over two thousand people descended on Manhattan’s financial district with one goal: to Occupy. We brought tents and gave our new home (Zuccotti Park) a new name: Liberty Square.
SEPT 24: We exposed the violent underpinnings of economic inequality for all to see.
Foreshadowing events to come, over 80 people were violently arrested returning from a peaceful march on Union Square. Video of unprovoked police pepper-spraying protesters went viral, unmasking the brutality necessary for the perpetuation of social and economic inequality. Thousands marched on the NYPD headquarters to express outrage, and the world began to take notice.
SEPT 28-ONGOING: More workers and oppressed communities began to join in solidarity.
Early in the Occupation, OWS had shown support for many causes, including postal workers struggling for better conditions and marchers protesting the unjust execution of Troy Davis. On Sept. 28th, the Transport Workers Union Local-100 voted to support OWS and encouraged their members to show up. Since then, we’ve received tremendous support from local unions like the American Federation of Teachers and pilots, as well as rank-and-file workers like port truck drivers on the West Coast. On Dec. 1st, we responded to a call from the NYC Central Labor Council to march for jobs and a fair economy, and on Dec. 2nd, OWS marched with farmers to call for food justice. Economists, writers, and musicians have all supported us. We've also been joined by students, immigrants, African-American church leaders, transgender liberation activists, Native individuals and First Nations like the Indigenous People's Council, incarcerated prison hunger strikers, veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and countless other oppressed communities struggling to improve their living conditions under an unfair economic and political structure.
SEPT 29-ONGOING: The Occupation grew and spread across the globe.
Protesters in San Francisco began to occupy their own financial district. New memes (“We are the 99%!”) spread rapidly. “Occupy” itself was taken, adapted, and reinvented across the world. Occupy Wall Street became Occupy All Streets. Occupy groups and actions formed on every continent, in over one thousand cities in over 70 countries, and in all 50 U.S. States plus the District of Columbia. To date, at least 5,748 people have been arrested for Occupying. Camps and protests have appeared and survived in the biggest cities and the most rural towns. Although it would be nearly impossible to compile an exhaustive list of every place where Occupations and solidarity actions have taken place, it’s safe to say we are everywhere.
OCT 1: We took the Brooklyn Bridge and inspired the world to Occupy.
Over 5,000 people marched to the Brooklyn Bridge. Police enclosed protesters in netting and arrested around 800. Days later, 15,000 demonstrators marched from Foley Square to Liberty Square. After nightfall, NYPD again responded violently by pepper-spraying bystanders and using kettling nets. The next day, thousands marched in Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tampa, Houston, Austin, Salt Lake City, and elsewhere and began to .
OCT 10-25: We showed determination during the first wave of eviction attempts.
140 were arrested at Occupy Boston. On Oct. 25th, hundreds of police moved to evict Occupy Oakland using an arsenal of teargas, beanbag rounds, and rubber bullets, arresting 85. A Marine and Iraq War veteran was left in critical condition after being shot directly in the head with a teargas canister. The growing movement responded quickly. In New York, OWS marched near Union Square. Nearly 100 people were arrested in Portland, Austin, and Denver, where police fired pepper spray pellets to disperse Occupiers. Nevertheless, new Occupations continued to pop up.
OCT 15: We contributed to a global movement for economic justice.
Thousands in NYC marched to Times Square in a Global Day of Action. Protesters from small towns like Ashland, KY and Ketchum, ID joined with other U.S. cities like Des Moines and Dallas. Globally, protesters stormed financial districts in Amsterdam, Athens, Auckland, Mumbai, Tokyo, Seoul, Ottawa, Sydney, London, and Johannesburg. One million people marched in Barcelona and Madrid alone. Hundreds of thousands marched in Rome and Valencia, and tens of thousands marched in Berlin, Zagreb, Brussels, Lisbon and Porto. In Latin America, the largest Occupations took place in Buenos Aires, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Santiago, Bogota, San Jose, Quito, Mexico City, Lima, and Montevideo.
OCT 16-ONGOING: We altered mainstream political discourse.
Recognizing how well our message resonated, the political establishment tried to co-opt our movement and use our slogans for political gain. On Oct. 16th, President Obama claimed to “work for the 99%.” During the last week of October, mainstream media mentioned “income inequality” more than five times more often than during the week before the Occupation began. On Nov. 10th, a media analysis company announced "occupy" had become the "most commonly used English word on the internet and in print." Time Magazine named “the protester” its Person of the Year. In 2011, we made General Assembly a household term.
NOV 2: We organized the first General Strike in the United States since 1946.
Occupy Oakland spearheaded a General Strike and shut down the Port of Oakland. Over 100,000 people marched in solidarity. The next day, riot police attacked with flash bang grenades and tear gas. Over 100 were arrested, and another Iraq veteran was seriously wounded.
NOV 5: We hit the bankers where it counts: their wallets.
OWS supported Bank Transfer Day by protesting outside major banks and financial institutions. Over 600,000 people switched from banks to nonprofit community credit unions.
NOV 9-22: We walked hundreds of miles to share the message of justice.
On Nov. 9th, a group of Occupiers left Liberty Square for Washington, D.C. to protest President Obama’s tax cuts for the 1%. Weeks later, the “Walkupiers” arrived in D.C. to a warm welcome and massive media presence.
NOV 15: We survived the violent eviction of Liberty Square.
Mayor Bloomberg’s private army attacked our home. Around 1AM, police moved in a horrific display of force, using LRAD sound cannons and bloodying protesters with batons in the middle of the night. Journalists were barred. Over 5,000 donated books from The People’s Library were wantonly destroyed, along with many Occupiers’s personal possessions. A New York City councilmember was among those arrested. Occupiers in D.C. held a sit-in at the offices of Brookfield Properties, “owners” of Liberty Square. Soon after, Occupiers in Seattle were attacked with pepper-spray and there were hundreds of Occupy-related arrests in Portland, Berkeley, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Los Angeles. We remained nonviolent through it all.
NOV 17: We persevered, fought back harder, and triumphantly returned to the Bridge stronger than ever.
Two days after the Liberty eviction, we held perhaps the largest OWS action to date. In the morning, Occupiers blockaded every entrance to the New York Stock Exchange. A retired Philadelphia Police Captain stood in solidarity and was arrested by NYPD along with hundreds. Over 30,000 people, including organized students and labor unions, marched around Liberty, Union, and Foley Squares before walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Occupations in Portland, Milwaukee, Seattle, Los Angeles, Detroit, Miami, Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, D.C., Hartford, Houston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Great Falls, Minneapolis, Kalamazoo, Augusta, Saginaw, Cleveland, Richmond, Iowa City, and more marched on key bridges in solidarity with the Liberty Square Occupiers. In New York, students at the New School established a 24/7 occupation. Solidarity actions also took place across the world in Canada, Japan, the U.K., Spain, Germany, Greece, and more.
NOV 18-ONGOING: In the face of police brutality and disproportional force, we adapted.
Riot police nonchalantly pepper-sprayed a line of UC-Davis students holding a peaceful sit-down. The image went viral, viscerally capturing the state's attitude toward nonviolent resistance. The pattern of police violence and midnight raids continued in dozens of cities: Seattle, Portland, Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Newark, Boston, Atlanta, Montreal, Amsterdam, and beyond. But we learned to evolve as the circumstances change, proving that “Occupy Will Never Die, Evict Us -- We Multiply!” Evicted Occupations continued to hold General Assemblies and maintain busy calendars with daily meetings, events, workshops, teach-ins, marches, direct actions, and demonstrations at their local city hall, bank branch, corporate office, and courts. Some moved indoors, some took over bank-owned homes, some slept in churches, some held 24/7 vigils at their Occupation with no tents to avoid city ordinances, and dozens still maintain physical occupations with tents -- but all of us kept organizing. Our new slogan became: You cannot evict an idea whose time has come.
NOV 19: We took back unused public property to benefit our communities.
Occupiers in DC liberated the empty, city-owned Franklin School. In blatant disregard for social services and popular will, the former homeless shelter was slated to become a condo or hotels for the 1% lobbyists on K Street. Before massive police repression, Occupiers had already planned public forums to decide how to put the building to use. There are more empty houses than homeless people in the United States. After the greedy speculation of Wall Street bankers created a housing crisis for their own huge profits, we helped revive many hardest-hit communities by turning vacant buildings into livable, productive,and life-saving resources for those most in need. In London, Seattle, Oakland, Chapel Hill, Portland, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Boston and many other places, we continued to occupy bank-owned buildings and turned them into social centers.
NOV 24: We demonstrated new ways of supporting ourselves and each other.
On "Thanksgiving" in the U.S., instead of supporting colonialist holidays, we gave thanks for our spirit of compassion by continuing to provide for our collective needs. In NYC, Occupiers gathered in Liberty Square to share dinner. The People's Kitchen made food to feed thousands, while distributed meals throughout Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Bronx, as well as the New School Occupation and Occupiers staying in Far Rockaway. From Oakland to Boston, Occupations sat down for meals and took part in actions in solidarity with First Nations and Native Americans. In Philly and other places, we began to turn vacant lots into small farms for public use to feed their communities. Occupy Boston, Occupy DC, and many other cities hosted "Really Really Free Markets" to share goods with whomever needs them, proving that another world -- and an economy where we take care of one another’s needs instead of corporate profits -- is possible.
NOV 25: We perfected the People’s Mic.
What began as a creative way to avoid NYPD amplification restrictions became an excellent tool for organizing. From making announcements to redirecting marches, 2011 was the year of the mic check. The People’s Mic has been used countless times to confront 1%ers and corrupt politicians. It was used in New Hampshire to interrupt President Obama, in Iowa to call out Newt Gingrich, and in L.A. to voice popular dissent at City Council meetings. But on Black Friday, the People’s Mic was perfected. Occupiers used it to occupy Wal-Marts and other large retailers in dozens of cities like El Paso, Kansas City, San Diego, Atlanta, Oakland, San Francisco, Portland, Chicago and more.
NOV 28: We fought for accessible education.
In response to police violence, a massive General Assembly of University of California-Davis students called for a system-wide strike and announced their intention to shut down campuses where the U.C. Regents were scheduled to vote in favor of extreme service cuts and raised tuitions. Students at the City University of New York -- who had been attacked by police a week prior while protesting tuition hikes -- took over Baruch College and barricaded the building to prevent the Board of Trustees from voting to raise tuition. Outside, hundreds of Occupy CUNY students and their supporters chanted, "Education is a right!" while the New School students continued to Occupy their campus.
DEC 1: We took direct action to support the occupiers of Tahir Square.
In Egypt, the military regime that took power after protesters toppled the Mubarak regime continued to attack and murder protesters fighting for democracy and freedom. Many of those in the streets were the same people who had inspired and supported the original Occupation of Wall Street. In solidarity, Occupiers from Baltimore, Philadelphia, and across the Mid-Atlantic joined with Egyptians here in the U.S. to protest outside a company in rural Pennsylvania that manufactures tear gas canisters that have been sold to Arab governments and used against protesters in places like Tahir Square, Cairo. OWS has also protested in front of Egyptian consulates in New York and elsewhere.
DEC 6: We took direct action against foreclosures by putting mutual aid into practice.
During and after our Day of Action, we occupied homes and prevented foreclosures and evictions. In L.A., Atlanta, Bremerton, Reno, New Orleans and beyond, Occupiers disrupted foreclosure auctions. Occupiers foreclosed on bank offices in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Buffalo and elsewhere. In cities like New York, Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Rochester, Cleveland, Oakland, and Philadelphia, we helped homeless, poor, working- and-middle class, low-income families and families of color, people who had been foreclosed on, and veterans move into empty, bank-owned homes.
DEC 7: We exposed the corruption of money in politics.
Thousands of Occupiers shut down K Street in Washington, DC -- home of the Wall Street lobbyists who control the politicians. Hundreds were arrested for laying down in the intersection of 14th St NW & K St. From there, we marched through freezing winds to the White House chanting "Occupy Wall Street, Occupy K Street, Occupy EVERYWHERE and NEVER give it back!" and "Rain, sleet, ice, or snow -- Occupy will never go!" Later, more people were arrested on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court while decrying the government’s collusion with the 1% through acts like the ruling on corporate personhood in Citizen’s United.
DEC 12: We shut down the ports.
In response to the government's coordinated effort to suppress our movement, we organized a multi-city effort of our own. Nonviolent blockades and other actions occurred at ports in Long Beach, San Diego, Oakland, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Anchorage, and more. Occupy Houston shut down their port on the Gulf of Mexico, while land-locked Occupy Denver rallied outside a massive Wal-Mart distribution center. Occupy Bellingham nonviolently shut down rail ways used to transport goods from the ports. In New York, OWS picketed the headquarters of Goldman Sachs and flash mobbed the World Financial Center. Solidarity actions also took place in Anchorage, Tacoma, Chicago, Tokyo, and elsewhere.
DEC 17: We celebrated our 3-month anniversary.
Since the eviction of Liberty Square, many homeless Occupiers had been sleeping on the street or in local churches. On Dec. 17th, OWS attempted to re-occupy a new home in Duarte Square, an empty lot in Manhattan owned by one of these churches -- Trinity Church on Wall Street. Thousands showed up in solidarity, and we received tremendous support from religious leaders.
DEC 18: We marched in solidarity with immigrants and economic refugees.
On the International Day of Migrants, OWS and members of the immigrant community marched to Foley Square to demand an end to wage theft, detentions, and deportation, and to support the rights of economic refugees and immigrants. Occupiers rallied outside an ICE Detention Center in Birmingham, Alabama. Actions in solidarity with migrant justice also took place in cities and Occupations across the world.
DEC 31: We celebrated the New Year.
After demonstrations to abolish the prison-industrial complex took place in dozens of cities across the U.S. and more throughout the Europe and South America, we took back the place where it all started -- Liberty Square -- to bring in the New Year. Occupiers danced on top of the barricades the police had tried to use to keep us out of OUR park, and at least 68 were arrested. Occupiers in dozens of other cities also held events to celebrate the beginning of 2012.
2012: We are getting ready.
The spontaneous, leaderless qualities of our movement give us strength. The future is unwritten, and the possibilities boundless. In 2012, Occupiers everywhere will continue to show the strength of the people united. We will keep fighting back against attacks from the 1% and governments. Here is a mere "teaser trailer" for some of the actions that are in the works:
- We continue to Occupy the Iowa Caucuses by occupying campaign offices of Presidential candidates to remind the world that the "liberal/conservative, Democrat/Republican dichotomy is a distraction from the real social conflict undergriding American society: the 99 percent versus the 1 percent."
- Today, OWS in New York will protest the "indefinite detention" authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act
- Also today, Occupy Atlanta will disrupt another foreclosure auction, and then rally against the death penality in honor of Troy Davis, namesake of their main encampment.
- On Jan. 6th, we will be ready when the Presidential primaries come to New Hampshire.
- On Jan. 14th - 16th, the Occupy 4 Jobs network will demand jobs, housing, education and people's rights.
- On Jan. 15th, we will hold a worldwide candlelight vigil for unity in honor of Martin Luther Kr, Jr.s' birthday.
- On Jan. 16th, Occupy the Dream will Occupy the Federal Reserve!
- On Jan. 17th, we will Occupy Congress.
- On Jan. 20th, Occupy San Francisco will retake the financial district.
- On Feb. 29th, following a callout from Occupy Portland, we will Shut Down the Corporations.
- On April 7th, Occupy Chicago will launch a "spring offensive" along with Occupations across the globe.
- On May 1st, the world will be watching...
- On May 19th, we will be ready for the G8 and NATO summits in Chicago.
Yes, exactly, republican vs. democrat, red vs. blue is nothing but a divide and conquer strategy employed by our oppressors. Don't take sides; Think for yourselves!
the original occupy platform discovered http://www.RightsOfMan.org
If the Government, or the Constitution, or by whatever name it be called, be that miracle of perfection which the Proclamation and the Addresses have trumpeted it forth to be, it ought to have defied discussion and investigation, instead of dreading it. Whereas, every attempt it makes, either by Proclamation, Prosecution, or Address, to suppress investigation, is a confession that it feels itself unable to bear it. It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from enquiry. All the numerous pamphlets, and all the newspaper falsehood and abuse, that have been published against the Rights ofMan, have fallen before it like pointless arrows; and, in like manner, would any work have fallen before the Constitution, had the Constitution, as it is called, been founded on as good political principles as those on which the Rights ofMan is written.
It is a good Constitution for courtiers, placemen, pensioners, borough-holders, and the leaders of Parties, and these are the men that have been the active leaders of Addresses; but it is a bad Constitution for at least ninety-nine parts of the nation out of an hundred, and this truth is every day making its way.
It is bad, first, because it entails upon the nation the unnecessary expence of supporting three forms and systems of Government at once, namely, the monarchical, the aristocratical, and the democratical.
Secondly, because it is impossible to unite such a discordant composition by any other means than perpetual corruption; and therefore the corruption so loudly and so universally complained of, is no other than the natural consequence of such an unnatural compound of Governments; and in this consists that excellence which the numerous herd of placemen and pensioners so loudly extol, and which at the same time, occasions that enormous load of taxes under which the rest of the nation groans.
Among the mass of national delusions calculated to amuse and impose upon the multitude, the standing one has been that of flattering them into taxes, by calling the Government (or as they please to express it, the English Constitution) “the envy and the admiration of the world.” Scarcely an Address has been voted in which some of the speakers have not uttered this hackneyed nonsensical falsehood.
The Rights of Man Organization
Yes. Building direct democracy based on solidarity and egalitarian, non-hierachical principles is the way to go:
http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1320873951_the_society_we_should.html
http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1317735903_chomsky_explains_libe.html
http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1321101669_the_transition_phase_.html
This means rejecting policies of Democrats, Republicans or any other right-wing organization or party.
http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/
You could always join the nazis. They occupied a number of european countries in much the same fashion as you disorganized jism do.
Im not responding to trolls (so you don´t have to waste your time)
[Removed]
Exactly - there are only Politicians and Citizens/Voters, and Politicians win every time!
Look past the politicians, they are puppets; look at who they work for: large corporations, etc. There is a concentration of these kinds of pigs on Wall Street.
look higher at who creates the corporations and property rights! look at who put the DHS national police, FEMA slave camps, and the NDAA on the agenda. who generates that evil agenda over us? one thing for sure it aint democratic! the worldREVOLUTION will be televised livestream!!!
Now when they start looking into these things as a majority and well put together group things will start happening that will surprise even the most intelligent of the group.... and who else knows what happens when they start getting even a bit close to the real truth......maybe just maybe we start seeing some people in higher places start to sweat a bit or even worse giving up secrets thewy ought not to give up!
[Removed]
The Time is NOW, Else the Time is Never! The coinciding onslaught on Liberty, the economy and the environment is quite serious! OUR Revolution truly is about the survival of Humanity, and survival is our strongest natural instinct! If anyone thinks it is not serious, THINK AGAIN! The signs are everywhere [except the globalist-owned-media].
WAKE UP! LOOK UP! STAND UP! RINSE and REPEAT, OCCUPY!!!
Don't ignore these warnings about this 'Exotic Weapons System' used against YOU. There are Warnings from Scientist and government officials... former FBI Chief and former USDA Inspector. The information is undeniable and alarming... ADD IT UP and TAKE ACTION!
TRAILS OF HIGH TREASON! http://saynotocorporateamerica.blogspot.com/2011/12/slime-trails-of-high-treason.html
Your Allotted Amount of Freedom Has Expired! http://saynotocorporateamerica.blogspot.com/2011/12/your-allotted-amount-of-freedom-has.html
'Monsanto, Cornering the Staff of Life' http://saynotocorporateamerica.blogspot.com/2011/12/monsanto-cornering-staff-of-life.html
"until thou hast thy purpose by the hilt catch at it BODILY or thou never wilt." so let us get in there bodily! any action we take will be branded as terrorism! so let us open the minds of the BS with which they have brutalised us with for millenia. the extortionate price of stolen land and real estate. the inhumane cannabis prohibition. the barbaric crucifixion religion. 911TRUTH. DHS police brutality against us. the prepared FEMA slave camps. killing afghanis in afghanistan. subprime fraud triple AAA Derivatives, the inhumanity and money sharks in health, education, religion and politics. "community policing"????????????
You seem paranoid and delusional, maybe a visit to a psychotherapist and some pills will help balance you out, although you seem to be past the point of no return. People like you end up killing for their beliefs, you might be more hurtful to OWS than helpful.
You remind me of those nutjobs standing on the corner with a bible in one hand and shouting religious nonsense to all the cars passing by. Can you believe those idiots? I guess the best way to make your point is to shout a 20 minute speech to a bunch of cars which the passengers can only hear you for a few seconds. Dumbasses lol
buck up or fuck up!
You managed to rhyme, which is good. Now let's work on making full sentences that are fully thought out and that make sense to others.
You're too emotional. And you're too late.
passionate for our humanity! too late for this evil tyranny.
Nobody is forcing you to stay in the USA, go live in Thailand for a few years to compare, then come back to see how horrible it is in the states. There is a huge difference between passion and insanity.
believe me i know the BS from this tyranny of stolen land property rights, violent AO police, mental slavery, beliefs in crucified jew and islamic terrorist enemy. all BS to divide humanity. now they have no jobs for the slaves so they will poison and imprison us. that is what is happening. now the holy ganja is growing everywhere and the communion for all classes of society.
Stolen Land? We kicked the native's asses. They weren't these super innocent victims, Native Americans butchered each other and the advanced people that eventually took their land. They were LUCKY that we gave them land instead of wiping them out. It's how it is, they lost. If we had integrated with the natives like the did in Mexico, then we would all be less intelligent and brown, just like the Mexicans. Face it, you don't want that and neither do I.
Where is this mental slavery that you talk about? America has some the most lenient laws when it comes to free speech and freedom of expression, so where exactly is this mental slavery?
Violent AO police, riiiight, let's have pussy police then, so that way crime goes up and prosecution of those criminals goes WAY down. Excellent idea.
I will give you credit on the religious aspect, that is one thing America would benefit from greatly, the loss of religion. Once that happens, then we will truly progress.
Humanity was divided, otherwise we would all look alike and there would be no diversity at all. Not only that, but the USA is the most racially mixed country in the world, saying that we are now divided is just plain wrong, even with the internet, the world is even less divided than it was 10 years ago.
Slaves haven't existed in this country for a very long time, stop bring up old crap, it just isn't true in the slightest. You have no idea what real slavery is.
I stand by my original recommendation for you, seek psychological help, seek it IMMEDIATELY, you are clearly unstable and probably very dangerous to those that love you. Do this before you end up a conspiracy homeless nut yelling at people who are walking by enjoying their day. Think I'm joking? You are SERIOUSLY unstable, SEEK HELP.
What an unrepentant racist piece of trash you are treeman. Less intelligent-hmmm... like denying climate change on 50 degree days in January or pumping poison into the earth to frack, and being surprised when water tables get poisoned... gee wish I was an intelligent white man to understand that logic.
it is this evil global fascist tyranny which is unstable. weep not for babylon is falling and is no more!
"Look past the politicians..."
why? because the president is a leftist? because the senate has a left wing majority? why would ANYONE look past those most responsible for the economic mess we're in?
politicians take an oath of office and then take bribes. they are, by far, the most culpable. they make the laws and the rules and then take money so they can fix things that make their "donors" exempt from the ridiculous laws and rules they make.
stop making excuses for the despicable scumbags who are most at fault. 99% of the elected officials need to go.
Agreed.
In other words, look at the people who are bribing politicians and lobbying the government.
And we need to make our move before we become a 3rd world country and have not the power to take back what is rightfully ours!
you sure you know what the word "Agreed." means?
based on "look at the people who are bribing politicians and lobbying the government" you have no idea what it means.
or your reading comprehension is from shit.
try again. take it slow. look up any words you are unfamiliar with or get an adult to help you:
politicians take an oath of office and then take bribes. they are, by far, the most culpable. they make the laws and the rules and then take money so they can fix things that make their "donors" exempt from the ridiculous laws and rules they make.
Okay. I will elaborate a bit. By "agreed" I meant that I agree that the vast majority of politicians are corrupt- they have the choice to make ethical political decisions, but it seems they act in the interest of their, as you call it, "donors". I say look past the politicians because the media hypes up the political race: GOP vs. Democrats, as if everyone is supposed to choose a side. It is a distraction from the bigger picture. The bigger picture is that whoever is elected, no matter what their political party is, works for the interests of the same people- "the 1%"...the "donors". Please don't be so condescending, implying that I have the mentality of a child. I just didn't feel like elaborating, so I used one word, "agreed".
Right on one point. About 99% of you OWS people are nothing but sheep. You need to lay off the dope and try your best to think for yourselves. You're being led around by the nose by your liberal college professors. Snap out of it, sheeple, and use the brain that God gave you!!!
Wait, you mention god, yet insult the OWS by calling them sheeps and telling them to think for themselves? Are you even aware of your beliefs? The bible even says that followers of god are sheep and it does NOT encourage free thinking, it tells you to not think and do as the bible says.
Keep that god stupidity to yourself, if you think the 1% is bad, you should see what religion has done to billions in the last 2 millenniums. The belief is god is poisonous to humanity, it does nothing but cost lives and enslave free minds.
I don't know you, but I hope for your sake and for the sake of the glory of Jesus that you come to know Him. Everyone's going to bow the knee to Christ at some point--you definitely want to do it before you die, so you might enjoy an eternity with Him in heaven. Otherwise, it'll be too late.
treeman - so when does occupy palestine work itself into a frenzy that the muslim world will slaughter.
I wasn't aware that OWS was an atheist club. Since you don't have a leader, who shall I ask? The turd over by the empty trash can?
Well stated!!
Yes! 2012 is ripe with potential for us to fulfill our dreams. It's up to us to do it!
Globle politicians run out of ideas for econimic and political problems. Our time is coming.
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them" ~ Einstein
Please don't associate Einstein with OSW in any way, he had an IQ of 160 and he would not associate with mobs. He would only approve of OSW if it had a clear goal in mind with a working plan. OSW is a way for people to complain that they aren't happy with how things are, but OSW offers NO REAL SOLUTIONS.
Let me make it clearer for those blinded by their love of complaining. Einstein would see someone that just got shot and would call 911 and get that person the help they needed. OSW would see the person that just got shot and would tell them, "You've been shot, that sucks" and then walk away, offering no real solutions and not helping.
Seriously people, do this right or don't do it at all, and OSW is NOT doing this right. I'm tired of making other people rich, but complaining like children isn't going to solve anything.
" Compound interest, is the most powerful force in the universe."---------------------------A. Einstein
Yay, another quote. Sure beats facing the fact that the OSW has no real solutions nor goals.
You do understand, this is but a silly, open forum?
You can quote me on that.
I get it, but most on here take this anti-corporation crap seriously. Remember, the most dangerous people are those that don't understand the problem/solution, yet fight anyway. And OSW doesn't even grasp the concept of there being a solution, they just see the problem. It's really easy to point fingers at the government, it's a lot harder to sit down with the government and offer them solutions to the problems. REAL solutions, not something stupid like take the money away from the rich. Remember, a lot of rich people started off poor, they just made wealth happen with fresh ideas. Most people are jealous of the rich and that's what OSW really is, just people who are tired of making others rich, but who don't do anything to make themselves rich. It's really easy to complain about the 1% while most 99% sit on their fat asses watching reruns of Family Guy and getting stoned or drunk.
[Removed]
Don't forget, our "problems" are a joke to countries that have real problems. We aren't doing as well as we should, but we are do MUCH better than most of the world. Humans like to complain and since we aren't war hungry like we were over the last 10 years, people can't complain about the military too much, so they need something new to complain about. What's a hot topic now, 9-16% unemployment plus we've always harbored great jealousy towards those that have what we don't, which is money. Most protesters wouldn't say squat if they were in the 1% cause they would have accomplished what nearly all of us will never accomplish, extreme wealth. Jealousy, it can get pretty ugly, look at how wrecked the protesters left the park in NY, shameful. OSW was a potential solution, now it's just people getting together and wrecking things, yep that's progress...
Most problems start from Wall Street in this world. It occupies top of the global financal pyramit. US politicians have been hired by WS as villains to explore the world years ago.
[Removed]
[Removed]
Poverty and oppression are how the money keeps in power. If you keep people thinking how to survive, they dont have time or money to fight the oppressors.
We're in a period of lowering education and the comfort level of the masses, ie: middle class, so the middle class is more concerned about keeping their heads above water then changing the power structure.
While the rest of the world is moving up the economic ladder, we're being pushed down the ladder of economic comfort, in order to keep the rich and powerful incharge.
What you describe isn't accidental. Globalization has made it possible to export US capital to where labor and production costs are lower. This is the reason for the demise of the middle class and eventually our national decline.
Is that decline a bad thing?
Why should the richest country on earth continue to hoard all of it's wealth?
I'll be honest, I'm not happy that my spouse must keep union dues paid up without having had a union job in 4 years. But what is so special about the 'American Middle Class' that makes it superior to larger groups of even poorer people in developing countries?
Should we be unhappy that manufacturing has all but moved to Asia? The situation was (still is in some places) so dire that people were starving to death. Is there a greater good in me dropping from middle class to working class if it means that people on the other side of the world will eat?
The shoes for my feet and the lamp for my desk and the car in my driveway is less expensive for me to buy because it was made outside of the US. I read and enjoyed "A Year Without Made in China" and even tried that shopping (rather non-shopping) experiment myself. For me, it meant I bought nothing but groceries and personal grooming products for a year. At the end of the year, I was wealthier for having not shopped, but felt no qualms about goods and services purchased from overseas.
We should support the people who grow bananas or coffee or olive trees. We should support the Chinese people who manufacture much of the goods we wear, read from, type and talk into, watch and listen to. I hope they'll enjoy the same liberties American's take for granted. I want to see that in my lifetime.
One more thing..... This movement calls itself global. If that's true, then when we refer to the wealthiest "1%" we are talking about everyone earning over $50,000 per year. Check your own income at www.globalrichlist.com.
"....dropping from middle class to working class....."
Are you saying that middle class people don't work and sit on their fannies rolling in cash? I hate it when people consider the working class separate from the middle class. Middle class people WORK to survive., too. If they were rich enough to not have to work, then they wouldn't be middle class.
I suppose I should have used the term working poor instead of working class.
My spouse has been out of work 4 years. Within that timeframe, I was out of work for 18 months with only a 4 hour per week shift at a minimum wage fast food job to keep us from starving. Meant no disrespect to the oh-so-sensitive Middle Class.
There is a big difference between the middle class and the working class/poor, they both need to work to survive, but the middle class survives just fine with expendible cash, while the working poor barely make ends meet and have no cash to throw away. Also the working poor and middle class both have kids, with the working poor usually having more kids than the middle class, which is a huge problem. Hate me for this all you want, but controlled reproduction is the only solution. If you can't financially support kids, then you should have severe consequences for reproducing, whether it be extended jail time for both parents or forcing both parents to be snipped so they can't reproduce ever again. If the situation turns around for the parents and they can afford to raise kids properly, then they should adopt if they are snipped, there are plenty of wonderful kids out there that need to be adopted and this will help them have much better odds of getting into a home that can give them what they need. Think I'm wrong for saying this? Then answer me this, with population increasing more rapidly than ever (thanks to minorities being irresponsible) and people having less money, what wonderful future do you see for our great-grandkids? Take a trip to Hong Kong for a sneak peek at where we are headed. BTW, I'm a working poor, 34 years old and a minority, if that matters to you.
If they have enough children, they'll stop being minorities.
Monetary poverty isn't a lifelong condition. It is how most of us begin life.....owning and earning nothing. By the time you reach your peak fertility around ages 20 - 25, you haven't had much time to earn or accumulate wealth. By age 40 or age 60, you've got resources, but the body is no longer ready, willing or able. It isn't a moral judgement, but a scientific and mathematical fact. Level the playing field for prenatal care, and younger mothers have healthier babies compared to (wealthier) moms over age 35. Healthier babies are far more crucial than a big balance in a 529.
By your philosophy, the world would never have had Elvis.
"Why should the richest country on earth continue to hoard all of it's wealth?
I'll be honest, I'm not happy that my spouse must keep union dues paid up without having had a union job in 4 years. But what is so special about the 'American Middle Class' that makes it superior to larger groups of even poorer people in developing countries?"
While your point makes a lot of sense, is it fair for corporations to do so much damage that they send the majority of us into poverty in order to make even more money? A lot of those people they are paying in other countries to manufacture their goods are being paid very poorly and still are living in poverty.... and their working conditions are shit. Is that OK with you?
How about EVERYONE has the opportunity to make living wages and work in really good conditions no matter where they are?
Or, how about people are able to live in a sustainable way to not have to work for some other schmuck who's getting rich off their hard labor?
Not only what you are saying, but they get laws passed to make it more profitable to move industry and jobs out of America.
Why hasn't the site highlighted one of the coolest things to happen. You can get course credit at Columbia University for participating in the OWS movement. I think that speaks volumes that a top University feels there's value in offering a class with field credits for protesting!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2081538/University-offers-Occupy-Wall-Street-course-students-earn-class-credit-working-field.html
[Removed]
[Removed]
Let us continue to Support #OWS, iron out our differences, engage in constructive dialogue & come together based upon basic humane principles. Namaste, @Peta_de_Aztlan
Agreed!
I wrote an article adressing these issues and how we should move forward:
"The Transition Phase: The Road to Freedom"
Only my personal opinions. Please check it out.
http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/
An interesting article ~ "The Transition Phase: The Road to Freedom" (struggleforfreedom) bit.ly/wm6MHX ~Seizure of Power should be the grand strategic aim by any means necessary, but it will take years of educating and mobilizing the masses. Onward towards Global Revolution!
The struggle for freedom continues for as long as it takes :) The revolution has begun!
I myself would love to see a Global Revolution in my lifetime. I am now 60 Earth years and have been involved and interested in social movements since my teens. I have witnessed a lot of comings and goings, risings and fallings. We should unite based upon our common survival needs and our common dreams. Namaste~ Peter S. Lopez AKA @Peta_de_Aztlan
Struggle involves moving in an organized and cohesive manner if you want to "take over the globe".
Thanks for the good laugh. You guys are ridiculous and I'm glad the FBI is here in the room with me.
[Removed]
If people, self-professed "religious" or not would read the Bible, they would remember that Jesus was one of the 99%. He cast out the money lenders from the temples and he was the ultimate revolutionary. Corruption and greed ran rampant in his world, as today, and he was sent to save us from ourselves. He had no "job" and relied on the kindness of strangers and his followers for food and shelter. He practiced peace and delivered knowledge to the people. Though masses of the poor followed him and believed in him because they witnessed his healings, he was slandered, villianized and ultimately murdered by the 1% for his populist and socialist teachings.
God supports the 99% and dislikes those who care only of themselves and nothing of their brothers and sisters or the planet he provided them. He is proud that we have woken from our corporate-and-greed-induced slumber and are ready to fight FOR each other and not only think of ourselves. The 99% are blessed by God and he will protect this movement--if you don't believe so just watch it happen.
WWJD? Occupy.
Troy Davis is a cold blooded murderer, OWS should be ashamed of themselves for saying, "in honor of Troy Davis" - what's next, "in honor of Hitler?" I just lost sooo much respect for this movement. It had the potential for eventually getting things done, but supporting a killer is no better than supporting a terrorist. Pick a battle and fight it, the longer OWS goes without a clear goal (you have to tell the government the problems and offer REAL solutions, not just point out problems and complain) the longer it will be seen as lazy people who don't understand economics. It's bad enough that this movement has gotten a ton of people killed in Nigeria, but now you support a murderer? I can guarantee you guys this, at this rate, On May 1st, the world will not be watching...
You poor sad deluded souls. Put "OWS" on your resumes and reap what you have sown. Permanent UNEMPLOYMENT.
lol, you will be remembered? I totally forgot about this for the last like.......month and a half. maybe you yourselves will remember but no one else will, no one cares about you. If anyone does remember you, they'll remember you as silent terrorists that tried to destroy your own economic infrastructure.
The elephant in the room (at least for me), is that there is a lot of talk about police violence but no denouncing the violence that comes from the fringe? The homepage says "we encourage the use of nonviolence" maybe instead, "We strongly condemn violence in any form and OWS will not tolerate violence in the movement." I also think the violent acts should be condemned (like the scissors incident and anti-semetic signs, etc.) This movement should be about peace.
let's get psyched for a new year. if you have a chance, watch the oscar-winning documentary, "Inside Job," narrated by Matt Damon. It explains a lot in great detail. I am amazed we all go about our daily lives in light of what it shows about corporate crime, crime that is still going on. We need a new policy, one of Separation of Corporation and State!
"Inside job" is an excellent piece of work.
Solidarity from france , 2012 is our year don't let anyone tell you otherwise
This is just the beginning of what has been sitting in the backs of many minds for some time. What OWS is doing is what is and has been greatly needed in our country and around the world for generations. YOU MUST NOT STOP!. Never surrender to the police or the US GOV or any for that matter. You have made tremendous progress in the right direction and soon, the police and our military will begin to realize it is a losing battle. While some may fire upon our citizens, this will surely start an internal battle in these associations where the minority will surely lose. Since the written word, the people have always banded together for change but this was almost always done with violence. As I feel everyone involved is against this, I do fear this will eventually be the only way to continue and history shall repeat itself. The fall of Rome once more for that is what this country has become. Stand strong people and prepare for the eventual if you want this to be worth the effort.
Thank you Internet for opening the worlds eyes to the truth and allowing us to begin ignoring the rhetoric of the corporate and politically controlled main stream media. I have said for years to people who simply called me crazy to turn off the TV and it will open your eyes. Stop watching everyone. No audience, no advertisement money.
Stop buying from Walmart etc. and visit your local shops instead. Ever heard of a siege? Lay one on their wallets. The police can't force you to buy their merchandise or to rent their movies or to watch the crap that they call news. I could go on and on but I don't think I have to.
There are uncountable ways to hurt the 1% without violence but all must agree. Imagine if we could all at once stop buying gas for a month even. Billions if not trillions of lost profit. What about soda? Imagine Coke and Pepsi's response. No one go see a movie for a year. Shut them down like they have done to us. Make them beg for our money instead of us for theirs. Love ya all.
Well, the British restored order in India by jailing hundreds of thousands, and murdering thousands of protesters (so let's not fool ourselves into a perception of invincibility). If it wasn't for WWII it's likely the British would have never given up India (or it would have taken much longer).
We're seeing assaults against liberty. SOPA, NDAA, etc. I don't think OWS (and the ideas it represents) can be put back in the bottle, but it's not inconceivable (just sayin).
[Removed]
First I would like to say as a long time OWS supporter and occupier that I am proud of the resistance that was shown and all that was accomplished and excited about what is to come in the future. I am a bit surprised though that Stop Stop and Frisk, a movement that stood up in the face of the police and all their brutality and harassment in black and Latino neighborhoods was not mentioned. Freedom fighters against the new Jim Crow, Cornell West, Carl Dix, and many others, many of them occupiers put their bodies on the line time and time again to say NO MORE! This was an integral part of the Occupy movement. Also there is a very important call to mass action that should be reviewed thoroughly and taken up by the movement at put into action if we are serious about advancing our movement and drawing in much more support. Here it is....
A Call for Mass Action Against the Suppression of the Occupy Movement These past several months have witnessed something very different in the U.S. People from many different walks of life came together to occupy public space in nearly 1,000 cities in the U.S. They stood up to vicious police violence, they broke through the confines of “protest as usual,” and in the middle of all that, they built community. Even in the face of media attempts to ridicule, distort, and demonize these protests, their basic message began to get through. People throughout the U.S.—and even the world—took notice of and took heart from these brave and creative protesters.
The political terms of discourse began to shift; the iced-over thinking of people in the U.S. began to thaw. Standing up to the unjust brutality and arrests became a badge of honor. People began to listen to and read the stories of some of the victims of this economic crisis, and to share their own. And most of all, as the protests spread to city after city, the fact of people occupying public space forced open debate and raised big questions among millions as to what kind of society this is, and what it should be. Why does such poverty and need exist in the face of a relative handful of people amassing obscene amounts of wealth? Why do the political institutions of society seem only to serve that handful? Why do so many youth feel they face such a bleak future? Why does the insane destruction of the environment continue to accelerate? And what is needed to overcome all this?
Those who actually wield power in this country regarded these protests, and these questions, as dangerous, and reacted accordingly. Time and again those who wield power violated their own laws and ordered police to pepper spray, beat with clubs, and shoot tear gas canisters at the heads of people who were doing nothing more than non-violently expressing their dissent and seeking community. This reached a peak in the recent coordinated and systematic attacks of the past few weeks against all the major occupations. In fact, the mayor of Oakland admitted on BBC to being part of conference calls that coordinated national strategy against the occupiers. On top of all that, and in another blatant show of illegitimate force and power, they attempted to prevent journalists and photographers from covering these acts of repression—unless they were “embedded” with the police.
To put the matter bluntly, but truly: the state planned and unleashed naked and systematic violence and repression against people attempting to exercise rights that are supposed to be legally guaranteed. This response by those who wield power in this society is utterly shameful from a moral standpoint, and thoroughly illegitimate from a legal and political one.
Now this movement faces a true crossroads. Will it be dispersed, driven into the margins, or co-opted? Or will it come back stronger? This question now poses itself, extremely sharply.
One thing is clear already: if this illegitimate wave of repression is allowed to stand... if the powers-that-be succeed in suppressing or marginalizing this new movement... if people are once again “penned in”—both literally and symbolically—things will be much worse. THIS SUPPRESSION MUST BE MASSIVELY OPPOSED, AND DEFEATED.
On the other hand, this too is true: movements grow, and can only grow, by answering repression with even greater and more powerful mobilization.
The need to act is urgent.
As a first step in the necessary response, there must be a massive political mobilization on a day, or days, very soon to say NO! to this attempt to suppress thought and expression with brutality and violence. This mobilization should most of all be in New York, where this movement started... but it should at the same time be powerfully echoed all around the country and yes, around the world. This is a call for massive demonstrations—soon—carried out in public spaces where they can have maximum impact and exposure and where the authorities cannot pen in, suppress, and otherwise attempt to marginalize these demonstrations.
These demonstrations must be large enough to show clearly that people will not tolerate that which is intolerable... that people will not adjust to that which is so manifestly unjust. Such demonstrations, along with the efforts to reach out and build them, can draw many more people from passive sympathy into active support and can awaken and inspire even millions more who have not yet been reached. Such demonstrations can powerfully answer the attempt by “the 1%” to crush and/or derail this broad movement. Thousands and thousands in the streets, acting together, can seize new initiative and change the whole political equation. The urgent questions raised by Occupy—and other urgent questions that have yet to be raised in this movement—can once more reverberate, and more powerfully than before.
The repression of the Occupy movement must not stand. Act.
Remember, NY State, when our "elected" officials walked off the job because they couldn't get their way? Then changed parties? That means for anyone who voted "being true to their 'party' was just told 'screw you'. No? Don't think so? If someone is stupid enough to vote for Party, regardless of competency or even intelligence of the candidate, and then their candidate went to the 'other side', then that person is NOT what you voted for. So, can you fire him for changing, or misrepresenting themselves? Really, guys, NO ONE asked these questions when our NY legislature did their Taylor Law walk off (however, there's much doubt that eliminating our politicians would have a detrimental effect on our society). Would it not be a better world if we eliminated ALL political parties and lobbyists? PACS and maybe even put a lid on campaign specialists. ONE PARTY, different opinions, OK. But it's time to get rid of the lying, cheating, labels, backbiting, thieving, lying (oops) Political Parties, the 'who's calling who a jackass' mindset, the lying (oops again). Yes, it's their party, at OUR expense. How do you like having to foot the bill for a party that lasts 365 days a year, every year. They named it very well - Political PARTY. How deep are YOUR pockets? Does anyone think we could force the elimination of political parties? Also, there is very little media coverage of OCCUPY 'anything'. It was in its 3rd month before our small town local tv station even mentioned it. Of course, media is owned by the 1% - what am I thinking. Is there anything in the works for springtime in New York?
Does anyone else think raising minimum wage is the wrong thing to do? Aren't we just pushing that same sorry separation higher? What's wrong with saying NO, we're not raising minimum wage, we're lowering the cost of living. DON'T SCOFF. When's the last time anyone tried, even a little, to hold back spending? OH< EXCUSE ME, SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY & RETIREMENT DID. NO cost of living for them last year or so. And who could they complain to? Yeah, while millions in loans were made to the AIGers and they rewarded themselves with 'a hard earned vaca'. I'm in a union. I watched Albany's CSEA say OK to the Governor. We'll take the cuts you need, for the budget to work. THey signed a 3 year contract accepting those cuts. THen PIF (the white collar version of CSEA) was asked to accept similar cuts. They said NO. Once, twice, how can they look to the workers to take a cut when they won't give anything up. Instead of raises, lets lower the bar. Our corporations can do with a Smaller Profit margin and lower their prices bit by bit. We may find, eventually we don't NEED the raise. There just might be enough money coming in to live comfortably. OK, I'm sure this is not ever going to happen, but one can hope!
And the hits keep coming!
H.R. 3166, The `ENEMY EXPATRIATION ACT' The NEXT STEP IN TYRANNY for Americans is...
LOSS of NATIONALITY
The short and not-so-sweet `ENEMY EXPATRIATION ACT' means a citizen will LOSE their US CITIZENSHIP if "engaging in, or purposefully and materially supporting, hostilities against the United States.' - And it seems the no due process theme is popular these days (why bother with a trial?)
It says "the term `hostilities' means any conflict subject to the laws of war." - (which is pretty much anything after NDAA)
H.R. 3166. It's very short as it just adds a section to existing law (see links below). However, it doesn't say the citizen has to be convicted [like section 7 says]. NO trial, NO conviction... stripped of citizenship if engaging...
Compare this proposed new section to to section (7) because the provisions are similar. However, the provisions is section 7 say they'd lose citizenship "if and when he is convicted"... (that's really the only difference). You know, the old American way, like when a person was innocent until proven guilty. The sections 1-6 are voluntary acts so a conviction isn't an issue... it should be an issue for a citizen about to lost their citizenship!!!
If this bill passes, the government can easily strip US citizenship and all rights [and then they're "required" to detain]..
The "ENEMY EXPATRIATION ACT" http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h112-3166
This is what the bill will change if it passes, 8 U.S.S. 1481: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/8/1481.html -
more on NDAA, "New Year 2012: Obama Starts off Fresh! (And his signing statement is bullshit!)" http://saynotocorporateamerica.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-year-2012-obama-starts-off-fresh.html
It's nice what you are doing, but it seems a bit arrogant to say that other countries are following you... The "occupy" movement started the 15th of March (15M) in Spain, with all the "indignados" occupying "La puerta del Sol", and many marches have followed it across Europe even before you started thinking about registering the domain... Congratulations, but let's be fair and tell the whole truth.
And several countries have started similar movements BECAUSE of OWS..... like Italy. So, yes, some countries have followed.
i support you folks and your goals, but not your all-too-american arrogance. your self-congratulatory tone is incredibly disrespectful to communities that have participated in the global struggle for justice for generations, not just a few weeks.
It was a great year and I am a proud American, proud of those who put their lives on the line for purposes which ended up melding a movement. What started as a handful is now hundreds of thousands if not millions of like minded sympathizers; we are spread all across this country. We may not be able to march in rallies, or attend GA meetings, but I believe I speak for many when I say we're with you! I'm hopeful we can funnel the energy of this movement into shaping public policy which will benefit the 99%. Happy New Year OWS!
Wow! What a difference a few months can make - imagine this time next year! A grou[p of us on the small island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean are holding our first #occupy meeting this Sunday 8th at 6pm at the Buccaneer Beach Bar. Everyone is welcome and we hope to live up to the standards of love, truth and integrity that you wonderful people have set for us. We are all ONE from now on! Love from St. Maarten.
let's have some well-attended, meaningful actions in the new year. in order to seep into the collective unconscious, there must be a lot of people, a multitude, coming out for these actions and staying. weekends will attract more people. it's all about huge amounts of people. that is threatening to the status quo. small, smatterings here and there, not so much......
Great post! Yes, the last 3.5 months of 2011 some really wonderful and important work was done. During only 3.5 months a growing Occupy Movement - spreading thruout the world - was created..just imagine what can be achieved in 2012 and the years to come!
"Today, tens of thousands of everyday people are putting ideals like solidarity, mutual aid, anti-oppression, autonomy, and direct democracy into practice. Individuals are joining together in city-wide General Assemblies and autonomous affinity groups.Through consensual, non-hierarchical and participatory self-governance, we are literally laying the framework for a new world by building it here and now -- and it works."
Agreed! http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/1320873951_the_society_we_should.html
"In this possibly terminal phase of human existence, democracy and freedom are more than just ideals to be valued - they may be essential to survival" - Noam Chomsky
Greetings and Solidarity from Norway.
Yours s sff
http://struggleforfreedom.blogg.no/
Dear Norway. 99% of American Citizens are clean, educated, and have little debt. They do NOT use drugs, or beat people up in the street who disagree with them.
Americans are honest and hard working. This website glorifies the riffraff that America wants to deport. Why shouldn't we shove all these lazy, drug-addled, violent protesters over to your shores?
Yep.....now they're not so wonderful, are they?
alternatives, that really is the real solution...One alternative solution is the production of electricity using hydrokinetics...existing spillways, private and public water sources...with no degradation, the flow can be used and reused with this system. one of many possibilities, water wheels on a barge tethered to shore, the flow of the water turns the wheel then generator... transition to electric transport, start with using the electric motor in a hybrid...then power it on the go, like an updated electric trolley to personal and public transport...
I like your ideas. There are several communities around the U.S. that are living off the grid completely. I'd love to see that expand greatly. I am working on living that way myself. There's a learning curve to it, but it can be done. That's how we can take the power away from those who rule..... ignore what they do and produce and learn to be independent, creating your own resources.
right, not an underground or counter culture, an independent society..
In this world I live, and in this world I dream. I dream of another world; it is not a perfect world....still, it is a world worth dreaming. In this world I dream - every single person is treated with care and respect, every single child knows prosperity, no wars get waged, and economies measure the people's well being. In this world I dream - trust, empathy, and goodwill prevails.
Yes, and more mic-checking politicians! love that! Separation of Corporation and State!
[Removed]
You guys should hear yourselves, you sound like rabid muslim fanatics, blaming everything on everyone else. The reality is that yes a small amount of people control a huge amount of money, but as long as the OSW keeps sounding like a bunch of crazed and paranoid doomsayers, then the 99% will stay down where we are. Corporations aren't these evil monsters that live under your bed and spend all day planning to get you, they provide JOBS and FUTURES for their employees, they give TONS of money to charity every year, they produce the products that we all LOVE and USE. If you paranoid people had your way, we would all go back to the dark ages and there would be no cure for diseases and the average lifespan would go back to about 30-35. Wake up people, you have to FOCUS. All these mindless ranting and paranoid delusions are not the solution. Don't let these sociopaths be the voice of OWS, it will not end well. Instead get some intelligent, non-paranoid, people to be your voice, the ones who understand that without corporations and what they provide for us, we would live no better than some third world nation, as long as the leader has a vision for the future where the 1% is limited in their personal profits (not corporate profits, if you get rid of corporate profits, then the ones who lose out are the 99%, do you enjoy using your smartphone? Well without the 1% and their greed, it wouldn't exist, same for your PS3, you widescreen tv, cheap internet, most of the food in the supermarkets, tires for your car that don't cost $900 each, etc... Corporations compete for your money, so they produce cheapy to stay competitive, remove the competitive nature of corporations, then we are stuck with extremely overpriced inferior products, which benefits NO ONE). One we have some brains behind OSW, then it will have a real chance of success. As it is now, all OSW does is gather a bunch of people, inconvenience most of the population and just complain, complain, complain... Sadly, since there is no clear leader to this group, there will be no changes to the 1% problem. The OSW will dewindle down to a few protesters once the hype of this fad wears off. It's sad, cause during October, we all saw the potential for some change, but now it's just everyone complaining about everything, no focus and NOTHING has come out of all the protesting, except some dead people in other countries and a bunch of Americans pointlessly arrested and hurt. Good Job! Learn from the 1960s before OSW becomes an even bigger joke.
I'm concerned about the dissipation of that street energy we saw in November and concerned also that a slow improvement in job numbers and the over the top coverage of the Republican primaries (who cares about these absurd primaries?) have distracted people from the struggle. Tell me I'm wrong. I know I'm working at the OWS agenda in any way I can.
I can't believe you people still come here to talk. There is like 100 of you all planing this and that. Stop mooching off your daddy's trust fund and get a job. you are irrelevant
just saying
In conclusion, Vladimir Lenin said it best, “The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves.” Is this what OWS is becoming...which group is going to take control in OWS.
BY OCCUPY Independent Voters the New Majority 52% MARCH THIS SUMMER 10 million person MARCH on WASHINGTON D.C. this Summer Close it down! Stop the Public Corruption March on Washington end Class Warfare end Needless Wars....end their deliberate Distractions "Now its Iran" end Prisons for Profit feed by HSBC bank money laundering for global drug cartels....read "World Banking World Fraud" by John Cruz end Keeping the Drug Cartels in business Follow the Money....keeping the supply of prisoners coming..... end Public Corruption of Elected Official insider stock trading by Pelosi end Deliberate inflating and then shorting of Our Financial Markets for profit Convict GOLDMAN-SACHS executives Blankfein for the deliberate collapse of 2008 & Henry Paulson for the collapse of 2000 they are killing our children our neighborhoods, our families, our jobs end their attack on the Middle Class and the Poor end the Society of Deliberate Chaos....MARCH ON WASHINGTON AND SHUT IT DOWN ...........................10 Million Person March this Summer..................................... they'll be on vacation any way spending our money to get there.. VOTE INDEPENDENT for a new president and a new Congress
If everyone scratches each others back instead of repetitiously stabbing it, then everyones back gets scratched, no one gets maimed, & everyones a winner proverbially speaking of course ;)
One suggestion:
Stay leaderless but elect a new spokesman for each major city each 3 months. You need media to engage masses, media needs a spokesmen. Role of the spokesman is to explain in detail what 1% does.
[Removed]
Congratulations! To all of you Heroes.for making history,for attempting to save the humanity from the evil and above all for your perseverance and endurance.
The sad part is, the "99%" is truly representing 99% of the population. The people who made bad choices and are looking for somebody else to blame. I work my butt off, and have a lot less then I want. Guess what. I am doing perfectly fine in life because of it. It is time to start growing up and stop blaming your problems on other people. It's pathetic. The 1% is the percentage of the population who actually worked for what they have, instead of expecting free handouts. They did what it took to survive.
Learn what the movement truly is about. You obviously don't know, don't get it, or are OK with a few dictating to everyone.
two wolves and a lamb
Great link here http://www.opencongress.org/about
[Removed]
they will do everything in their power trying to PUT THE GENII BACK IN THE BOTTLE!!
The Time is NOW, Else the Time is Never! OCCUPY 2012
The coinciding onslaught on Liberty, the economy and the environment is quite serious! OUR Revolution truly is about the survival of Humanity, and survival is our strongest natural instinct! If anyone thinks it is not serious, THINK AGAIN! The signs are everywhere [except the globalist-owned-media]. FACTS DO NOT LIE!
WAKE UP! LOOK UP! STAND UP! RINSE and REPEAT, OCCUPY!!!
Don't ignore these warnings about this 'Exotic Weapons System' used against YOU. There are Warnings from Scientist and government officials... former FBI Chief and former USDA Inspector. The information is undeniable and alarming... ADD IT UP and TAKE ACTION!
TRAILS OF HIGH TREASON! http://saynotocorporateamerica.blogspot.com/2011/12/slime-trails-of-high-treason.html
Your Allotted Amount of Freedom Has Expired! http://saynotocorporateamerica.blogspot.com/2011/12/your-allotted-amount-of-freedom-has.html
'Monsanto, Cornering the Staff of Life' http://saynotocorporateamerica.blogspot.com/2011/12/monsanto-cornering-staff-of-life.html
There is a very moving and wonderful OWS film called "I Am Not Moving." Consider it a gift.
What do you guys thinkof having a 'Leader a Month' campaign? .... where one of you is the 'spokeperson of the month'. PS... I absolutely love the "SHOUT OUTS" .... love it!!!! Great idea... deserves an award for that idea.
I think that why idological institutions like Fox News feel they can mock and attack because OWS is too lose (leaderless) to really gain traction.... Fox News says OWS are just lazy youth and old hippies. Thoughts?
Solidarity from Occupy Houston! I'm going to be in NYC in a few weeks and would love to come down in solidarity. Where are you guys primarily located now?
OWS needs to invite the Tea Party to join in the process of change to create a broader movement. (At the same time, the Tea Party needs to drop the Koch Bros 1% agenda and think for themselves).
ALL of us want to pay less taxes but we must protect our environment, our food supply and our financial system from huge corporations and their highly financed lobbyists in Wash DC. The corporate sector owns the public sector and mocks it as useless.
Our history repeats itself. Take a look at Charles Boycott's letter in October 1880 to the Times of London. (Just like Fox News mocking the OWS movement) The USA (people) is the greatest country in the world if they are the ones making the decisions. Citizens need to make more informed decisions and vote.
[Removed]
As the human race itself we must fix it. We have too many corrupt people who are like blood sucking demons that feed on those who they say can do nothing. Wrong, I SAY. Indeed, we can be oppressed but a day will come when we rise like the sun and overshadow these monsters. These strains of humans who vow to suck every penny from your pocket to buy another corvette do no good to our people. The people are larger in numbers but are currently very low on power. GONE, I SAY!! Yes, gone should the days when we look up to groups of those who only care to hurt us. GONE, the days of waking up thinking if they will take your home, even your life just so they could do it again. If revolutions to make a world a better and more harmonious place are never raised than what are we?
An excellent overview from the editors of Against the Current:
http://solidarity-us.org/site/node/3474
And another sharp take from Mike Davis:
http://www.newleftreview.org/?page=article&view=2923
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!!
Thank you all!
Spring Conference Occupy St Louis March 15-18
While I appreciate the uplifting post of successes....Occupy is not succeeding in the court of public opinion...because of the Corporate media.
An example: Occupy goes through all the trouble of making a float for the parade in LA...spends all their time focusing on how that will look on TV....then the media cuts away before Occupy.
Now Occupy should march down to the TV stations and say 'what the hell'...this is bullshit and you are not serving the public interest.
Occupy is using social media, we don't need corporate news?
They are censoring our social media. No one can even find out what is going on anymore. Twitter is highly censored. Alternative news stories are dropping off about Occupy because no one knows anything is happening anymore.
Meanwhile, the minders have taken over this site so it is increasingly difficult to discuss anything of importance. Where is this social media that you refer to? How are we succeeding here? Where are the sites where there is discussion and real news relevant to the movement? Who is tracking what is happening in Occupy today?
I try to find and post as many stories as I can, to spread the word about this movement and I cannot find any. The stories that I do tweet are frequently censored.
Meanwhile, The corporate media with the help of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck have painted this movement as a bunch of free loaders who don't want to pay their student loans.
As we continue to twitter to each other, most of which is now censored....millions of people still get their 'news' from the corporate controlled media, using our public airwaves for their own personal gain.
The Rulers have always known how important it is to control the media for their propaganda....what part of this is the Occupy movement not getting?
We cannot allow them to control millions of Americans with their ignorant evil propaganda 24/7. Those are our public airwaves, and they need to hear from we the people.
We need to surround the TV stations, let them know that we know they are liars and they are responsible for the mess in this country, the mindless killing of millions of Iraqis, the current financial situation in the country, the fact that illegal fraud continues, illegal foreclosures continue...is all the fault of the corporate media. A democracy cannot function without a free press, as we are all experiencing now.
It is time for the corporate media to feel the Occupy movement breathing down their neck. We are watching and you aren't getting away with the lies and bullshit anymore. Surround the stations and demand they tell the truth. Do not leave. Occupy the TV stations until we get our democracy back.
Everything we do will continue to be misreported unless and until we take back the corporate media.
If you want to get the rest of the 99% on our side, we have to take back the corporate media.
The power of the OWS is derived from the conditions of the 99%. The movement succeeds inevitably because the conditions of the 99% demand it. The media minions as other adversaries of OWS will be left by the wayside.
[Removed]
You guys should hear yourselves, you sound like rabid muslim fanatics, blaming everything on everyone else. The reality is that yes a small amount of people control a huge amount of money, but as long as the OSW keeps sounding like a bunch of crazed and paranoid doomsayers, then the 99% will stay down where we are. Corporations aren't these evil monsters that live under your bed and spend all day planning to get you, they provide JOBS and FUTURES for their employees, they give TONS of money to charity every year, they produce the products that we all LOVE and USE. If you paranoid people had your way, we would all go back to the dark ages and there would be no cure for diseases and the average lifespan would go back to about 30-35. Wake up people, you have to FOCUS. All these mindless ranting and paranoid delusions are not the solution. Don't let these sociopaths be the voice of OWS, it will not end well. Instead get some intelligent, non-paranoid, people to be your voice, the ones who understand that without corporations and what they provide for us, we would live no better than some third world nation, as long as the leader has a vision for the future where the 1% is limited in their personal profits (not corporate profits, if you get rid of corporate profits, then the ones who lose out are the 99%, do you enjoy using your smartphone? Well without the 1% and their greed, it wouldn't exist, same for your PS3, you widescreen tv, cheap internet, most of the food in the supermarkets, tires for your car that don't cost $900 each, etc... Corporations compete for your money, so they produce cheapy to stay competitive, remove the competitive nature of corporations, then we are stuck with extremely overpriced inferior products, which benefits NO ONE). One we have some brains behind OSW, then it will have a real chance of success. As it is now, all OSW does is gather a bunch of people, inconvenience most of the population and just complain, complain, complain... Sadly, since there is no clear leader to this group, there will be no changes to the 1% problem. The OSW will dewindle down to a few protesters once the hype of this fad wears off. It's sad, cause during October, we all saw the potential for some change, but now it's just everyone complaining about everything, no focus and NOTHING has come out of all the protesting, except some dead people in other countries and a bunch of Americans pointlessly arrested and hurt. Good Job! Learn from the 1960s before OSW becomes an even bigger joke.
One of the main reasons they want control o0f the Internet....we get most of our alternative.....and so much more truthful news on the web!! Take back the media and thats a big start to taking back your country!
[Removed]
[Removed]
I agree. Perhaps Occupy should start its own Twitter type program?
Great idea. The way to succeed is to offer alternatives. Alternative news, alternative social media etc. The divide between what main stream media and the everyday internet user is capable of creating is getting narrower by the day. WE have the ideas, THEY have to buy ideas.
[Removed]
Let's have a party! 2012 (or a write in)
The Occupy Wall St. Movement has no leverage to force change and until OWS gets some leverage nothing will change.
If OWS blocks traffic and shuts down business as usual, OWS will have leverage to force change.
The forgotten must block traffic to remind the forgetful of the needs of the forgotten.
Don't follow the leaders. Block traffic with your friends.
Guidelines For Non-Violent Civil Disobedient Traffic Blocking. http://occupywallst.org/forum/guidelines-for-non-violent-civil-disobedient-traff/
Can Corporate America really be defeated?So much have tried and failed. It will take a miracle. A miracle like David vs Goliath.
it will take a voted-revolution
Miracles are the weak minded, they simply don't exist, it's like fairies, angels, santa, jesus, tooth fairy, god, buddha, allah, easter bunny, devil, boogyman, etc... - no intelligent person would rely or believe in such nonsense. The only way to get things done is by doing it. However, do you like the PC or smartphone you are using to post here? It wouldn't exist without corporations. Like flying or driving to a destination that is a thousand miles away? Well get on a horse or walk, cause without corporations you wouldn't have fast transportation. Like that chair you're sitting on? How about microwaving a cold pizza? All this is from corporations. Take down corporations and you take down modern and civilized society. How can you people not see this? Is it an IQ issue or do you guys just live in a fairytale world? You guys are fighting the wrong battle. It's like this, if there is a fire, you would fight it with water, but OSW is attacking the house with a missile launcher to try to stop the house from burning. Not exactly smart now, is it?
[Removed]
[Removed]
[Removed]
Solidarity!
[Removed]
All I know is that the Bushes are backing Mitt Romney. So if America never wants to dip even further than we have because the Bushes created this mess due to protecting the wealthiest folks, we as Americans must do everything in our power to assure that Mitt Romney never ever ever ever becomes President!! Things are bad enough because politicians are bought by corporate America, more or less having a candidate who makes no bones he will serve them first and foremost with no apologies if he becomes President. Think this country has lost what it wants was?? You aint seen nothing yet if that tool gets in there!! America must be built from the bottom up not from those at the top being just gracious enough to share a few of their trillions of dollars and hope we all get a few crumbs to survive--what an awful awful philosophy!! Trickle down economics does not work--dont believe that lie!!
that is also why bailing out top won't work...just imagine spending the $ re paid to the gov on the 99, our country and the rest of the world would have a thriving economy, from the bottom up...build a solid base...
Agreed whole heartedly icfmike, agreed whole heartedly!!
watching "Inside Job" right now and getting educated.
[Removed]
[Removed]
[Removed]
"While cynics demanded we elect leaders and make demands on politicians, we were busy creating alternatives to those very institutions."
Yes, this should be the focus now. Why in the world would the ones in control- politicians, CEOs, bankers- heed our demands? It's their system, and it serves them.
It's not about protesting anymore. Forget about the 1%. The revolution will come from us, from the bottom up, and the solutions we create. We Occupy because we really do care, so lets start solving those problems the establishment intentionally perpetuates and depends on in order to maintain their control. This is how to make progress, and it's also how to bring more people to our side.
Please see my latest post touching on this, "Occupying a new mindset in 2012."
http://www.primitivetimes.com/2012/occupying-a-new-mindset-in-2012/
[Removed]
[Removed]
[Removed]
[Removed]
[Removed]
[Removed]
[Removed]
Unified Tribes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1rsPwd8GE8
http://suzannahbtroy.blogspot.com/2012/01/citytime-saic-corruption-why-hasnt.html
Sssh Bloomberg NYC Gov US Attorney DA massive cover -ups largest white collar crimes ever in NYC gov EVER and rooted in "Guiliani Time ". Rudy threw out AutoTime a time clock created and run by City Workers. Rudy brought in flawed broken Orwellian Time clock CityTime -- wanted low tier workers signing in with hands!!! Local 375 DC37 heroes. Joined then in front of SAIC offices - I demanded billion. SAIC now exposed - deaths Afganistan people and we have Northrup Grumman (military ), Verizon Hewlett Packward in bigger fraud ECTP. Very sad OWS embraces frauds -- NY politics -- did u know Jesse Jackson forced to apologize for being caught on tape wanting Obama's balls cut off? Dave Patterson protected his 6 foot 9 pal Dave Johnson for spousal abuse as Patterson's staff resigned Johnson was still on Albany payroll. Paterson silenced victim in to silence. Paterson committed perjury rewarded with WOR and NYU jobs because of Daddy Basil connections. Your pal Rev Billy was propped up by Mike Rosen a landlord developer lives up top duplex Dora once a welfare building E Village. Billy a brand want a be hurts the community. At rally for Whole Earth I demanded community out reach resource centers in every NYU Mega dorm any dorm where they use the term community facility but exclude facility. These centers would help homeless poor middle class seniors and force college kids to recognize community in distress. Hopeful help but press focused on Billy who helped Bloomberg to barely win. Please wake-up. Thank you.
i guess without the camps, ows will go to the communities to spread its message instead of the communities go to the camps as before
I have the solution to the global situation.
Everyone on the planet gives 51% & takes 49%.
Job done, world saved, time for a cup of tea. ;)
I love all of you, you are the next meaningful progression of humanity. we are the inheritors of our own future. Continue to voice freedom!
We can protest till we turn blue but all we have acheived so far is to have an ongoing sit-in. We need results! WE MUST organize and figure out ways to get what we want. We MUST legally shut down Wall Street until they pass laws, regulations and policies that will get rid of the derivative market place and other things that allow the rich to rip off us the people. Then we MUST STEAL the next election from the Republicans to insure that President Obama and the Democrats win and our revolution against the rich succeeds! We can legally do this by moving Democratic voters from states that we are sure to win and states we are sure to lose into states that are too close to call. And remember, united we win, devided we fail. Let's not have another Ralph Nader disaster this next election. We can't afford to let the Republicans win the next election. If the RepubliCONS win the next election we will see the Bush tax cuts extended forever, abortions will be made illegal for decades, safety and environmental laws will be abolished and ignored, we will get into more wars, especially with Iran, and ALL of our lives will be made more miserable in many ways as the rich seek ways to enslave us more than they already have. Read my web page at www.mybetteramericaplan.com to see ideas about how the Republicans have ruined America. Read the Current Events section to see how to make this revolution a success.
[Removed]
http://www.realitysandwich.com/video/occupy2012
No violence just 'We the people.....'. Lets replace the extreme greed and dishonesty. Thank you for the help along the way. Peace, Love and Hope
That little village in Country Mayo, Ireland in SEPTEMBER 1880 started a revolution called 'BOYCOTT'. .... because of the extreme greed of absentee English landlords owning all of Ireland.
INTERESTING THAT OWS GOT STARTED IN SEPTEMBER TOO.
OWS needs a set of candidates to start backing in 2012.
Lets talk hope, fairness, entrepreneurship at the micro level, less student loans burdening our young, not-for-profit national health care system, community services from policing, infant care. Honesty, hope and fairness wound into all out thinking. LETS GO TEAM!!!
I hope OWS will one day realize what it is doing for not only Americans but the world.
There are a lot of sensitive people in this world who has just been destroyed since 2002.
Many committing suicide--including in the military.
Others just feeling absolutely powerless and hopeless.
It's like Slaves must have felt when people could do absolutely anything they wanted to do to them and their children and they had no recourse below or above to do anything about it.
OWS gives us all hope that all is not lost.
It's strange that in the so-called cradle of Democracy, the Police are all up on people just for excercising their Constitutional Rights, and there is no organization of the thousands who keep grubbing donations from people doing anything about it--not one lawsuit.
Not even a peep from a General or Admiral.
Trillions of dollars in taxes paid to people sworn to uphold the U.S. Constitution against enemies foriegn and Domestic and we get something passed by a ruling body that nothing but 9/% of Americans support---something that makes just exercising your right to free speech grounds for arrest and indefinite imprisonment and torture.
And believe me--nobody is misunderstanding or interpreting this Bill.
They are already doing this to thousands of innocent Americans and I speak from personal experience--I say this as a 51 year old man who had never committed a single crime in his life
Because I protested the first gulf war publically--on the Net--and wrote some poetry and anti-slavery fiction--I was arrested and jailed without bond with no real pretense for a reason utilized.
They intended to hold me forever and I was only released because I signed everything they put before me, "political prisoner" and they had not prepared for me going on a hunger strike. I went without food for three weeks.
I was jailed--not imprisoned;yet the jail--which is in Spotsylvania Virginia--, is like a prison--a military prison.
While there, I was forced to take a shot I didn't need by being thrown in the "hole."
While I was in the hole--according to the Geneva convention--what happened to me would be called torture; deprived of sleep; bright light shining on you 24/7; daily being threatened with murder and rape.
All because I excercised my conscience.
I was no threat to this Country or anybody else and five minutes of investigation would have clarified that.
They don't want you to even express your opinion on message boards if it's in oppisition to what they are doing in the world.
But what happened to me is happening to thousands in this Country. It's something that has always been done to people of conscience who speak out--especially minority people--especially Black women and Artists.
Read the stories of Francis Farmer--a white woman--Paul Robeson, Richard Wright, and the list goes on and on.
Francis Farmer was literally hounded like an animal--and this long before there was an East Germany Statsi, and Soviet Union.
Why?
Because she was a hater of injustice and spoke out about it.
It used to be called Cointelpro--now it's called government gangstalking.
I bet every college students knows an outspoken classmate who has either been set-up and arrested, committed suicide, or put in a mental institution.
That is why there is very little student protest today.
Think of Black Slavery and Russian Serfdom, and you will have some idea what the monsters are trying to do to us all on this earth.
I have been reading about the cop who was stabbed in the hand at Zucotti Park and think that there needs to be a reminder that OWS is non violent. These types of actions only alienate people.
[Removed]
Should voters have an opportunity to VOTE on a revolution? First, design a 21st century system of government and then vote it "in" as the platform of a duly elected President, who then goes before the Supreme Court (details upon request)?
Last year the citizens of Iceland wrote their new Constitution - it's a thing of beauty. They took back their country from their government and they are keeping it. Come on OWS, we can do this here too. http://stjornlagarad.is/other_files/stjornlagarad/Frumvarp-enska.pdf
http://www.JeffBlock2012.com
The System will never willingly give up it's control of the masses. Why would it, it already takes everything the 1% want?
TO SUCCEED: it's all about creating desirable alternatives to the existing System. We can only defeat them through attrition, by drawing participants away from their System to ours. We don't need to be perfect just better, and then build upon that.
It's time to return to our human roots of mutual concern and empathy. Because the more human we become the more hideous the 1% will appear in our shinny mirror. This is already happening, their behavior is indefensible.
WE ONLY NEED EACH OTHER, it's a pretty good system
I enjoy bathing and working everyday for a paycheck. So, use your shiny mirror (learn to spell, please) to do lines off of. We know that's all OWS stands for: the freedom to do everyone else's drugs, live in mansions belonging to others, and defaulting on loans you signed.
The OWS mantra: We want it for free because you're too rich! was never going to work in America, was it? Peddle it in a socialist-rich country, and after enough of you go missing, you'll wise up real quick.
Oh, please. How about occupy a job instead of whining in the streets. Here's an idea, work for your own money and don't expect those who became wealthy by working very hard to give you what they earned. Laziness begets laziness and expecting a handout rather than working hard and earning your own money is laziness.
People in this country all have the same opportunity to make of themselves whatever they want. Instead of expecting someone else to give you a job, go make your own job. All these people made their own money and many began tremendously impoverished: Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, Sam Walton, Oprah Winfrey, David Geffen, Shania Twain, Shawn Carter, J.K. Rowling, Steve Wozniak, William Hewlett, David Packard, Madonna, John Paul DeJoria, Larry Ellison, Ursula Burns, Ralph Lifshitz, Richard Desmond, Jim Carrey, Sylvester Stallone, Ashley Qualls and Dave Thomas. I could go on and on, but I’m sure you get it the picture. Try this: work extremely hard and put in exceedingly long hours, then you can achieve the same wealth they achieved. If you want a classless society, government handouts and equality for the masses, I hear China is nice in the spring.
See this guy??
This is a result of the corporate media(and probably the pentagon's propaganda campaign)
This is the kind of bullshit being said on our public airwaves.
The corporate media never mentions that 'free' trade agreements sent all our jobs overseas and that is why everyone is out of work yet the corporations are making record profits in this jobless 'recovery'.
The corporate media is the reason idiots like this are empowered to speak such moronic statements, they think they are smart because well if TV is representative of Americans, they must be.
See the problem with allowing the corporate media to keep lying to everyone?
We must take back our public airwaves. They are lying and manipulating the weak minds of millions of Americans.
[Removed]
These people are wealthy because others have gone broke or in debt to make them wealthy. If more people became wealthy- these people would not be wealthy.
How do you get wealthy - you take as much money from someone else and leave them broke - its that simple.
Call it trade,business,theft it does not matter - one way or another you build wealth by taking someone else's wealth.
Do you have any idea how many wealthy people have become wealthy because of all the debt? Do you see anyone of them clambering to give it back? Did you see any of them say to their customers - don't go into debt for my products? NO - they take it anyway they can. Without all the debt accumulation on the backs of the 99% for decades this system would have crashed hard a while ago and a few of those names you mentioned would be on the street waving a banner of their own.
Put some thought into what your saying = rather than being told what to think.
The system is not only broke its dead. Do you honestly think the current structure is designed for maximum success? If it was we would not be here.
The economic system was designed by fools along time ago (if they were still alive they would have had the sense to change it - their kin are idiots and dont know what they are doing)- we are now reaping the foreseeable rewards of their failure. 2012 is going to be a very nasty year indeed - the economic zombies and their non thinking drones will see to it.
There is nothing worse than failed people desperate to prove their failure right. Doing the same thing that brought failure will not bring success -logic 101 - oh yeh are you calling the over 6 billion people around the world lazy? Ill let you get back to your hamster wheel in your cage with your blindfold that reads freedom - good luck buddy.
[Removed]
You heard him everyone--go work your 40 + hours a week for $8 (before taxes) and before you know it all the yachts and mansions, luxury cars & fine wines shall be yours!! As we know the system always makes sure its citizens are well taken care of if you just put the effort in! So thats 20 people who became rich and famous in a country of 310 million people?? Where do I sign up??
Talk about not living in the real world--GEEZ!!
Your implication is that 40+ hours qualifies as "exceedingly long" and sticking in an $8/hour job without trying to improve yourself qualifies as "working extremely hard." You don't understand that "the system" didn't make Bill Gates rich. Bill Gates did. He did it by working extremely hard and creating something of value that was needed at the time, such that people were willing to pay for it. He didn't force anyone to buy a single copy of MS-DOS and QBASIC. Nor did Jobs and Wozniak force anyone to buy an Apple.
Yet you believe you have the right to take what is theirs, using governmental force, because you're able to hold a picket sign and you're breathing? And you have the audacity to say this results in a fair country? Getting rich is not about "putting the effort in." Getting rich is about doing things that people value enough to pay for them, and doing it better than anyone else does it. I've never understood the idea that demonizing the successful is somehow the road to economic prosperity.
From what I understand Steve Jobs didnt care much for Bill Gates more or less saying that he stole his ideas to make him rich. Thats America though--Most those in high positions got it by screwing over and taking from those to get there. Maybe its simply a case of since they stole it why not steal it back from them for a better cause for humanity!! If Bill Gates stole his ideas to make him wealthy and did as you say did it better than anyone else, maybe the occupy movement can begin to steal back what rightfully belongs to them anyhow which are there basic rights as human beings. My apologies if I "demonized" the thieves and corruptors for doing what is in their nature to do. And thats taking what isnt theirs to begin with. If you'll excuse me now Im gonna go rob some ideas off others and make sure I do it better than anyone else! Sure its totally immoral, indecent, and evil--but hey thats what makes America great right?? Then Ill be considered successful because thats what makes a human being a human being after all--how much money and materialistic goods they have. I love the Fox mentality--they sure love their Jesus and Evangelical base, but heaven forefend if you do as Christ taught and give your money to the less fortunate. They should change their name from Fair and Balanced--to Rich, Greedy and take from the less fortunate because thats what Jesus would do!
Frankj4 there are two types of rich people in America today. Those who were born rich, don't work a day in their lives and collect trust fund checks. The other creates money basically out of thin air using tactics that have nothing to do with hard work. The stock market, (Financial instruments, Derivatives). There is no such thing as the American Dream. Honest hard work will get you nowhere. THATS what people are protesting.
Thanks hiddenwheel! These people who stick up for this current system will never quite understand that will they?? American dream--sure--if your last name is Rockefeller or you are a thief who pays off politicians. All hard work does for the majority is make you sacrifice your dignity, get ulcers and wonder how you are going to make your bill payments, and on top of that you waste all those hours of each of our precious lives we will never get back. What a joke!!
I'm an electrical engineer. I get paid well (not top 1% but close) to design technology and solve difficult technological problems. Which of those two categories am I?
Never called you evil, the system and those who serve it are terribly!! Im sure your highly intelligent to do what you do, but why not put all those skills to work to rebuild the poorest communities and build from the bottom up, without doing it sheerly to make a ton of cash? Its going to take all of us who have been given abilities to stop serving the very top eshelon of society. For those of us who have been blessed with the ability to create, and think and have our health--we are being rewarded based on something given to us that is not for us to profit off of, rather serve our fellow man! Money has poisoned everything in this world and until some of those at the top truly decide to be leaders of men by mans true nature rather than dominating it out of money--mankind will keep digging its grave deeper and deeper. Your very smart--all Im asking you to do is use your intelligence on a larger and more meaningful scale rather than just to profit for yourself.
Currently I design circuits and do programming. (I should note that you don't need extremely high intelligence to program, though of course it helps in any line of work). There is a large need for the work I do, which is why I make money. My high income is not a random cosmic coincidence that I owe the gods for; it's because I've worked hard and chosen to do work that is in high demand. Other people choose to trade their wealth for the forms of wealth that I produce because it is mutually beneficial, not because they were forced to in order to rebuild my community.
This monetary incentive that drives me to make things that other people want is the most important characteristic of capitalism. It is the cause of prosperity. It is the reason why capitalist economies end up much wealthier than command economies (reference East and West Germany, or North and South Korea, or China before and after their 1980's free market reforms).
Money and property rights ensure that there is no "domination" by anyone: if I want something that someone else produced, I have to trade him for it and he has to agree. Because of that dynamic, if you want to consume in a true capitalist country, you have to produce. A society where your "need" gives you the right to forcibly take from others is simple cannibalism and will never prosper. (It is cannibalism whether it's individuals taking from each other or companies taking government bailouts. The idea is the same in both cases: because of my "need" I can take what you created.)
To make the same point another way: if someone else creates something and you want it, there are three possible ways to get it from him:
Which of those three is the civilized approach?
Consider what we would really be throwing away if society decrees that profit motives and trade are evil.
I respectively disagree--but hear the points your making. Saw a story last night about the country of Quatar on 60 minutes. Everything is provided for by the government--free health care, free education, free electricty etc etc.. And they do not live in a dictatorship or controled state. Granted their wealth is provided by their oil revenues--however the society they have created is near paradise. Each person does his or her part and is taken care of and no one there is complaining at all. Its not on the one end of the spectrum such as North Korea or Iran, nor is it to the other end where the United States lies. People here have been conditioned to be greedy and materialistic and put money and things above all else because we have lost our souls to that poison. If each individual does his/her part and is taken care of by the system they live in, there is no need to either want to take what others have nor for those who have everything to continue oppressing those with less due to the fact each individuals basic needs are met. At that point the fear of both the haves and the have nots dissapates because the worry of their basic human needs are met. In my opinion all you have to do is look at how each region of the United States has its wealthy area(s) and slums--but the slums seem to be growing larger and larger due to terrible inequality. While there has always been the slums and projects it has never been to the point it is now, nor grown so fast on such a wide scale. And look to at the moral decay in society, its hitrocious--and has been created mainly out of inequality, injustice and complete unfairness!! I believe that those who are pursuing wealth and gain are not seeing the much larger picture going on here. There is a world going on around that mindset which is not only corroded and crumbling its ready to explode. Why wouldnt those with much want to save the America they believe in so strongly by giving more than those who have very little. If this system dies (And it just might on its current path) those with very much will look back at the chance they had to save it by not putting so much precidence on their own gain(s), and giving so much more of themselves to their fellow human beings.
The often-repeated claim that things are getting worse with time is simply not true. This graph shows the actual trend:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_Income_Distribution_1947-2007.svg
You can see that, even accounting for inflation, the income of the poorest and the richest are both rising over time. The common alarm that "the gap between rich and poor is widening" is simply a misleading way of pointing out that the rich are getting richer quickly and the poor are getting richer slowly. (This sounds much less alarming and so it is not often stated that way on the news.) Also, crime has been in a long-term downtrend since roughly the 1970's. People have been claiming that "things aren't as good as they used to be" for as long as we have written history; there's a natural human tendency to see the past as "good times." And the profusion of media in modern times help spread pessimism even more. But the facts simply don't bear it out.
To your other point -- Qatar doesn't produce the wealth it has; its government simply sells oil that happened to be in its land and passes out the money. To hold that up as the model for America is exactly equivalent to pointing to someone who has a large inheritance and doesn't work, and saying that we should all do what he does.
In general, advocating that people "get taken care of" whether they work or not sounds caring and good from an emotional perspective; after all, who wouldn't want to get taken care of. But these statement always make very heavy use of the passive voice, to avoid an ugly truth. People don't just "get" food and shelter. Food, shelter, and most other goods do not simply appear out of nowhere, ready for society to distribute. An individual person has to work to create each loaf of bread and each house. To decree that one person can "get" something without paying for it unavoidably means that another person is creating something and having it seized from him without compensation. (Or they take a fraction from several people; it makes no difference-- the fact remains that the "getter" is living from things that others made and were not paid for.)
This is the reason why socialist systems always have low economic output: the producers quit producing because the incentive isn't there. I generally like my work, but I would work much less and produce much less if my income were capped at the national average; there are simply other things I can be doing if I'm not going to see the benefits of my work. It is an invalid analysis to ignore this and say that because America's GDP is $15 trillion now, it will still be $15 trillion if we institute massive wealth redistribution.
And I want to repeat a point I made earlier: I make a high income BECAUSE I am doing valuable things for my fellow human beings. Almost all of the things that make our society wealthy are made by people for personal profit. There is nothing wrong with that. The essence of capitalism is mutual benefit: if I want to make money, I have to do something that people want. Otherwise no one will trade what they made for what I made. The idea that it has to hurt to do good comes from irrational religious doctrines and is not true. If someone makes money under a free market (freely, with no theft or force) it proves that he is doing something useful for society, not the opposite.
I've enjoyed the discussion, but I'm spending too much time on this thread and should probably stop. But if you're interested in understanding my viewpoint I recommend reading Ayn Rand (specifically the book Atlas Shrugged); everything I've been saying is basically inferior paraphrases of her arguments. Her positions are not just eloquent, but consistent with observation: capitalist countries have high prosperity (both average and bottom percentile) relative to command economies. A theory of economics has to explain this observation or it can't be valid.
Well lets just say we respect each others viewpoints however we disagree with how things should be done. And I dont think thats a bad thing at all. But do have to mention Ayn Rand--Ive studies what her beliefs are and from my own viewpoint it does sicken me!! But again we each have our points of view and hopefully by having our discussion it will lead to a better world in general.
Same here. I don't feel like a victim either. I've done quite well.
Could you explain how Bill Gates "stole" QBASIC, Windows, or anything else he programmed? (For that matter, why did he even need to learn to program if he just stole everything?) And would you also explain how Jobs and Wozniak stole the Apple 2e?
Every creation builds on ideas from other creators: some ideas in Windows came from Mac OS, and some ideas in Mac OS came from the Xerox PARC operating system. And they all used programming languages and computers that were created by others. "Stealing ideas" like that and then putting in the huge amounts of work required to create something valuable with them is NOT a crime and does NOT harm society. I would be delighted if you "stole" some ideas and created a new product with them. If it's better than the products before it, I'll gladly buy one from you and put you on the road to being the "evil" 1%.
Of course that would require that you do a huge amount of hard work and learn to do difficult things, while inexplicably changing the subject to Fox TV (?) does not.
[Removed]
[Removed]
[Removed]
[Removed]
Right on vets74!! Guess the question we should be asking ourselves is are Americans really this stupid?? Just because one candidate outspends another, why cant people see through all the BS when its right in front of their face?? Cant people see that they are voting against their own self interests?? and why? because they see one persons ad 10,000 times as opposed to his opponent who they only see 9,335 times. It continues to boggle my mind that people cant see that by voting the way they do, it takes us deeper down the rabbit hole. Your right they want slaves and will always have it as long as Americans remain completely ignorant to the world they live in, just to vote for the guy who looks or walks or talks a certain way. Boy doesnt our President just look and act Presidential?? Yeah my lifes in the crapper because of who he is and represents, but man he sure looks the part and thats enough for me. GEEZ what a bunch of idiots we have here!!
We have a chance to make history by passing the OCCUPY amendment
http://freakoutnation.com/2011/12/22/hello-corporate-america-occupy-amendment-to-overturn-citizens-united-is-now-on-the-table/
If you don't want political reform feel free to move to a county with no property tax and start a town/commune there. If you're completely self sufficient and don't spend or buy you will not get taxed and you can try out your anarchist philosophies.
awesome, just signed the petition, thanx!
This is a distraction.
What good is an amendment when they are already grossly violating our constitution?
Congress is breaking the law insider trading.
Bankers are still breaking the law....illegal foreclosures are still continuing....
no one is following the laws we currently have, and you all want this Congress to touch our Constitution?
They already attempted to make wiretapping American citizens legal retroactively, but it is still illegal according to our bill of rights so every one of them should be held accountable.
We need to focus on holding these assholes accountable for ALL of the laws they are already breaking.
[Removed]