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Forum Post: Et tu Bill Maher?

Posted 12 years ago on Feb. 4, 2012, 2:28 p.m. EST by TheMisfit (48)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

Real Time with Bill Maher, February 3rd, 2012:

"Let me ask you about another occupation, because this is - and you would be good on this too, panel -, the occupation, the Occupy Wall Street, because similar to Afghanistan, when you occupy anything for too long people do get pissed off. And as I watch them on the news now I find myself almost agreeing with Newt Gingrich. Like, you know what - get a job. Only because, you know, the people who originally started, I think they went home and now it's just these anarchist stragglers. And this is the problem when you, you know, when your movement involves sleeping over in the park. You wind up attracting the people who were sleeping over in the park anyway."

"And I think that's where we are now with the Occupy movement. They did a great job bringing the issue of income and equality to the fore, but now it's just a bunch of douchebags who think throwing a chair through the Starbucks window is going to bring on the revolution."

18 Comments

18 Comments


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[-] 3 points by beauzozx3 (3) 12 years ago

There are people down OSD (Occupy San Diego) that have nothing but the streets that can accept their current and past situation in life. Every time I go there I get asked by someone new and old to the streets if I have some work for them. Not asking for a handout but a job. I see there need, not only for money, but self-respect. Many of them with spirits that have been trampled and all that people with means can respond to these human beings is ridicule, blame and judgement. They, the homeless and unemployed, are the enemy. Don't cherry-pick on some peoples frustration and characterize a whole movement by their acts of frustration. I get frustrated Bill and have wanted to throw a chair or something like that, but have found peace within myself and became more powerful. If I get frustrated to a point of no return, it just might be you, Bill Maher, that I throw through a window.

[-] 2 points by chaparralian (2) 12 years ago

I can assure you, having been to New York and Washington DC, and having been one of the original folks who helped organize Occupy San Diego, a lot of the original and very talented Occupy people have indeed gone home. Why? Frustration over the endless bickering, hate speech, and verbal violence. We see it every day in San Diego. This is not a revolution I want to be part of. We need to confront this reality, not pretend it isn't happening.

[-] 2 points by 1169 (204) 12 years ago

I try not to watch MSM but it was interesting to see how the talk developed, and audiance applause a little hesitant, they are running scared when they have to use the D.B. word

[-] 1 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

1169: I agree with you. Bill Maher participated in a direct "throwing of insults" to a group of people - and not an individual. To "throw insults" at a group is to lump them all together. Had he singled out an individual, and one who was proven guilty of a crime, such as breaking windows, then his "insult" might be justified.

[-] 1 points by Skippy2 (485) 12 years ago

I've never watched his show. Just caught a few mins. while flipping channels. He's not funny and didn't seem especially bright. Just clever snarky comments. I kept flipping channels.

[-] 1 points by riethc (1149) 12 years ago

Why are you watching Bill Maher?

[-] 1 points by cJessgo (729) from Port Jervis, PA 12 years ago

Bill Mahar corporate whore

[-] 1 points by nodros (1) 12 years ago

Maher is clearly just saying that to get everyone to shut up so they'll start giving him money again. It's because he has no spine.

[-] 1 points by asauti (-113) from Port Orchard, WA 12 years ago

He (Maher) sure is making a lot of assumptions.

[-] 1 points by Underdog (2971) from Clermont, FL 12 years ago

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Much of what Maher discusses on his shows I can agree with, but not everything, because he is after all just one man. Remember too that although his topics of discussion can be serious, the presentation of those discussions is often couched in comedic commentary. This tends to downplay the serious nature of the topics. It is, after all, a television show that must have a certain level of comedic appeal in order to maintain ratings/market share. Were his format different, e.g. William F. Buckley's "Firing Line" (except Mahar is Liberal), the nature of the discussions might be taken more seriously rather than as comedy. He is also known primarily as an entertainer, not a serious commentator on world events.

[-] 1 points by OurTimes2011 (377) from Arlington, VA 12 years ago

Can't have those who were victimized by the system before 2007 join in this protest...24 empty houses for each homeless human being in the US.

Maher is a moron.

[-] 1 points by Nicolas (258) from Québec, QC 12 years ago

Meh. He only came around because it was the trendy thing to do in the first place, and because one of his guests put it in his face. Let's not imagine allies where there are entertainers. He fights certain fights from his heart, many of which I agree on, but this was never one of them.

[-] 0 points by mokkijo (0) 12 years ago

I like Bill Maher and I think I see his point BUT: he errs on one front---the original OWS people did NOT GO HOME-------they opened up the flood gates of change------why do you think there's a conversation at every level of society now---not by chance I am sure. OWS started that conversation and many (myself included) got off our duffs and are fighting real change There are alot of miscontents in our society to be sure but guess what? Just because they do not wear a suit and tie and have no work (or home) doesn't mean they are any less American or that their issues don't count or that they do not deserve to be angry at their disenfranchisment. So Bill, you only saw the smaller picture and you better open your eyes or else you may drift silently into the 1%.

[-] 1 points by brightonsage (4494) 12 years ago

There is a point there but the 99% contains, you know, almost 99% of the people. And, that is almost everybody, even those that Jay Leno asks the simple questions and they give simpleton answers.

That said, the boat has to stay big enough to contain, about say 99% of the people because we are all in the same boat, so to speak.

Doesn't take a genius to figure out that if everybody who is getting screwed by the 1% was actually mad about it as they should be, this whole thing would have have erupted and we would be looking for pieces to pick up.

Back to the issue, the movement in the UK has policy working groups, and I read a paper from one of them in the Financial Times (no, I am not in the 1%). Not only did I think it was a well written and convincing financial analysis, the FT folks agreed with me and was taking them really seriously. I said to myself, if we were doing that instead of insulting each other and responding to the Tea Party folks who are harassing us, we would actually be increasing our credibility and perhaps pulling some fence sitters over to our side. Do that enough, and you can quit worrying and responding to the guys hired with Koch brothers money to make us look bad.

Scanning the posts, the amount of e-ink we are wasting is a lot and it is counter productive. Battles between anarchists and big government social conservatives are wasting our powder (do you know how many gynecologists it will take to make sure everyone isn't using contraceptives?)

I think we should get constructively serious or kick back and watch some more Bill Maher videos. Anything else is just friction.

[-] 0 points by smartcapitalist (143) 12 years ago

Well said. Awesome

[-] 0 points by BlackSun (275) from Agua León, BC 12 years ago

There is some truth to what he is saying. And believe me when I say I am no fan of that egotistical asshole.

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[-] -2 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

Watch. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/02/04/bill_maher_tells_occupy_protesters_to_get_a_job.html

I would like to see the rest of that little conversation at the end but I cannot find it.