Forum Post: I need straight, true facts.
Posted 12 years ago on Dec. 10, 2011, 3:16 p.m. EST by TheStudent
(3)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Hello, I'm simply TheStudent. I am making a report on Non-Violent Protests, and the Occupy Movement is a key factor. I thought of wikipedia, youtube, news reports, but I realized they are all opinionated and, worst of all, sideway sources. I need the information straight from the protestors, the organizers.
Hi. I am surprised that Wikipedia is opinionated. It shouldn't be. You can always change it, if it is - and you should.
The concept of the Occupy Movement worldwide, and it is a worldwide movement is non violence. In general, protestors have kept to this whenever they have been met with force from, say, the police. The reaction of authorities seems to varying from country to country. In the US and Australia, for example, the police have come down quite hard. Here in the UK, the authorities have been quite friendly towards the protestors. When you mention organizers, we don't really have such people. That indicates leaders, and we are leaderless. People take on tasks. One may run a meeting, and then clean the toilets later. Another may put up notices and then liaise with local business people.
In general, I think you should keep doing your own reseach. The article Occupy Movement on wikipedia is OK. It will point you to other articles. If you see something you think is opinionated, then bypass that bit. There will be other good stuff there too. :)
There are some aspects of Wikipedia that are not allowed to change, or if a change is desired or warranted, it might be quite a grueling process
I have found that on Wikipedia, you may get into what they call an "edit war" with someone. If what you say is reasonable, then you can always win. Initially the person that puts up the statement wins. The other person can revert you. You can then revert back. You can only revert twice - or revert back twice. That means that if the person reverts you are third time he/she is banned for a short period. In the long term, you can go away for a couple of weeks, and come back, and put your change in. Of course, if your changes are biased, people will know this, and many people may revert you. If you think your edits are neutral and truthful, then they will nearly always stand. That is what I have found as a regular Wikipedia editor since 2004. If find the articles in general neutral and very good.
Wikipedia is made by humans, humans have opinion. hello
Wanna learn about what's going on, and just arriving here, then start reading the posts, educate yourself, decide for yourself what makes sense and what doesn't. think for yourself
This isn't really a question, but has anyone tried going to the local police or government institution, and tried meeting with them instead of saying they want a meeting with all the protestors around them? I think if maybe you met on their terms, they might meet them?
And if there any accounts of this happening? If anyone has tried this yet, and can verify that, it would help my report. Prove a point. You know? But all this information is really good, I think I'm really gonna do good with it.
And it's not so much wikipedia is opinionated...just my teacher won't allow Wikipedia.
Here are a few links that will help you immensely:
http://occupywallst.org/forum/im-here-to-listen-what-is-it-you-want-to-be-heard/
Check out what heaps of randoms have said in that link.
http://www.occupytogether.org/discuss/#/discussions
There is much more organisation here, with search functions as well, so as to be able to track down any particular points of interest.
Then...
http://www.nycga.net/
That is a link to the new york general assembly, for that 'ground level' info, there are many, so I'm not sure which particular GA you want, or which is closer to your area so....
http://occupywallst.org/forum/something-that-you-can-do-right-now-from-where-you/
There is a list of heaps of different GA's all over the world, and lastly...
http://tinyurl.com/7rvpv43
That link will take you to material, to train to be a non-violent activist. Much resources there for you to enjoy.....! Have fun with that!
This is great stuff, sorry about these short responses, there are some technical difficulties. Is there anyone at a protest that can tell me about the conditions? Attempts at going to the people you are protesting with? Police response and communications? First Point Source, what are the protests like?
Well you might get more responses if you formulate a question and ask it. Is there something specific you would like to know about the OWS movement or about non violence action? most here are more than willing to share their opinions and real life experiences. What do you want to know?
Adding on to what ModestCapitalist posted below, the conditions that led to the current situation weren't all that different from the ones that created the crash now. Then like now you had a lot of dying industry with no newcomers in a position to take up the slack when things went bad, and you also had and incredible asset bubble that popped.
The ugly truth. America's wealth is STILL being concentrated. When the rich get too rich, the poor get poorer. These latest figures prove it. AGAIN.
According to the Social Security Administration, 50 percent of U.S. workers made less than $26,364 in 2010. In addition, those making less than $200,000, or 99 percent of Americans (actually more like 98%), saw their earnings fall by $4.5 billion collectively.
The sobering numbers were a far cry from what was going on for the richest one percent of Americans.
The incomes of the top one percent of the wage scale in the U.S. rose in 2010; and their collective wage earnings jumped by $120 billion. In addition, those earning at least $1 million a year in wages, which is roughly 93,000 Americans, reported payroll income jumped 22 percent from 2009. Overall, the economy has shed 5.2 million jobs since the start of the Great Recession in 2007. It’s the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression in the 1930’s.
Another word about the first Great Depression. It really was a perfect storm. Caused almost entirely by greed. First, there was unprecedented economic growth. There was a massive building spree. There was a growing sense of optimism and materialism. There was a growing obsession for celebrities. The American people became spoiled, foolish, naive, brainwashed, and love-sick. They were bombarded with ads for one product or service after another. Encouraged to spend all of their money as if it were going out of style. Obscene profits were hoarded at the top. In 1928, the rich were already way ahead. Still, they were given huge tax breaks. All of this represented a MASSIVE transfer of wealth from poor to rich. Executives, entrepreneurs, developers, celebrities, and share holders. By 1929, America's wealthiest 1 percent had accumulated 44 percent of all United States wealth. The upper, middle, and lower classes were left to share the rest. When the lower majority finally ran low on money to spend, profits declined and the stock market crashed.
Of course, the rich threw a fit and started cutting jobs. They would stop at nothing to maintain their disgusting profit margins and ill-gotten obscene levels of wealth as long as possible. The small business owners did what they felt necessary to survive. They cut more jobs. The losses were felt primarily by the little guy. This created a domino effect. The middle class shrunk drastically and the lower class expanded. With less wealth in reserve and active circulation, banks failed by the hundreds. More jobs were cut. Unemployment reached 25% in 1933. The worst year of the Great Depression. Those who were employed had to settle for much lower wages. Millions went cold and hungry. The recovery involved a massive infusion of new currency, a World War, and higher taxes on the rich. With so many men in the service, so many women on the production line, and those higher taxes to help pay for it, some US wealth was gradually transferred back down to the majority. This redistribution of wealth continued until the mid seventies. By 1976, the richest 1 percent held less than 20 percent. The lower majority held the rest. This was the recovery. A partial redistribution of wealth.
Then it began to concentrate all over again. Here we are 35 years later. The richest one percent now own over 40 percent of all US wealth. The upper, middle, and lower classes are sharing the rest. This is true even after taxes, welfare, financial aid, and charity. It is the underlying cause. No redistribution. No recovery.
The government won't step in and do what's necessary. Not this time. It's up to us. Support small business more and big business less. Support the little guy more and the big guy less. It's tricky but not impossible.
For the good of society, stop giving so much of your money to rich people. Stop concentrating the wealth. This may be our last chance to prevent the worst economic depression in world history. No redistribution. No recovery.
Those of you who agree on these major issues are welcome to summarize this post, copy it, link to it, save it, show a friend, or spread the word in any fashion. Most major cities have daily call-in talk radio shows. You can reach thousands of people at once. They should know the ugly truth. Be sure to quote the figures which prove that America's wealth is still being concentrated. I don't care who takes the credit. We are up against a tiny but very powerful minority who have more influence on the masses than any other group in history. They have the means to reach millions at once with outrageous political and commercial propaganda. Those of us who speak the ugly truth must work incredibly hard just to be heard.
WooHoo bring it on.
The only info you need...is these people need to get jobs and go back to work. The best way to beat wall street is work your butt off and beat them at their own game. Become the ceo of Wells Fargo, or BofA and turn down the bonus that they get. I highly doubt that you will! You say so now, but when 50 million is in front of your face you will take it everytime. Whats next? Occupy the NFL, NBA, and NHL? Then what?