Forum Post: I've been on the OWS fence, but am about to jump off.
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 22, 2011, 10:24 a.m. EST by paradiggum
(3)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
I'm writing this post as a lurker who decided to join to share my thoughts. I think the banking system, "headquartered on Wall Street", is at the heart of America's cancer. I've though this for years. So, when the OWS protests started, I paid a lot of attention.
Whenever OWS gets smeared by someone on the right, I defend them by reminding them the same exact smears happened to the tea party. It started off as a protest against the banker bailouts, and immediately the protesters were smeared as racists. I defended the tea party then against the "racism" smears just like I defend the OWS now against the "dirty hippie" smears.
But if this movement is going to automatically change Ron Lawl's name to "Ron Lawl" as an insult, then clearly this is not the movement for me. I've been defending OWS with my family and online both. But how can I now if the admins of this site are going to attack the only GOP guy working in our favor?
If OWS leaders wish to reduce their movement to name-calling, then that makes possibly worse than the misguided tea party movement who did not welcome the smearing of others.
Like Ron Lawl, I'm sick of the wealthy elite getting all of our money the the debt enslavement system. If talking about Ron Lawl is to be banned, then talking about OWS user agnosticnixie should also be banned because they are both focusing on the same issues.
Ron Lawl is as a person (more than just a politician believe it or not) fighting for the interests of OWS, and the administrators consider that spam?
P-a-u-l (not Laul or some infantile insult) is the ONLY guy in the GOP with positive things to say about OWS. And he has never insulted OWS like Grinch and the other GOP freaks. Ron Lawl, like myself, both see OWS as "good but risky".
So in summary, this latest policy of slander is a pretty big blow against the OWS movement and if they're going to paint the only guy with right-wing media attention putting the spotlight on OUR issues as some laughable matter, then forget it. Would they do the same thing to Kucinich? This is an embarrassment? If Kucinich supporters get too enthusiastic will they change his last name to Kookyinch as another infantile insult?
Clearly, the lines are being drawn in the sand, and anyone who leans right or leans libertarian, is starting to be UNWELCOME at OWS events and websites. Are we the 99% or are we the 50% of left-leaner? If thats the way it is, then I'm out and I can't defend this any more because i'm in the dead center leaving me on the fringe of the 50%.
With the slander of Ron Lawl being an official position, I'm considering to stop defending OWS. If OWS wants to ban discussion of anyone in office or running for president, that is bad censorship policy but not particularly offensive. But, the official smearing of Paul ends now or I end my support of OWS. Either you are the 99% or you are the 50%. Choose one.
As I've commented at http://occupywallst.org/forum/ron-paul-mic-checked-in-keene-nh-just-20-minutes-a/#comment-405662 there are many ways to circumvent this and make "Rоn Раul" appear. I think people are getting tired of this particular joke and doing just that. I don't know exactly who decided to do this, but it was the wrong choice. It demonstrates the degree to which the obscure control offered by computer software can be corrupting and divisive even with good-intentioned people on the smallest and most trivial matters --- one can only imagine what attitudes felons working at Diebold on proprietary voting software must develop.
Then again, as the original comment in that forum thread demonstrates, there is a lot of anti-Paul hostility that should be deconstructed. There's something pathological going on when Paul decides that because he's the sanest of the Republicans (which is unarguable) he'll try to engage Occupy supporters, and the response is for people to single him out for special abuse. Yeah, there are cogent objections to his beliefs but compared to some of the loop-dee-loops from candidates who won't accept evolution or climate change and spend their time selling tax cuts that substantially increase the middle class tax bill...
If you have been watching this site for a while, it should be obvious why there is disdain for Paul...he is in the Republican Party and this is a liberal movement now.
Disdaining Paul is fine. Smearing him as an official policy, NOT FINE.
edit- You can go to Ron P-a-u-l forums and see that Cain is the most hated candidate there because he worked for the big banks. But you don't see that admins encouraging ad-hominem attacks on him. In fact a lot of the senior members discourage that!
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This was done not as an insult or to belittle Mr. Paul, but rather because there was a group of person spamming his name into every thread whether or not it was relevant.
This forum is hard enough to navigate as it is, let alone with the constant barrage of the name of one campaigning candidate for nomination.
I see both pro and con on other candidates and the current sitting President (see I managed to avoid his name) and usually those comments are relevant to the topic.
This forum is not a campaign platform, it is a place we've come together to discuss OWS, pros and cons and at times put forth information and opinions.
Please don't blame those of us who would rather stay on topic without the distraction of one name being repeated over and over, rather blame those who seem to believe spamming is a valid campaign tool.
Pretty much my sentiments exactly..Good post and well said. And when you look at the forum rules not only does it say no conspiracy theories it actually names Alex Jones and david icke as not to be spammed...They are the backbone of alternative media ffs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z9WVZddH9w
I haven't heard anything of this development, and don't personally support the tactic. Are you certain it is not merely a small subgroup that is making noise? We are bound to have people flying the OWS banner and saying or doing things other OWSers don't agree with, such is the nature of a democracy. We really need you in order to reach decisions that will resonate with the true American majority.
My opinion of Ron 'Paul', is that he is among the best politicians of the bunch, and he deserves respect for that, but he should not be the highest standard we can hope for.
Edit: I see what you mean now, that is vexing. I defer to mserfas; this is the will of one person with the code, not representative of everyone.