Forum Post: Should baby boomers and older people bail out of OWS?
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 7, 2011, 10:07 a.m. EST by karenpoore
(902)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Statement I just read on one of the the threads from:
MikeyD (Alameda, CA) 1 points 16 minutes ago
Fuck those elderly people. They are not part of the 99%. Thatll teach them to hang with Tea Party racists and fascists.
My reply was: Excuse me, but a large part of the 99% are older! Idiots like this are ruining OWS!!!!!
From a 64 year old that was very excited about OWS ...
MikeyD shouldn't be taken seriously when he posts that kind of shit; he seems to alternate between articulate yet off-base and flat-out trolling. The post you saw was the latter, and even if he were being serious MikeyD does not represent the vast majority of the people you'll encounter here.
Mikey D doesn't speak for anyone other than Mikey D...if you go through postings you will see replies from Mikey D that are at times rude, nonsensical, and just plain aggressive.
I am sorry, but someone is going to have to start weeding out these idiots or OWS will never get 100% support of the 99%. I have spent enough time on here today. Peace
Go to the multitude. That foolishness isn't tolerated there. It is a serious forum.
There's nothing wrong with dissent, but his statement on its face eliminates him from being seriously regarded. Don't even give him a second thought. If he's all that OWS has, then it's over. Actually his foolishness might just occupy trolls.
Yes, this site actively discourages support for the movement. When people come here, they're confronted with the most crazy and debased ideas because the most extreme viewpoints tend to be expressed most loudly. And any disagreement is met with rude, ad-hominem attacks from at least somebody, even when there are well-reasoned responses. This site has the effect of amplifying the most counter-productive voices and drowning out the most reasonable ones. I've seen an unbelievable number of people come to this site to see what the movement was all about and then give up and leave in disappointment or disgust. This site almost seems like something that opponents of the movement would create, specifically to discredit the movement. Either that, or the idea of a horizontal, direct democracy, with no structure and no leadership, will naturally lead to something as chaotic and unproductive as this site. That's a sad but very real possibility.
An open forum, means just that, open...sadly in such a forum it is not possible nor desirable to keep dissenting opinions out, even when those opinions are rude and disruptive.
However, individuals have the option to ignore such opinions and statements thus taking much of the 'power' to disrupt away.
It would be nice if there was an ignore button so we could block out the distasteful posts. This forum reminds me of the old yahoo message boards that were tied to news releases; they became a cesspool of hate, threats and perverted innuendo until yahoo pulled the plug.
Yes, an ignore button would be nice, but since we don't have one, we're going to have to develop 'thicker skins'.
I just find it said that this forum presents an opportunity for real dialogue and it's not happening often enough.
The message is being lost - thick skin won't help that matter.
Then it's up to us to keep it in the light.
We sit in front of monitors, typing and reading, some of us in the comfort of our homes (I'm guilty of that) while others are braving the discomforts of cold, sleeping on the ground etc.
Those of us who give up will have already lost...
A small note. The message is more easily 'digested' when taken in small bites. The attention span of some is too short to take it all in at once.
This is your answer
http://occupywallst.org/forum/themultitudeorg/
Check this out.
You have to look at people who are posting, many come here to post nonsense, and denigrate anything good or wise. "MikeyD" is one of these. Ignore stupid comments, they are intended to scare people away from this movement. There is a culture war going on here, you must use critical reading/thinking of everything to keep on top of it.
It's a media war, and the first casualty of any war is the truth.
Continue with the using of the MSM and the internet to present the truth, as it is in reality. Do that enough times, and it will be the truth in the minds of the 99 %.
The 1% know that if you tell a lie enough times, it becomes the truth.
Beat them at their own game. Without the lies.
It will cost money, and time, but both will be well spent in the end game.
This movement needs to represent all disenfranchised, young and old. It is the only way to keep it alive. Could you imagine how scary it is for a 65 year old today with soaring health care, no jobs for seniors and a housing market that is in the dumps. Their own children can't take them in because their children's children are still living home because they can't afford to leave-big trend. Many of these people have lost money in their retirement accounts too. I don't feel that most people on these threads actually feel the way that poster did but the many that are 1% are of a certain age bracket. That person just needs to remember that not all people of that age are in the 1%- 1% is a very low number.
It is hard enough realizing one is growing old, being screwed by their own country and all of the above without reading such comments as above from ignorant idiots! From a 64 year old who probably will not be back! Good luck to you all ...
That guy's not so swift. There's a lot of sabateurs on this site - so don't take it seriously. You are still the backbone of this nation.
This is what curious people about OWS are reading though!
I know - I can't believe how this forum has been overrun. There's always going to be knuckleheads in every group, but there seems to be an overabundance on this forum.
It's pretty easy to register several screen names and comment from each one, multiple browsers facilitate such actions. Copy and paste are also quick and easy, a few 'pithy' remarks in word pad and good to go.
Rather than assume an over abundance of 'knuckleheads', assume a few that are very prolific.
Indeed. There is definately an organized campaign going on to discredit the movement in every possible way.
When a protestor says the right thing (to Fox news) OWS puts them in the light of the Gods. When a protestor acts irrationally (the rest of the time) they blame it on planted cells set on destruction of OWS.