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Forum Post: STOP LISTING DEMANDS

Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 5, 2011, 1:40 p.m. EST by distortion (196)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

The opponents of this movement are using the demands posted in this forum as the official lists. And some of these lists regardless of how right or wrong are extreme points of view and will only hurt our cause by making us look like extremist nut jobs. You don't speak for everyone in this. Stop creating public demand lists, delete demands threads. Let the organizers and the law team working for them do this.

so thanks a lot, now this is how the opponents are viewing us http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/10/good-lord-the-occupy-wall-street-imbeciles-release-their-idiotic-demands-20-minimum-wage-and-across-the-board-debt-forgiveness-for-all/

59 Comments

59 Comments


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[-] 4 points by riethc (1149) 13 years ago

I disagree. I think we should be throwing more red herrings out there. Why not post some radical right-wing demands, just for some fun.

Anyone agree with a regressive tax? Or how about abolishing "state" education? lol

We can have a lot of fun with this.

[-] 1 points by thoreau42 (595) 13 years ago

NO! No abolishing state education! State education is turning out a whole bunch of brilliant geniuses! Just wait, they'll turn this country around!

[-] 1 points by LeanneC (62) from Fremont, CA 13 years ago

Regressive tax and abolishing public education?? Please be a little more obtuse, you haven't gone quite crazy enough, people might actually take you seriously. not laughing

[-] 1 points by riethc (1149) 13 years ago

Knowing the context makes for better comments.

[-] 1 points by iseeamuse (155) 13 years ago

This is not about "just for fun" this is the future of the human race in our hands.

[-] 1 points by LeanneC (62) from Fremont, CA 13 years ago

This is the future of the United States. Don't be so ignorant to think we control the entire world.

[-] 1 points by iseeamuse (155) 13 years ago

I personally believe this movement has much more potential. But that's up for all of us to decide together.

[-] 1 points by MMB117 (8) 13 years ago

thank you

[-] 1 points by readytogo (80) from Brooklyn, NY 13 years ago

: ) Good to have some comic relief. Thanks!

[-] 3 points by squaresphere (39) 13 years ago

Watching from afar, I've liked seeing/hearing that there are no official demands yet. I hope it stays this way. As soon as a list of official demands is given, the media will be able to pigeonhole the movement, CNN and Foxnews will get commentators to come in and scream at each other, Glenn Beck will get the chalkboard out from storage, some pretty lady on MSNBC will make some sarcastic remarks, and the attention will be focused elsewhere.

The fact that there are no clear demands scares the shit out of them more than someone saying "free college for all!" I'm at the extreme other end of the country, so I have no idea what it's like on the ground there, but I think there should be a concerted effort NOT to have any demands. Without demands, it's harder for the media to dismiss it.

It's like picking a fight with someone just by staring at them with no expression on your face: it freaks them out way more than if you come in swinging 'cause they don't know how to react, 'cause you're breaking the rules of the game that say "I make a move first and you respond." Maybe, in addition to non-violence, the movement should be about non-movement... a non-movement movement... non-compliance in a totally different way, by not even playing the normal game of making demands and engaging the media in something they obviously won't approach free of bias.

I don't see this movement as just rallying for a few of the same tired old causes. I see this as something that, while it initially might have no obvious effects, seeps into the public consciousness and spurs much more action down the line, and I don't think you start a deep movement like that by listing a bunch of demands. The fact that you're occupying Wall Street should alone be clear enough to get the people who get it more involved.

[-] 1 points by LeanneC (62) from Fremont, CA 13 years ago

Without demands, it's easier for the "other side" (still part of the 99%, however) to look at you like crazy nutjobs who don't know what they're protesting against. Find a cause and stand behind it so that I can decide if I'm with you or not.

[-] 1 points by squaresphere (39) 13 years ago

It's one of those things where they say, "If you have to ask what this about, you'll never get it." Should be pretty clear by now what the movement's about, so if you're still asking...

[-] 1 points by LeanneC (62) from Fremont, CA 13 years ago

If I'm still asking, it's because you guys are going in 100 different directions. If you're going to disclude someone from your little "club" because they don't have the secret password, then you should just start calling yourselves the 1%, because that's all you are.

[-] 1 points by squaresphere (39) 13 years ago

True, it could just be that things are going in too many different directions for any sane person to keep up with. However, it could also be that something about the movement irks you for some reason and you're just here to justify your opinion that all the people are nutjobs so everything in your life can continue making sense and you won't have to probe any deeper into yourself to find the root cause of your confusion. If it's the latter, then honestly, I don't blame you, because who among the 99% (which is most likely you) has time these days for critical self analysis while raising a family amidst rising health care costs, foreclosures, mass unemployment and underemployment, failing infrastructure and social safety nets, rising gasoline, food and utility costs, lack of safety regulations in food and children's toys, a tumultuous stock market, etc.

[-] 1 points by skizzy (445) 13 years ago

You got it ! kinda . keep watching . keep participating . You like what you have witnessed so far ! You haven't seen anything yet !

[-] 3 points by powertothepeople (1264) 13 years ago

EXACTLY! There should be a clear message posted somewhere on this site regarding this and a link to the only actual "demands" that were being seriously discussed by the movement.

Many of the people posting here have not even been down to a demonstration yet.

[-] 1 points by flynnski (13) from Newark, NJ 13 years ago

I demand a voice. Fire the politicians. Jjail the bankers. Free the people. Stop the wars.

[-] 1 points by capitalistpigrunningdog (3) 13 years ago

What if the bankers fight back from being jailed. Then you have a war. Now what?

[-] 3 points by marsdefIAnCe (365) 13 years ago

We need to focus on the real enemy, the privately owned Federal Reserve.

[-] 1 points by flynnski (13) from Newark, NJ 13 years ago

End the IMF. End the Fed. End the IRS. End the CIA. End the FBI. Fire Obama and his friends at GE. Fire the ATF. Break open the borders.

[-] 1 points by Febs (824) from Plymouth Meeting, PA 13 years ago

Not a big fan of alphabet soup agencies either.

[-] 2 points by MCMURTREY (4) 13 years ago

WE NEED MORE SPONSORS!!! http://i54.tinypic.com/xe2a8m.jpg

[-] 2 points by dantes44 (431) from Alexandria, VA 13 years ago

So no free gummi bears on Tuesdays then. :-(

But you're right.

[-] 1 points by FreeFromPoliticalLabels (11) 13 years ago

Cant someone delete them? Fox Spews is encouraging the hatred, you need a webmaster here. Even Freedom has to be carefully minded at times.

[-] 1 points by reaganite (100) 13 years ago

Gee, if you were a democratic republic, you could speak in a unified voice after reasoned debate.

[-] 1 points by imrational (527) 13 years ago

We need to list demands because if we really want to represent 99% of the populace, we need to discuss and debate what/how people want to reform the system.

Some media is going to misrepresent things because it is in their best interest to do so. We can't help that. What we can help is debating these things so we can educate ourselves and make our demands more realistic and achievable... thereby making it more likely to succeed.

[-] 1 points by capitalistpigrunningdog (3) 13 years ago

That's RIGHT. Heaven forfend that you have a POINT! Just using CAPS LOCKS a LOT will show those capitalist hate mongers that we can't just be PIGEONHOLED into things like JOBS and being responsible for $200k of debt for a USELESS LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE.

This was posted by the 1% who is paying their way out of pocket at a community college so that I can become a HS English teacher. Also a capitalist pig running dog that works full time and pays for all of their own stuff, except when helping pay for their families stuff who aren't as well off (read as : Make less than my richy rich rich 30k a year), because of my heathen Christian beliefs about charity.

[-] 1 points by Shule (2638) 13 years ago

Stop listing demands is a demand.

[-] 1 points by LeanneC (62) from Fremont, CA 13 years ago

There's a law team working on this? Oh, lord... where did that thread about the tea party vs the occupy group go?

[-] 1 points by steve005 (256) from Cincinnati, OH 13 years ago

Then this should be our messege; End the System!

[-] 1 points by Octangle (17) 13 years ago

Everyone has a right to express their views on this forum. When you start a movement that describes itself as "leaderless" and say that your demands will be decided by ongoing discussion, then that means that people will, and should, express their ideas here and elsewhere

[-] 1 points by LaoTzu (169) 13 years ago

Our Diversity is our Strength.

[-] 1 points by fraser (35) 13 years ago

Wait until you have recieved the Parties Commitee Approved Talking Points before you open your mouths Comrades. The organizers are in control, the law team is in control. You don't have a voice, you are not to be listened to. Distortion has spoken.

[-] 1 points by Reigne (175) 13 years ago

Since you posted this, I've seen 3 more posts of demands - ugh! No Demands - File charges of the Crimes that have been committed.

[-] 1 points by Reigne (175) 13 years ago

Hmm, maybe that should be a demand! LOL

[-] 1 points by distortion (196) 13 years ago

LOL - this is quickly taking a turn as a platform for people to push personal and political beliefs, the second that happens it's all over

[-] 1 points by Reigne (175) 13 years ago

I agree. I seriously thinking of NOT occupying local city and Occupying Congress instead - They have allowed the FRB to operate instead of fulfilling their DUTY to coin money, and they created all the regulations etc that do not adhere to the constitution.

[-] 1 points by distortion (196) 13 years ago

I think thats where the problem lies, as long as congress is in the pockets of the wealthy few they'll continue to push for their agenda which in most cases screws the rest of us. We should be on the steps of congress, thats where our problem is.

[-] 1 points by distortion (196) 13 years ago

but train ride from nyc to dc really is a B**

[-] 1 points by Reigne (175) 13 years ago

The govt public servants continually attempting to infringe upon my Rights is a B The govt public servants continually not abiding by their Oath is a B

I would think the train ride would be a breeze after that! <3

[-] 1 points by Reigne (175) 13 years ago

When I saw the "demands" I wondered who was being held hostage...

Instead of creating a list of demands, create a List of Crimes & by Who, then we can charge them with the crimes in a Trial by Jury.

[-] 2 points by Reigne (175) 13 years ago

Crime: Treason Who: All Congress members for not abiding by their Oath How: They are not fulfilling their duty to coin our money.

Get the idea?

[-] 1 points by ConcernedPhDstudents (3) 13 years ago

This blogger is clearly trying to delegitimize the movement and found "lists" of demands that were very big, polarizing and unachievable. Sure, these kind of lists exist, but I don't think the problem is listing "demands" (although I do think we should not phrase our concerns and desires as "demands" but as a set of unifying "goals").

In short, I think the problem, in this case, is unfair blogging and someone who clearly, for whatever reason, wants to paint an unfair picture of the protest movement.

Having concrete lists and goals for any protest movement is essential if change is desired. This doesn't mean each participating group couldn't have their own unique set, but each individual should be able to articulate his or her own list of concrete changes that can be made to improve the American economic and political system. Because that's what we're talking about here.

[-] 1 points by distortion (196) 13 years ago

it was on fox news...

[-] 1 points by dreadsPoverty (93) from Mankato, MN 13 years ago

No doubt the playback was all Fox News. They love belittling people.

[-] 1 points by MikeLobo (67) 13 years ago

I agree the demand are being used against the cause. The media doesn't care if it is just some guys opinon they will say he is supreme commander if they want and the un-informed masses will believe. We do need to look into taking this the the federal reserve and it's branches to continue this movement.

[-] 1 points by Idaltu (662) 13 years ago

The only thing that will make this movement fail is when it becomes over-run with people looking for fun. STOP MAKING DEMANDS!

[-] 1 points by flynnski (13) from Newark, NJ 13 years ago

Is that a demand? Don't tell me what to do. I have a voice. You are not my voice

[-] 1 points by Idaltu (662) 13 years ago

Hey I grew up in Newark! And that was a demanding way to grow up on South 6th Street. LOL

[-] 1 points by distortion (196) 13 years ago

I agree there needs to be demands too, but not by random people in this forum when it's not representing the cause and it's being used against the cause

[-] 1 points by flynnski (13) from Newark, NJ 13 years ago

Are you proposing to silence my voice? Your are just as bad as the government.

[-] 1 points by riethc (1149) 13 years ago

Aw, I was about to post my "RIGHT"-wing demands.

[-] 0 points by flynnski (13) from Newark, NJ 13 years ago

I demand the banks be closed and all the bankers, all the way down to the tellers, be jailed.

[-] 1 points by capitalistpigrunningdog (3) 13 years ago

So a mom with two kids and a husband about to run out of unemployment should be jailed? I'd say you're an idiot but you already did that for me.