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Forum Post: We Need A Movement To Get Money Out Of The Mainstream Media

Posted 11 years ago on Dec. 15, 2012, 1:28 p.m. EST by KevinPotts (368)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

We Need A Movement To Get Money Out Of The Mainstream Media

One of the main purposes of protesting and visible Occupy Movements with activists in the streets is to gain the attention of the media and to reshape the national dialogue on important issues that are being ignored. But why should it take thousands of people in the streets getting abused and arrested by police to accomplish such a task? Why is such a task even a task at all in the first place? Aside from the fact that #OWS was on its way to becoming an unstoppable force for good and for social change and would have already been way more successful at that if the peaceful protesting and the Occupations had been allowed to happen and flourish as they should in a free society, without being shut down as they were by police brutality, crackdowns and mass-arrests. Not to say that the Movement is dead by any means, it is still very much alive. But imagine how much more progress we would have made by now had it not been suppressed? -and if the growing Occupations had not been shut down? Imagine where we would be if Our Freedom of Speech and The People’s Right To Peaceful Assembly were not treated as a crime?

Again, one of the main purposes of protesting and Occupying is to gain the attention of the media on important issues. But the truth is, it shouldn’t take thousands of peaceful activists in the streets getting beat up and pepper-sprayed in the face and arrested if the mainstream media was concerned with informing the public on the important issues in the first place. If the mainstream media was concerned with these important issues concerning social justice and the exposing of corruption -If The Mainstream Media Did It’s Job instead of carrying out its corporate-owned agenda of distraction and confusion (same goes for politicians) -then we wouldn’t need to be protesting and getting beat up and pepper-sprayed and arrested for it. Getting Money Out of Politics, ending unjustifiable wars and war profiteering, ending corporate personhood and breaking up the too-big-to-fail banks are very important root-of-the problem-evils that need to be remedied. But in order for any of that to happen, an even more important and paramount Root-of-The Problem-Evil needs to be remedied first and that is the issue of The-Corporate-Owned-Mainstream-Media-Complex. We Need A Movement to Get Money Out Of The Mainstream Media. We Need A Media With Integrity, A Media That Is Motivated By Social Justice And A Media That Serves The Best Interests of THE PEOPLE instead of what we currently have, which is a circus of talking heads, owned and manipulated by Money, distracting the public from the real issues and propagating the status quo. I truly believe this is The Key to Waking This Country Up and to Accomplishing Everything Else Paramount That Needs To Be Accomplished. And WE THE PEOPLE Should Not Rest Until We Obtain It.

-Kevin Potts

56 Comments

56 Comments


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[-] 6 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

"We Need to Make a Ruckus": Robert Reich Hails Occupy for Exposing Concentration of Wealth and Power

In his new book, "Beyond Outrage," former Labor Secretary Robert Reich opens with a dedication to the Occupy Wall Street movement. He writes: "To the Occupiers, and all others committed to taking back our economy and our democracy." We speak to Reich about the success of Occupy in reshaping the national dialogue on the economy and why strong grassroots movements are needed to push elected leaders in Washington to enact a progressive agenda. Reich also discusses why austerity is not the answer to the economic crisis at home or in Europe. [includes rush transcript]

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/5/8/we_need_to_make_a_ruckus

[-] 5 points by TwinkleMe (29) 11 years ago

Let's start up Fawkes News channel.

[-] 2 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

At least we do have a growing number of Independent online Media outlets, such as DemocracyNow.org, and more and more people are turning to such online sources for their news. But the majority of Americans still remain hypnotized, brainwashed and propagandized everyday by The Mass-Media-Lamestream-Money-Owned-Propoganda-Indoctrination-Machine, which is still thought of and blindly accepted by most people as “The Official News“. And its this mind-controlling, hypnotic power-over-the-minds-of-the-masses that must be stopped, The People must be Unplugged from this Machine in order for any type of Mass-Awakening to really happen (on the scale that it needs to happen).

Truth imbedded in fiction:

"THEY LIVE"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXFR4WiEpZ8

[-] 0 points by bensdad (8977) 11 years ago

I am not an expert on English history, but I believe GF plotted to murder the protestant king by blowing up parliament - killing hundreds of people - in order to restore a catholic monarchy.
Other than the movie, the reality of this man does not seem to spell "hero"


ALL MSM is not the same
simple minded people condemn a group because it is easy

[-] 2 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

You say, “ALL MSM is not the same”

But ALL MSM is Corporate-Owned and ran/manipulated by corporate shills who's agenda is to keep America blind, distracted, confused and stupid. You’re right though, Half of the MSM represents the Corporate-Owned Right and the other Half represents the Corporate-Owned Fake “Left”. What’s your point? :-)

[-] 0 points by bensdad (8977) 11 years ago

All MSM is controlled by people - get rid of them all!
global warming is God's eraser - so he can start over

GF may be a marvelous movie hero - but the real GF was a milatristic releigios zealot who planned to murder hundreds.
I find it sad that OWS chose a fictional hero named after a monster

[-] 5 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

Network - We're In a Lot of Trouble http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFvT_qEZJf8

Beware: The delusional media attacks the population through illusions.

[-] 4 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

The award winning film Manufacturing Consent does a wonderful job exposing this. If you haven't seen it, be sure to check it out.

[-] 2 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

Manufacturing Consent - Noam Chomsky and the Media http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AnB8MuQ6DU

Top Comments:

"Noam Chomsky is one of the most intelligent and compassionate human beings in the world. His work has opened my eyes. It kills me to see how hard he's had to work and fight against this corruption, deceit and lies all in the name of power/wealth.

I'd like to live in a world where all people were more considerate, thoughtful, patient and well educated.

And if there's anything worth dedicating one's life to, I believe it's making that vision of the world a reality in whatever small way you can." -pcgamer010

"Incredible film. Noam Chomsky is my hero. Free speech is not a beautified lie to make you feel 'proud'; free speech is a tool to check your integrity and decency when you're leading a nation. If people cannot approach and question a leadership issue from all possible dimensions (and only from a limited and dictated angle) then people are not free to speak, they're not free even to think; they're only robot-workers with closed mouth fearful of losing their wages if they practice their freedom." -CosmicCaprice

"What you said exactly happened to me. But he's a threat to the existing polical system for more than fifty decades and that's why you need to look closely and find the intellectual outcome of Chomsky for yourself, as long as there is a free and searchable internet. The mass media propaganda won't let you know about Chomsky. Ask the average guy next door, if he knows Chomsky - he wouldn't. Ask yourself: why this?!" -Fred Thiele

[-] 3 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

That film really is an eye-opener :). Powerful stuff.

[-] 4 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

Fantastic clip. Wow. Kind of gives you shivers. My hope is that the Internet will bring us back out of this spell to reality. In some ways is has and there is great promise on this front in the future. More on that at this link: http://occupywallst.org/forum/we-dont-see-the-power-we-have-in-our-hands-to-tran/

The film Good Night an Good Luck showing the struggles and triumphs of Edward R Murrow is pretty magnificent. His short speech is just splendid at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cfwsfGqgPM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[-] 1 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

Rising, thanks for your comments and clips. Here's another one for ya -George Carlin nailed it to the wall years before the Movement ever happened:

George Carlin -"Who Really Controls America" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYIC0eZYEtI

George Carlin on American Foreign Policy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDw-zFFhFgc

[-] 3 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

Cool. Will check those out. Love carlin! Thanks :)

[-] 4 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

Mainstream news for the sake of informing people and not for the sake of being the most profitable and "politically correct" news?

THAT WOULD BE INCREDIBLE

[-] 4 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

Good night and good luck

[-] 4 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

Mind Control (Part 1): Mass Media http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc8w31eMWSM

The series is devided into 10 parts and is created to unveil the hidden policies of media and mind controling and it contains some extremely important information.

It is time for you to Wake Up and understand what is going on in the world.

[-] 3 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

Comedian Lee Camp: Fox News a 'festival of ignorance' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srHpjDL6-ZM

[-] 2 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

"15 Crucial Facts NEVER Heard On The Mainstream Media" - MOC #141 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGgcKQ8XlpY

[-] 3 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

"Where Do YOU Get Your News?" - MOC #173 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJBE5qlWqyI

[-] 3 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

Or a movement to go FCC ALL OVER THEIR ASSES. Down with blatant lies aired as truth - such as a bright future through fracking. That one alone should pull some serious penitentiary time.

[-] 3 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

Americans Chained by Illusion | Brainwash Update "Abby Martin takes a look back at philosopher Plato's the 'Allegory of the Cave' and its application to today's society." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLCwOeBQvK4

[-] 3 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago
[-] 1 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

Join the Media Revolution: Unplug the MSM | Call to Action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7juFjHw4S0

[-] 2 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

"The media, as with most things, will always be controlled by money. It takes money to have a media so those with the money to have one are naturally going to control it. That can never change." -LeoYo

Bullshit. Would you also say that about Capitalism? And Money in Politics? I'm talking about it being Ruled BY Money. I'm talking about it being controled by The Profit Motive, Advertising and Corrupt/Corporate Agendas. That can never change? Says who? you? lol

What about The Monetary System Itself? Would you also claim that can never change? Money must always rule the world? http://www.zeitgeistminneapolis.com/money

[-] 2 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

by richardkentgates

http://occupywallst.org/forum/i-used-to-like-msnbc/

Forum Post: I used to like MSNBC

"But I know when I turn on the TV in the morning, Hayes will be touting gun control as the end all be all over mass shooting, followed by whats-her-name doing a different version of the same. The criminality of our culture and the theft of the working class's wealth by the Fed will still go ignored. All while they name-drop Occupy a few times for ratings. Then, tomorrow afternoon, the forum will be filled with everything from those two morning shows. What a useless bunch of jackasses."

[-] 2 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

Media Consolidation? No, No, There’s No Media Consolidation Here… http://other98.com/media-consolidation-no-no-theres-no-media-consolidation-here/#sthash.scUHmavX.dpuf

[-] 2 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

CNN Ticker HACKED with Truth During Missing Plane Coverage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwk1637yH9I&feature=youtu.be

[-] 2 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 10 years ago

a small black hole would not consume the universe

[-] 2 points by SparkyJP (1646) from Westminster, MD 11 years ago

BULWORTH on the media and the great divide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCely_XDSDw

[-] 5 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

Bulworth (1998) trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM2PzGGwVZU

"Can we have this kind of honesty from our so-called representatives someday?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrRobSIeeC4

"Yes, but not until you're willing to vote for someone who is this honest to begin with."

"I almost wonder why some 2nd-tier American politician hasn't tried something like this. They'd be all over the news, at the very least... You'd almost think someone could make something of it!"

DON'T BE NO GHOST! YOU'VE GOT TO BE A SPIRIT! YOU NEED TO BE A SPIRIT BULWORTH! (...) It's time for ALL of us to be "spirits."

[-] 1 points by SparkyJP (1646) from Westminster, MD 11 years ago

"I almost wonder why some 2nd-tier American politician hasn't tried something like this."

In Dylan Ratigan's book "Greedy Bastards", he claims that no politician came do this alone. As rep. John Yarmuth of KY. described to him "Money in politics is like a suicide -bomber vest that every politician must wear. If any one politician tries to remove the money vest, he or she blows up. The only way to remove the money from politics safely is if every politician is forced to remove their money vest at the same time.

So if they don't take the money, they're done.

[-] 1 points by factsrfun (8342) from Phoenix, AZ 11 years ago

Let them pay their damn debt,

I didn't write not one damn check

Come strutting in, talking freedom smack

With fresh ideas, right out of ALEC

If the biz is down I got a brand new plan

We goanna create new Criminal Man

If you came here when you were two

We got a brand new jail for you

Don’t you worry, don’t you fret

Mr. Taxpayer, he’s got the Check

Solid growth, for your revenue stream

Cause we SB 10-Seventy

[-] 4 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

We can enter a new phase of effectiveness if we realize there's a combination of factors in our favor if we use them: http://occupywallst.org/forum/we-dont-see-the-power-we-have-in-our-hands-to-tran/

[-] 1 points by SparkyJP (1646) from Westminster, MD 11 years ago

I like it :)

[-] 1 points by factsrfun (8342) from Phoenix, AZ 11 years ago

Bulworth made a lot of old white guys think they could rap....thanks.

[-] 1 points by SparkyJP (1646) from Westminster, MD 11 years ago

Bulworth can rap much better than this old white guy ........ for true.

[-] 1 points by factsrfun (8342) from Phoenix, AZ 11 years ago

did a post though in case somebody wants to have fun with a "rap battle"

http://occupywallst.org/forum/bring-dim-words-and-join-the-battle-aint-callin-fo/

[-] 1 points by Freedomfeen (9) 10 years ago

We already have one, it's called BITCOIN and it allows for tiny transactions. So you could give someone .000001 bitcoin for listening to your podcast but if you have a million listeners, it adds up. Micro transactions is how we will render them irrelevant, start using and accepting bitcoin in your alt-media businesses.

[-] 1 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

Testifying before a Senate hearing on the "Future of Journalism," former Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon, best known as the creator of the award-winning HBO series The Wire, addresses the decline of the newspaper industry in the age of rabid media consolidation and the rise of the internet. Simon calls for a non-profit model in the newspaper industry, saying "raw unencumbered capitalism is never the answer when a public trust or public mission is at issue." [includes rush transcript] http://www.democracynow.org/2009/5/7/david_simon_creator_of_acclaimed_hbo

[-] 1 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

"People can come together to either start their own television network or perhaps gain a majority share in a major television network like NBC. It would take billions of dollars and therefore millions of people." -LeoYo

"...if college campus newspapers can be empowered with grassroots support to collectively become a mainstream alternative to the status quo. The power of private money over journalism would be removed if this were feasible." -LeoYo

Alternative media is already on the rise, but what I'm really talking about when I say "We need a Movement to Get Money Out of The Mainstream Media", I'm talking about totally revolutionizing the traditional way it has been done from the ground up. It needs to be completely separated from advertising, entertainment and profit. I'm talking about creating new laws and regulating it in the same way that everything else needs to be regulated and geared to work as a People-Oriented, ethically responsible service, in the same way that a legitimate Non-Profit charity organization would function for the sole purpose of feeding and sheltering the homeless. I'm talking about a revolution of values and a radical change in the way we do things and what motives and agendas we allow to prevail over how and why everything functions in our world.

[-] 1 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

“I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin—we must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism and militarism are incapable of being conquered.

A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies. On the one hand, we are called to play the Good Samaritan on life’s roadside, but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life’s highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.

A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth with righteous indignation. It will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say, "This is not just." It will look at our alliance with the landed gentry of South America and say, "This is not just." The Western arrogance of feeling that it has everything to teach others and nothing to learn from them is not just.

A true revolution of values will lay a hand on the world order and say of war, "This way of settling differences is not just." This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation’s homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into the veins of peoples normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.

America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from reordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

[-] 0 points by bensdad (8977) 11 years ago

We need proposals for solutions that are possible. How about outlaw greed ?
Or take away every gun ?
Or send all of the bigots to live at the south pole?


generalized attacks are very weak - be specific - if you can

have you ever watched MSM Ed Schultz attack walker?
or MSM Rachel Maddow scare rand paul away from ever giving an interview except to fox
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U4FTd-1m-o

or MSM Lawrence Odonnell and his KIND fund?


Can you cite ANYTHING that these three MSM people have said that you disagree with?

[-] 2 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

What about that one time when George W. Bush bought his momma a Christmas present? What about that one time when Bill O’Reilly helped an old lady across the street? What about that one time when Wolf Blitzer fed his dog? Does that mean we should all become Republicans and watch FOX News? lol

I really, seriously don’t give a fuck enough about Rand Paul to sit and listen to Rachael Maddow talk about him for an hour. I got more important shit to do, like watching paint dry and doing back-flips in the backyard lol FOX News talks non-stop Republican propaganda and MSNBC talks non-stop Fake Democrat propaganda. News Flash: Republicans and Democrats are both Corporate-Owned shills who serve the 1%! But obviously, if you understood that you wouldn’t be here on this Forum, trying to defend the status quo.

[-] 0 points by bensdad (8977) 11 years ago

dont listen - dont learn - do what you do best - believe

[-] 0 points by bensdad (8977) 11 years ago

Seriously - you need to think this through
you may hate MSM and the money that is in it - but you CANNOT stop it without a constitutional amendment.
An amendment is a massive effort that must be supported by 2/3 of the senate & 2/3 of the house & 3/4 of the states
This starts with a national sense and polling evidence to support such a move. Are there any polls that show at least a majority support for this?
Aren't these issues - most already have 75%-80% polled support, more constructive :

end corporate personhood
end the filibuster
end the electoral college
overturn citizens united
guarantee voting rights

[-] 1 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

“Seriously - you need to think this through”

Think WHAT through? -That We Need An Honest, Pro-Human Oriented Media? -that isn’t Owned and Controlled by a bunch of Elite Capitalist Corporate Douchebags?
-That The Corporate-Owned-MSM keeps America stupid?

“you may hate MSM and the money that is in it”

I do I do…Believe Me, I do :-)

“ - but you CANNOT stop it without a constitutional amendment.”

Really? What would happened if The Majority of Americans ALL-Together Stopped Paying For It? And Cancelled Our Cable Subscriptions?

I’m all in favor of a Constitutional Amendment if it could Get Big-Money Out of it and somehow revolutionize it into an influential force for good, something that represents a People oriented motive instead of a profit-status-quo-oriented motive -something Pro-Human that represents Honesty, Intelligence and Critical Thinking. Whatever it takes. Let’s get this party started :-)

Can you imagine what it would be like if Television was actually used for The Good of Humankind? We could Educate The World and have College-level classrooms everyday in our own homes, a different subject on every channel. 'The Greatest Speech Ever Made' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYl76Yx6BY

“An amendment is a massive effort that must be supported by 2/3 of the senate & 2/3 of the house & 3/4 of the states This starts with a national sense and polling evidence to support such a move. Are there any polls that show at least a majority support for this?”

No, because the MSM brainwashes America to be stupid.

(1.) “…the general population doesn't know what's happening, and it doesn't even know that it doesn't know. (…)”

“Aren't these issues - most already have 75%-80% polled support, more constructive : end corporate personhood- end the filibuster- end the electoral college- overturn citizens united- guarantee voting rights”

All of those issues are important and constructive. And we need to keep fighting for them. But those issues are chump change compared to the damage done by the mass-delusion, mass-confusion, mass-mind control brainwashing and non-stop propaganda perpetuated into the collective-mindset of an entire society. Those issues you listed are symptoms of much deeper root-cause issues. The Corporate-Owned-MSM is a much more root-cause issue. For example, Getting Money Out of Politics, Achieving Direct Democracy and Replacing Capitalism with a Democratic Economy http://occupywallst.org/forum/ows-goal-should-be-to-replace-capitalism-with-demo/ is a whole-hell-of-a lot more important than any of those lesser issues that you listed. For example: with Direct Democracy, the elimination of the electoral college would be inclusive with that. On the issue of voting rights, voting rights don’t matter anyway unless you have a Real Democracy. Once WE THE PEOPLE Become In Charge, Once We Have THE POWER http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm6DO_7px1I -then ALL of those issues that you listed would be taken care of. Like the MSM and our so called politicians, you’re “straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel” http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/strain+at+a+gnat+and+swallow+a+camel

[-] -1 points by MsStacy (1035) 11 years ago

To answer your first question, "why should it take thousands of people in the streets getting abused and arrested by police to accomplish such a task?" It's because a majority of the general population simply doesn't care. You need to demonstrate and have a cause they can identify with and be attracted to. Either that or you're going to be a lonely voice for truth.

You haven't found a cause that the public is willing to embrace, or maybe it's that there are too many causes for the public to focus on. Either way it doesn't matter. Right now the 99% is simply an economic group, they are not united behind any idea.

The civil rights movement got started in the 1950's, but the Civil Rights Act didn't get passed until 1964 and it didn't end the fight it simply gave it focus. Brown v Board of Education was in 1954, yet there was de facto segregation well into the 1970's. If you want real change it's going to take decades of dedication to change people. Today you simply don't have the support.

You're movement is new and in reality the majority of people in this country are working and reasonably content, they don't see your issues the same way you do. I believe that they honestly don't care. The media will go where the demand is. You're demonstrations haven't created that demand yet, until you do you're likely to be ignored by them.

[-] 3 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

MsStacy, I think you missed the main point of this Forum Post. You make a point that “It's because a majority of the general population simply doesn't care.” But my point is that The Reason Why They Don’t Care is because the Corporate-Owned Mainstream Media doesn’t care -because the MSM indoctrinates and brainwashes the public everyday Not to care. My point is that the Media should have a civic duty and an obligation To Care about these important issues, regardless of how apathetic and cold-hearted the general public is or not. (same goes for politicians) What we have in this country is something called Manufactured Consent. For example, most Americans are now against the unjustifiable wars that continue, yet you wouldn’t know it by watching "the news" or by listening to our so called politicians or by looking at their foreign policy. Most Americans do not even vote, yet if you look only at the polls every four years, you would think that nearly half of the American population were Republicans and the other half were Democrats and it‘s simply not true.

You say “You're movement is new and in reality the majority of people in this country are working and reasonably content, they don't see your issues the same way you do. I believe that they honestly don't care.”

They don’t see that unnecessary war for profit is evil? Maybe they would see this issue differently if they turned off Fox News and got their information about it from (caring) intellectuals such as Professor Noam Chomsky, Chris Hedges and Dr. Cornel West.

They don’t see that nearly one in two Americans live in poverty? -That is HALF of this COUNTRY! You honesty believe that we (HALF of this COUNTRY!) don’t care that we’re poor or nearly poor and being exploited everyday? -That The Middle-Class might as well be on the endangered species list? They don’t care that 1% of this country owns nearly HALF of this country’s wealth? They don’t care that we live in a fake democracy? They don’t care that most of us have absolutely no economic or political power whatsoever? I believe We Care A Whole Hell-of-A Lot more about All of this than you and The Lame-Stream Media would have everyone else believe.

You say “The media will go where the demand is.”. Bullshit. The media is owned and manipulated by the 1% and it goes wherever the 1% tells it to go. -And in turn the people are manipulated and indoctrinated into that mindset. -The majority of people currently follow a corrupt media, not the other way around. I’m saying The Media should be obligated to The People, to Truth and Social Justice no matter what the demand is. And in a fake democracy of manufactured consent, you never really know what the real demand is. -You only hear what those in power tell you what they say “the demand” is. If The People of this country were decently educated (to think critically, rationally and humanely) and if we were decently informed on the most important issues that affect our everyday lives, if everyone understood the root-causes of the catastrophic issues that continue to plague our society, I believe the greed and the corruption of the 1% would no longer be tolerated and we would take back our lives and do what needs to be done to make our world a better place.

You say “You're demonstrations haven't created that demand yet, until you do you're likely to be ignored by them.”

(...) Thousands of peaceful protesters and Occupiers devoted every ounce of energy we had to exposing corruption and “creating demands”, we put our very lives on the line for it -and thousands of us got beat up and pepper-sprayed and arrested for it. And for the most part, we were still ignored. And told by critics like you that “we don’t have a cause that people can identify with and be attracted to”. Believe me, we know all-too-well what it feels like to be “a lonely voice for truth“.

P. S. I noticed you refer to the demonstrations as “You're demonstrations”. Do you not identify “yourself” with the ideals of the Movement? Are you not part of The 99%?

WANTED -A Living Wage / Pete Seeger ‘Which side are you on…” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iAIM02kv0g

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

You mention Cornel West, Chris Hedges, Noam Chomsky. All excellent. Here are a few links you might be interested in (below). PS - thanks for the link to scene from Network.

We have the power in our hands if we use it - the powerful combo of nonviolent direct action and the internet: http://occupywallst.org/forum/we-dont-see-the-power-we-have-in-our-hands-to-tran/

Be a Spirit, Not a Ghost: http://www.occupywallst.org/forum/be-a-spirit-not-a-ghost-corporate-owned-mainstream/

Changing the Narrative - Another World is Possible: http://occupywallst.org/forum/a-message-to-all-the-well-meaning-democrats-and-re/

[-] 0 points by MsStacy (1035) 11 years ago

You can't blame the media entirely, many people simply do not see things the way you do and when presented with the same facts reach a different conclusion. In general people are selfish. If they don't perceive a direct and immediate impact on themselves then they are not going to be interested enough to force change. Yes I suppose the media could alter this, they certainly did in the case of Civil Rights and they do in most elections, but it's human nature too that works against change. Even if the media was working in your favor, it's not something that will improve in the space of a year or two.

As an example, Occupy attracted a lot of early attention over debt. The media showed all those "we are the 99%" images early on, but to the public in general a lot of that personal economic hardship looked self inflicted. It was viewed by those with jobs, who were paying their loans and mortgages. They didn't see victims, they saw a lot of people that made bad decisions and were now asking/demanding for their loans to be forgiven.

You're in a struggle that will take decades to make any progress. The media certainly could help, but you also have to overcome the inertia generated by self interest. People do believe there is corruption and would likely stand against it if they had someone leading the fight. This is where I personally believe the anarchists in Occupy made an error early on. Occupy missed an opportunity when it made the decision not to engage in the system. They didn't want to be the "liberal tea party". I believe they could have offered candidates for congress from all those districts where there were Occupy camps. They could have provided that leadership. That, however, is the past and done, demonstrations today seem to have a issue du jour flavor to them.

[-] 1 points by KevinPotts (368) 11 years ago

Comment Reply (Part One) By Kevin Potts (Warning, Adult Language, Parental Discretion is Advised)

“You can't blame the media entirely, many people simply do not see things the way you do and when presented with the same facts reach a different conclusion.” -MsStacy

I don’t blame the corrupt mainstream media entirely, I blame it for being one of the most fundamental root-causes-of-an-apathetic-misguided-mental-sickness that continues to plague our society in such a fundamental way that it has a catastrophic domino effect on everything else. I blame it for ignoring the root causes of our problems and for keeping the public distracted and divided against ourselves. I blame it for maintaining and supporting a failing, unjust status quo that serves mainly the moneyed interests and the corrupt agendas of a small group of selfish, greedy, uncompassionate men who already have more money than they could ever possibly spend in a thousand lifetimes. Same goes for our corrupt charade of a “demockracy” and our corporate-owned-puppet-show of a political system. Same goes for Capitalism and the predominant profit-motive that rules over our entire economy and over practically every aspect of our lives -Capitalism, a system by which the core of its very nature depends totally on the exploitation of people -like a one-track-minded-bloodsucking-parasite that only keeps its host/victim alive so it can keep sucking on the blood for as long as possible. Of course the bloodsucking parasite will never see things the same way as its victim. Leeches will never protest against bloodsucking, its just not in their nature. But the fact that a parasite thrives by exploiting its victim/host is NOT up for debate. Its Not an opinion. 1 - 1 = 0 and there is no other conclusion that can be honestly reached about that. You can take the leech’s side if you want and try to justify the leech’s bloodsucking as just part of “the natural order” of “the circle of life” and you can have an opinion about whether or not we should allow leeches to continuously suck on our blood. -And I will then get to the point of this metaphorical exercise and ask you an important question: Why do human beings continuously exploit each other like cannibalistic leeches? Are we not better than that? Are we not more intelligent than that? Are we not more enlightened than that? Do we not have more of a common sense of human-decency and respect for each other than that? After millions of years of evolution and after thousands of years of technological advancement, that’s ALL we got?? Why would anyone support this type of behavior? Why would anyone take part in it? Why do So Many Of Us submit our entire lives to being Victims of it? And How Could SO MANY OF US Believe There Is “NOTHING WRONG WITH IT”?

When parasitic, bloodsucking leeches feed they release an anesthetic into their prey that numbs their victims and prevents their hosts from feeling what is happening to them. The anesthetic prevents the host from understanding that it is being preyed upon, it keeps the host oblivious to the fact that its life-blood is being sucked-out by the leech, allowing the cunning parasite to bite down into the flesh of its victim, un-noticed, allowing it to stay attached and to continuously suck the blood out of its host.

Like the anesthetic of the bloodsucking leech, “A Wall of Confusion” has been built up against intellectualism and against critical thinking (through a variety of means) that prevents most of us from ever truly understanding (or to even acknowledge) our own exploitation and/or the fundamental-exploitative-nature of Capitalism itself, which is predominantly accepted as “the American way of life“.

(1.) “…the general population doesn't know what's happening, and it doesn't even know that it doesn't know. (…)”

And the corporate-owned-Mainstream Media (as well as our dumbed-down, so called “educational” system) is more responsible (and more to blame) for perpetuating such an anti-intellectual ignorance into the collective mindset of the general population, on such a massive scale, that its more responsible for America’s ignorance and more to blame for America’s gullible stupidity -more than anything else conceivable on this entire planet.

“…because the only “truth” you “know” is what you get over this tube (concerning Television and the MSM). Right now, there is a whole…an entire generation that never knew anything that didn’t come out of this tube. This tube is “The Gospel”, “The Ultimate Revelation”. This tube can make or break Presidents, Popes, Prime Ministers…this tube is the most awesome God-damn force in the whole Godless world! And Woe is us! -if it ever falls into the hands of the wrong people…” -Network - We're In a Lot of Trouble http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFvT_qEZJf8

When people don’t care about the root-causes of the catastrophic issues that continue to plague our society, when people don’t care about the struggling, unjust plight of poor people that make up nearly HALF OF THE POPULATION of The Most Wealthiest Nation on Earth, when people don’t care that they are being exploited and lied to and manipulated -it’s because they’ve been conditioned not to care -it’s because they don’t understand -because they’ve been conditioned not to understand. People don’t rebel against injustice when they’ve been conditioned to accept injustice as “normal” and “just the way it is”.

Like the anesthetic of the bloodsucking leech,The-Corporate-Owned-Mainstream-Media-Complex works overtime to keep America ignorant, propagandized, distracted, divided and confused, while an elite group of greedy-mother-fuckin’ blood-suckin’ leeches continue to bleed us all dry and to run this country into the ground.

‘Everythang’s Corrupt’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73-5iNwb7qo

[-] 3 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

"If The People of this country were decently educated (to think critically, rationally and humanely) and if we were decently informed on the most important issues that affect our everyday lives, if everyone understood the root-causes of the catastrophic issues that continue to plague our society, I believe the greed and the corruption of the 1% would no longer be tolerated and we would take back our lives and do what needs to be done to make our world a better place."

[-] 2 points by therising (6643) 11 years ago

I think this is one way to kick things into a higher gear: http://occupywallst.org/forum/we-dont-see-the-power-we-have-in-our-hands-to-tran/ .

[-] 1 points by KevinPotts (368) 10 years ago

A RAY OF HOPE For Humanity...But It Would Kill Big Oil & The Fossil Fuel Industry...And That's Why You're Not Hearing About This On The Mainstream Media "News"... http://occupywallst.org/forum/a-ray-of-hope-for-humanitybut-it-would-kill-big-oi/