Seriously, What's Occupy?

[washu_2004]

Occupy (insert town/street here) are are bunch of slacktivists who would much rather make a meaningless gesture rather than take decisive action and work to get elected themselves and effect real change in the system from within.

[Je Nique vos Merdiers]

washu_2004

Occupy (insert town/street here) are are bunch of slacktivists who would much rather make a meaningless gesture rather than take decisive action and work to get elected themselves and effect real change in the system from within.

Getting elected is the least likely way to effect "real" change.

[Je Nique vos Merdiers]

Queen Shining Heaven

1. I'm talking about oppression of our citizens, not other countries. I'm well aware of real reasons behind the Iraq War, but we didn't enslave them,; they have their own government now, and I'm sure what we did is no worse than what Saddam did

But you're just guessing. You've guessed wrong, by the way. Iraq is worse off in every possible measure of living standard since the US invasion.

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5. That is what you provide me with? Some picture of a bloodied man? Is that even from OWS?

It's Gaddhafi, which is really ironic since the Libyan uprising was a NATO-sponsored operation to defend the value of the petrodollar.

[reizelle]

Stereoblind

I might be late to the party and this topic has probably been beat to death over the past few months, but hear me out. I've just come out of Gaia retirement for about the tenth time in order to ask this question. Ever since the Occupy movement started, I've been chasing it around the web, reading articles, watching videos, listening to interviews, yet have little real understanding of it. This is not because I'm being intentionally obtuse or because I disagree with the movement, but because Occupy and its supporters are incredibly inconsistent with their beliefs and demands.
A little over half of the videos and interviews I have seen feature protesters who come off as little more than lazy, uneducated misfits who are angry because the government doesn't give them enough handouts. Others seem genuinely intelligent and able to answer social, economic, and political questions coherently without the need to resort to circular reasoning. A few supporters just come off as socialist radicals, but, as far as I can see, they are the minority.
So please, enlighten me. What does Occupy mean to you? I'm not asking for the same tired old speech I've read in every single article supporting the movement ("Occupy supports the redistribution of wealth to the 99%" ). I'm asking what it means to YOU. I'm asking why you would support it.

INB4 pictures of people holding up letters with their life story and "I am the 99%" at the bottom. Seen them. Unimpressed.

Now, this is only from my opinion and experiences with the Occupy Jacksonville movement.
Originally Occupy started popping up all over the US after the original Occupy Wallstreet. They were basically against "economic injustice". But locally, they are not only protesting "economic injustice", but protesting banks, corporations, gay rights, amendments, pro-choice, the police, the GOP debates...you name it, they protest it. It's become incredibly vague, and sometimes it's hard to determine what they stand for now.
It's also very difficult to follow articles and videos because you simply can't know what the truth really is. Just like Occupy claims that the media censors and changes things to fit what they want to portray, I believe Occupy can do the very same thing. So I never believe anything I see, especially about "police brutality". I will only ever believe something that I see first hand with my own eyes.
I'm only speaking on my Jacksonville observations, it could be completely different somewhere else. But around here the Occupy camp has become a downtown hang out for teens and young adults, where they can feel rebellious and "stick it to the man". I have not seen anything productive, and when ever I am downtown I literally just see them sitting around. I have only heard reasonable and productive ideas from one person, and he was an older gentleman. So that's what it is to me. I have seen nothing productive, therefore I simply can't hold any value to it. I also can't respect a group of people who claim they are "for the people" and demand more jobs, when I am berated for having a job! Yes, I may work for one of the "big companies", but I am so grateful to have my job, and I work hard for my money.

[The rose in spring]

Queen Shining Heaven

The rose in spring

Queen Shining Heaven

The Iraq War has nothing to do with oppressing citizens, so it is null in this argument.

We massacred a population in order to enslave them so that the rich can make more money.

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I said most of that stuff was in the past, not all of it.

History repeats itself all the time. A past prejudice is simply replaced by another

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Yes, we do have free speech.

Until the real issue is addressed which is what OWS is doing. All these issues about gay rights, abortion, free art and so on, those are not the real issue. The real issue is the rich vs the poor. Which is why Arab Spring and Occupy are the same thing. One that is discussed, then your so-called rights disappear.

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The fact that a few police officers are abusing a few protesters doesn't equal us not having freedom of speech.

A few is the biggest understatement I have heard on this website so far.

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And it's not like the OWS is innocent here, maybe they should take a page from the Tea Party's book, you know, become organized, have a clear and concise agenda, have scheduled rallies and protests instead of long occupations and random outbursts.

They are way more organized and they have been more organized than the Tea Party ever will be .

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Show me one sign that they are actually going to accomplish anything positive, and I'll give them the time of day

Here's one

1. I'm talking about oppression of our citizens, not other countries. I'm well aware of real reasons behind the Iraq War, but we didn't enslave them,; they have their own government now, and I'm sure what we did is no worse than what Saddam did

2. Indeed, history does repeat itself, prejudices are replaced or remain intact, but that is for we as conscious thinking beings to fight on our own

3. Rich against Poor? Heard that one before. What is your solution to that issue?

4. I have yet to see any signs of organization amongst the Occupy Movement of organization, or a clear agenda

5. That is what you provide me with? Some picture of a bloodied man? Is that even from OWS?

1. We are all human beings and nationality means nothing when we look at actual humanity. Also it should be mentioned that most Iraqis supported the genocide of the Kurds. I guess that's the peaceful religion of Islam.

2. Hence why we have occupy. Every corner of the world has protests now and they have yet to go away,

3. Well we could do what revolutionaries do, but that is only a short fix. Truth is that we are slaves and we have owners.

4. Organization that allows them to function without camps and allows them to counter the police is incredibly impressive. The Tea Party didn't have to deal with that because they sided with the owners

5. That is Gaddafi in his final moments. Yeah the rebels had help with the UN, but odds are they would have still won sooner or later.

[The rose in spring]

Je Nique vos Merdiers

It's Gaddhafi, which is really ironic since the Libyan uprising was a NATO-sponsored operation to defend the value of the petrodollar.

Either way it seemed like the rebels would have won anyway if Syria is any indication.

[Queen Shining Heaven]

The rose in spring

Queen Shining Heaven

The rose in spring

Queen Shining Heaven

The Iraq War has nothing to do with oppressing citizens, so it is null in this argument.

We massacred a population in order to enslave them so that the rich can make more money.

Quote:

I said most of that stuff was in the past, not all of it.

History repeats itself all the time. A past prejudice is simply replaced by another

Quote:

Yes, we do have free speech.

Until the real issue is addressed which is what OWS is doing. All these issues about gay rights, abortion, free art and so on, those are not the real issue. The real issue is the rich vs the poor. Which is why Arab Spring and Occupy are the same thing. One that is discussed, then your so-called rights disappear.

Quote:

The fact that a few police officers are abusing a few protesters doesn't equal us not having freedom of speech.

A few is the biggest understatement I have heard on this website so far.

Quote:

And it's not like the OWS is innocent here, maybe they should take a page from the Tea Party's book, you know, become organized, have a clear and concise agenda, have scheduled rallies and protests instead of long occupations and random outbursts.

They are way more organized and they have been more organized than the Tea Party ever will be .

Quote:

Show me one sign that they are actually going to accomplish anything positive, and I'll give them the time of day

Here's one

1. I'm talking about oppression of our citizens, not other countries. I'm well aware of real reasons behind the Iraq War, but we didn't enslave them,; they have their own government now, and I'm sure what we did is no worse than what Saddam did

2. Indeed, history does repeat itself, prejudices are replaced or remain intact, but that is for we as conscious thinking beings to fight on our own

3. Rich against Poor? Heard that one before. What is your solution to that issue?

4. I have yet to see any signs of organization amongst the Occupy Movement of organization, or a clear agenda

5. That is what you provide me with? Some picture of a bloodied man? Is that even from OWS?

1. We are all human beings and nationality means nothing when we look at actual humanity. Also it should be mentioned that most Iraqis supported the genocide of the Kurds. I guess that's the peaceful religion of Islam.

2. Hence why we have occupy. Every corner of the world has protests now and they have yet to go away,

3. Well we could do what revolutionaries do, but that is only a short fix. Truth is that we are slaves and we have owners.

4. Organization that allows them to function without camps and allows them to counter the police is incredibly impressive. The Tea Party didn't have to deal with that because they sided with the owners

5. That is Gaddafi in his final moments. Yeah the rebels had help with the UN, but odds are they would have still won sooner or later.

1. I still fail to see what the Iraq War has to do with this current situation
2. You're twisting my words, Occupy has nothing to do with prejudices
3. The wealthy have always been powerful, this is nothing new. But class warfare is not going to get us anywhere
4. What you mean to say is that the Tea Party followed all procedures to hold protests and keep their demonstrations under control, sounds pretty good to me
5. What does Gaddafi have to do with the OWS?

[Je Nique vos Merdiers]

The rose in spring

Je Nique vos Merdiers

It's Gaddhafi, which is really ironic since the Libyan uprising was a NATO-sponsored operation to defend the value of the petrodollar.

Either way it seemed like the rebels would have won anyway if Syria is any indication.

Why would NATO bother giving them aid if they would have won anyway?

[The rose in spring]

Je Nique vos Merdiers

The rose in spring

Je Nique vos Merdiers

It's Gaddhafi, which is really ironic since the Libyan uprising was a NATO-sponsored operation to defend the value of the petrodollar.

Either way it seemed like the rebels would have won anyway if Syria is any indication.

Why would NATO bother giving them aid if they would have won anyway?

Because it is an oil rich land and the owners wanted Gaddafi out sooner or later to install a new government that panders to them.

[Yuki the Third]

washu_2004

Occupy (insert town/street here) are are bunch of slacktivists who would much rather make a meaningless gesture rather than take decisive action and work to get elected themselves and effect real change in the system from within.

Because trying to get elected to change the established status quo works so well, right? *points at ron paul, the dodgyness of the vote counting concerning him, the multiple media "connection loss" when support for him is shown, the show on Fox being canceled because of showing support for him, the unbelievably bullshit numbers in nevada compared to all other states......*

Yep, trying to get elected by going against the grain works so perfectly well. Nothing can stop you when everything's against you, right?

[washu_2004]

Yuki the Third

washu_2004

Occupy (insert town/street here) are are bunch of slacktivists who would much rather make a meaningless gesture rather than take decisive action and work to get elected themselves and effect real change in the system from within.

Because trying to get elected to change the established status quo works so well, right? *points at ron paul, the dodgyness of the vote counting concerning him, the multiple media "connection loss" when support for him is shown, the show on Fox being canceled because of showing support for him, the unbelievably bullshit numbers in nevada compared to all other states......*

Yep, trying to get elected by going against the grain works so perfectly well. Nothing can stop you when everything's against you, right?

With a defeatist attitude like that it will.

[Yuki the Third]

washu_2004

Yuki the Third

washu_2004

Occupy (insert town/street here) are are bunch of slacktivists who would much rather make a meaningless gesture rather than take decisive action and work to get elected themselves and effect real change in the system from within.

Because trying to get elected to change the established status quo works so well, right? *points at ron paul, the dodgyness of the vote counting concerning him, the multiple media "connection loss" when support for him is shown, the show on Fox being canceled because of showing support for him, the unbelievably bullshit numbers in nevada compared to all other states......*

Yep, trying to get elected by going against the grain works so perfectly well. Nothing can stop you when everything's against you, right?

With a defeatist attitude like that it will.

it was sarcasm