10/27: Don’t discount ‘Occupy’ message
Moderated by Rick Badie
It’s been called a leaderless movement that lacks an agenda or playbook. Still, the Occupy movement has caught fire, from New York to Atlanta and beyond.
So don’t pooh-pooh it, writes today’s guest columnist.
Plus an old-school activist paid a visit to Woodruff Park to see for herself what, exactly, was Occupy Atlanta.
What do you think?
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23 comments Add your comment
Scott
October 26th, 2011
6:33 pm
Its about time some people got mad for the right reasons
Eric
October 26th, 2011
7:01 pm
They speak for a lot of people who are tired of corporate greed, policies, and technology taking over our country.
B Ha
October 26th, 2011
7:21 pm
i am the 53%.
Jack
October 26th, 2011
7:42 pm
All we’re seeing here is a tempest by uninformed, loud-mouthed losers who learned their tactics watching TV and are desperately inadequate in their pitiful bid for attention. Having no self respect, they want to pull everyone else down to their level rather than try to better themselves.
DawgDad
October 26th, 2011
7:43 pm
“The anti-corporate focus is powerful and creative”
I got this far (second sentence) and quit reading. Fact is, the anti-corporate focus is the same tired and worn out leftist message dating back to the 1800’s. And THAT is a fact (consult your history books if you don’t believe me). Understanding the “organizing” forces known to be behind the Occupy demonstrations, seeing the Democratic demagoguery, and noting the contrast in approach and demeanor with the Tea Party (political protest by real, responsible adults), well, let’s just say I’m very sad to see the Occupy mobs finally run off because they were representing the Democrats very well.
Mad as Heck
October 27th, 2011
12:06 am
In April of 2009, the President told recently bailed out Wall Street bankers that he was the only thing standing between them and the pitchforks. How did they respond to that warning? They used taxpayer dollars to pay themselves huge bonuses. They conspired to put a strangle hold on small business credit and they played games with desperate mortgage borrowers whose homes were under water. And, now that the Citizens United decision has allowed Wall Street Bankers to buy several seats in Congress in order to obstruct EVERY attempt to minimally pacify the 99 Percenters, they are complaining about the people with the pitchforks taking it directly to the Wall Street Bankers.
Pride usually goes before the fall. Ignore and ridicule the message at your own risk.
mike thompson
October 27th, 2011
7:09 am
The occupy Wall Street movement is the tip of the iceberg.
people are tired of being cheated by a crooked corrupt system set up by the rich. They are tired of the voting system that is rigged so only the right wing can vote. The people want decent American jobs that provide a roof over their head and food in their bellies. We are tired of watching our jobs being sent overseas and the rich blame it on the unions. There aren’t any unions left. The First Amendment right to freedom of speech trumps any local ordinance about park closing times. Don’t worry the rich will send their gunfighters quick enough they don’t like people when they tell the truth.
Ronnie Raygun
October 27th, 2011
7:36 am
“Fact is, the anti-corporate focus is the same tired and worn out leftist message dating back to the 1800’s. ”
Fact is really that the “anti-corporate focus” goes back all the way to the Founding Fathers when Thomas Jefferson warned about the corrupting influence of corporations. Educate yourself. THAT is the fact, Jack.
Ronnie Raygun
October 27th, 2011
7:39 am
At least the OWS crowd understands that old saying: “It’s better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.” Conservatives, on the other hand, just buy kneepads.
Class of '98
October 27th, 2011
8:38 am
At least we conservatives don’t demand that someone else GIVE US knee pads.
Obozonomics
October 27th, 2011
9:07 am
mike thompson;
I would bet you are an Obozo voter, so If you believe what you are spouting how could you possibly support the guy who gave BILLIONS to Wall Street executives for bonuses, because they did such a good job right? Then gave BILLIONS to unions to secure their vote, but if there are no unions left where did the money go? Better yet please explain how the system is rigged so only the right wing can vote, this takes the cake as stupid statement of the day. And freedom of speech does not mean you can yell fire in a movie theater or camp in a public pack overnight. So far not one thing you have said has any truth in it…So tell me again why you voted for Obozo?
Zedd
October 27th, 2011
11:15 am
“ACORN Playing Behind Scenes Role in ‘Occupy’ Movement” – This so called movement has been entirely orchestrated by Obama and the Democratic party.
Read more: http://nation.foxnews.com/acorn/2011/10/26/exclusive-acorn-playing-behind-scenes-role-occupy-movement#ixzz1bzmOcpx0
Zedd
October 27th, 2011
11:16 am
“ACORN Playing Behind Scenes Role in ‘Occupy’ Movement” – This so called movement has been entirely orchestrated by Obama and the Democratic party.
Read more: http://nation.foxnews.com/acorn/2011/10/26/exclusive-acorn-playing-behind-scenes-role-occupy-movement#ixzz1bzmOcpx0
Brian
October 27th, 2011
11:18 am
“ACORN Playing Behind Scenes Role in ‘Occupy’ Movement” – This so called movement has been entirely orchestrated by Obama and the Democratic party.
Read more: http://nation.foxnews.com/acorn/2011/10/26/exclusive-acorn-playing-behind-scenes-role-occupy-movement#ixzz1bzmOcpx0
Zedd
October 27th, 2011
11:37 am
“ACORN Playing Behind Scenes Role in ‘Occupy’ Movement” – This so called movement has been entirely orchestrated by Obama and the Democratic party.
nation.foxnews.com/acorn/2011/10/26/exclusive-acorn-playing-behind-scenes-role-occupy-movement#ixzz1bzmOcpx0
skipper
October 27th, 2011
12:56 pm
So many of the “protesters” cannot intelligently offer ANY explanation as to why they are there……and the interviews show that. The right to a peaceful protest is one thing. However, city governments should not be chastised for not providing (at the cost of those who ARE working) a permanent camping spot along with all amenities needed. As for the unions being gone, see the deals the UAW has for Ford, Chrysler, and GM. They’ll be in the same shape as before a few years from now as the UAW and other soul-stealers become bolder over time.
Farouk
October 27th, 2011
12:57 pm
“What do you think?”
I think they were a laughingstock, just the usual suspects – unemployed slackers and malcontents who believe the government should take money from people who work and produce and redistribute it to them.
Richard
October 27th, 2011
1:17 pm
If these protesters organized behind a specific cause, they might get somewhere. Personally, I’d target rising college tuition costs.
Think about it. Most of these people are young college graduates that can’t afford to live when they look at their salary minus what they pay in … wait for it … STUDENT LOANS!!!
The sad truth is that high schoolers are sold on the idea that they need to go to college to get a decent starting salary. When they can’t afford it, they are told that they can get loans to cover it. The problem is that their degree in Sociology, English Literature, or VCR Programming didn’t quite live up to their expectations, and our government enabled them by blindly issuing loans.
ByteMe
October 27th, 2011
2:20 pm
ACORN? Really?? Some fool thinks ACORN still exists because FOX told him so.
Pat
October 27th, 2011
2:22 pm
Wow. I work right by the park and I think we should now picket around the park to keep it closed because it actually looks beautiful now, without people trashing it.
Ponder
October 27th, 2011
2:24 pm
Bottom line the occupy message is the Democratic campaign theme for 2012 — redistribution of wealth!!!!! I, for one, am tired of “penalize success and reward failure” — the playing field is not level, never will be, nor should it be!!!!!!
Pat
October 27th, 2011
2:29 pm
Has anyone read Atlas Shrugged? Hopefully it America will not turn out like that
Zedd
October 27th, 2011
3:52 pm
Hey Byte Me, If you had bothered to read the article you would have seen it is former ACORN employees operating under a different name. But alas, instead of opting for a civil discussion of the topic at hand you result to insults. How mature, may I suggest you go “bite” yourself!