Your morning jolt: A hip-hop concert becomes weak spot for Occupy ATL
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. left, is separated from Occupy Atlanta protesters, right, by a securtiy guard as they face off during the mayor's press conference at City Hall in Atlanta on Monday afternoon. Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com
The man with Ludacris’ phone number sought the high ground in the battle for Woodruff Park on Monday.
In press conference packed with weirdness, Mayor Kasim Reed announced that Occupy Atlanta protesters would be cleared from the green space “at a time of my choosing.”
He asked a cadre of religious leaders, lined up behind him, to negotiate a peaceful exit for Occupy Atlanta. If there is no deal, force will be used, the mayor promised.
But it was the way the mayor built his case before reporters – arguing he was obligated to oust a group he had sanctioned two weeks ago — that was unusual. In declaring that the city’s relationship with Occupy Atlanta had changed for the worse, the former music industry attorney based his decision largely on his familiarity with the rules of outdoor hip-hop events.
By way of background, first consider these lines from an old biography:
”[Reed] has also become a fixture in entertainment law, especially in Atlanta’s explosive hip-hop and R&B music scene. Relationships, he says, going back to his days at Howard [University], led to that role. “I went to school with a group of people who were on their way up,” says Reed, such as Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, who was “the most confident person I’ve met.”
Back to Monday. The press conference was called for 4 p.m. on an hours’ notice. In addition to reporters, a dozen members of Occupy Atlanta scrambled to the second-floor event. As did Joe Beasley, southern director for the Rainbow/PUSH organization, who has taken the group under his wing.
Reed began with an obligatory statement of respect for First Amendment rights in a city filled with civil rights heroes, living and dead. But he quickly moved to a hip-hop concert that Occupy Atlanta had planned for last Saturday.
Said Reed:
”This event promoter did not have a security plan. In fact, the team that was responsible for preparing the security plan for this event promoter quit on Tuesday of last week. So he was attempting to hold a two-day hip-hop event without police protection.
“This gentleman also submitted a $2,500 payment for the permit that is related to that event through a check, which is not an acceptable for the city of Atlanta.”
“Mayor, that’s a lie,” said Beasley, who had stationed himself within a dozen feet of the mayor. Occupy Atlanta forces, with a red-capped Tim Franzen acting as the main voice, stood behind him.
“And this is easily verifiable,” continued an unperturbed mayor:
“Most importantly, He did not have police protection at the event. As of Saturday, when the hip-hop organizers arrived at Woodruff, they had not submitted payment in the appropriate form, and did not have adequate security.”
“In the meantime, this event was advertised on V-103. It included a number of artists, and also included the hip-hop artist Ludacris, who never planned on attending, and was not attending. So you have an event that does not have an appropriate police plan, being advertised on the largest urban radio station in the state of Georgia. This created an untenable situation….”
The mayor described a Saturday that had drawn 600 hip-hop fans to the downtown park. When his communications director and chief of staff arrived to announce that the permit for the concert had been revoked, they were shouted down, and required police protection, the mayor said.
“That’s not true. That’s a lie. That’s a lie,” said Beasley.
“They were never in danger,” Franzen protested.
“Run the video, please,” the mayor said. And after a little fumbling, a large TV screen at Reed’s right hand showed local news video of the Saturday confrontation.
Franzen appeared in a frame. “We do whatever we want,” he said.
“Y’all here that?” the mayor asked reporters.
“There’s a context to that,” a defensive, real-life Franzen declared.
The mayor moved on to a second, and less-convincing, argument for removing Occupy Atlanta. The city fire marshal had banned combustible liquids from the park. That included gasoline-powered generators required by the Saturday hip-hop concert.
The protestors had smuggled a generator in anyway, in a mail bag. And when police attempted to seize it, campers formed a human chain around around the chugging machine. “Having human beings place their body on a combustible generator” was dangerous, the mayor said.
Reed quickly returned to the hip-hop concert proper. “I have always said I’m going to do what is necessary to keep citizens of this city safe. And having a hip-hop concert without having an appropriate police plan…” the mayor said.
“Then why don’t you address what brought us out here in the first place — 30,000 homeless, foreclosures,” shouted Franzen.
Reed plodded on: “What they have done is change the nature of the relationship….”
“This is an outrageous narrative,” Franzen charged. He might have said “ludicrous,” but he didn’t.
“….I believe they placed lives at risk this weekend,” Reed said to the cameras.
“Oh, my God,” said Franzen, his voice dripping with disbelief.
Said Reed:
”I believe that people showed up at a city of Atlanta park to go to a hip-hop concert. And you don’t need to do extensive research to see what can happen when hundreds of people show up for a hip-hop concert, artists who are advertised are not there, and when there are not police there to protect the event….”
Reed closed by speaking of a woman he had run into outside Woodruff Park on Saturday. She had come to see Ludacris, not Occupy Atlanta.
Ludacris, a.k.a. Christopher Brian Bridges, was a donor to Reed’s 2009 campaign for mayor. “I spoke with Ludacris,” the mayor said. “He was never coming to the park. You’ve had people killed in concerts where artists who were promised do not show up all across the country. This happens all the time.”
A reporter pointed out to the mayor that the V-103 ads didn’t say Ludacris would perform – just that he would be honored at the event. Which, to the mayor, made no difference.
“This is a spin. This is B.S.,” Franzen said loudly.
Which is when Reed re-introduced his clergy/negotiators. “We are not in a place where we can have productive dialogue,” the mayor closed.
***
Not wanting to be left out of the party, Debbie Dooley of Atlanta Tea Party Patriots says her group has sent this e-mail to Mayor Kasim Reed:
We have noticed that the City of Atlanta has waived many of your ordinances, fees, etc., in regard to the Occupy Atlanta protests. We have called in the past to find out information for events on City of Atlanta venues like Woodruff Park and have been told it would require a permit and fees and there were restrictions.
In the future, Atlanta Tea Party expects to receive the same “benefits” or waiving of fees, permits, restrictions that you have accorded the Occupy Atlanta protests. If we don’t, we seek legal action. Thank you for your attention in this.
Dooley says the tea partyers have received no reply.
***
The AJC’s Politifact Georgia today takes a look at GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul’s claim that rival Herman Cain had declared opponents of the Federal Reserve to be “ignorant.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
183 comments Add your comment
Dash Riptide
October 25th, 2011
9:47 am
I’m not leaving. Or bathing. Ever.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
9:50 am
Kasim Reed going to lose votes because of his angry towards Occupy Atlanta he seem like a angry black man.
GLK
October 25th, 2011
9:57 am
Just run the idiots out. They’ll go back to their mom’s basement or Little Five, still neglect to shower, still be clueless mooches, but they’ll be annoying a smaller number of people.
History will Teach Us if We Will Learn
October 25th, 2011
10:08 am
If only reality TV was this good! It seems like Snooky or one of the Kardashians should have been there.
td
October 25th, 2011
10:09 am
I do not understand what is wrong with this group arriving at 8am every morning and leaving at dark? They can exercise there free speech rights and also follow the law. Unless their plan is to break the law until the city is forced to take action. If that is the case then I hope the police will not give them special treatment when they take them to jail, they should be put in the general population and shown what it is really like to go to jail.
The Oldman
October 25th, 2011
10:12 am
Independent voter, you nor the Occupy Bums voted for Kasim Reed, go to south georgia and help the farmers pick their crops and get out our park………….
Dave The Wave
October 25th, 2011
10:12 am
I went to the park yesterday to donate food, medical supplies, and water. The protesters were all gone – to the court house event I suppose – and the street people took all of the donations as fast as I unloaded them on the donation table. So much for that effort …
Centrist
October 25th, 2011
10:13 am
Sad that the mayor feels he needs an excuse to remove squatters who are making a public park a filthy eyesore.
Even sadder that the leftist media like this blog take up for these misfits.
Dave The Wave
October 25th, 2011
10:14 am
And it sounds like going back is probably not such a good idea. I might get the pepper spray and plastic handcuff treatment that is about to happen.
Devil's Advocate
October 25th, 2011
10:16 am
Occupy was obviously trying to increase the “dark faces” in the crowd by false advertising a hip hop concert. Mayer Reed needs to get them out by any means necessary. And the Tea Party needs to not play the petty game of fee waving. I’d rather see more action towards fixing our country than “me too” politics.
JacketFanMarcus
October 25th, 2011
10:16 am
It’s amazing how the anti-Kasim Reed crowd has jumped in to support the Occupy Atlanta bandwagon.
Now Derrick Boazman (where has he been) and Vincent Fort have jump-in to support these occupiers. Those guys are media hounds, just looking for a reason to get on camera and agitate the Atlanta business establishment.
And I can’t believe the Atlanta media is letting those guys speak for the original founders of the movement.
Al
October 25th, 2011
10:16 am
Mayor Reed has handled this exceptionally well. Ms. Dooly should be ashamed of trying to grab attention during this situation. Reed is correct that lives are in danger and while I sense there are many of of “let them die” crowd who post in this blog, I suggest that even misguided or criminally bent human beings are, well, human beings and if we are to survive as a species, we must give respect to all. This doesn’t mean that there are no consequences to misguided behavior or criminal conduct. It just means that we owe it to ourselves to act with dignity in every endeavor.
It is likely that the removal of those in Woodruff Park will be violent and may, in fact give strength to a group that is not, as far as can be seen, in any way on the same message as the Occupy Wall Street group.
The message is the frightening truth about wealth in this country. When candidate Obama spoke of “redistribution of wealth” there was a hue and cry of “socialism” among many who claim the conservative banner. Be reminded that “conservatism” is the belief in status quo mixed in with a little individualism. What those crying “socialism” failed to acknowledge is that there has already been a dramatic redistribution of wealth and it is this redistribution that is hurting us. In fact, President Obama has not connected the dots of his message and that has been a weakness in his leadership efforts on this subject. The redistribution he spoke of so inartfully was, in fact, the return to the distribution equilibrium of 1980 or close thereto.
60 Minutes recently ran a segment that posited the following: In 1980 the top 1% earners earned 10% of all the $ earned. 27 years later, the top 1% “earned” more than 23% of all the $ earned. 60 Minutes cites IRS figures available to anyone. But the issue needs greater examination across the full cast of earners in this country.
If you add that during the latter part of that period the moderately wealthy became worse off and the lower middle class fell into poverty, some conclusions about our condition comes to fore.
Just a few numbers paint the picture. The percentage of total AGI earned by the bottom 50% in 1980 was17.68%; in 2007 is was down to 12.26% This is nearly a 30% decline. In the same periods the percent of total AGI earned by the top 1% in 1980 was 8.46% and in 2007 was up to 22.83%. This is somewhere near a 275% increase.
The percentage of total AGI of the group earning between the top 25% and the middle (50%) 25% in 1980 was 25.62% and by 2007 that number had declined to19.04% (more than a 20% decline).
There was a recent ranking of the countries by their ratio of CEO to worker wage. Germany was 9th at a ratio of 12:1. Venezuela was 2nd at a ratio of 50:1. The USA was 1st at a ratio of 475:1. This number was up from 262:1 just 6 years ago. Up from 35:1 back in 1978.
“The poor population in America’s suburbs — long a symbol of a stable and prosperous American middle class — rose by more than half after 2000, forcing suburban communities across the country to re-evaluate their identities and how they serve their populations.” Today’s News (NYT 10-25-11).
I have heard people deny this is related to the reallocation of wealth to the top. They point to the rise in single motherhood as a cause. It is the practice of the “real conservative” to make excuses for those who are the benefactors of policy that permits this reallocation of wealth.
The Serfs of the Middle Ages, I suppose could be blamed for their poverty. They, after all, didn’t get an education and allowed the ruling landowners to dictate every aspect of their lives. Perhaps one or two, on occasion escaped to another place and through hard work or avarice, gained some measure of wealth and posed as other than a Serf.
We cannot lay all the blame for today’s news of poverty at the feet of those impoverished. Some, yes. Profligate spending. Lack of commitment to a two parent family. Unrealistic job expectations. But, at the end of that line of thought, we must acknowledge that at no time in this history of this land of opportunity has the accumulation of wealth been clustered at the very top as it is today. This is a problem.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
10:28 am
I dont have to pick corps I have a real job and them days are over with you never catch me picking corps and tell that to Nathan Deal.
Dash Riptide
October 25th, 2011
10:32 am
@Independent voter It’s spelled “corpse.”
td
October 25th, 2011
10:32 am
Al
October 25th, 2011
10:16 am
So are you telling us that you support redistributing wealth? How much redistribution do we do now? How many programs do we have where we confiscate money from the wealthy and the corporations to give to the non producers?
I see some problems with the way some of our public corporation heads get paid, like them still receiving huge bonuses when their corporations are failing and the whole idea of preferred stock sales but those could be fixed. I do not see where the government should inter fear in anyway in compensation of private held corporations and I do not believe is compensation caps.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
10:35 am
Downtown is nasty and dirty and so many panhandler I wouldnt dare camp out in the park because I dont want to get bitten by a rodent. Before occupy atlanta show up at the park it was for homeless people and they slept in that park long ago before occupy Atlanta so what the big deal, I bet if the teaparty camp out in a buckhead park and see if Kasim Reed move them out of the park.
Al
October 25th, 2011
10:38 am
I do not support government induced wealth redistribution. My point is that that is exactly what we have seen in the last 25 years. The redistribution of wealth is a direct result of government policy and that policy needs to be fixed or undone. It is the conservative way to go back to what worked.
I am and have been a strong fiscal conservative in my life. The new sound bite conservatism repulses me.
SAWB
October 25th, 2011
10:43 am
“Unless their plan is to break the law until the city is forced to take action.”
There is no doubt they want a confrontation with Police. This will give them the publicity they crave and also credibility in the anarchist/socialist/hobo culture that they so want to be a part of. At this point sides have been chosen and nothing that happens from now on is really going to sway anyone, so get it over with give them what they want and put them in The Fulton County Jail.
JP
October 25th, 2011
10:45 am
@Independent voter: You pick “corps”? How about some punctuation in your posts? Wow…sad.
John D
October 25th, 2011
10:46 am
Why would you have a concert for any protest anyway? I think they just used the opportunity to create the event has nothing to do with Occupy Wallstreet.
JP
October 25th, 2011
10:46 am
@Dash Riptide: Independent voter is talking about picking crops…cotton, get it?
Al
October 25th, 2011
10:47 am
Milton Friedman admits he was wrong. Reagan is some ways was wrong though he should be admired as a strong leader. The origins of our current path of destruction is we mistake what happened in the 80s as a blueprint for success.
The principal success of the 80s was that we learned how to manage the foreign policy dilemma of OPEC. Much of Carter’s failure stems from his (and everybody else at the time) inability to understand the new power of OPEC and how it was connected to the rising Islamist movement.
The removal of existing checks on financial markets was obscured by the technology revolution. When, in the 90s, banks and securities firms were allowed to live together, the economic equivalent of domestic violent began to simmer under the surface.
When 2007 rolled around and lid blew off, we finally saw what had happened to our economy. I submit this redistribution as a result of policy was change a conservative shouldn’t want.
DannyX
October 25th, 2011
10:49 am
I think the Occupy should ask Debbie Dooleys’s Tea Party Patriots group to join them in the park.
The Tea Party has a lot to protest right now.
Governor Deal begging Obama for Savannah port pork
Governor Deal accepting strings attached ‘Race to the Top’ federal education dollars
The never ending Ga 400 toll
The I-85 Express lane debacle
The Tom Graves loan
The Republican transportation sales tax
The proposed CAPCO
The non-exisistant Georgia ethics laws
Make room Occupy. The Tea Party has a lot to protest.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
10:50 am
Td are you changing your name to attack people comments. I dont care what you guys say about Occupy Atlanta because they fighting for corporation greed and justice, jobs and the list goes on I wondering why Nathan Deal going to China to bring jobs here which we need to make our own products and do busy in our country why China.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
10:54 am
Danny X the list goes on with Nathan Deal corruption
Your morning jolt: A hip-hop concert becomes weak spot for Occupy ATL – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | perfectbacon.com
October 25th, 2011
10:56 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
5th District Conservative
October 25th, 2011
10:58 am
In my opinion, Kasim Reed has been a good mayor. I did not vote for him because i was concerned that he was too close to the public unions to be able to get their benefits under control, but he did that. He also worked closely with the Guv to try to obtain support and funding for deepening the river for the port of Savannah which is good for all Georgians. I think that this Occupy thing is his first mis-step, and this is a difficult situation for him, with Atlanta being the epicenter of the Civil Rights Movement.
DannyX
October 25th, 2011
11:06 am
“Danny X the list goes on with Nathan Deal corruption”
I hear the Governor’s friends and family want to rename the park, they want to change it to “What a Deal Park.”
Dash Riptide
October 25th, 2011
11:14 am
@JP “Independent voter is talking about picking crops…cotton, get it?”
You never give independents enough credit. There’s way more money in fleecing corpses.
mike 'hussein' smith
October 25th, 2011
11:18 am
The mayor is a bully, nothing more. Would he want to go down in history as the first black mayor of Atlanta to have mostly white peaceful protesters savaged by billy clubs or killed? And when he blatantly lies like this: “You’ve had people killed in concerts where artists who were promised do not show up all across the country. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.” — I can only assume that he has gone off the deep end. His behavior is — shall I say it? — LUDICROUS!
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
11:22 am
JP seem like he want people of color to pick cotton and crops. Georgia is known for moving back in the days that people of color would not have rights or laws to protect people of colors.
Georgia murder Troy Davis, cops kill Joetavis Stafford and also the old lady who was 92 year old lsdy was murder in her home. What have Georgia become people are fed up with the killing of African American.
OLD Guard
October 25th, 2011
11:24 am
Devil’s Advocate – it has nothing to do with “fee waiving” it has to do with basic fairness. Which, it seems, is a concept that only the left has a right to.
Tom
October 25th, 2011
11:24 am
Latest moonbattery from Santorum….end any government funding for contraceptives. Not just abortion…..ALL BIRTH CONTROL.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
11:25 am
Kasim Reed seem like a angry black man and it my opinion Atlanta need a white mayor because these wanabee black mayor have destroy Atlanta image as a lovely place to visit. Next election I will be voting against Kasim Reed.
mike 'hussein' smith
October 25th, 2011
11:30 am
The government already is forbidden by law to provide funding for abortion. Santorum is merely making a last-ditch effort to win over the only large group of votes he has much possibility of winning — Catholics. And most of them reject the Church’s teachings on contraceptives, if not abortion.
GaBlue
October 25th, 2011
11:33 am
I agree with DannyX: Bring on the Pekoe Heads!
While I found some of the slogans and attitudes of the Tea Party rallies in recent years to be abrasive and abusive, (and the frequently-displayed abject IGNORANCE to be utterly disheartening), I applauded them for getting out and rallying to have their voices heard. What’s more American than a good protest? They have just as much right to voice their displeasure as anyone, no matter how foolish they look with flow-through teabags hanging from straw hats! I wonder where they are now, and why they aren’t out there defending the rights of the occupiers.
After all, as DannyX listed, there are many things going on right here in Georgia that are an affront to decent, hardworking taxpayers. Hey, in the realm of outrage, there’s room for everybody!
td
October 25th, 2011
11:36 am
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
10:50 am
Td are you changing your name to attack people comments.
I do not post under other id’s. Believe it or not there are more than one conservative that post on these boards. I take credit for my post and want everyone to know when they come from me.
findog
October 25th, 2011
11:45 am
Debbie’s problem is she asked as the leader of an organization
the occupy people claim they are independent and as such, without leadership, have no means to acquire a permit
Roekest
October 25th, 2011
11:55 am
@ Independent voter,
I admire your zeal for this issue; however, I do not admire your misuse of the English language. Please go back to school or pick up a set of Hooked on Phonics tapes.
Basil
October 25th, 2011
11:58 am
“Corps?” “Corpse?” If one is picking (e.g., cotton) I believe it’s spelled “CROPS.”
Off de Plantation
October 25th, 2011
12:00 pm
@Roekest, 11.55am; Amen to that. The independent Voter (in his/her case) us ab oxymoron. Not only can this person write or speak correct American English, he or she is stupid to boot.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
12:00 pm
Roekest it seem like you more interesting what I post on this blogg. I dont care what these Ga Republican teaparty think of me or Occupy Atlanta because one day the true going to set Ga free from these insane republicans.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
12:03 pm
4 more years of president Obama so get ready for the change in 2012 you teaparty.
Off de Plantation
October 25th, 2011
12:05 pm
OOPS, typos. Independent Voter (in that blogger’s case) is an Oxymoron, or, perhaps, in his or her case, just plain “moron.”
Politi Cal
October 25th, 2011
12:05 pm
A tempest in a slop jar.
Obama 2012
October 25th, 2011
12:07 pm
OBAMA 2012 baby!!!
WDE
October 25th, 2011
12:17 pm
I have a question completely off base here..why are their never any place for comments on articles about the new HOT lanes….why AJC why?
joe
October 25th, 2011
12:20 pm
Indep Voter, the tea party supporters (most of them) would never be occupying parks or anything else because they are law abiding citizens who respect the police, first responders and property owners. They also have jobs they work M-F and have homes they tend to when not at work. They are self-supportive.
See the difference?
In case you don’t the occupy crowd (most of them) don’t respect law, police or property owners. They don’t have jobs and they sleep on the streets. They beg for things or demand things from others via redistribution or other means (stealing) instead of being a participant in our capitalist system and they have no desire to ever do so. They have no personal responsibility.
Aquagirl
October 25th, 2011
12:30 pm
why are their never any place for comments on articles about the new HOT lanes….why AJC why?
Atlanta Forward has done it twice.
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-forward/2011/10/17/1018-more-thoughts-on-hot-hov-lanes/
1%er
October 25th, 2011
12:32 pm
Beat them until they leave. Big batons and just start whooping people. Great entertainment for us and hell, they deserve it for being stupid.
Al
October 25th, 2011
12:36 pm
It is endemic of the so called occupy Atlanta group’s failure that the media coverage is more about the occupation than the message. That’s because this group either has no message and is in fact just a hold over from the Troy Davis media event or because they don’t have the leadership to get out the message.
These blogs should be discussing the source of the discontent. (see earlier posts)
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
12:36 pm
WoW that is not right to beat people because they are expression there freedom of speech.
That what they did in 60’s beat african american and freedom marchers.
mark
October 25th, 2011
12:37 pm
amen to that joe, amen to that!
mark
October 25th, 2011
12:41 pm
Independent Voter – check out this link http://www.lvama.org/ will prove useful.
DC
October 25th, 2011
12:41 pm
Occupy “fill in the blank” has been a true blessing for America. It’s put faces to the movement whose goal is to take money/property from those who create jobs and build the economy, and give it to folks who don’t want to have to work, and just want to be able to take from others It’s another, and very visible, reminder of where our country has been heading.
Thank goodness we have such a clear picture (along with the collapse of “welfare state Europe”), as America heads into another round of picking our govt leaders and setting the country’s direction.
the original and still the best John Galt
October 25th, 2011
12:41 pm
I still doubt that Reed will come down hard on the Herbal Tea Party AKA Occupy Atlanta. After all, they are on his side. I expect that there will be a “compromise” that will allow the illegal occupation of Woodruff Park to continue.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
12:44 pm
Joe, did it ever occur to you that the gazillion dollars of debt the Tea Party ran up over the past 30 years contributed to our homes, jobs, and security you speak of?
Now the new generation is saddled with debt, and are pretty much screwed. I don’t blame them for being pissed.
If you don’t think these wall street A-holes are just completely screwing you, me and everyone else, you have your head in the sand.
Pat
October 25th, 2011
12:44 pm
I am not a big fan of Kasim Reed, but what he is doing is right. He has actually done more than enough for these people and they are taking advantage of it. He let them break a city law, by allowing them to stay in the park overnights and has police watching over them and how do they repay him, by starting rumors about him telling them to leave (last week) and by not following his orders on getting permits.
Intown
October 25th, 2011
12:45 pm
Occupy Atlanta should have obtained a permit BEFORE their protest. It ain’t that hard and it was done in other cities.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
12:45 pm
8 years of Bush and our economy collapsed. Does anyone in their right minds dispute that?
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
12:47 pm
You guys realize these bankers take huge risks with our money. When it pays off, they pay themselves millions. When it does not pay off, taxpayer foots the bill for the loss, and they pay themselves millions.
How can any sane person not have a problem with this?
View From Midtown
October 25th, 2011
12:50 pm
That Debbie Dooley, an uneducated bored housewife, can be elevated to the position of ‘political leader’ tells you plenty about the Tea Party Patriots. It’s really easy to hate government and taxes, it takes quite a bit more thought and depth to come up with real solutions to complex problems. The fact is the Tea Party is nothing more than a Koch Bros. rebranding for the Republican core after the GOP brand lost all its value post-Bush and a black man in the White House became a convenient scapegoat to divert attention from the abject failure of conservative policies.
DC
October 25th, 2011
12:51 pm
“Banker’s took risk with our money”…..and I wonder who gave them the access to “our money”…. our dear govt, of course. Politicians like Mr. Frank (D-MA) were berating banks 15 years ago for “REDLINING” (not loaning money to poor people who wouldn’t be able to pay it back), and set up Fannie Mae and FM to absorb the risk of these loans. And we blame the banks?
Damn, our politicians must laugh their tails off at how amazingly stupid, gullible, and how easily manipulated us voters are.
RGB
October 25th, 2011
12:55 pm
If they can just get John Lewis to say “Lawd, de dogs an fi hoses are comin’” then we’ll have a repeat of Birmingham.
Liberal white college student misfits combined with black legislators and “pastors” just itching to find something to protest about. If they’re not protesting, they’re not happy. And after all, that’s what government is all about: to make these groups happy.
So pay them off with a new program, add to the debt, increase taxes, screw the economy–and then wonder how we ended up in such a mess. And then they can protest the mess they created.
The cycle continues. No peace no justice. Ugh.
RGB
October 25th, 2011
12:59 pm
View from Midtown (or is it Mittown):
You’re just another victim held down by the Tea Party. And those Koch Bros are everywhere–behind every bush, tree, and shrub. They all conspired against our black president by getting a, uh, umm, black man to run against him who is now leading, um, in the, polls….did I mention NO PEACE NO JUSTICE?
No peace no justice.
Willx
October 25th, 2011
1:00 pm
Kasim barry Reid went to Howard University? LOL, that’s all you need to know about the Mayor and his affirmative action degree. The dumbing down of American City leadership explained right there.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
1:02 pm
DC, sure the government policy has a HUGE hand in it, both the republican and democratic party have an equal hand in it. But that is not the fault of the 20 somethings that are protesting, they were kids trusting us while all was going now, not they realized we screwed them.
However, the same failed government policy is letting people fleece the tax payer by paying themselves absurd salaries do really do NOTHING but flipping a coin saying tails I win, heads you lose. And you have NOO problem with that whatsoever?
Companies collapsed, millions lost jobs, yet the “leaders” were pulling millions of dollars out of these companies as they were collapsing, and not one person went to jail or is being investigated. And in many cases, taxpayers bailed them out, so they just keep putting millions in their pockets.
Open your eyes. What are you under the influence of?
Pat
October 25th, 2011
1:03 pm
@DC, too bad people do not understand that, they want to blame the banks and corporations but it was the people that made them do it who is at fault.
Pat
October 25th, 2011
1:06 pm
Mr. Charlie, and who made that choice to give them taxpayer money? The government.
Buymadeinusjobs
October 25th, 2011
1:07 pm
It is stupid of Mayor to waste all his time/police on a few people who are calling attention to the banksters, wall streeters, big oil and defense contractors, international corporations who have bought and paid for politicians. The people do not have money to buy politicians so their numbers is the only thing they have and they need to stick together.
I am surprised more of people who depend on government entitlements such as food stamps, medicaid, housins, SSI are not out their with them since Republicans are cutting them to pay for debt.
They signed no increase in tax pledge to their master Grover Norquist so they will not raise taxes on people who reduce all business expenses and have over 0ne million dollars in profits.
The tax was to be used for small business tax credits to hire injured and regular veterans. also police/teachers
It was less than a 1 % but Filibuster Republican senator Mcconnel and all his repubs, filbustered/voted no including Chambliss/Iskalon. Check voting records on c-span or on this paper
It takes 60 votes to pass most legislation in Senate and unless it has tax cut for wealthy , it does not pass.
Is there police watching the rich, banksters; criminals raping , robbing the poor/midle class.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
1:09 pm
Pat, when a company collapses and cannot pay it bills, or meet payroll, and the people in charge of these that company took millions out just before it collapses as “salary”, and nobody investigates?
Not only do we not investigate, THEN, we take tax payer money so they can meet their bills, and continue to draw absurd salaries?
Just what are you guys seeing?
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
1:11 pm
Pat, yes the government, and why? Because the bankers and 1% have the government in their pocket.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
1:13 pm
If you don’t think the 1% are screwing us and laughing at us, you are really stupid. The government policy is driven by the corporations through bribery (campain contributions). It is a system that required us to continually go into debt in order to pay all the grift. Now, our kids figured it out, and they are pretty pissed.
Pat
October 25th, 2011
1:16 pm
Mr. Charlie, we are seeing that too but who should be watching over them? Maybe a government agency? Maybe someone in Washington that is not getting money on the side from them? Good luck finding someone like that. I think the people responsible are the ones allowing them to do this and giving them our hard earned money to do it.
Dash Riptide
October 25th, 2011
1:18 pm
@Basil “‘Corps?’ ‘Corpse?’ If one is picking (e.g., cotton) I believe it’s spelled ‘CROPS.’”
If one is picking, then it would be spelled “cotton.” Crops are harvested. Cotton is picked. Craps is played. But not by corpses. Capishe?
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
1:18 pm
“Kasim barry Reid went to Howard University? LOL, that’s all you need to know about the Mayor and his affirmative action degree.”
“Affirmative action degree” from a historically black college??? You’re as retarded as Trig Palin.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
1:21 pm
Breaking News the Occpy Atlanta ask to recall mayor Kasim Reed.
They asking other Occupy city to come and join Occupy Atlanta to protest against the eviction.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
1:23 pm
We probably need campaign contribution reform, and maybe need an overhaul of the lobbyist system.
But regardless of the answer, we should not be angry at these kids for trying to call attention to it. It is really simple, we screwed them. We have to man up to that fact.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
1:25 pm
Plus Kasim Reed was an music entertainment lawyer, the bastion of integrity, lol. But, I actually kind of like him, but he’s got himself into a pickle here.
Centrist
October 25th, 2011
1:26 pm
Makes you proud to be considered part of Atlanta:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW56Z-0xwIQ
Willx
October 25th, 2011
1:26 pm
Thanks for proving my point Jee-sus.
Eric Johnson
October 25th, 2011
1:29 pm
Someone needs to go down there with some rat spray and clean out all of the rats. The very fact that these people can afford to take days and days off at a time tells you all you need to know about them. They are living with their parents (seriously?), living free off government (rats?), or in college (nothing else to do except group think).
Looking forward to the tv images of the occupy children getting their medicine…
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
1:30 pm
What point was that, Willx?
blackhemi
October 25th, 2011
1:33 pm
Good for reed, get them baby’s out of there. All of them occupy kids, blaming everyone but themselves. Im an American, and Im NOT equal, and dont want to be equal! I work for what I have and those lazy scumbags who want what I have for nothing, phttttt!
PS. Obama is on his way out!
Tommy Jeff Erson
October 25th, 2011
1:36 pm
Here’s a formula for fines for those arrested ——Cost of police+ cost of cleanup + any additional costs divided by the number arrested ==They’ll leave quickly, since I’m sure none of them has a job nor pay and state or Federal income tax. Taxpayers end up not having to pay for these sloths
Bim Franklen
October 25th, 2011
1:38 pm
If 47% of the population pays ZERO federal income tax it’s fairly easy to see where the problem is. Also easy to correct, a flat tax or Fair tax
Penny Lane
October 25th, 2011
1:43 pm
I’m with Mayor Reed on this one. Last year in Europe, dozens of people were killed at a music festival, and the Mayor was partially blamed:
19 dead in Love Parade stampede
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/7908522/19-dead-in-Love-Parade-stampede.html
Documents seized in Love Parade crush probe
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10764983
“Investigators are examining the security plans for the event, which could possibly lead to charges of negligent homicide….”
Who needs that?
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
1:43 pm
blackhemi you sound like the republican clowns who running for office president Obama will win 2012
MG
October 25th, 2011
1:44 pm
The Occupy Atlanta protestors should not have been allowed to stay in the park continously from day one. The mayor’s office is blatantly doing a double standard. If the perceived homeless can not stay in the city park according to the city’s so-called “urban camping ordinance” imposed some years ago, then these occupiers should not be able to stay. Mr. Reed and the supporting city council members should be very mindful of this double standard.
blackhemi
October 25th, 2011
1:49 pm
Independent voter
Im not, but anyone with common sense can see that Obama has done nothing good for this county. You can only blame Bush so long, Obama care, what a joke, the number one thing Obama supports say that he did is killing Laden. News, he did not, he does not get the credit for that.
Obama is a failure, and even he knows it. What kind of president will say, “if you love me, you will pass this bill” If you love me!!!!! gimme a break. His admin force bank bailouts, it was not an option. HE DID THIS!!!!
The list goes on.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
1:53 pm
blackhemi tell me what have the republicans did for this country compare to what president Obama have done in 2.5 years since he been office.
What is the republican agenda besides maken the rich more richer.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
1:55 pm
President Obama trying his best to help middle class and working class people. The republicans said this when he first got into the office you a one term president and most the republicans feel thay way will be not elected in 2012 watch and see blackhemi.
LG
October 25th, 2011
1:56 pm
Generation of entitlement. If I can’t have it, you shouldn’t have it either. I’m paycheck to paycheck and work closely with people who are most certainly not. I’m not angry. You won’t see me holding my hand out.
The Oldman is right, go pick some crops, mop some floors, flip some burgers. It may not be what you want to do, it’s what you have to do. If you have this kind of time on your hands, spend it volunteering and helping those homeless and struggling you are referring to. I’m sure Hands on Atlanta, Hosea’s Feed the Hungry or Habitat would love to have some help.
I understand that this started with the intent of a message change, but there is no message here. Just a mess.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
1:56 pm
Blackhemi, Agreed that Obama should probably be voted out, but the Republicans don’t seem to be able to find a remotely viable candidate. Herman Cain? LOL, I think he even thinks he is a joke. We’re pretty much screwed.
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
2:00 pm
Mr Charlie yes just welcome president Obama another 4 more years in the White House and get use to him. All these republicans voted against president Obama agenda to create jobs will be voted out the office.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
2:04 pm
Independent, don’t for one minute think that the Republicans are for the rich, and the Democrats are for the poor. Wall Street has donated just as much to the Democratic party. You are being pig roasted.
td
October 25th, 2011
2:05 pm
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
1:09 pm
Pat, when a company collapses and cannot pay it bills, or meet payroll, and the people in charge of these that company took millions out just before it collapses as “salary”, and nobody investigates?
Not only do we not investigate, THEN, we take tax payer money so they can meet their bills, and continue to draw absurd salaries?
Just what are you guys seeing?
And who was in charge of the Justice department and could have investigated? Obama? Who was in charge of the House and the Senate and could have held hearings? Democrats?
And who are you going to vote for in the next election?
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
2:06 pm
blackhemi, if he can’t take credit for killing bin Laden, then he can’t be blamed for high unemployment, right?
Jack
October 25th, 2011
2:06 pm
Been saying all along that we need more jails. I wouldn’t mind paying extra taxes if I knew for sure they’d go to building jails. These people at Woodruff have chosen to live outside our laws and rules of decency; they need to be put away in order for decent, hard working people to live their lives in peace.
blackhemi
October 25th, 2011
2:07 pm
jobs bill=TAX HIKE! even dems voted aginst it. It was a political move. Obama can now say he tried, but the republicans said no.
If we take a step back in time, and remember that the federal gov is meant for boarders, military and to oversee state government. Its not the feds job to take care of us. Over the years, our liberal schools have taught government support, as in they will support you!
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
2:07 pm
Also Independent, don’t mis-interpret that Obama being elected again is a GOOD thing. I just call it like I see it. Again, we the people need to understand that the political party plays against each other while the band plays on and we grind out. It it the entire system that is corrupt, and that is where I identify with Occupy.
td
October 25th, 2011
2:16 pm
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
2:00 pm
Mr Charlie yes just welcome president Obama another 4 more years in the White House and get use to him. All these republicans voted against president Obama agenda to create jobs will be voted out the office.
You my friend are living in a dream world. Obama may or may not win but the Republicans will control the House and the Senate after the next election. Remember Obama may win but it will not be because of your vote because it will not be counted in Georgia. All of Georgia’s votes will go to the Republican nominee.
td
October 25th, 2011
2:22 pm
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
2:07 pm
At least the Republican party is being changed by the Tea Party. How many establishment Republicans were been kicked out of office in the primaries in 2010? There is a purging of the establishment happening in the Republican party, maybe if these Occupy people can stop smoking pot so much they may figure out how to purge some of the establishment Dems. Then again I may be living in a dream world of with that hope for change.
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
2:25 pm
“Remember Obama may win but it will not be because of your vote because it will not be counted in Georgia. All of Georgia’s votes will go to the Republican nominee.”
Lucky for us there are 49 other states.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
2:26 pm
Republicans can win if they can put up a candidate that is not a stiff. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have any, hence Herman Cain’s popularity. But he does not have any interest in being president.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
2:28 pm
Jesus, Obama has sucked, he tossed 800 billion out the window, he is in bed with all the unions, which are even putting more pressure on the rest of us to pay these A-holes to retire at 50. Screw him.
Cool
October 25th, 2011
2:30 pm
I didnt know AJC could do a fair and balanced news article. This shows both sides. This has never happened before. What is happending with this left wing news org?
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
2:30 pm
The state of our education system is a joke due to unions. Plus Obama has expanded the hell out of other government positions, putting even more pressure on the deficit.
I guess it is great if you are in a union, or got one of these government jobs, but dam, what about the rest of us how have to pay for all this ***t? Sure, Obama, yay, since he has done such a great job.
SWAT Native
October 25th, 2011
2:31 pm
@ John Galt I love the term “Herbal Tea Party”. Classic.
Atlanta
October 25th, 2011
2:32 pm
Maybe Obama can show up in his new million dolloar Canadian built union job bus touting his American jobs plan!
American
October 25th, 2011
2:32 pm
Mayor Reed is now using his office as a bully pulpit and trying to intimidate the poor and unemployed. whatever future plans he may have as a Democrat will be undermined if he uses force to vacate the park. The protesters have legitimate concerns and these concerns are being expressed on a national and worldwide stage. Arresting a few will not stop the movement…it will make it grow.
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
2:36 pm
You sound like a crazy person, Mr Charlie. Care to cite sources, or are you only capable of spouting off nonsense regurgitated from Neal Boortz?
Independent voter
October 25th, 2011
2:36 pm
Mr Charlie could you tell me what have the republicans done to help anybody but the rich people. They speak against president Obama but what is the republican agenda they dont have a clue.
That why american people going to vote these republicans out of the office.
Randy
October 25th, 2011
2:36 pm
The only thing they won’t “OCCUPY” IS A FREAKIN’ JOB. Gimme something for nothing, The rich (people that work) need to give us some of what they have EARNED. Flat out a bunch of bums gimme gimme gimme .
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
2:39 pm
American. Exactly. If you read through the blog, all the negative comments regarding the protesters are about character attacks, nobody can say,
“sure people should be able to take the last $10 million the company has in the bank as bonus, then say we are bankrupt and need government money to meet the payroll”.
It will be interesting to see what Reed does, OA has backed him into a corner.
Dela
October 25th, 2011
2:42 pm
Why can’t the black race use plurals properly. When they need to add an s to a word they leave it out. Not all blacks but 95% of them. I guess they sound white if they speak correctly. Instead of orange they say ernge, instead of train they say crane, ask is ax, it is what it is homey.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
2:44 pm
How am I crazy Jesus? Boortz happens to be dead on right about GEU. It is them against the tax payer, and just one more commitment that the government wants to make with my tax dollar. Why do they deserve all the perks and security nobody else gets?
They are no different than the Wall Street bankers as far as I am concerned, just out to screw those how blindlessly defend them.
Nadara
October 25th, 2011
2:44 pm
I’m with the Mayor on this one. This group has now become a loosely organized gang of squatters, trying to hide behind accusations against “big government, banks, and the man”. Throw them out, mayor, by any means necessary. No shooting of course.
Occupy a job, for once
October 25th, 2011
2:45 pm
Occupy Atlanta = 47% = Children whose Parents never said no to them.
Even though I didn’t vote for Reed I’m REALLY starting to like him – finally someone with enough guts to stand up to the spoiled brats and tell them the world doesn’t owe them a living and that the rules are the rules.
Karen Lanier
October 25th, 2011
2:45 pm
Obama needs to start thinking with his white half of his brain.
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
2:46 pm
Dela, question marks follow questions, not periods.
Josephine Watts
October 25th, 2011
2:46 pm
Obama done nothing to help us black.
Dela
October 25th, 2011
2:48 pm
Thanks all mighty one, my bad, lol.
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
2:49 pm
Mr Charlie, I’m still waiting for you to cite a source. I suspect you’re too lazy to produce one, so I’ll just dismiss you as a tin-foil-hat-wearing loon who can’t think for himself.
td
October 25th, 2011
2:50 pm
I wonder how many of these young Occupy (whatever city) peoples parent are Tea Party members? Or are they the children of the old hippy movement?
Harvin
October 25th, 2011
2:54 pm
The people that are in the occupy mode don’t seem to have a clue as to what wallstreet is and how it is part of our financial system throughout the world. Maybe they need to take economics 101 .
Tychus Findlay
October 25th, 2011
2:58 pm
I like greedy corporations, they drive my stock shares higher and higher. You Occupy in the rain and cold. I make money while I sleep.
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
2:58 pm
@Harvin
Please dazzle us with your insights. I’m sure you have an intimate knowledge of Wall Street’s inner-workings.
Ben Hur
October 25th, 2011
3:00 pm
Reading comments from posters like @ independent voter (independent –sure –lol) makes me fear for the future of this country, blinded by media retorhic, they have no clue what the truth is.
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
3:02 pm
What is “retorhic,” Ben Hur?
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:03 pm
Exactly what topic do you want my sources on? GEU?
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:06 pm
Harvin, I took econ 101, it had nothing to do with Wallstreet and how it is part of the financial systems around the world. If I remember, we learned how to do supply and demand graphs.
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
3:06 pm
“Exactly what topic do you want my sources on? GEU?”
Let’s start there.
Bill
October 25th, 2011
3:07 pm
Get this OccuTards ( Occupy Retards) out of there…..let them go back to their parent’s basement. Lets beat them first just for entertainment.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:11 pm
Jesus, you are part of the problem. You think one side is ‘Good”, and the other “bad”. But it is really just two different ends of the same snake. Obama? make me laugh, he has not done jack, nor will he in the next 2 years or 6 years other than slide us down the path. Like I said, being in a government union is great, if your are in own….Kinda like running a bank.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:18 pm
That is what Occupy is about. I am sure 99.9% of them voted Obama, and the .01% that did not were too stupid to work the machine correctly. but here they are, 3 years later, SOS and getting south and figured out that they are being sold out by Obama just like Bush.
But they are too smart now, I loved how they told John Lewis to go Eff himself. They are too smart to fall for the Democrat is for the little guy crap, hence, they have backed Reid into a corner to play the part of Bull Conner. Brilliant!
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
3:19 pm
@Mr. Charlie
You’re still just making vague, unsubstantiated claims. Do you base you opinions on facts, or do you simply parrot conservative talk show hosts? If the former, please cite your sources.
Dash Riptide
October 25th, 2011
3:23 pm
@Mr Charlie “Jesus, you are part of the problem.”
Don’t judge, lest you’ll be picking corpses like the rest of us.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:26 pm
Vagueness? that is what Occupy is all about. Show me one person who cites sources down there. You don’t have to have a bear caught in the trap to prove you smell bear crap.
A dad
October 25th, 2011
3:28 pm
Unfortunately, this war between the haves and have nots will never be concluded. Haves are just that because in many situations they got a good education, worked hard, invested, etc. Have nots, and not including many of those who lost jobs they held, are just that because they didn’t do what the haves did. They sought the easy way in life. Generational welfare recipients. Selfish idiots who got degrees in music and then complain they can’t find a decent paying job. Those are the ones who want to be provided for without doing a dang thing for it.
As for Wall Street, it’s gone well beyond simple supply and demand. Think back to what futures trading did to blast the price of gasoline up. The solution? Simple. No matter who is in DC, no matter what party, they need to be voted out. The one thing the Pelosi’s, Reid’s, Wrangel’s, Boehner’s, etc, truly fear is ebing voted out of office. If that happens, no more feeding at the lobbyists/ trough. No one in DC really represents the elctorate anymore, and if you don’t see that then stop reading now. The Occupy movement, while perhaps well-meaning in the beginning, will achive nothing other than perhaps a repeat of the 68 DNC in Chicago. The only way true change will happen is to replace those inpower now. And to keep doing it unless they begin to represent us instead of their corporate/union/fill-in-the-blank masters. Of course as long as voters keep voting for people based on skin color, political party, etc., we’re going to remain hosed.
the original and still the best John Galt
October 25th, 2011
3:30 pm
Thanks, SWAT Native, I appreciate it. How you drink your tea and what kind of tea you drink reveals your culture or lack thereof quite handily.
PMC
October 25th, 2011
3:31 pm
I have to say, I like Kasim Reed. He’s handled a lot of tough situations well.
This is not an easy situation and everyone seems to be screaming at him from every direction.
I’ve liked how he’s handled his position thus far.
rob
October 25th, 2011
3:32 pm
The “Occupyers” could go home, but their parents DON’T want them either!
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
3:33 pm
@Mr Charlie
This isn’t about them, it’s about you. Why would you blindly repeat something without confirming its veracity? That’s intellectually lazy!
Junior Samples
October 25th, 2011
3:33 pm
The old billy clubs that po-lice officers used back in the day were fun for events like this.
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
3:34 pm
What’s an “occupyer”?
Your morning jolt: A hip-hop concert becomes weak spot for Occupy ATL – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)
October 25th, 2011
3:34 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:34 pm
So a Dad, it is just fine and dandy when a public company is on the verge of bankruptcy, and the “leaders” go ahead and take the millions of cash left as a bonus, so when there is no money to make payroll, to turn to the government and borrow against the future of the Occupy generation to keep the company solvent, so these same leaders can continue to pay themselves millions?
Thats all OK, because these people made the right choices?
PMC
October 25th, 2011
3:35 pm
Does it not seem like this is a bit of much ado about nothing?
What’s really happened? The protestors seem to be goading police and authorities to harm them so they can use it to thier advantage.
The mayor and police are attempting to uphold ordinances.
Everyone is trying to do what they feel is right it seems.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:35 pm
What “sources” have you shared with me?
PMC
October 25th, 2011
3:36 pm
The protestors actually have a few good points it’s just unfortunate that it’s being lost in the posturing…. same with the tea party.
RAMZAD
October 25th, 2011
3:38 pm
Kasim Reed is a fool.
He is a Mayor for a City that is ground zero for economic injustice, poverty, homelessness, survivalist crimes, a bankrupt transit system, tremendously high joblessness, and he wants to crack the heads of a group of white people who are saying “Hell no we won’t go.
Feed them, protect them, take up their garbage and leave them the hell alone. But noooooooooo;
black man must prove that he has power to be a man. Fortunately he is not one with a gun.
Pat
October 25th, 2011
3:38 pm
@A dad, well said. Too many people vote based on either a D or R next to a person’s name or other attributes without knowing what they actually stand for.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:38 pm
I do love how the Democrats have tried to use the “I was there, I am the friend of the little guy” card, only to be told to pound sand. Now Reid is gonna be a modern Bull Conner. Like I said, two ends of the same snake.
Jackie
October 25th, 2011
3:41 pm
Occupy is composed of hard core marxist leftists and useful idiots. No one will be unhappy to see their moment of the media spotlight come to a close.
It is shameful that the AJC covered the Tea Parties with a very different, tone. And it is likely illegal for the city to waive fees and rules for one group but not another.
Occupy just wants to end their pointless camp-in with some spectacular footage for the evening news. I hope Reed pushes them out of the park this week.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:41 pm
Am I the only one that finds the fact that a Rap concert pushed Reid over the edge?
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
3:42 pm
I’m not the one making spurious accusations about Obama, Wall Street, et al. Therefore, I’m not obligated to cite sources.
double
October 25th, 2011
3:46 pm
Jesus it be an occupant.You are a good one to question ones spelling,or use of words.
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:49 pm
I have no interest in going back and digging up everything I have read over the past year. I will just say that the fact Occupy exists validates my assumptions. If I was wrong, they would not even be there. And you are wrong, this is not about me, it is about Occupy. It aint about Democrats or Republicans, and that is driving the Democrats nuts…As Reid.
Jesus
October 25th, 2011
3:49 pm
double as in “double-wide”?
KBB
October 25th, 2011
3:50 pm
Have you guys seen a pic of Debbie? she looks like a poodle on meth
http://www.beaconcastmedia.com/cp/web/js/tiny_mce/plugins/imagemanager/files/Debbie.Dooley.jpg
Mr Charlie
October 25th, 2011
3:59 pm
The Democrats so want to own Occupy, and identify with the victim hood. But the Occupiers tall them to pound sand. Gotta love these guys.
Christie
October 25th, 2011
4:05 pm
I hope the Tea Party sues and receives a huge chunk of change from the city. Why is OA allowed to do things they weren’t?
Oh, right.
They’re the left.
We can’t deny the left ANYTHING.
Georgia Democrat
October 25th, 2011
4:18 pm
It is time to wave goodbye to the oppressive rule brought to you by Nathan Deal and associates. Things are obviously not working. Let us continue the dream that was cut short by this new evil regime. I will never be able to condone what Nathan Deal and his republican legislators stand for. I have met many of the current legislators in the house. They are not descent people. One should never vote republican party in the state of Georgia. They are only causing problems.
Roekest
October 25th, 2011
4:23 pm
The comments about crops, corps, corpses, etc. was worth reading through all the comments.
It’s nice to know that the more well-spoken and lucid posters seem to be conservative/center leaning, while all the ignorant comments are coming from the leftists (especially that Independent Voter person who doesn’t seem all that literate).
td
October 25th, 2011
4:25 pm
Georgia Democrat,
I agree with you that we need more democrats in the Georgia house of representatives. On the national level, however, I will always go with the republican party. Georgia has grown about six million people in 40 years. The bulk of the current constituency in Georgia includes former northern republicans. Whereas northern republicans may have been ideal for the north, they have mistakenly voted republican in local elections in Georgia. This did not really cause us to suffer in the beginning, but it has gone to far. Georgia democrats have a long history of being staunch fiscal conservatives. They are also more socially conservative, whereas northern republicans are more socially moderate.
kasimseemsshady
October 25th, 2011
4:26 pm
So the Tea Party is trying to get something for free and Kasim Reed is shutting it all down because of it. He knows the Tea Party aren’t the only group that’s going to try and milk this cow…
Occupy folks need to go be productive – they have lost this battle.
#occupy my desk...
October 25th, 2011
4:34 pm
Reed’s a racist!
Paul
October 25th, 2011
4:40 pm
Just like any politician. He brings in a backing of religious leaders? Wtf are they supposed to provide, besides a facade for Reed to look like a peaceful person…which he is not. I mean look at the people he associates with. Does any honest politician namedrop so many hip hop artists? What kind of credibility is he trying to add with this anyway? That he has street-cred? What is this?
Franzen has every right to call him out on this BS, because that is what it is. It is re-directed BS that does not focus on the key issues, but instead tries to divert any topics to “safety” concerns when Reed does not give a damn about anyone’s safety except for his own, self-preservation. I salute Franzen for having the guts to take a leadership role in a very difficult position. This isn’t a person who is getting paid half a million bucks to be the leader, he is doing this for the good of people.
Also, for anyone who wants to judge these people from their high horse, I would love to see you say any of that diarrhea in front of some of these occupy ATL people. You don’t have the balls to, simply put.
Hater
October 25th, 2011
4:52 pm
Sitting in a park is not going to change anything. This Occupy Atlanta group is unorganized and without any merit.
Please go away and leave the park to the homeless.
Bill
October 25th, 2011
5:23 pm
These people couldn’t find Lenox Square on the train (which doesn’t go to all that many places), then went out of their way to cut through a hotel and a shopping mall that they claimed they didn’t know were private property.
The easiest way to get these self-righteous entitled babies out of the park is to announce that the next protest will be at their butt. Two hands and a map will be provided. We’ll never see them again.
Ashante
October 25th, 2011
5:26 pm
Down with the white man!!!!!
Look before I leap...
October 25th, 2011
5:27 pm
If I am understanding the message from the Occupiers correctly:
Corporate Greed is bad.
Get rid of the fat cats
Jobs and housing for everyone
Does that not sound a lot like communism?
mike 'hussein' smith
October 25th, 2011
5:56 pm
freddie: And Kasim Reed will go down as the big bully he is. To “spill blood” would destroy the City Too Busy to Hate nationally. I’ve never heard of any white Atlanta mayor sending cops in to spill the blood of black protesters. The city wouldn’t recover for a long time if Reed sends police in to billy club or kill the mostly white protesters.
Alexander
October 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
“The poor population in America’s suburbs — long a symbol of a stable and prosperous American middle class — rose by more than half after 2000, forcing suburban communities across the country to re-evaluate their identities and how they serve their populations.” Today’s News (NYT 10-25-11).
Melba N.
October 25th, 2011
6:42 pm
re: “Y’all here that?” the mayor asked reporters.
Y’all proofread that?
Dash Riptide
October 25th, 2011
7:03 pm
I don’t know about the Franzen’s Green Tea party, but I know the Crips wouldn’t take this crap.
Larry
October 25th, 2011
8:00 pm
The Occupy Atlanta group have the right to protest and maybe if you are a True Tea Partier, you should not be there. ( They broke onto ships and destroyed government property.)
Dash Riptide
October 25th, 2011
8:17 pm
The moral of the story is the purpose of a sit-in is to get arrested. And one of the things government doesn’t do well is passive-aggressiveness. So, give these folks their 15 minutes and be done with it. Quit pretending this will end any other way. It’s not like we’re going to achieve a Roddenberry-esque economic utopia where no one wants for anything just because some urban campers picked Five Points, claimed themselves 99 percenters and no one ever made them leave.
Send the Marine Crops in if that’s what it takes.
RAMZAD
October 25th, 2011
8:31 pm
The Tea Party Terrorists should have nothing to say.
It was the one that brought AR-15 to a campaign rally. It was the one that was putting up Obama’s picture with the head of Adolf Hitler Photoshopped in. It was the one that put Bulls Eye on Gabby Giffords district and set the tempo for her to get her brains blown in. It was the one dragging the raw meat through the streets of America.
So Tea Party terrorist..get behind me Satan.
Steve Scarborough
October 25th, 2011
8:47 pm
Incredible Shrinking Mayor.
T'Shanae
October 25th, 2011
9:33 pm
“Y’all here that?” the mayor asked reporters.
hear, not here.
AJC must have fired the proofreader to save some $.
Today’s Links | 72ent
October 26th, 2011
1:50 pm
[...] Kay: Anti-Semitism at “Occupy” protests, or how the web makes us stupidNational PostYour morning jolt: A hip-hop concert becomes weak spot for Occupy ATLAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)How Occupy Wall Street is testing the next US presidentChristian [...]