John Lewis not miffed by “Occupy Atlanta” dis
A frame from a video clip shows U.S. Rep. John Lewis' unsuccessful attempt to address the Occupy Atlanta gathering.
A 10-minute video clip of U.S. Rep. John Lewis‘ unsuccessful attempt to address the Occupy Atlanta gathering in Woodruff Park is burning up the blog and Twittersphere.
To put it mildly, it’s not going over well in some circles.
To #occupyatlanta General Assembly. You are a bunch of (blank)heads. Congressman John Lewis is an American hero,” tweeted hip hop industry mogul and activist Russell Simmons. He supports the Wall Street protestors that spawned Occupy Atlanta, though, tweeting more recently, “White people catch a cold blacks get pneumonia. We must join in #occupywallstreet. Education and health care cut while rich get richer.”
Jay Smooth, a hip hop DJ in New York, tweeted, “Disappointed to hear that John Lewis was not allowed to speak at #OccupyAtlanta. Hoping organizers will hear feedback and learn from it.”
The video clip of the protesters discussing the matter, and of Lewis leaving without speaking, has been gathering steam online. As of about 11:15 a.m. today it had logged more than 180,000 views on YouTube. In the clip, the protestors discuss the matter by repeating phrases, vote by waving their hands and ultimately decide that Lewis should come back later. At one point someone off camera shouts “John Lewis is no better than anyone else!”
Lewis, a Civil Rights Era icon, was gracious when we asked him about the matter. ”It’s ok,” he said during a brief interview Sunday night at the Woodruff Arts Center, site of a 90th birthday celebration for his fellow Civil Rights Era activist, the Rev. Joseph Lowery. Both the park and arts center are named for the late corporate titan Robert Woodruff, a longtime president of Coca-Cola and major philanthropist.
Lewis had been en route to a Pride event when he stopped by Woodruff Park.
“They didn’t really deny me,” Lewis said. The protestors decided he could return after their agenda items had been completed, but because of the Pride event, Lewis didn’t have time to wait around. The group has since issued a statement saying, “We are dismayed that anything we have done would seem to show disrespect for a man whom many of us revere, and apologize to everyone who was hurt or angered by our actions.” And they say Lewis can come back.
Lewis said he was not dismayed, despite his key role in the nation’s struggle for civil rights, that he was not more eagerly received when he initially stopped by the park.
“These are different times,” he said.
- Jennifer Brett/The Buzz/jbrett@ajc.com
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117 comments Add your comment
AngryVoter
October 10th, 2011
10:38 am
@Jennifer – The man who was once Majority Whip is very much part of the problem. He embodies the problem. He couldn’t be anymore a poster child for the problem than Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid or Mitch McConnell. He is and has been part of the leadership of the problem. At best, he’s ineffectual and unable to lead for change, in which case he should step aside. At worst, he is a gas torch among many gas torches in DC that light the flames that cause the problem.
There is no way you can paint John Lewis as anything but part of the problem. The fact he wants to address the crowd indicates he is clueless about what the crowd is communicating. He just doesn’t get it.
He may be a hero for what he accomplished forty years ago. We are a better society because of what he did. That does not give him a pass for being part of the group that put us in this mess. Don’t cheapen the claim or racism by blanketing on anyone who views this accomplished man as part of the problem. When you do that, it makes it harder to combat racism when it really happens.
Don Calhoun
October 10th, 2011
10:38 am
Truly pathetic. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at their tremendous lack of intelligence. No, wait, I’ll laugh.
Occupy Atlanta Protesters Use ‘Assembly’ Rules to Prevent Rep. Lewis From Speaking – Fox News | Anything Political
October 10th, 2011
10:41 am
[...] interminably frustrated by the arcane ways of the Senate. At an Occupy Atlanta protest, …John Lewis not miffed by “Occupy Atlanta” disAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)all 28 news [...]
Mike
October 10th, 2011
10:48 am
“Orwell Meets Kindergarten Class” – perhaps “Lord of the Flies” would be more apt? Same concept, less bathing.
I don’t know if George Soros is financial supporting any of this, but I wonder if the people complaining about greedy corporations disrupting the democratic process have the same feelings about a hedge fund executive paying for moveon.org.
Vote for Obama cause he's black
October 10th, 2011
10:57 am
Ok,blacks,women,attained their civil rights 40 years ago,right ? So things are supposed to be better,right ?
Whites even voted in a black president and they still won’t shut up.
John Lewis,Jessie Jackson,Al Sharpton,Joseph Lowery and all your supporters,I have a few questions.
Why are 72% of black babies born out of wedlock in 2011 ?
Why do blacks make up only 16% of the U.S. population but make up 65% of the prison population ?
Why are their more black men in prison than in college ?
Why are their more hispanics in college than blacks ?
Why do 55% of the new HIV cases comprised of black women ?
What are you and your community activists going to do about these facts ? Get on that !
How about all the young black men with their pants on the ground ? You can’t even stop that . Lol !
I think the Occupy protesters would rather hear from Kanye West.
Shame on you
October 10th, 2011
10:58 am
@Korean Man October 10th, 2011 10:35 am
Who the h*ll are you calling YOU PEOPLE? You don’t even belong in this country until you learn the english language. YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM with your racist attitude. You come to this country and think that you are better than we are. White people don’t like you either. THEY LAUGH BEHIND YOUR BACK BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU TALK. Learn correct english and maybe we can have a decent conversation. AND WHAT IS THAT STINKING ODOR THAT WE SMELL EVERYTIME WE COME INTO ONE OF YOUR STORES. IT IS THE SMELL OF RACISM.
You say- “People no listen no more.” YOU DAMN RIGHT PEOPLE NO LISTEN TO YOU NO MO. GO BACK TO KOREA WHERE YOU BELONG.
Enough
October 10th, 2011
10:58 am
These people can not relate to John Lewis! They need someone that is relatable to them, that can lead this new movement. I am black and although I appreciate John Lewis for all the sacrifices that he made many years ago and currently in congress. He is not a great speaker, every time I hear him speak, it sounds like he is preaching. I don’t want to feel like im being yelled at! I go to church on sunday for a great sermon.
NO FREAKNIK BUT YES TO BLACK & WHITE GAYNIK
October 10th, 2011
11:03 am
EVIL REDNECK WHITES,YOUR TIME OF DOING EVIL IS ALMOST UP!
Truth Be Told
October 10th, 2011
11:04 am
@Vote for Obama cause he’s black October 10th, 2011 10:57 am
We don’t give a rats A** about what you think are say. DONT VOTE FOR OBAMA WHO GIVES A SH*T?
Keep your racist remarks for your klan rally. You are a racist, ignorant, trailer park trash, meth smoking, lice infected, dog smelling, flea infected, boo boo smelling piece of trash.
Relentless
October 10th, 2011
11:05 am
Its a good thing #JOHNLEWIS didn’t get to speak. He should not support this group of crybaby/neardowells. The “stand-out” here is a young person crying “I just wanna be heard!” LOSER! There are many ways to “be heard” especially when it comes to such issues. The key is to say something important, back it up with action/evidence, and stand by your position. This protest is Vague and mostly unsupported. #getajob
Prophet
October 10th, 2011
11:11 am
come quickly Lord Jesus!
NO FREAKNIK BUT YES TO BLACK & WHITE GAYNIK
October 10th, 2011
11:11 am
I THANK GOD THAT THE BLACK JESUS IS ON THE WAY BACK TO KILL THE RACIST EVIL WHITEMAN!
JESUS SAID THE 1ST SHALL BE THE LAST,AND THE LAST SHALL BE 1ST
IF JESUS IS COMING BACK TO FIGHT AGAINST EVIL? THEN IT IS THE WHITEMAN THATS BOMBING AND KILLING EVERYBODY OF COLOR,REMEMBER THE ANTI-CHRIST IS GOING TO BE SOME WHITEMAN COMING FROM EUROPE!
THE WHITEMAN BOMBS PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO CAN ONLY FIGHT WITH STICKS AND ROCKS!
THE WHITEMAN KILLS BABIES AND THE ELDERLY WITH HIS BOMBS!
THE WHITEMAN IS THE ONLY SERIAL KILLER IN THE WORLD!
THE WHITEMAN IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CHOPS UP HIS OWN WOMEN AND MEN AND EAT THEM!
THE WHITEMAN IS THE ONLY ONE THAT WORSHIP SATAN!(LOOK AT THE MUSIC HE LISTEN TO)
THE WHITEMAN IS GETTING READY TO TRY TO FIGHT AGAINST GOD AND THE BLACK JESUS,BUT THE CRACKER WILL LOSE!
david addams
October 10th, 2011
11:14 am
2012 – “O” has gotta go…………………..
Southern Hospitality
October 10th, 2011
11:14 am
White people will continue to be white and ascribe to their white supremacist attitudes and philosophies. It doesn’t matter if they are flying a rebel flag or are tree huggers they are still the same. Their attitude of white supremacy has been engrained in them since they first stepped foot in the Americas (ask the Native Americans) What Occupy Atlanta did was not only disrespectful but showed a lack of class and ignorance to the contributions that Congressman John Lewis has made to the civil rights of all people. I will not support Occupy Atlanta, I still support the efforts of Occupy Wall Street. By the way, please do not talk about pulling the race card, white people have had the entire deck since they immigrated here. On a side note, since white people in America are immigrants or descendants of immigrants does the new immigration law apply to them? Just food for thought…..
The Bloody Pitbull
October 10th, 2011
11:15 am
@Logic 05 October 10th, 2011 8:48 am
WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM? You say -”John Lewis is living in the past. If he were White he would be unemployed.”
GIVE ME A BREAK YOU DUMBA**. There are more black people unemployed than white people.
PUT DOWN THE METH PIPE AND COME BACK TO REALITY AND STOP TELLING LIES!
LegalAngel
October 10th, 2011
11:19 am
When are ALL the politians going to realize that they ARE the problem regardless of race. Everybody in America is hurting in one form or another and it is because of the greed and in-fighting of ALL politians. If the government would stop trying to help us, the American people would have solved this a long time ago.
curious
October 10th, 2011
11:19 am
With no true disrespect intended, I would bet most black youth have not even heard of John Lewis.
The Bloody Pitbull
October 10th, 2011
11:20 am
@david addams October 10th, 2011 11:12 am
You can take your white racist a## to the back of the bus. I tell you what – I bet your stinking a## will be in the back of the bus before John Lewis you dumb a## redneck.
YOU PEOPLE THNK YOU GOT PROBLEMS NOW TRY TO PUT ANY BLACK PERSON IN THE BACK OF THE BUS!
ALL HELL IS GOING TO BREAK LOOSE!!!! JUST TRY IT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WE ARE NOT THE GENERATION THAT TOOK YOUR SH*T. YOU DON’T WANT TO GO THERE BUDDY.
High Comedy
October 10th, 2011
11:23 am
“Boo boo smelling piece of trash” – quote of the day by Truth Be Told. Keep this up, folks. There’s gold here. Gold, I tell ya.
The Bloody Pitbull
October 10th, 2011
11:24 am
@curious October 10th, 2011 11:19 am
YOU PEOPLE NEED TO PUT DOWN THE METH PIPE. I BET YOU ARE WRONG. 99% of black children have heard of John Lewis because his name is always mentioned along with Martin Luther King, Jr. GIVE ME A BREAK PEOPLE. STOP SAYING THINGS YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.
PUT DOWN THE METH PIPE, PLEASE.
V
October 10th, 2011
11:31 am
Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition! The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it’s my very good honor to meet you and you may call me “V”.
Enough
October 10th, 2011
11:34 am
The point is, that they DON’T want to hear from John Lewis. At the end of the day he still is a politician. They don’t want to hear from these people period. Some of the 99% or OCCUPY ATLANTA principles are based, on the fact that corporate america has bought and sold politicians including Wall Street.
Jennifer Brett
October 10th, 2011
11:40 am
That’s enough out of you “The Bloody Pitbull.”
I’ve removed your most recent comment and banned you from the blog. Differing opinions are fine. Obscene racist comments are not.
Jennifer
Jennifer Brett
October 10th, 2011
11:41 am
V: That was “very” impressive. I bet you’re good at Scrabble.
Jennifer
Vote for Obama cause he's black
October 10th, 2011
11:42 am
@ Truth Be Told . Typical angry black man response.Nobody said anything evil about black people.These are simple facts you can look up on your google search bar.Go to google.com if you don’t have one.You can study the facts and discuss them with your pastor,fellow parishoners at church,civil rights leaders.Calling people racist,bringing up the past,talking about slavery will not solve the problems that are accurate on a google search.Emotions aside,these problems that terrorize the black community and fellow american citizens,neighbors,need to be taken care of,so please step up.
Playing the race card only makes you look like a buffoon in the Tyler Perry fashion.
Please answer the questions,calmly,with a postive response.
Word to the mother.
Observant
October 10th, 2011
11:47 am
Southern Hospitality
October 10th, 2011
11:14 am
White people will continue to be white and ascribe to their white supremacist attitudes and philosophies. It doesn’t matter if they are flying a rebel flag or are tree huggers they are still the same. Their attitude of white supremacy has been engrained in them since they first stepped foot in the Americas (ask the Native Americans)
================================================================
If you go to any HBCU, anyone along with many churches you will get the same message as redneck except its black nationalism or supremacy instead of white supremacy. Hate whites, republicans., tea party people and Obama is the greatest thing since JFK. I even heard Obama being compared to Jesus$##@!!!! and his failure is the white man’s fault. Just go visit one day and hear the rhetoric by this 1960 reject professors and their socialist agenda brainwashing these students and church members, white people, “they are our problem and we need to embrace African heritage and traditions because Africa is the single source of civilization and power”.
What a sick culture!!!!
V
October 10th, 2011
11:50 am
Jennifer, mainly I read and listen to music. Vi veri universum vivus vici.
Justus
October 10th, 2011
11:56 am
Hang on folks. It’ll be winter soon and all these kids will pack up and go back to Mom and Dad’s basement where it’s nice and toasty warm. All of this will blow over as soon as it becomes uncomfortable for them to protest. At least it’s raining today. Maybe it’ll wash a little stink off those kids.
Jennifer Brett
October 10th, 2011
11:56 am
And let me see if I can guess your favorite restaurant in Atlanta…Veni Vidi Vici perhaps?
Jennifer
Hosea Williams
October 10th, 2011
12:04 pm
Hey, John Lewis
I got hit in the head with a brick, not you
Captain Midnight
October 10th, 2011
12:04 pm
Who’s the guy with the bullhorn, Jim Jones?
ConfuZed Reader
October 10th, 2011
12:09 pm
Jennifer,
Please help us understand.
You were offended by the controversial comment by “The Bloody Pitbull” but you are apparently okay with the equally (or even more so) racist/controversial/offensive comment @ 11:11 am that still appears as of this post ???????
Jennifer Brett
October 10th, 2011
12:11 pm
Hang on, I’ll check that one out..
Jennifer
V
October 10th, 2011
12:14 pm
Ahhhhhh, Jennifer, verily…..
Jennifer Brett
October 10th, 2011
12:15 pm
Hi again – I think the comment you are referring to is the one I removed. You can email me any time about comments in this blog or others if you think they should be removed: jbrett@ajc.com. I try to monitor with a relatively light hand so all opinions can be included but blatantly offensive, racist, sexist, homophobic comments or profanity get the boot.
Jennifer
ConfuZed Reader
October 10th, 2011
12:24 pm
Hi, Jennifer.
Seriously, no one at the AJC sees anything wrong whatsoever with the still-appearing, offensive post by “NO FREAKNIK BUT YES TO BLACK & WHITE GAYNIK” at 11:11 am ????
NOTHING ???
If that is the case, I think I now see why my parents cancelled their AJC subscription and still complain about how out of touch it is with the public it claims to service.
OCCUPY will only get bigger.....
October 10th, 2011
12:27 pm
How did Occupy turn into a racist shouting match. Those protesters are all shades, sizes, ages, genders, religions, the educated, the dropouts, the employed, the unemployed, and all cultures. The message is simple for those on here who want to call these folks “losers”. Corporations and lobbyists own Washington. THE 99% who are fed up with it are sick of billion dollar tax breaks to these GREEDY CEO’s who ship our jobs to China and India. I was one of those statistics when I was employed at a very well known global cosmetics company when the CEO, who remains one of America’s highest paid in both categories of plain CEO and Women CEO’s, decided to eliminate ALL CSR jobs in the U.S. and move the call center to India. And at the end of the day, not only did she and her CRONY members on her board and fellow executives get to KEEP their job, they got ANOTHER record BONUS in the deal! WHAT don’t you entitled spoiled 1% not understand about these protests? No more corporate tax breaks. No more sending our jobs to other countries. We bailed out the banks but they have turned their A$$ up at us when individuals and small businesses try and get a loan. Yet they have the gall to take ANOTHER $5.00 from each month as we use our OWN money when we use our debit card?
V
October 10th, 2011
12:44 pm
All you people complaining about the government amuse me. If you’re looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.
Jennifer Brett
October 10th, 2011
1:10 pm
Occupy: Lots of blogs turn into racist shouting matches. I don’t know why. It’s depressing.
Jennifer
Jennifer Brett
October 10th, 2011
1:19 pm
ConfuZed, I am not finding that one. It may have been removed already. There are several of us who monitor comments.
Jennifer
Karl
October 10th, 2011
1:24 pm
If anyone would like to hear more from Jennifer, you can listen to an interview at the Daily National, http://dailynational.com/2011/10/10/interview/
Vote for Obama cause he's black
October 10th, 2011
1:27 pm
Jennifer…It is thee,one,and only defense of liberals,democrats,that support the left.I simply state facts supported by google,not from a racist point of view and the black people on this blog do all the shouting,screaming.These blogs are supposed to be a healthy way to discuss the stories on the AJC.This paper seems to coddle the black community,does nothing to stop the screaming.Atlanta will never move forward until the black community is willing to openly discuss the real issues of today without playing the race card.The AJC needs to step up and promote the discussion.
Daniel
October 10th, 2011
1:36 pm
can we please get off the issue of race? we are all in the same boat here, dont you get that?
maybe the occupy groups do have it wrong, but things in this country need to change. and those changes wont be made by blogging, voting, or just sitting around hating each other.
if you have a better idea then get off your comp and take it the the streets.
dont hate on these people just because all of you are cowards to scared to risk anything.
lead, follow, or get out of the way.
T bone
October 10th, 2011
2:05 pm
Can we also ask /demand the 1 % for free beer & weed while we are at it?
C
October 10th, 2011
2:17 pm
@Montel- you and some others on here are totally OUT…OF…TOUCH!
Sting Ray Juice
October 10th, 2011
2:46 pm
His is part of the establishment and therefore part of the problem. DOWN WITH THE CAPITALIST PIGS!
Vince
October 10th, 2011
3:21 pm
Wow! As Much as i disagree with Rep Lewis and all of his politics, the lack of disrespect shown for someone who has really “fought the fight” already is truly amazing.
IMO, these lazy, whining, give me give me, life is unfair protestors could use a brick or two over the head. Perhaps they will feel what its like to have “REAL OPPRESSION” forced upon you like lewis had, instead of whining that the student loans THEY decided to take out are too much to pay back.
Al Dorman
October 10th, 2011
3:41 pm
Who cares what generic celebrities have to say? These folks had an agenda and their own rules. Just because some government official stops in doesn’t mean they drop everything. Rep. Lewis understands this, by the way.
Jen
October 10th, 2011
4:23 pm
It’s not that they didn’t want to hear from them. It’s a mixed crowd. Some did, some didn’t. They were going to wait until they had open floor time (because they have a schedule to follow) but John Lewis didn’t have time to wait that long. They have welcomed him back so he may return to speak at a later time. It just didn’t work out right then.
Bad Idea
October 10th, 2011
4:42 pm
A politician who has been part of congress for as long as Lewis has, regardless of his past historically important contributions, should of had enough introspection to understand he has been part of the team allowing the corporate takeover of American government over the last 3 decades. It was a bad idea trying to speak.