The Wall Street Protests

[Sunstone]

I hear the so-called "Liberal Mainstream Media" is highly biased in favor of the powers that be when covering the protests on Wall Street. Maybe that's because the mainstream media ain't really liberal. How could it be? It's owned by the corporations.

Here's a non-Mainstream article on the protests.

And here's a video feed from the protests that is sometimes live.

There seem to be a lot of lies being spread in the Media and on the internet about the Occupation.

What do you make of the protests?

 

[Alceste]

I think they are awesome. I'm happy to see some Americans have finally figured out whose fault it all is and stopped pointing fingers at each other. If they want their country back, they are doing it right.

 

[YmirGF]

What do you make of the protests?

In a word, Phil? Pathetic.

 

[Alceste]

In a word, Phil? Pathetic.

What would be a better method of pressing for meaningful regulation of the financial sector and a genuinely progressive system of taxation in your view?

 

[sandandfoam]

I hear the so-called "Liberal Mainstream Media" is highly biased in favor of the powers that be when covering the protests on Wall Street. Maybe that's because the mainstream media ain't really liberal. How could it be? It's owned by the corporations.

Here's a non-Mainstream article on the protests.

And here's a video feed from the protests that is sometimes live.

There seem to be a lot of lies being spread in the Media and on the internet about the Occupation.

What do you make of the protests?

I hadn't heard. Fair play to them for protesting.

 

[Valjean]

Europeans take to the streets in the tens of thousands when they're asked to pick up the tab for a party they were never invited to.
Americans, on the other hand, are passive, even though they're more heavily impacted than Europeans. Learned helplessness, perhaps.
Those that are active -- "tea partiers" & al -- are usually deluded into believing it's the liberals that are destroying the country and are responsible for our economic problems. They end up supporting their opressors.

Our media are virtual mouthpieces for right-wing corporate interests. A tea party demo of fifty gets prime time/front page coverage. A liberal demo of fifty thousand in DC or New York usually gets no coverage whatever.
The current "Wall Street Occupation" was reported on only after the police attacked the peaceful demonstrators. Violence, it seems, is always newsworthy.

The last time the world experienced a right-wing, deregulatory depression Europe moved to the right and the US to the left. This time it's the US being passively overtaken by Fascism and the Europeans actively protesting right wing policies.

 

[Panda]

While I sympathise with their cause I feel protesting to be a waste of time and effort. To me it seems like groups of people who want someone else to make the changes for them. To truly be productive they should be pushing for offices of state or be looking at spending the time and energy it takes to be in positions to make decisions at these companies not standing in the street moaning. If you want to change things make the effort it takes to be the one who can change things, don't just moan.

 

[Revoltingest]

Maybe that's because the mainstream media ain't really liberal. How could it be? It's owned by the corporations.

I have one possible answer for your question.
Tis in the nature of crony capitalism that the beneficiaries of government's largess will support those in power, & even enter the political arena (eg, Geithner).

 

[sandandfoam]

While I sympathise with their cause I feel protesting to be a waste of time and effort. To me it seems like groups of people who want someone else to make the changes for them. To truly be productive they should be pushing for offices of state or be looking at spending the time and energy it takes to be in positions to make decisions at these companies not standing in the street moaning. If you want to change things make the effort it takes to be the one who can change things, don't just moan.

#1
As one who protests I disagree that it is a waste of time and effort and that it is seeking another to make changes for me. To protest is to engage actively in democracy. It is to speak for oneself.
##2
What if it's the state one is protesting against?

 

[Panda]

#1
As one who protests I disagree that it is a waste of time and effort and that it is seeking another to make changes for me. To protest is to engage actively in democracy. It is to speak for oneself.

It is but I feel there are far more constructive ways to go about trying to get things done. I also think protesting is a good way for people to be annoyed at your cause when you start causing problems in their day to day work. For example how will this effect your average person that works in the finance industry? Most of them don't get big bonuses or stupid wages.

##2
What if it's the state one is protesting against?

Then put yourself up for office, become a politician or get into a position with influence. Don't just moan on the street.

I'm not saying protesting should be banned, it is your right but I'm saying it is not a good way to go about it. For example the student protests in the UK, how much difference did they really make? All they done was brought resentment from people who might otherwise be sympathetic.

 

[sandandfoam]

It is but I feel there are far more constructive ways to go about trying to get things done. I also think protesting is a good way for people to be annoyed at your cause when you start causing problems in their day to day work. For example how will this effect your average person that works in the finance industry? Most of them don't get big bonuses or stupid wages.



Then put yourself up for office, become a politician or get into a position with influence. Don't just moan on the street.

I'm not saying protesting should be banned, it is your right but I'm saying it is not a good way to go about it. For example the student protests in the UK, how much difference did they really make? All they done was brought resentment from people who might otherwise be sympathetic.

Hi Panda,

We disagree so completely that it is night and day. The attitude you express here drives me mad and I see from the content of your post that the actions/attitude of the likes of me drives you mad. There's going to be no meeting of minds between us on this one .

 

[Panda]

Hi Panda,

We disagree so completely that it is night and day. The attitude you express here drives me mad and I see from the content of your post that the actions/attitude of the likes of me drives you mad. There's going to be no meeting of minds between us on this one .

Hmm yes might not be wise to not take this any further. I'll support your right to protest as long as your support mine to moan about it.

I do think we both agree that things need to change, we just disagree how to go about it.

 

[sandandfoam]

lol
fair enough

 

[SageTree]

Would any care to explain, in their opinion...

'What is all this then?'

What is the protest over?

 

[Alceste]

While I sympathise with their cause I feel protesting to be a waste of time and effort. To me it seems like groups of people who want someone else to make the changes for them. To truly be productive they should be pushing for offices of state or be looking at spending the time and energy it takes to be in positions to make decisions at these companies not standing in the street moaning. If you want to change things make the effort it takes to be the one who can change things, don't just moan.

I've never met an activist who does nothing but demonstrate. Usually the people who organise these events do all the things you describe and then some. Your disdain is based on a false premise.

 

[Alceste]

Would any care to explain, in their opinion...

'What is all this then?'

What is the protest over?

It's "the other 99%" protesting tax and spending policies and a political system that enriches the wealthiest 1% of Americans while hanging everybody else out to dry. It's serious business. Something like 1 in 5 Americans has lost or is at risk of losing their home thanks to that shower of self-serving wankers on Wall Street.

 

[Valjean]

If we hadn't taken to the streets we'd probably still be in Viet Nam.
Entrenched power controls all "legitimate" avenues of redress.

 

[SageTree]

It's "the other 99%" protesting tax and spending policies and a political system that enriches the wealthiest 1% of Americans while hanging everybody else out to dry. It's serious business. Something like 1 in 5 Americans has lost or is at risk of losing their home thanks to that shower of self-serving wankers on Wall Street.

Thanks for that.

I know in people's hearts they understand the essence of this whether they agree completely or not....

 

[Panda]

I've never met an activist who does nothing but demonstrate. Usually the people who organise these events do all the things you describe and then some. Your disdain is based on a false premise.

They demonstrate, they moan, they write books on it but they rarely seem to aim for getting into a position where they can actually change things.

This for example I agree with the cause I just think a more useful way of doing things would be people who believe these things running for office, or working at these corporations trying to change things from the inside

 

[Valjean]

The rich, the corporatists, the clergy and the royals have always been pretty good at keeping progressives out of positions of power.

A couple of recent US presidential elections come to mind....