Will "Occupy Wall Street" Stick?

[Mahsa Tezani]

Oh though I've never been to a workers paradise I did spend a few years traveling the world for one of those companies that are at the apex of building (literally) that American Empire by either exploiting (raping is really a better word) their natural resources or building crap for them that was sinking those nations further in massive unpayable debt.^*  So I got to travel through the Third World where our sites were often armed camps like Fort Apache in Africa or Indonesia.  And I also enjoyed the hospitality of The Kingdom, and if you want to understand how radical maldistribution of wealth (and that's what the Wall Street 99% vs 1% protests are about) creates a 100% totally ->-bleeped-<-ed-up ->-bleeped-<-hole, where a very few live in unimaginable luxury and never lift a finger (does it go without saying that they are about the most personally horrible human beings you'll ever meet?) while the people doing all the real work live a thousand percent worse than your housepets, all kept under control by a  primitive desert religion in combination with advanced police state tactics  - well you need look no further than Saudi Arabia.  It's pretty much the worst place on earth that I've ever been to.

But the analogy that someplace is worse is not relevant.  It's like saying you are a great person because your neighbor beats his wife so bad she ends up in the hospital, but you only slap yours around every couple of days.

The irony is that you're an American. getting to travel the world, which is a luxery most AMERICANS can't afford. Thank god for trust funds... it's like a visa, you won't have enlightenment without it.

OMG, you're from the SF BAY AREA TOO! That reminds me, tell me where you live in berkeley. So I can drive my daddy's escalade complete with my new blonde highlights while playing Colbie Calitte through it.

[mimpi]

Er, you don't need much money to travel sometimes it is the very lack of it that causes us travel in search of work and a means to support ourselves and our families. Others of us have travelled from repressive regimes or because of our sexuality, trans status, religion or ethnicity. Some of us are also asylum seekers, I spent the day with one who is my dearest friend today and have just got home to type this.

And before anything kicks off I'm also old enough to remember the SAVAK and have seen in person the wounds they inflicted on the victims of their torture. I was full of hope in '79 and despite so much having gone very badly wrong still remain so. However despicable the present regime may be it's less horrific than the fascist puppet one that preceded it.

[Amazon D]

Yes i do have an icebox which i use ice in winter ( i freeze outside) to keep food cold in. Yes i have a radio and no TV but i do have a phone line and dsl thru it. I take care of my 88 yr old mother who would be in a home costing taxpayers so she isn't. I have no plumbing and use a chamber pot. I AM A HIPPIE  and proud to be one. I help people when i can. I live on 14.00 a month in electricity and eat for 3.00 a day for both of us.

I ALSO SUPPORT THE PROTESTORS 

[jmaxley]

Sell your domicile, cars, iPhone,pod,pad,PC,PC laptop, drop your Internet, long distance, cable, have no AC or central heat, get an ice box, go back to b/w tv, better yet radio, etc etc etc.

And than I will begin to have some respect for your position.

What does that have to do with the topic at hand?  Occupy Wall Street isn't a protest against technology.   

[Mahsa Tezani]

What does that have to do with the topic at hand?  Occupy Wall Street isn't a protest against technology.   

It all relates to the consumption of capitalism

[jmaxley]

It all relates to the consumption of capitalism

Such things are produced and consumed in socialist and communist societies as well. 

One of the main points of the movement is ending excessive corporate greed and the corporate influence in our government.  It's about returning to the roots of democracy, where everyone has a voice, not just those with massive amounts of wealth.  Part of it's also about how bad the economy has been and people coming together to work on solutions.  I can't speak for everyone involved (since it's quite a diverse crowd), but this is my understanding of it.

[Mahsa Tezani]

Such things are produced and consumed in socialist and communist societies as well. 

One of the main points of the movement is ending excessive corporate greed and the corporate influence in our government.  It's about returning to the roots of democracy, where everyone has a voice, not just those with massive amounts of wealth.  Part of it's also about how bad the economy has been and people coming together to work on solutions.  I can't speak for everyone involved (since it's quite a diverse crowd), but this is my understanding of it.

Corporations control the government.

[Julie Marie]

Sell your domicile, cars, iPhone,pod,pad,PC,PC laptop, drop your Internet, long distance, cable, have no AC or central heat, get an ice box, go back to b/w tv, better yet radio, etc etc etc.

And than I will begin to have some respect for your position.

Care to elaborate?

[jmaxley]

Corporations control the government.

And there lies the problem.

[Mahsa Tezani]

And there lies the problem.

Not really. They are a necessary evil, now outsourcing jobs is the major problem. Not providing jobs for Americans is the biggest danger and I put the interests of my country before any other.

Yeah, I am a Nationalist...so what? I love this country and am so lucky to live here.

[jmaxley]

How is it not a problem if the corporations control the government?  That means they control the laws about outsourcing jobs and other things that impact the availability of jobs here.  They're going to do what's best for their profits, not what's best for the American people.

[MarinaM]

I wanna live in a small place kind of detached. I'm so tired of consumer society. I think southern Canada or France will do fine. I can be alone to think and write, I can leave it for weeks at a time to ride a train all over in search of God knows what.

[Jen61]

I wanna live in a small place kind of detached. I'm so tired of consumer society. I think southern Canada or France will do fine. I can be alone to think and write, I can leave it for weeks at a time to ride a train all over in search of God knows what.

As far as life style outhern Canada is but the USA, you may be better somewhere in Alaska. As far as France, you better have lots of monies. They sort of tolerate rich Americans. but a poor "gringa" oh my, my, thye stink, are ready targets for the local gendarmerie.

Jen61

[Jen61]

This whole "occupy" global protest clearly shows just how Americanized the worl has become. So, it is like all the young engineers I deal with, they are like they want all the big bucks and title but without having to work for it. Orr soem ot the teen in my neighborhood who want their parent to give them a brand bnew car out of high school. It is like every body is whining American style: "where is my cookie ? Like they are entitled to be mantained, kind of  like a 1950's house wife.


Jen61

[mimpi]

Not really. They are a necessary evil, now outsourcing jobs is the major problem. Not providing jobs for Americans is the biggest danger and I put the interests of my country before any other.

Yeah, I am a Nationalist...so what? I love this country and am so lucky to live here.

Albert Einstein: "Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind. "

Samuel Johnson: "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."

[MarinaM]

No.

The social contract was breached. Somebody handed us a ton of money to spend on college educations and promised us a job when we got done. There are no jobs. Mister big boss is busy paying his bills with the payment we can barely afford to make instead of hiring. Then he goes looking for recourse when we stop paying because we just can't anymore - kid's gotta eat, ya know? How am I ever supposed to get a decent job with missing front teeth and the inability to stop panicking from worry over wage garnishments that will cost me the 20 hour a week job I had to stop going to that school and sell my soul for? I would grind my spine to dust for someone, I would work in a field, but hell, they're not hiring either.

[Mahsa Tezani]

Albert Einstein: "Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind. "

Samuel Johnson: "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."

Oh well, I am a scoundrel then.. I love this country. It sure beats Iran.

[Mahsa Tezani]

No.

The social contract was breached. Somebody handed us a ton of money to spend on college educations and promised us a job when we got done. There are no jobs. Mister big boss is busy paying his bills with the payment we can barely afford to make instead of hiring. Then he goes looking for recourse when we stop paying because we just can't anymore - kid's gotta eat, ya know? How am I ever supposed to get a decent job with missing front teeth and the inability to stop panicking from worry over wage garnishments that will cost me the 20 hour a week job I had to stop going to that school and sell my soul for? I would grind my spine to dust for someone, I would work in a field, but hell, they're not hiring either.

hey did you get the memo? You aren't promised anything. You gotta earn it like the rest of us.

[MarinaM]

hey did you get the memo? You aren't promised anything. You gotta earn it like the rest of us.

!

We have system failure.

[Mahsa Tezani]

!

We have system failure.

Oh well...  Won't be the first thing I've crashed.