Is The Occupy Wall Street Movement an Answer to The Tea Party Movement?

[patric]

the economic justice angle seems to be receding a bit as the police tactics start to crowd it out in the public's eye.

Ya think?

(from Occupy Compassion)

[guido911]

I love how people equate 'pierced to pieces' or 'tatted up' as 'whacked out of their minds'.  I know some incredibly intelligent people who make a good living who fall in those same first two categories.

I also know 'whacked out of their minds' as people without a single bangle or piece of body art on them.

Judgemental?  Maybe a little?

Come on Hoss. Would you hire either of these two if they showed up for an interview? They look like carnies.

Reading now about the Pee Party wanting their student loan debt forgiven. Great, more bailouts.

[Hoss]

Come on Hoss. Would you hire either of these two if they showed up for an interview? They look like carnies.

Reading now about the Pee Party wanting their student loan debt forgiven. Great, more bailouts.

You're generalizing though.  I'm not talking about these two.  I'm talking about the statement you made about the piercings and equating to being 'whacked out of their minds'.  Piercings don't always equal dirty and stoned.  And vice-versa.  And sure, I wouldn't hire these people looking like this.  My statement was for those people who have decided to do this (piercings and/or body art) but have also found ways to make them look respectable and clean.  You almost make it sound like all of them are that way.  They're not.  I have two ear piercings.  Does that make me dirty?  My current (and former) employer didn't seem to think so.

[guido911]

You're generalizing though.  I'm not talking about these two.  I'm talking about the statement you made about the piercings and equating to being 'whacked out of their minds'.  Piercings don't always equal dirty and stoned.  And vice-versa.  And sure, I wouldn't hire these people looking like this.  My statement was for those people who have decided to do this (piercings and/or body art) but have also found ways to make them look respectable and clean.  You almost make it sound like all of them are that way.  They're not.  I have two ear piercings.  Does that make me dirty?  My current (and former) employer didn't seem to think so.

I have two old ear piercings also (haven't worn anything in them in years though). The point I was making is that those two's lot in life could be because of the choices they made and continue to make--including turning their faces into a junkyard.

[we vs us]

What punchline? These are the faces of the movement that you are behind. Dirty, pierced to pieces, and probably whacked out of their minds--which is perhaps why they are in the 99% to begin with.

One of the things that I enjoy about our conversations is your unreasoning anger at anything that doesn't look/act/smell like you.  I also love your accusations and demands to defend things that I (or anyone else for that matter) have no need nor inclination to defend.  You're constantly looking for targets to shoot at, and almost always in places they don't exist.  It makes for a very unpleasant forum experience. 

These people are people.  They may not be up for lawyer/doctor/engineer of the year in their professional organization and may not attend Chamber functions.  They may not attend church, may or may not be part of an alumni association.  They may not be part of the neighborhood garage sale, bake sale, or have kids that are in little league.  They may not have graduated college or high school. 

Or they may have.  Regardless, you have no way of knowing. 

But look.  Even if they're stoned, pierced, and young doesn't mean they aren't employable.  In an economy that was functioning better, they might be less stoned and pierced and might be too busy working to protest.  Of course, they may also be web or virtual workers and give a good goshdamn what they look like. 

EDIT:  and on preview, I see that Hoss beat me to it.

   

[Teatownclown]

I have two old ear piercings also (haven't worn anything in them in years though). The point I was making is that those two's lot in life could be because of the choices they made and continue to make--including turning their faces into a junkyard.

I knew you had the gehy in you....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ePH-1B2-gc&NR=1[/youtube]
Perhaps the truth telling of the modern instant Internet video posting age is the reason that Police Chief Spicuzza has been "temporarily" put on paid leave.

shame on you....

[RecycleMichael]

 I have two ear piercings.  

I did this inventory. It turns out I have the exact number of holes in my head that I need.

However, when Grandma shot Grandpa in the head, it sure did clear up his sinuses.

[Hoss]

One of the things that I enjoy about our conversations is your unreasoning anger at anything that doesn't look/act/smell like you.  I also love your accusations and demands to defend things that I (or anyone else for that matter) have no need nor inclination to defend.  You're constantly looking for targets to shoot at, and almost always in places they don't exist.  It makes for a very unpleasant forum experience. 

These people are people.  They may not be up for lawyer/doctor/engineer of the year in their professional organization and may not attend Chamber functions.  They may not attend church, may or may not be part of an alumni association.  They may not be part of the neighborhood garage sale, bake sale, or have kids that are in little league.  They may not have graduated college or high school. 

Or they may have.  Regardless, you have no way of knowing. 

But look.  Even if they're stoned, pierced, and young doesn't mean they aren't employable.  In an economy that was functioning better, they might be less stoned and pierced and might be too busy working to protest.  Of course, they may also be web or virtual workers and give a good goshdamn what they look like. 

EDIT:  and on preview, I see that Hoss beat me to it.

   

My problem is with the 'hippie-bashing'.

And I'm sure alot of you will see 'double-standard' because we generalize the tea-partiers as less-than-intelligent.  We don't -- at least I don't.  The signs and things they say do that for them.  I'm sure there are MANY who align themselves that way who are pretty intelligent.

But in all this, you have to admit, at least the OWS protesters a) know how to spell and b) have good grammar.  Generally speaking, that is.

This, however, is just funny.  Or sad, depending on how you look at it:



The rest can be found here

[guido911]

One of the things that I enjoy about our conversations is your unreasoning anger at anything that doesn't look/act/smell like you.  I also love your accusations and demands to defend things that I (or anyone else for that matter) have no need nor inclination to defend.  You're constantly looking for targets to shoot at, and almost always in places they don't exist.  It makes for a very unpleasant forum experience. 

These people are people.  They may not be up for lawyer/doctor/engineer of the year in their professional organization and may not attend Chamber functions.  They may not attend church, may or may not be part of an alumni association.  They may not be part of the neighborhood garage sale, bake sale, or have kids that are in little league.  They may not have graduated college or high school. 

Or they may have.  Regardless, you have no way of knowing. 

But look.  Even if they're stoned, pierced, and young doesn't mean they aren't employable.  In an economy that was functioning better, they might be less stoned and pierced and might be too busy working to protest.  Of course, they may also be web or virtual workers and give a good goshdamn what they look like. 

EDIT:  and on preview, I see that Hoss beat me to it.

   

Anger? Not really. In general I am laughing my @ss off at this "movement" and those who take these "people" seriously. The things I do get angry about is the cost of cleaning up and policing them and when they interfere with the lives of others.

[Gaspar]

Anger? Not really. In general I am laughing my @ss off at this "movement" and those who take these "people" seriously. The things I do get angry about is the cost of cleaning up and policing them and when they interfere with the lives of others.

You still got the Prince Albert?

I love OWS.  I'm tempted to make a donation just to help keep this going.
You can talk until you are red in the face about how primitive, the anti-capitalist mindset is, but you will achieve nothing because they are backed by an elitist left who views them as useful idiots. This movement changes all of that.  It turns the beast over, showing the parricidal relationship.

I believe that President Obama has done enough to ensure a single term, but if there is any doubt this movement will be final dirt in the wound.  It must continue, and hopefully grow.  The Occupiers, Obama's Children, Barry's Brats, The Pee Party, The Poo Flingers, Basement Dwellers, The Entitled, or whatever you want to call them have finally put a face on all of the people that the growth of entitlement pays for.

For everyone who ever wondered, "Who is this money that they keep sucking from my paycheck going to?", the answer is now impossible to ignore.  This is what 99 weeks of unemployment looks like.  This is what a college loan for a Masters in Gender Equality Studies looks like.  This is what happens when you create a system that passes kids from grade to grade with only the most basic technical knowledge on the proper method of wiping their own @ss. 

THIS IS WHAT YOU PURCHASED, AND MUST NOW CONTINUE TO PAY FOR. THESE ARE YOUR KIDS!

[guido911]

My problem is with the 'hippie-bashing'.

My problem is how this country has bred an entire generation of people that insist those with more are obligated/required to either voluntarily give it up or taken by force via taxation. It's the entire "entitlement" mentality that these protesters have. You got where you are today I suspect through hard work. I have described in detail what my wife and I had to do to achieve. I cannot believe anyone who struggled to make it in this country could possibly lend an understanding ear to erasing student loan debt or free education.

Does this economy suck? Yes. But it also sucked in the late 70s & early 80s, with unemployment higher back then than it got during this recession. I didn't take to the streets and demand anything from the haves during those rough times. Did you? Would you have? Or, are you the sort that would become resourceful, swallow whatever pride you had, and tough it out?

Edited. As for the hippie comparison, when people form drum circles, shout "hey hey, ho ho blah blah blah", talk about "spreading the love", and do a smile ton of drugs, which is what is happening now, what would you call them?

[Teatownclown]

Gasbogey,

He IS a Prince Albert....

Hoss,

Don't take the hippie bashing thing personally. Anyone with an iota of knowledge knows we buried the hippie back in 67 in Golden Gate Park.
Bigots like their labels....


This story has some holes in it: http://www.salon.com/2011/11/21/fake_democratic_pollsters_have_stupid_idea/

[dbacks fan]

This story has some holes in it: http://www.salon.com/2011/11/21/fake_democratic_pollsters_have_stupid_idea/

And Salon is so reputable and non biased. 

[nathanm]

And, let the hippie punching continue. 

To be fair, hippies do sometimes deserve a few rhetorical punches. I try to reserve my ire for those black bloc assholes who think that vandalism and rioting is the way to get what they want. Luckily, those folks are a lot more prevalent in other countries.

If G&G would like to see what a real protest looks like, here's one for them (also, great use of a mikrokopter, or at least I think that's what's being flown):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOxh9dbkNT4

[nathanm]

Does this economy suck? Yes. But it also sucked in the late 70s & early 80s, with unemployment higher back then than it got during this recession. I didn't take to the streets and demand anything from the haves during those rough times. Did you? Would you have? Or, are you the sort that would become resourceful, swallow whatever pride you had, and tough it out?

That's not really accurate. The unemployment rate was above 9% for about a year in 1982/83. The unemployment rate for the college educated was much lower, as was the count of people unemployed (about 2 million less at its less-than-one-year peak than we've had since 2008). More importantly, the mean duration of unemployment is well over twice as long as it was during that recession.

You may think it's the same situation, but it's not on so many levels.

Edited to add: Interestingly enough, the unemployment rate for men peaked higher in late 2009 than it did in late '82, but only by a few tenths of a percent. The story here isn't necessarily the unemployment rate, though. It's the length of time that people are remaining unemployed. Twice as many people have been unemployed 26 weeks or longer (about 6 million) in this latest downturn than were in the early 80s recession. It helped that unemployment only spiked that high because of Volcker's punitive interest rate targets and he didn't have to keep them up that high for long to get inflation under control.

The two recessions aren't at all alike. Presently, 19 months after the peak, the unemployment rate for under 25s is still 14% (peaked at 17.1%) In '82 it peaked at 16.4% for that cohort, and 19 months later it was at 10.7%. This downturn has been much more persistent.