Quote :

"As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known."

The protesters include Americans spanning across all demographics groups, and they seek to express a feeling of criminal injustice. They are slowly organizing their populist movement, but for now they have no list of demands and no clear goal. Their movement has been subject to a media blackout for the most part because it threatens the establishment, which includes the corporate controlled media. Both political parties have refused to acknowledge the Occupy Wall Street protests. The NYPD has already arrested over 1000 protesters. This is a viral movement with every moment caught on camera and displayed for the world to see, and its adopters have realized they have a massive advantage in using social media to champion this movement and create an open international dialogue. Early celebrity adopters of the movement include Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon, and Naomi Klein.

The first of many alternative publications to arise from this movement is called Occupy Wall Street Journal, a 4 page broadsheet with an initial print run of 50,000, funded by donations through Kickstarter. I am a firm believer that a free media, devoid of corporate and advertising influence will be one of the tenets of this movement as they develop their ideology. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/01/occupying-and-now-publishing-too/

First Official Statement from the Occupy Wall Street Movement
http://www.dangerousminds.net/comments/first_official_statement_from_the_occupy_wall_street_movement/

A Tour of Activist Encampment at the Heart of Growing Protest
https://www.democracynow.org/2011/9/30/inside_occupy_wall_st_a_tour

Daily Video of Occupy Wall Street via OccupyTVNY
http://www.youtube.com/occupytvny

Find out if there is already a group organizing near you:
http://www.occupytogether.org/

This isn't going away. In fact its spreading, and in NC alone there is an Occupy Asheville, Occupy Charlotte, and Occupy Durham planned for the near future. Expect to see Occupy Raleigh if I have anything to say about it.

10/2/2011 8:24:36 PM

https://www.facebook.com/OccupyRaleigh

10/2/2011 8:38:08 PM

they're like teabaggers only liberal

10/2/2011 8:45:02 PM

I am all for it ... "When people who invest their money are taxed a lower rate than people who invest their time, you realize that the laws were written by people with money." Anon (Me really, but that's a different story.) ...

10/2/2011 8:45:17 PM

^^ I would hardly lump them together as liberals. Actually, it's an extremely diverse group of people.

10/2/2011 8:52:00 PM

im going to las vegas to protest-

so many poker players there are better than me and make tons of money doing it.

its not fair!

10/2/2011 9:03:36 PM

That's not what this about, or at least not what it should be about. Bankers don't work for their profits - they are stealing it with the express permission of the government.

While I should support things like this, and I generally do, there's a lack of nuance among the some of protesters. They don't understand that the power structure in place is actually designed to extract wealth from the population. The government will not "crack down" on bad practices. The government has legalized fraud.

[Edited on October 2, 2011 at 9:10 PM. Reason : ]

10/2/2011 9:08:14 PM

Quote :

"they're like teabaggers only liberal"

They are non-partisan educated and seek justice. This is a populist uprising unlike the corporate-funded tea party which was spawned around a business table much like Justin Beiber. Nothing at all like the ignorant bigoted tea party hate show. Sorry to burst your bubble but this ain't no reelect Obama campaign. This is about stripping power from corporations.

10/2/2011 9:46:55 PM

^well it sounds like you have a lot in common with the teapartiers that want a limited govt so they cannot use coersion to benefit X.

I doubt you will like that summary, but it is really about stripping power from the govt to you are fighting against, as they are the ones who use their power to limit your choice and benefit their selected corporations/interest groups.

If you are only concerned with stripping power from corporations you have that power currently, stop buying their goods or services. (again when that happens you cant stop the govt from giving them your money anyways....but call it a bailout or stimulus to make you feel better about it.)

10/2/2011 10:14:56 PM

^^I agree with you for the most part, but the tea party actually was started as more of a grassroots effort, spurred on by ron paul and was mostly a libertarian or blue-republican movement. It was then hijacked by bible thumpers and corporate cronies.

I support the occupy wall street protestors and pretty much share their sentiments, I hope, however, that this movement will not be hijacked by hippies and liberals and that the protestors can create a clear message and work towards legitimate goal.

[Edited on October 2, 2011 at 10:16 PM. Reason : .]

10/2/2011 10:16:11 PM

I just wish these protesters had things other than beauty pagent level shit to shout on megaphones. I walk by the Chicago ones couple times a week and for fucks sake shower. We are all adults, and try and have a good grasp of issues. I wanted to support them, I am no fan of the fed cartel, but every question was answered on a kindergarten level or I was told to talk to the leader who would answer my questions. No solutions just mad, and not exactly sure why.

10/3/2011 12:25:19 AM

http://www.infowars.com/occupy-wall-street-protesters-call-totalitarian-government-re-election-of-obama/

Quote :

"“The belated crusade against Wall Street is even more pathetic as it is coordinated by groups who wouldn’t exist without men like Soros, who made their money from deals that make the Street look sparkling clean. It’s class warfare as a cynical jab at the populist center, the people who mutter to themselves that the Street is full of crooks and so is Congress,” writes Daniel Greenfield."

10/3/2011 12:29:57 AM

hopefully this doesn't turn into another libya/syria/iraq protest type of thing.

10/3/2011 12:36:46 AM

are you kidding?

lol.

these are americans youre talking about!

10/3/2011 12:40:44 AM

Their first official statement:

Quote :

"Declaration of the Occupation of New York City As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together. We write so that all people who feel wronged by the corporate forces of the world can know that we are your allies. As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known. They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage. They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses. They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation. They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization. They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless nonhuman animals, and actively hide these practices. They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions. They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right. They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay. They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility. They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance. They have sold our privacy as a commodity. They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit. They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce. They have donated large sums of money to politicians supposed to be regulating them. They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil. They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantive profit. They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit. They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media. They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt. They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas. They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts.* To the people of the world, We, the New York City General Assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power. Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy public space; create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone. To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal. Join us and make your voices heard! *These grievances are not all-inclusive."

10/3/2011 1:15:42 AM

I hope the earth opens up and swallows them.

10/3/2011 2:15:16 AM

I hope this draws attention to exactly how much of an iron grip wall street has on our laws.

10/3/2011 3:30:19 AM

I hope we can restore and reward


1. honor
and
2. integrity

into everyday life

10/3/2011 3:45:15 AM

10/3/2011 7:27:56 AM

These people are racist bigots.

10/3/2011 8:25:17 AM

racist against whitey amirite?

10/3/2011 9:09:35 AM

Oh, I don't know. I just thought it was OK to call members of new political movements racists with no reason or evidence.

10/3/2011 9:20:04 AM

Somebody with information post several specific goals of this protest.

10/3/2011 9:55:24 AM

well my life is just peachy-

so does that mean im a part of the system or at least benefit heavily from it?

because if so, im sure im not alone, and if you hippy faggots endanger my quality of life...

i will happily join this corporate military in their crusade of justice against smelly/lazy/idealistic types.

dont upset my worlds perfect balance (warning).

10/3/2011 10:06:48 AM

^what in the world

10/3/2011 10:08:13 AM

Quote :

"I hope the earth opens up and swallows them. "

yup.

it's easy for a bunch of no-job-havin fools to stand around and complain about anything... and gain attention/support/media coverage and 'start a movement'.

10/3/2011 10:15:23 AM

So I bought a bit of apple stock when it was $89 a share. I did hours upon hours of calculated research and took a gamble to invest in a product who I believe helps not only a company but the value of the entire world. I invested in a horrible market that was still losing during the massive recession of 2008. I waited a few years for my investment to mature and then sold and made what I thought was a good profit. I then paid a large sum of taxes on this as well. An amount of taxes that really made me sick wondering why somebody deserved so much of this. This year I did the same thing with another company and sold lost money. But nobody was there to help me re-coupe my loses but my own reserves and patience

Does this make me the scum 1%?

10/3/2011 10:31:19 AM

^ Losses are tax deductible I believe...

10/3/2011 11:10:54 AM

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/money-guides/capital-losses-can-help-cut-your-tax-bill-1.aspx

It makes you the 1% and the 99% at the same time for taking government handouts.

10/3/2011 11:13:06 AM

^ No, that makes you part of the 99%

If a bank was in your same position, they would have been bailed out. That's what these protests are about. The sickening relationship between corporate banks and the government....

10/3/2011 11:30:43 AM

Quote :

"Losses are tax deductible I believe..."

A great help when you have no income to deduct the losses against.

We tax you at a higher rate when your taxable income is up, and let you write off the losses when your taxable income and thus tax rate is down. As such, for most of us, we will get back less on the losses than we paid on the profits.

Not that this is a bad thing. Taxes must be paid by someone. If we would just cut tax rates in half, I'm sure no one would mind giving up nearly all our tax deductions.

10/3/2011 11:55:52 AM

<3 the perspective

10/3/2011 12:21:51 PM

[Edited on October 4, 2011 at 8:12 PM. Reason : knock that shit off.]

10/3/2011 12:30:59 PM

Something I'm seeing a lot of, which bothers me, is a lack of distinction between the "good rich," who have designed and produced things that improve our lives, and the "bad rich," who provide nothing of value and have been given a blank check by the government to pyramid debt to infinity and beyond.

When the government is backstopping the banks by saying "loan out as much as you want, and here's a 10% reserve requirement," history has shown that there can be only one outcome. This has happened over and over again over the past few centuries. The protestors often understand that there is a financial elite fleecing the public, but they don't understand the mechanics that allow the bankers to extract the wealth in the way they do.

Abolish the Federal Reserve and replace it with nothing. Let the banks fail; we desperately need a financial reset. Do not listen to the politicians. They are doing everything they can to hold this unjust system together. The status quo is killing us, and while stepping into the unknown is uncomfortable (it always is), it is necessary.

10/3/2011 12:54:41 PM

^I agree. Obama, labeling anyone who makes over $250,000 per year as "the rich" is just complete crap. That person is hardly the same as a corporate CEO making millions per year and paying the same or less in taxes. I'm not big for blaming presidents for everything, but the Obama administration is creating class warfare.

10/3/2011 12:59:16 PM

Quote :

"It makes you the 1% and the 99% at the same time for taking government handouts."

Can you answer me specifically how it makes me the 1% EuroTitToss?

Do you personally feel robbed or something b/c of my actions?
Have I in some way cheated you out of your quality of life or made this earth unfair for you to live in comfortably?
I really want to know why you think I am part of the 1%. In my point of view it's all very simple.
All I did was give apple some money to pay other people to make some ipads and iphones
and then they sold them to people like you who bought them.
I provided the capital apple needed to put those products on the store shelf for you.
Why do you protest this process?


[Edited on October 3, 2011 at 1:29 PM. Reason : \n]

10/3/2011 1:27:59 PM

How in the hell can you call it class warfare? There are a few
hundred individuals in this country that have more wealth
between them than another 150 million others combined.
Most of those 150 million live paycheck to paycheck and are in
constant fear of losing everything they have due to some unforeseen
calamity. You people aren't looking at the big picture here.

Is it fair to ask someone who makes $40 million a year to give 50%
of that to the government? No, probably not, and I suppose if you
look at in a vacuum, you can call it class warfare. The problem is,
that person should have never been making $40 million a year in
the first place. It's like winning the fucking lottery. It's a fantasy,
and unobtainable for 99.9% of the population of this country,
no matter how intelligent/motivated/hard working you are.

The American Dream was never to become that rich.
The American Dream for most people, was to make a decent
salary without having to break your back, so you and your
family could live a comfortable and worry free life. What's
happened is we've sacrificed the American Dream for the
American Fantasy, and turned it into the American Nightmare
for ~50% of this country's population. Asking the people who
are at the top of the heap, to give up 3-4% more of their
income so the people at the bottom have a chance
isn't class warfare, it's common fucking sense.

[Edited on October 3, 2011 at 1:42 PM. Reason : :]

10/3/2011 1:40:00 PM

this is simple jealousy at work- youre wasting your time arguing.

pretty soon they will be protesting at NFL games because "they can throw a football, why arent i making millions?"

or at a hospital protesting because they performed CPR on their hamster one time and it lived a few more days.

"why do doctors make all the money?"

please, get a fucking life. its a game they wish they could play, but unfortunately all they know how to do is drive a bus.

and dont get me wrong, driving buses is important. but why wont somebody just say to them, "know your goddamn place."

instead, in the interest of political correctness, the government ignores them until they realize "their goddamn place."

and no, this wont become a unified movement that actually accomplishes anything. its small and pathetic (just like those making it up).

10/3/2011 1:40:13 PM

lol. its good to see you hold yourself in such high esteem shrike.

i was under the impression the american dream, in the land of opportunity, was to become as filthy stinking rich as you possibly could?

thats what most people want, or would take, if given the choice.

now the reason that is becoming more and more unobtainable is because people like you just "know" that youll never be one of these "big men."

so of course your natural recourse at that point is to try as hard as you can to establish all kinds of safety nets for yourself before you fail.

again, like going to vegas and ensuring that you wouldnt lose your shirt- youve defeated the whole purpose and made everything youre doing worthless.

gg

10/3/2011 1:50:29 PM

Ugh.

10/3/2011 1:50:53 PM

Obviously these ragamuffins have never heard of bootstraps.

10/3/2011 1:59:49 PM

and fuck that giant picture screwing up my ability to see everything easily.

10/3/2011 2:01:22 PM

^^^^What the hell are you talking about? Could you please point to
anything in my post that suggests anything you said in yours? I never
said anything about myself. I'm fine, and will always be fine. I'm no where
near the $250,000 mark, but even with my "meager" 5 figure income, I'd be
happy to give up another 3-5% of my income to taxes assuming it would help.
I don't care about establishing safety nets for myself. I have education and experience
that will always allow me to get a stable job, I have savings, I have assets, and I have
social support via my parents and family who are also financially stable. What I want is
for people who are currently stuck in the class below mine, to be given a fair
shot at reaching my current quality of life.

[Edited on October 3, 2011 at 2:05 PM. Reason : :]

10/3/2011 2:04:10 PM

Quote :

" I'm no where near the $250,000 mark, but even with my "meager" 5 figure income, I'd be happy to give up another 3-5% of my income to taxes assuming it would help. "

Then go and contribute your 3-5% extra and quit trying to fucking force the rest of us to contribute to a bloated, wasteful government.
I don't understand this about you tax-happy bastards. If you think you should/would pay more than you currently do, then fucking lead by example and hand your money over.
If you're that concerned about government programs, then you would be forking over what you think is right instead of bitching about other people not paying what you think they should.

here you go: http://www.fms.treas.gov/faq/moretopics_gifts.html
contribute away.

[Edited on October 3, 2011 at 2:11 PM. Reason : .]

10/3/2011 2:07:02 PM

Quote :

"The problem is, that person should have never been making $40 million a year in the first place. It's like winning the fucking lottery. It's a fantasy, and unobtainable for 99.9% of the population of this country, no matter how intelligent/motivated/hard working you are. "

This is complete bullshit and a loser mentality. There are plenty of stories of people going from rags to riches through hard work and sacrifice. And you are wrong about the American Dream. Its called the Land of Opportunity because THAT is what all people want. The capability to be wealthy, and I think that exists. I truly believe that if someone works at it they do whatever they want. Yes some were born into a wealthy family and given their wealth. But there are just as many out there who achieved wealth through hard work, and they shouldnt be demonized for it. Take Robert Johnson, although a dbag in many ways:

Quote :

"You don't get people to like you by attacking them or demeaning their success. You know, I grew up in a family of 10 kids, first one to go to college, and I've earned my success. I've earned my right to fly private if I choose to do so. And by attacking me it is not going to convince me that I should take a bigger hit because I happen to be wealthy. You know, it is the old -- I think Ted and Fred and I we both sort of take the old Ethel Merman approach to life. I've tried poor and I tried rich and I like rich better. It doesn't mean that I am a bad guy. I didn't go in to business to create a public policy success for either party, Republican or Democrat. I went in business to create jobs and opportunity, create opportunity, create value for myself and my investors. And that's what the president should be praising, not demagoguing us simply because Warren Buffet says he pays more than his secretary. He should pay the secretary more and she will pay more."

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=46590

10/3/2011 2:07:42 PM

this has gone from... a seemingly legit reason to protest wall street....

to a bunch of 'waaaaahh i'm poor and have no idea how to start a business and make money.. waaaaaaaahhhh.... so give me all of yours. '

10/3/2011 2:12:23 PM

Quote :

"Then go and contribute your 3-5% extra and quit trying to fucking force the rest of us to contribute to a bloated, wasteful government. "

wait, I thought the bloated, wasteful government was the issue with these protests? In which case, I wholeheartedly agree.

10/3/2011 2:14:30 PM

eh, that was a secondary comment, not related to the OP, but to a hypocrite's view of taxation.

[Edited on October 3, 2011 at 2:16 PM. Reason : /]

10/3/2011 2:15:38 PM

Quote :

"Abolish the Federal Reserve and replace it with nothing. Let the banks fail; "

-d357r0y3r

10/3/2011 2:20:00 PM

You people are completely missing the fucking point. There isn't a single rich person who
created their wealth in a vacuum. Everyone single one of them NEEDED the government
to get them there. Transportation infrastructure, the internet, security, mail, education
for their employees, all the major things that make any business possible are provided by the government.
The rich take more from our "wasteful and bloated" government than any poor person ever could. It's common fucking sense that they should also be the ones to pay the most. Again
you're not looking at the big picture and are just retreading the same tired talking points.

Quote :

" And you are wrong about the American Dream. Its called the Land of Opportunity because THAT is what all people want. The capability to be wealthy, and I think that exists. "

Sure, it exists, for maybe 0.01% of the population. For the rest
of us, it's exactly like I said, a complete and total fantasy. Most
people are thinking "how am I going to afford my next tank of gas"
not "how am I going to make my first $1 million".


[Edited on October 3, 2011 at 2:26 PM. Reason : :]

10/3/2011 2:20:12 PM