The Occupy Movement Discussion

Subject: The Occupy Movement Discussion Sat Nov 12, 2011 12:50 pm

I apologize to Felipe for disappearing for the night yesterday. (Didn't haven't anything to do w/Robin though lol) This morning I saw the shoutbox and though I don't normally start topics starting discussions about the economy, I felt that a discussion on the "Occupy Movement" would be better here than on the chat. I have experienced this and would like to throw out a few opinions on it, (educational/un-educational alike). That, and I probably won't have time to jump on chat to discuss it so this will suffice for now. Anyways this is what I think at the moment.

As I understand that my family, friends and I are all in the 99% population that the Occupy movement has been stressing, I feel that it in no way directly affects me in the way that others are. My parent's aren't rich, we live in a upper-middle class neighborhood, we get away with spending on things we don't need, so I wouldn't necessarily classify us as being heavily affected on how the economy is working. Yes, I understand that the rich are the ones controlling the economy and the fact they don't get high enough taxes to justify their status, but the fact that people are camping in the middle of Los Angeles is just plain stupid.

In Los Angeles, we have very nice manicured lawns out in front of City Hall, the LAPD Department, and other major government buildings. It's called "Occupy L.A." and roughly 1K have been camping on these nice lawns, (which is now DIRT btw) for the last 3 months. While I understand that people have the right to protest, that people have the right to free speech, the fact that people are CAMPING on city property makes me compare them to Hippies of the 60's & 70's. The hippies in the 60 & 70's as you all know, started with the purpose of stopping the war in Vietnam as well as equal rights. But what they are famously known for more, is their drug use, their STD's, and their free-spirit style. What I'm saying is that they lost their objective in the process of world peace. Granted, it took a few low-intentioned people to make this happen, but I feel this is what it's becoming of Occupy L.A.

Honestly, you don't have to live on the front lawns of L.A. government to make a statement. You make a statement by becoming your own politician or backing someone with the same values. I believe that living on the front lawn is childish and juvenile of people because as my father sees it when he comes out of work at the LAPD department, people are just having a grand ol' time with their food and their entertainment and lackluster picketing. Honestly people use this as an excuse to hang out with friends than to drive home a message and when the media interviews them, a lot of the time they sound un-educated and their response stems from more hatred then a REAL reason they are protesting. I understand everyone's life is different and I'll never know a lifestyle of a person in South Central or East Los Angeles, but I see no reason to occupy anything.

What I blame is universities everywhere. Sociology is a class I didn't do very well in. From the get-go I let it be known in my essays that I will never be able to fully understand the social problems in society. Granted, I've been met with racism in the past, but in terms of social problems like poverty, I don't know about that, I don't know nor will I ever want to know that feeling of living in a dead-end neighborhood. But to expect me to understand that is ridiculous. Know it's out there? Fine, but not force me to think of that situation. I didn't do well in that class because, yes, I'm a bit self-fish of my situation, but at the same time I'm actually DOING something about it in a SMART way. I'm getting my degree and applying my knowledge to a job. I'm going to spend smart, I'm going to invest smart, I'm going to marry and have kids and make sure they are on the right path to success. I'm not going to CREATE EXCUSES that the rich are driving our economy because I will prove I can live a good life as an upper-middle class American. And in Occupy L.A., there are college students out there protesting about the economy because Sociology gave them a reason to get mad of their circumstances instead of finding a way to fix it. There are so many excuses out there that they can't change their life because they have worse situations then me, but everyone has a talent. EVERYONE. People can play beautiful music, write brilliant works of literature, play sports... Everyone has a talent but it's their will that either drives them towards or away from their talent.

What is happening in Oakland showcases a lot of hatred and ignorance in my opinion. Occupy Oakland is really just another reason for gangs and people to get angry and trash the city. I can't tell you guys how many times they have been in the news for rioting and looting. They are a city driven by a bad economy in general. There are no rich people in Oakland, that city is just messed up from top to bottom, and that in a way is a dead-end city. But their behavior there is typical. If you have read in the news, they coast guards had to corral the crowd because they were getting unruly. This is the PERFECT example of how Occupy Movement is going to turn into the Hippie movement. They have an objective and others ruin it. I understand if this started as a statement about the economy and Wall Street, but for it to turn towards violence, riots and a camping ground for people --- I think they lost the real objective.

And even if they manage to catch the attention of the government, what then? You can't tell me that millions of people are all for ONE plan. It doesn't happen for politics, it won't happen now. Who is going to lead the movement? With so many now in days, who is going to lead the charge and will people follow him/her? And what will everyone agree upon? Will there be protest over the protest? I mean the general concept people will agree, but the protesters who go along with it will find that their opinions and needs differ when it comes to the little details. That is why I don't even bother.

I'm not happy about the economy, no that's a fact. But to waste my days on the lawn of Los Angeles hoping to make a statement instead of getting a job with a college education, well that's not who I am. I'll speak out when need be, but in an economy that is still flexible enough for people to buy the latest electronics, I can manage. Still, Robin and I volunteer as much as we can to charities and to under-privileged people because even though we'll never live like that, those people are still human and we still care for them. It's just time to cut the excuses and find ways to make a difference and a better life for you and your family.

And that's my thoughts.

Subject: Re: The Occupy Movement Discussion Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:46 pm

Although there are some places where I disagree with you, overall we seem to lean toward the same opinion. The Occupy movement is the epitome of everything that's wrong with today's society. There's this mentality that everyone else should give them free stuff, but they don't even know how that stuff is produced. They hold so much resentment, but they can't even articulate why. There's no standard goal, no overall opinion except: "I've been wronged and you need to fix it or I'll poop on your car." (Not kidding, there have been several instances of pooping on cars)

Subject: Re: The Occupy Movement Discussion Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:52 pm

https://www.youtube.com/embed/OAOrT0OcHh0?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showi

Thank my Mom for this link. It pretty much sums up the reasons behind the Occupy Movement better than I ever could.

Subject: Re: The Occupy Movement Discussion Sat Nov 12, 2011 10:29 pm

We can never fully agree on anything can we Felipe? Razz

My main argument covered everything I believe stands for this Occupy Movement. Watching over the clip you posted, it states that these protesters are basically spoiled, which I covered briefly when I said college students needed to stop making excuses - as well as being able to buy the latest gadgets while complaining about corporations.

Now I believe that the Occupy Movement has two kind of people. The ones described in the video and the ones I described who are angry because these people are angry. With that said, I agreed on this video.

The only thing I didn't like and it doesn't really come from the video, is how the comments on that page have turned into a political thing. I don't believe that you have to be a Democrat or a Republican to agree that the Occupy Movement is senseless, yet people make it out to be by imploring Obama cracks or rich snob cracks to represent each party. Anyways, you didn't really state your entire opinion on the matter and I took all morning doing mine D:<

Subject: Re: The Occupy Movement Discussion Sun Nov 13, 2011 12:28 am

Never expose your entire hand in one post. It's harder for other people to read it all the way through and get the entire picture of what you're trying to say.

Anyhow, the people who helped organize the movement have been found to have ties to ex-acorn employees. I say ex because Acorn was forced to change their name and what not after the voting fraud scandal. That's why people are making the connection to Obama. You can't deny that without a large movement behind him, it will be tough for Obama to be reelected. The movement popping up now is suspicious and Obama as well as other Democrats have tried to take ownership of the movement (which is beyond stupid since this is full of nothing but poison). I don't think Obama is directly tied to Occupy's formation, but I guarantee someone, somewhere *cough* Soros *cough* manufactured this. How else could you motivate a bunch of malcontents to leave their Mom's basement? (Yes I'm making a generalization that doesn't necessarily apply to everyone in the movement. It might be their dad's basement.)

Edit: And it's youtube. 99% of the people who comment don't even watch the entire video. The comments section is a time wasting trap that should be ignored.

Subject: Re: The Occupy Movement Discussion Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:33 pm

My parents and I had a small fight a week or so back over this occupy L.A. I supported my argument towards them and they called me out saying I was "sheltered and babied" because I didn't know the reasons why they were doing it and how true it is and how they are standing up for their rights. Any opportunity my father has at pointing out I don't have a job, he'll use it which he did by saying I didn't "understand" the occupy movement and that when I did get a job, I'll better understand the struggle they're fighting for. I thought it was a joke and of course I started a fight because first they were double teaming me which of course wasn't fair, then they made that sheltered remark like they don't even respect my opinion and then they support a bunch of loons who don't even respect our government. That was last week. This week my father was told to STAY AWAY from work because of the sure-fire conflict of evicting the occupy l.a. protesters. Last night the local news channels were in the occupy l.a. camp and when they were reporting, a few people were humping the reporter from behind and making bunny ears and adolescent pranks. They showed a man who tied himself to a tree at the park, and they showed homeless people. Everyone around here is predicting a riot - not as severe as the "May Melee" but anything like this shouldn't be happening. I don't think these occupy people know exactly what they want and they certainly aren't doing themselves any favors by basically inviting the crazies into their camp - that's where they are to me a joke and where my parents say aren't all the people. But I retorted that because of them they make the occupy movement look stupid. I should have told them this: What percentage of the "99%" do you think spent 5.7billion dollars to large corporations on Black Friday. I wanna hear what they say now.

Edit: Just wanted to add that it breaks my heart when I see these people make a mockery of this great city. We're not San Francisco, we're not Woodstock, so I don't understand why it's come to this. It's a disappoint big time.