Is Anyone Still Taking OWS Seriously?

Just want to see what people are thinking at this point. It seems to me the movement is almost completely out of steam, which is pretty much exactly what I thought was going to happen. At this point do you feel that anything has really been accomplished? Certainly some things have been, but the amount of hype seems to have been completely unwarranted.

I really think it was a lack of message that killed it off. Argue all you want but the average American seemed to feel the occupiers were clueless, scummy and self entitled dirt bags. I would support a new group, with a clear and defined message as long is they didn't illegally protest in public parks.

I think their main challenge for the next 3 months will be to Occupy warm shelter while pretending to be protesting hard enough not to be thrown out on sight..and I don't believe I'm too far off from the truth. Perhaps they should have listened to the naysayers on this one and begun planning for a general Holiday/deep winter break to regroup. At least then they would have had the option of playing it off like they meant for this slow down to happen. Now it just looks kinda sad....

I wouldn't write them off though. They have big plans for hitting the ground running when the sun comes back out for awhile and warmth returns. March 30 was the last date I'd heard tossed out for the nation-wide convergence on Washington D.C. by the Occupy movement as a whole. IF they can pull that off and it's more than the funny smelling smoke one can catch coming from some camps now and then, then I'll be very encouraged for how it may play out going forward across the summer and into the election.

If they don't come out of winter fairly rested and raring to go for the spring 'offensive' in public relations and getting some positive attention for a change...then running out of steam won't matter as I think the public are about out of patience with the wild behavior.. It's time to bring the adult tables in for some serious talk about how this goes anywhere positive into the future, IMHO.

i had a few thoughts brewing as i read this, but you lost me at citizens protesting illegally in public parks.......Sorry, but a public park is owned by the people....it was the cities that were scrambling to change legislation to curb their efforts. I know, i know....there will be those that say, well, any homeless guy can then go stay in a park indefinitely....yet i think this falls into a death sentence scenario....It is better to let a guilty man walk free than put an innocent one to death.

If people can not protest the government in the public parks that they have paid for, then where are they to protest?.....nothing less but private land....and well, we know where that would go....

So, Freedom of Assembly is all good, but you end up getting screwed by the details?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I don't think anyone is going to remember this by the time it's Spring. I really don't. Even ATS seems completely over it. Which I find amusing because so many people were so super serious that OWS was going to change the world. Again, I will gladly eat crow if they actually accomplish something (that I find big enough).

OWS is Elenin. Completely floods the front page, nothing really happens and everyone completely forgets.

reply to post by Domo1

I would support a new group, with a clear and defined message as long is they didn't illegally protest in public parks

Protest illegally? Are you serious? Legal protest is gone. We didn't do it when it was. Not enough. The success of the tea party protests and OWS was directly proportional to their ability to bring viewers to the entertainment channels and the ad revenues paid to the networks.

Protests? What protests.

I support the idea of change, and that happens when we talk to each other and find out what the problems are and how we can work out solutions.OWS attempts to do this whereas the current system in place only talks to find out a way to make money for itself.

reply to post by pointr97


If it was legal, why did they get kicked out and arrested? Oh wait because you can't allow a rag tag group of losers with no defined goal steal the right of everyone else to visit the same park.

reply to post by Domo1


I think that the public has just forgotten about the movement. Pretty much because they didn't do anything besides sit there and chant "We are the 99%." They should have tried something new to feed hype back into it.

Originally posted by yourmaker
the movement is shifting priorities to getting ron paul elected and helping people through winter etc...

as for myself, I support the idea of change, and that happens when we talk to each other and find out what the problems are and how we can work out solutions.OWS attempts to do this whereas the current system in place only talks to find out a way to make money for itself.

Yes shifting gears to getting Ron Paul elected is a good strategy, especially since we have so little time.

Also there are a lot of people out there who are struggling and they need help to make it through the winter. It would be wise if we invested ourselves into aiding the impoverished in any way we can.

Good points yourmaker.

reply to post by daaskapital


I agree. I actually liked a number of the points the OWS kids made, but sitting around annoying the hell out of everyone and costing taxpayers TONS in clean up fees/police overtime.

Originally posted by Domo1
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

I don't think anyone is going to remember this by the time it's Spring. I really don't. Even ATS seems completely over it. Which I find amusing because so many people were so super serious that OWS was going to change the world. Again, I will gladly eat crow if they actually accomplish something (that I find big enough).

OWS is Elenin. Completely floods the front page, nothing really happens and everyone completely forgets.

You know, I think your comparison to Elenin is very appropriate and I began wondering about this recently as well. They've become ramping up the energy, action and general anger so much and so fast that it can't be sustained for the long term. Those that burn brightest, crash hardest....or something to that effect. It's a saying I'd heard years ago and Occupy brought it back to mind.

I don't think we've seen the last of them by a long shot. At street level and among the protesters, I'll just bet it's still as energy laden and wild ride is has been since the first days. I forsee quite a struggle coming before they concede defeat and lack of purpose to going further. We'll see, eh? I think the first major test of Occupy's aggressive protest where it might really matter is the Democratic National Convention...and so we come full circle to another movement awhile back.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000

Those that burn brightest, crash hardest....or something to that effect. It's a saying I'd heard years ago and Occupy brought it back to mind.

That was a wonderful way of putting it. I suppose you may be right, that fire still might be burning among the protesters. I just highly doubt they will garner any real support and are going to lose the majority of members by mid year.

Originally posted by Domo1
Just want to see what people are thinking at this point. [SNIP] At this point do you feel that anything has really been accomplished?

OWS reenforced to me that the Constitution is dead in America.

I didn't support much of what I heard from the Boston movement, at least. There was a lot of good things like getting rid of the FED RES, no more bank bailouts, etc. I also heard a lot of things I cannot agree with, like overt socialism and perverse government control over deciding what is "fair". However, I give the movement credit for at least acknowledging that the system is absolutely contrary.

That being said, the Constitution was once again mutilated and manipulated to kill OWS and whittle away our freedoms. Agree with OWS or not,Americans have the right to assemble. Period. Not only is this guaranteed in the Constitution, but also in the Constitutions of the States.

OWS showed me that our right to assembly is dead. Judges injudiciously ruled time and again against OWS, stating that assembly actually DOES NOT allow American citizens to "hold ground" when assembled. WHAT!?

I weep for the Constitution.

In a 25-page decision, Suffolk Superior Court Judge Frances McIntyre denied a motion the protesters filed that would protect them from eviction from their encampment in Dewey Square, a fate that has befallen similar protests across the country in recent weeks.

“While Occupy Boston protesters may be exercising their expressive rights during the protest, they have no privilege under the First Amendment to seize and hold the land on which they sit,” McIntyre wrote in her decision.

Boston.com

reply to post by METACOMET


I disagree. I don't think people should be allowed to occupy a space for an indefinite amount of time. What if I wanted to go to the park without seeing human detritus pooing all over the place. They were allowed to stay for a fairly long time in most cases. At what point should people be kicked out? Never?

I will give them credit for opening more people up to the idea that there is something seriously wrong with the govt.

reply to post by yourmaker


How is the movement shifting gears into getting Ron Paul elected?

On their own website OWS BANNED any talk of Ron Paul what so ever, and anyone caught doing so would be ejected from the website.....

This movement doesnt want Ron Paul....

Hes small government and wants to cut out a huge amount of the social programs and gov entities that OWS wants to keep and implement on a larger scale......

Not buying it

Defenders of the Matrix never cease to amaze me.
Anyone challenging the status quoe is such a threat to you people.
Why?
The answer may surprise you.

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask


Did they really ban talking about Ron Paul? Sometimes I wish ATS would follow suit because DAMN it's getting old. I like the guy and he would have my vote but seriously, stop with the ass kiss threads ATS!

reply to post by Screwed

Anyone challenging the status quoe is such a threat to you people.

I don't think ANYONE feels threatened by OWS. I'm not defending the status quo, and think things need to change. I just disagreed with the method. So are you still taking the protesters seriously?

Originally posted by ManBehindTheMask
reply to post by yourmaker

 

How is the movement shifting gears into getting Ron Paul elected?

On their own website OWS BANNED any talk of Ron Paul what so ever, and anyone caught doing so would be ejected from the website.....

This movement doesnt want Ron Paul....

Hes small government and wants to cut out a huge amount of the social programs and gov entities that OWS wants to keep and implement on a larger scale......

Not buying it

thanks for clearing that up, I do not know all and clearly should get all the facts before I say something.

the news doesnt report on OWS anymore so it is pathetic.