Occupy Wall Street Banned From Democratic National Convention

[annabanana]

Possibly the stupidest move that the Democrats and/or the City of Charlotte could make:

http://www.ology.com/politics/occupy-wall-street-banned-democratic-national-convention/12092011

Charlotte, North Carolina, the host city for the Democratic National Convention next year to renominate President Obama, has announced that it will not tolerate planned Occupy Wall Street demonstrations. Rather, the city council enacted a series of restrictions on the allowed locations in which protesters can demonstrate and the outright ban on overnight stays.

New York Magazine reports: “The North Carolina city, sometimes called the "Wall Street of the South," is not taking any chances, and is already working to pass an ordinance that would make occupying downtown spaces with tents a "public nuisance," in addition to banning "noxious substances," padlocks, and other camping equipment. The fact that it would knock out the city's current overnight demonstrators is an added bonus.”

The constitutionality of the ruling is already being challenged by the National Lawyers Guild, which has been providing the Occupy movement with free legal services and counsel.

1968 comes to mind, really. I can't imagine what the hell they're thinking down there.

[cliffordu]

1. That's right.

Chicago. 1968.

[oldhippydude]

12. well crap

actually think the big one will be the repubs, for chicago replay..token demonstrations at Charlotte.. big demonstrations at Tampa, maybe this time the press will cover.. they minimized the protest coverage of the last 2 rebublican conventions, detained thousands, with no press coverage..

[texshelters]

162. Occupy is protest Obama's fundraising and Democrats as much as Republicans

so don't be surprised by a large turnout in Charlotte. Besides, it's closer to OWS.

PTxS

[Matariki]

2. "it will not tolerate planned Occupy Wall Street demonstrations"

oh, haha. I can only guess at what "will not tolerate" means.

[The Straight Story]

3. I heard they are handing out pepper spray

[Cleita]

4. Whether they tolerate or not is meaningless.

If people want to demonstrate, they will demonstrate, no matter how much those in charge want to make rules against it.

[Magoo48]

41. Agreed, and it should be quite interesting.

[Beavker]

152. Agreed

That's kind of the point to a protest. No one wants to be protested...

[jwirr]

30. And unfortunately that sounds like an open invitation to do just that. Dare me anyone?

[texshelters]

164. Exactly.

don't dare OWS or other Occupiers not to protest. I might have to take the week off and drive a few of us from Tucson to show those ignoramuses at the DNC something about banning protests.

PTxS

[LoZoccolo]

60. That's the writer's interpretation of the situation.

It is not a direct quote.

[loudsue]

167. City council passing resolutions is the "writer's interpretation" ?

What don't I get here?

[roguevalley]

5. sad. this is delusional but then the dems think they can 'harness'

Ows

[Remember Me]

83. Not by banning them, they won't! nt

[Sheepshank]

126. What does the article have to do with Dems?

The article is clear that it's the CITY COUNCIL making the decision. The location and time for OW just happens to coincide with DNC convention.

I think this type of rhetoric is merely a false outrage, pointed at the wrong party, to make a preconceived point, by twisting the facts.

[Historic NY]

135. Exactly it was their decision & they had to know it would cause problems...........

I'd even go so far as to say they had some motivation to do so.

[AverageJoe90]

144. Good point.

Still, I'd like to see the DNC step up and do the right thing.

[Bill Anolon]

158. The Dems and the city of Charlotte have a DEAL.

To get the convention, which is a boost for business, the city had to meet conditions specified by the DNC. That's how it works with every political convention. The DNC could have set any conditions it wanted, including how to treat the OWS demonstrators.

[Sheepshank]

163. And more than a year ago when this arena was decided by the DNC...

they knew OW even existed and would be showing up to Charlotte?
I call your statement a steaming pile of bull...and horse pucky.

Here let me give you a little refresher... the First OW didn't occur until Sept 2011...with the idea and concept seeded in July 2011.

"Occupy Wall Street (OWS) is a protest movement which began September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's's Wall Street financial district..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Wall_Street



perhaps you can prove your statement and add some credibiliy to you statement?

[Bill Anolon]

180. If you think the DNC has no present leverage on Charlotte, you are wrong.

Your insulting reply to my post ignores the fact that the DNC could at any time request the City of Charlotte to go easy on OWS. Charlotte owes the DNC big time.

If you don't understand this, then, you don't understand how the world in general, and conventions in particular, work.

I'm sorry that you have no response to offer besides a vicious, obscene and scatalogical attack. But I guess that just shows the weakness of your view.

[Sheepshank]

181. you failed to prove anything.

You said "The DNC could have set any conditions it wanted, including how to treat the OWS demonstrators."

I clearly proved that the agreements and contracts and negotiations to bring the DNC to Charlotte (made well more than a year ago) could not have incorporated anything to do with OW since OW didn't exists at the time the decision to take the DNC to Charlotte. You have failed to prove otherwise.

Once the convention is set, the magnitue and negotiated costs for hotel, meals, convention space, meeting rooms and fees etc are almost impossible to reconsider and move to another City. DNC has no ability to renegotiate the contract and start adding OW anything....it's the city that has the DNC by the short hairs...not the other way around. DNC cannot negotiate diddly squat at this late date with the City of Charlotte.

Facts are just not in you favor on this....and we can all participate in conjecture. It makes that a little more than tin foil hat conspiracies.

I work in local gov't and tend to understand the workings of the administrative part of it....your lecture falls flat.

[pnwmom]

139. Since when does the DNC control the City of Charlotte, NC?

This was the city's decision, not the DNC's.

[Bill Anolon]

178. Since the DNC picked the lucky City of Charlotte as a convention site

The convention brings millions of dollars of bidness to Charlotte. The DNC could have insisted on fair treatment for OWS. But apparently this did not happen.

[Sheepshank]

182. pure made up conjecture...

DNC has diddle squat negotiating power with Charlotte right now. All their negotiating power came when the agreements were originally formulated --well more than a year ago. What can they negotiate at this late date? Threaten to move? Decide not to house all the people coming in for the conventions....maybe everyone will refuse to eat? Good lord!....it's not like the DNC can pack up and move to another town. And the DNC didn't even know OW existed when the negotiations were made to bring the DNC to Charlotte.

[McCamy Taylor]

6. This should ensure lots of demonstrators. Shades of Chicago 1968.

If they really wanted to avoid a media circus, they would invite Occupy down, erect a tent and throw them a BBQ.

Being told "Don't show up!" is the surest way to make them show up.

[annabanana]

9. kerZAKly! I sure hope cooler heads prevail on this.. . .n/t

[KoKo]

13. Good Point, McCamy. I do expect Chicago '68. The pot is bubbling...and they make it worse.

Kick.

[demosincebirth]

109. We lost the election, too

[Xtraneous]

136. And still a good possibility if nothing is done about the voting machines...

The latest further and indisputable proof that our elections are a charade with these machines...
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8986

[oldhippydude]

19. with police armed to the teeth

it may in fact be the "kent state moment also"

[Remember Me]

84. But, that would take an intelligent approach

Dems don't seem to be capable of that.

[truedelphi]

99. That would really work!

But it is inevitable that with power corrupting, and absolute power like that of the DLC corrupting absolutely, the simple solutions will be ignored and much brouhaha will result.

The thing about the 1968 convention is that due to the police actions taken at those protests, much of the media became favorable to the "damn hippies." When several photo journalists and staff members of the Playboy magazine (then based in Chi town) were brutalized by the police, Hefner changed his entire concept of the political sphere and became a radical. Other magazines of repute followed.

In the end, public opinion turned against the war. And if that piece of history demonstrates anything, is that once an idea has reached its tipping point, the media and the political realm have to follow the will of the people.

In my neck of the woods, Occupy! has reached a tipping Point.

[mmonk]

7. I'm always up for a challenge.

[boxman15]

8. And how did 1968 go?

I'm not saying I support the city's decision to ban the protesters (it's incredibly dumb to do so, in my opinion. It will only intensify the protests), but let's all just remember that 1968 gave us Richard Nixon. Just remember that.

As a HUGE supporter of OWS and especially its goals and ideals, I think the movement would be better off going after the gigantic financial institutions and the Republican Party. Democrats and President Obama have not been perfect, no. But, this movement would be better served going after the chief enablers of this entire mess: the GOP. Going after Obama so publicly will do nothing positive. It will only make a Republican administration closer to happening.

Hold him accountable, for sure. But, focus attention on the GOP. At least that's my opinion.

[annabanana]

11. Perhaps they would be "better off". .

But OWS will go where the people want. There are issues they have to bring up to the Democratic establishment as well. The Democrats would be well served to attend to them.

Give them a seat at the table, invite a few speakers... I would not be surprised to find OSWers in the delegations.

[oldhippydude]

20. in fact

as one who remembers..not only is the cause no less... its imperative!!

[demosincebirth]

138. Its the republicans who are tearing this country up, not the democrats. It's like getting killed by

friendly fire. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

[2pooped2pop]

168. Occupy cares not republican, democratic, or other.

they will support those who work for, and support the people, and will call out those who do not. Party is not the deciding factor anymore.

It's who do you work for the people, or the corporations.

Sadly, it's not just the fucking republicans who are taking money to make laws. They all must go.

[demosincebirth]

183. Your thoughts on the RW republicans and your preference to replace "They all must go."?

[2pooped2pop]

184. What I personally think should happen to the republicans

is probably illegal to verbalize. I'm not sure if there is even one republican who could be considered as working for the people. I call them traitors.
I do think there are a few good dems that I would like to keep. Unfortunately, some of those probably have corporate tax skeletons in their closets too.

It's just time to turn it all around. All government officials should work solely for their pay. Not one dime more. That not enough? Get out, let someone else take that job.

Take all the money out of campaigns and remove any possiblility of taking money or other gifts for votes. Term limits and recall rights.

That should go a long long way to setting every single problem with this country on the right track.

I don't have candidates in mind to replace the bought, but I have great hope that if the money is out of politics, real citizens could get a chance at winning these offices.

[demosincebirth]

185. I thought so, Don Quixote's " the impossible dream."

[2pooped2pop]

186. Probably, but it looks like the only dream left.

I put all my hope into the Occupy movement. Already it has made huge changes in the table talk around the world. I can only hope that it continues.
I think we are very close to a survival world. One in which people will do many things that they would not want to do in order to survive. It will be bad. Very very bad. Chaos. So, I first must put my hope into Occupy. Peaceful activity is certainly a first and preferred option.

Yes, I believe in unicorns on some days. (add smiley)

It's just that what is happening now in this world is what my nightmares from childhood are. Almost exactly. I have to put my hope to change the outcome somewhere. I have to participate. I have to be part of trying to make the outcome different than the one in my nightmares. I have to. Occupy is the closest thing I've seen to hope. And I hope they never stop.

[themadstork]

17. DLC style dems are just as guilty as wall st enablers

they certainly deserve protest

[oldhippydude]

18. bingo

it seems to me at this point... with conventions ahead a number of months, that OWS is a lot smarter than some of us were in the 60's...while you are right Cicago sealed Huberts fate, the chicago 7 trials, and the aftermath kept the movment alive, and ultimatly did stop the war as well as gave us the EPA, and moderated a lot of the Nixon years..

[pnwmom]

115. Those who met violence with violence -- people like the SDS -- helped bring on the Nixon years.

[Warren Stupidity]

120. Chicago '68 was a police riot.

We didn't start that fight and we hardly fought back at all. We didn't meet violence with violence, we got the living shit beat out of us for no apparent reason.

Oh and it wasn't SDS by the time people were meeting violence with violence as SDS split up over exactly this issue. The time frame was October 1969 - Dick Nixon was already president.

And Nixon won because LBJ passed the Civil Rights Act and lost the southern white racist vote for the Democratic Party in doing so. LBJ knew the consequences and did it anyway, and for that alone he remains a great president, despite his colossal fuck up with vietnam.

Other than that you make some valid points.

[TheKentuckian]

22. If Obama was a functional outlet there wouldn't be an OWS

Being "less worse" isn't being part of the solution and focusing solely on the TeaPubliKlans forces OWS off the essential problems of corporate capture and the toxic influence of money.

The failed systems are at issue, not a contest of which corrupt party is least horrendous in representing the interests of the people and providing for the general welfare.

By this metric Bush would be at least acceptable, he is plenty less bad than most of your leading fuckwits.

OWS must focus on systemic problems, meaning the TeaPubliKlans inherently get hit hardest but "ours" have earned a full measure of correction too.

[no limit]

54. Yeah, it's a shame the Democratic party refuses to learn any lessons from history

How do you propose we hold the democratic party accountable if we are forced to vote for them no matter what they do?

[Remember Me]

85. I guess you haven't noticed

OWS is as upset with the Democrats as the Republicans. They are an equal-opportunity-protest / social movement.

[Occulus]

89. "the movement would be better off going after the gigantic financial institutions"

Like Bank of America?

[Chan790]

159. or Goldman Sachs.

Oh wait, Goldman Sachs is functionally the controller of the entire fiscal agenda of the Obama administration. If we want change, we need to protest the cozy relationship between this President and that criminal financial institution. (If it brings down this Presidency, that would be unfortunate...but that neither means it shouldn't be done nor does it mean that Obama did not bring that defeat upon himself.)

There's a phrase for that cozy relationship: it's called "Aiding and Abetting".

Mr. President, fire the foxes in the hen-house. Prosecute the thieves. Stop trying to push pennies on the $100-bill settlements...or lose. You'll undo your own legacy, put Mitt Fucking Romney or Newton Goddamned Gingrich into the White House.

Ball's in your court. If you do not change, you will lose. Period. No vacillation or compromise to that. If you want to win, abandon the right-of-center economics you cling so desperately to maintain.

[truedelphi]

101. Read my reply number 99.

The lesson to be learned from 1968 is not that Nixon won the election.Rather, it is that the actions and ideals taken to heart by the street demonstrators ended up becoming embedded in the hearts and minds of average Americans.

In short, the side that has more fun wins.

Richard Nixon really and truly did not win. He ended up being ousted, in part because of the growth of the entire consciousness of the nation. The real result of the demonstrations of 1968 happen to be how we ousted Nixon, and had Jimmy Carter in the Presidency, with the years of the Carter Presidency representing an era that was more truly American than any other time the nation has existed.

During the Carter Presidency, We weren't fighting any bogus wars under Carter, we were starting to move towards solar energy, in one huge and massive boom! and we were becoming an integrated society. In fact the gains society was making under Carter made it imperative that Kissinger (now one of Obama's trusted advisers!) manipulate how the UAE nations withheld the oil, and then came the hostage taking in Iran. All those carefully manipulated events caused Carter to lose the 1980 election.

[Ken Burch]

108. It was LBJ's fault that Nixon won, not the protesters in Chicago.

If Johnson had let Humphrey do what Humphrey WANTED to do and reach out to the Peace Dems, there would have BEEN no police riots in the streets and Nixon would have been toast.

Johnson forced Humphrey to be nominated as an all-out hawk(which Humphrey, privately, wasn't)because Johnson knew that would guarantee Humphrey's defeat.

Not protesting in Chicago would have meant giving up on ever trying to stop the war again.

[Chan790]

160. Likewise it will Obama's fault if the GOP retakes the WH.

He had a mandate for change, for reform, for an end to Wall St. corruption, and for a liberalization of economics.

He chose to steer hard-right and adopt the economics of the Bush kleptocracy and claim they were reasoned and moderate. Sometimes he had to appear to be pushed into it, but he never failed to fold and call it "compromise".

[Warren Stupidity]

111. Actually it went quite well if you were committed to ending the war. nt.

[demosincebirth]

137. I agree with you. Some are trying to create the same senario as 1968 and

we all know what happened then. We shot ourselve in the foot and lost the election. Those that supported it in '68, of course, will point fingers llike others were at fault for Nixon being elected. I remember the old saying " you start pointing a finger, you have two pointing back at you."

[AverageJoe90]

145. Exactly!

[got root]

10. hmmm... I doubt that will have the expected result.

Ignoring the problem is part of the reason why so many folks are now out in the streets.

:shakes-head:

[Odin2005]

15. "Wall Street of the South" THAT tells you everything you need to know.

[kenny blankenship]

28. Headquarters of Bank of America.

It's very much a one company town, so that's who is really hosting this party.

[G_j]

37. sure is...

Can't miss it

[dixiegrrrrl]

38. Telling, that.

Have ALL DNC folks gone totally tone deaf???
or is this just a big public FU to "the little people" to hold the convention there?

[Sheepshank]

127. Repeat of a post above

The article is clear that it's the CITY COUNCIL making the decision. The location and time for OW just happens to coincide with DNC convention. No invitaion or banning has been done by the DNC.

I think this type of rhetoric is merely a false outrage, pointed at the wrong party, to make a preconceived point, by twisting the facts.

[laylah]

42. All the more reason

to be there, IMVHO.

[Odin2005]

46. Damn, I didn't know that!

[Enrique]

50. Wachovia as well

[glowing]

65. Wachovia was bought out by Wells Fargo.

I'm not sure how much Wells Fargo is operating? I don't think their major headquarters are actually in Charlotte. As far as a bank went, they started out ok. The started out as a smaller financial institute in NC, SC, and GA. When I moved to FL, there was barely a branch to be heard of. Then they bought out more banks in FL. I think if they had not bought up as many banks in FL as they ended up doing, they wouldn't have been as bad off when the home boom went bust. FL was and still is particularly messy and more corrupt than in other states.... and the banks, real estate, and mortgage brokers had a lot of free reign because of corrupt Republicans in the Governor's office (we had a Bush for 8 yrs menacing the state and then Charlie Christ and now that creepy SOB Scott), as well as, the state legislation being controlled by the of Republican party.

They really have done a great job in creating a poorly run state. Cronyism runs exceptionally deep. They have made as much publicly funded entities as privately hacked off schemes as they can; schools, roads, distribution of unemployment, any public works, insurance.... Dirty hands and schemes in nearly everything. The insurance and electric issues alone are enough to make one puke; add in the schools they have ruined, and its no wonder the Piggies have picked FL to highlight their model of Govt they wish to push down the throats of all Americans.

Our car insurance is really high because of the "No Fault" state. This means that the insurance rates are factored on the amount of accidents had in all of FL, amount of pay outs for car insurance due to say a natural disaster, and generalizing that over the entire state, not on one's driving history. So in 2005, there were a couple of hurricane's that passed over the bottom of the state (Miami area.. Katrina brushed by before hitting NO and such), our car insurance went up by nearly $500 for a 6 mo period (another issue, you can only get a 6 mo rated at a time because they assess the insurance rates every 6 mos). I called the insurance company and asked why in the world had our rate increased so dramatically when we had been with the company a number of years, had passed that magic 25 yr old threshold and were married. The insurance agent said that FL had been hit with Hurricane's so that the new assessment for the spring increased the rates. I was astounded, I explained that we in Tampa, had not been hit with any hurricanes. This fact did not matter. The state is a No Fault state. So the entire state is assessed with increased rates to factor into the increase of claims from the southern part of the state. I find it interesting to this day the number of left hand turns/ u-turns that people must make to drive in FL. Left hand/ left u-turns are statistically one of the highest causes of traffic accidents. There are so many instances in which a driver must make a left turn or left u-turn across 3 or 4 lanes of busy traffic to get to a business or what not without a traffic light to help direct the traffic flow from the opposite side, that it looks more or less like a purposeful design in which to increase the number of accidents on any given day; especially given the fact that we have a larger population of elderly retired persons who drive slowly and not very cautiously coupled with a large amount of tourists from around the country and world who make their way to FL to play tourist. Its a nightmare to drive down here.

The electric rates and issues actually drive me the most insane. They pay off every politician big and small, I swear. The first issue that pisses me off is that in 2004, the legislator's for the first time ever, allowed for the electric companies to bill out a flat fee charge that was not tied to the actual customer's usage. In 2004, FL had more than a few hurricane's pass over the state. It started with Charlie and I think ended with Ivan. There weren't too many areas in FL that weren't effected by wind or storm damage that year. Of course, the power went out. The electric companies had to bring in outside workers, pay for them to stay in hotels, pay per diem, and pay overtime for the workers. The bill, in my opinion, is the cost of doing business, however, in their opinion, they wanted the people who had to use them to pay for the costs. They got the legislator's to approve a fee to pay for the clean-up that year. It was supposed to be a temporary item. And anyone moving into the area anew, had to pay this fee, even though, they weren't even customers at the time. It is now 2011, the fee is still on the bill every single month. The charges for that cleanup from 2004 have probably been paid out 2 or 3 times over by now. AND anytime I have inquired about the charges or when they will be lifted, I am completely ignored by company and politician alike. Their second sketchy item that I am paying for specifically with Progress Energy, are the nuclear power plants they want to build in the future. It would cost $500 million to build a solar power plant to give off the equivalent power of the nuclear plants, but the billions of tax payer funds is much more coveted, as well as having current users pre-pay for the plants that may never actually be built... If I were to move out of the state or out of this area, I will have pre-payed for future energy that I may never actually use. The company was allowed to increase its wattage rate to pre-pay for this scheme. How is it even legal to charge customers for future energy they have yet to consume or may never consume. I also highly doubt they are setting that money aside in a general nuclear power fund for the time that they may actually build it. I'm sure its lignin the CEO's and board's pocket just nicely.

Don't even get me started on the BS of what they are doing to the public school system. Its too much for me to even deal with at the moment.

[jwirr]

32. These two posts are telling. I was not happy about the location of the convention and now it seems

I might have had more than one reason.

[themadstork]

16. Sounds like I need to make plans to be there

[Fire Walk With Me]

25. Yeah, no way this could BACKFIRE on them, eh?

[jwirr]

33. Just issuing this order is going to backfire on them.

[Huey P. Long]

21. yo dawg-

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. They are not

That is the easy answer.

[Fire Walk With Me]

24. Someone, or a whole lot of someones

is frightened beyond the capacity for rational thought.

It means that we are winning.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

26. Did you expect anything less?

You know they'll have the protest pen blocks from the convention hall as well. I hope they march on it and it gets ugly.

[kenny blankenship]

27. You didn't really think the 99% were going to be invited, didya?

"Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them."

[jwirr]

29. Having been around for a while I assume they are trying to avoid another Chicago 1968. It might

be smart to somehow include a representative from the group to observe and to work on things like the platform, etc. I supposed every group in the country would want in then though.

[boppers]

143. "a representative"?

Ah, so, the top 1% gets, say, 3,000 representatives, and 99% of the country gets... 1 person.

For balance, of course.

"I supposed every group in the country would want in then though."

Is this sarcasm, or is the concept of representative democracy new to you?

[jwirr]

155. They are not elected and they should be invited guests otherwise you have just ended the system

in which we the people have any say about anything. I have voted in Nebraska in the primaries for my own delegate, I have attended caucuses in both IA and MN for the same reason as well as helping to write the platform. My suggestion that OWS be included as a GUEST is not and never has been part of the system. If they take part in the primaries they can be elected representatives. Groups are a totally new concept in the primary syytem which would replace those of us who are now the 99% who participate. Government is broken at the top but our primary system does work. This is where the 99% does still have a say and where the local people can be involved.

[EFerrari]

31. Good luck with that, Charlotte.

[madrchsod]

34. the ghost of mayor daley.............

[Brickbat]

35. What does anybody expect? First the party pisses off the unions -- AGAIN -- by picking a right-to-

work state. Why should it listen to anybody else who might be an ally or have good suggestions.

[Sheepshank]

128. good lord...read the article again.

The article is clear that it's the CITY COUNCIL making the decision. The location and time for OW happens to coincide with DNC convention. No invitaion or banning has been done by the DNC.

I think this type of rhetoric is merely a false outrage, pointed at the wrong party, to make a preconceived point, by twisting the facts.

[Brickbat]

129. Yup, I jumped to conclusions.

My point about Charlotte stands, however.

[Sheepshank]

156. ok...that I understand :) n/t

[caseymoz]

36. How can a city government in the US legally do this?

Why aren't people holding government at all levels to US Constitutional principles? Like with the local police? That people claim to be behind the Bill of Rights but let their petty elected leaders at the municipal level wipe their asses with it has to be one of the dumbest paradoxes of our country.

Really, if a cop searches somebody's trunk illegally, yeah, throw the case out, but fire the cop. Yes, a 4th Amendment violation should supersede union protections.

And it's off-topic slightly, but how about more public toilets in or cities, or really, any public toilets? It's almost like they're not designed for people.

[themadstork]

39. it isnt legal

restrictions on speech have to be content-neutral, and this ordinance is pretty obviously about blocking a certain kind of content.

[caseymoz]

48. Which gets around the question

Why are they so quick to make "restrictions on speech." By any look at our heritage, that should be the thing they are most reluctant to do, and that their residents should become angriest about.

[TBF]

44. 4th amendment - didn't you hear

Congress replaced that one with the Patriot Act and indefinite detainment ...

[caseymoz]

47. They were pulling shit like this long before that.

In fact, it was probably the brutality of our police and the total disregard our petty-municipalities had for the Constitution that made it seem like the Patriot Act was no great cut on the corpse of the 4th Amendment.

[TBF]

49. that's true -

I asked my mom about Occupy and she said "oh, we tried that - they shot kids at Kent State". I couldn't argue with that ...

[caseymoz]

142. Yes, and I'm afraid it will get that brutal.

And it will be hard not to back down, but we don't have choice. It's now clear what the wealthy are doing, and that they are doing it deliberately. We could see what the trend is, and it's Occupy now, or settle into destitution and peasantry.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

40. Any NC Du'ers here that will let me occupy their yard?

Just a brief occupation- tent, sleeping bag for a few days only- promise.

[Jello Biafra]

43. Here we go again with free speech zones....

SOS.....constitutional rights are not 24/7 and can only be in this spot only with a "Get out of Jail Free" card.

[OneGrassRoot]

45. Well, at least they aren't trying to co-opt the movement.

Asshats.

Wall Street of the South says it all.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

51. Mare Daley: Da police ain't here to create disorder. Da police is here to preserve disorder.

Unbelievably stupid decision.

If they had worked with OWS, they could have easily come to terms and made reasonable accommodations and arrangements.

[emulatorloo]

52. Please explain how the Charlotte City Council is actually secretly the DNC. With links.

[AverageJoe90]

146. +1,000 nt

[GeorgeGist]

53. When you have nothing original to offer ...

you repeat history; warts and all.

[saras]

55. Is it too late to move the convention? That's the obvious response.

[in_cog_ni_to]

56. The Democrats more than likely requested this be done.

There will be no moving the convention, but there will be plenty of National Guard available to beat the shit out of people, if 1968 Chicago is any example.

This is not going to be pretty. Protesters are not going to be stopped just because the DNC doesn't want them there, and rightly so!

[slay]

61. They wanted Charlotte because NC went blue in 2008 - first time since Carter

and they are hoping to carry NC again. Then again - they decided this well before the Occupy movement started - not sure they would pick the home of Bank of America and Wachovia if they had to choose a city right now. Heheh. This could get interesting. I know I'll be there.

[Sheepshank]

130. Ba_Lon_EY

You must have really strained every joint in that set of convoluted manufactured twistology.

The article is clear that it's the CITY COUNCIL making the decision and I don't see where the Council is kowtowing to DNC requests...perhaps you can provide some verification?

[sabrina 1]

140. The point is, why did the Dems choose to hold the Convention there? There have been objections

already with people saying there would be problems there. Now we see they were correct.

The Dems, if they are not in favor of this, will have to make a statement pretty quickly so we know where they stand.

That should happen by tomorrow at the latest.

[Sheepshank]

157. I'm sure they pulled the name out of a hat

***sarcasm intended*

There are several reasons any location is picked for such a huge convention...cost, hotels, convention space availability etc etc etc. And those decisions are made some time ago...often more than a year in advance. Chances are OW could also have picked a million other places, and no matter where the DNC convention was going to be, they may have just showed up and the same time and same place.

This particular irrational point that the DNC chose Charlotte for the purpose of hurting OW, is pretty flimsy and unsupported if you ask me. Any major city would have it's plusses and misuses...and if there wasn't a minus, there are plenty of people around to create one.

[sabrina 1]

172. Well, I didn't say they chose it because of OWS. I said, they now need to make a statement

that they do not support the statements made by the City Council. OWS members are citizens, and as such, have as much right to be there as any politician has. To say they are 'not welcome' is ludicrous.

So, I hope they do that. These are Democrats, not Republicans. I would expect them to be supportive of a citizen's right to be present at such important events.

My other point was that even before OWS was involved, people were upset over this venue for many reasons. And yes, every city will have some minuses but this one has a slew of them.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

57. Well, that poses the question "Which side are you on?"

And, looks like the party bosses have answered that question.

[bread_and_roses]

68. yep. (n/t)

[glowing]

58. So how many vendors selling merchandise will this effect?

And last I remembered, the media bring in a lot of their own tents and staging outside of the event. In Denver, they had a tent dedicated to the Bloggers and media. People sold merchandise/ t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc outside of the event as well. So, it there are no tents, then what will happen to all the people who will be trying to make money off of the event? Its not like the city is going to be able to stifle the protestors on either the Occupy side or the Tea Bag side. Protests are just another part of the big show. Its amazing how scared these politicians are of Occupy. I can't even begin to imagine what the city of Tampa will be doing when the Piggies come to town? I'm feeling a sense of trepidation for my Tampa Bay area when the Piggies have their hate fest.

I'm not sure how smart they are being by putting the show on at the Convention Center, downtown Tampa? Its almost like isolating themselves on an island that can be easily shutdown in and out of the Center. AND the piggies are asking for the hotels and merchants to give them discounts and cheap rooms for downtown hotels near the Convention Center. Its amazing how cheap and stingy these assholes are. I bet they will all tip horribly bad. They are asking for small, local businesses to participate (first time ever), however, in order to participate in being a local official RNC small business, the piggies are asking for the businesses to help out with the financial costs. AND they won't allow just anyone to participate. The small businesses they will allow in will be screened and picked. I'm sure they will be right leaning businesses and will be used as PR mechanisms for the piggies to showcase their support of small, local businesses. I'm sure there will be some asinine pledge that these small businesses will be signing onto that say how much they support the Republicans and how much they need the Dems and President Obama to keep their tax rates low, their health care mandated requirements rescinded because of the financial burden upon their struggling backs, and some general narrative about Govt regulations and Govt intrusion on their small business. If Newt is the official a$$hole, then maybe they will even throw something in the pledge about getting rid of minimum wage and child labor laws (so that these "family" run businesses can allow their children to participate and work for their family business--- like that doesn't already happen to some degree anyway, depending on the type of family business.

Also... the small business title is more than a bit skewed anyway... we know that some very large corporations act under the title of small business if they organize their business model in certain manners. I think the Koch Bro's operate as a "small business". And more than a few businesses in FL actually operate as a Ltd or LLC type of company to protect their personal assets from business dealings.

Anyway, the piggies convention will be even more interesting this year by far. AND being in Tampa will be interesting logistically as a setting. I have a feeling that the Tampa tank and helicopters and probably un-manned drones will be in full force. Also, with Tampa being the host city of MacDill Air Force Base (CENT Com headquarters), the charges for any protestors arrested may be end up getting charged with terrorism.. OR just held indefinitely without any charges for being a suspected "enemy combatant". This may be the reason for the Defense Auth bill containing the ability for the US Govt to hold American Citizens as terrorist/ enemy combatants and thrown into a holding pen for the entire week without posting their arrest information for anyone to know about. The Govt could disappear the most disruptive of the protesting groups, perhaps like they did in 2008, before the actual event. Maybe the Govt will come down harder on the Democratic protesters in Charlotte, being that this time around, a Democrat holds the Presidential seat and is in "charge" of the agencies like Homeland Security, FBI, and CIA. It would be up to the Republican Gov, Republican controlled legislators, and local dingbats to come up with procedures to limit the Citizens right to protest and probably violate the 4th amendment by spying, infiltrating, disrupting, and lying about different protesting groups before they arrive at the opening dates of the convention.

I'm looking forward to the protests of the "outside" main vendor money parties. There are more than a few wealthy persons in the area. There is a private, wealthy elite island in Tampa that I'm sure they will have private events at. Its tricky. Dick Cheney was at one of these events for donation gathering back in the day. The protestors had to stay on the side walk. If they touched one blade of grass, they would be arrested for trespassing. Well, a cop pushed the crowd, and sure enough, someone towards the back lost their balance with the pushing and shoving and fell onto the lawn. Instead of the police coming over to her rescue as peace officers to make sure she was ok and not injured, they threw hand cuffs on her and took her to jail. They totally neglected her injured ankle that she had twisted when falling.

I do believe 2012 will be an interesting year. Maybe the smoke and mirrors will finally fall away and enough people around the world will demand for a free and fair world that respects one another and our home on this planet that we must share with one another and with our future generations to come. I can only pray that Occupy becomes a full-bodied movement and enlightenment period in our history books.. and that we are truly living in interesting and hopeful times.

[slay]

59. I plan to go to Charlotte and protest with Occupy regardless

the establishment wants their little dog and pony show to go off without a hitch - well they may well need to re-enact the 1968 Dem convention to do it - so I will stand up for free speech and against income inequality and let the response by the police be put all over the internet for all to see. People have the right - and during these troubling times - the NEED to protest.

[Huey P. Long]

64. And I thank you now for your service to this country. Occupy. -eom

[librechik]

62. the schism is approaching

Is the DNC really "us" anymore? hardly seems like it with this nonsense.

[Sheepshank]

131. I think you need to re-read the OP...nothing to do with the DNC

other than same location and time as the convention. CITY COUNCIL made the decisions you are outraged over.

[librechik]

176. thx, got that straight, finally!

[xchrom]

63. Free speech zones. Remind me, where have we seen those before? Nt

[Fumesucker]

73. Outside of women's health clinics..

[kenny blankenship]

75. And anywhere George W. Bush went - anywhere plus a buffer of one or two miles, that is.

[Fumesucker]

77. I was just pointing out where free speech zones started.

Unfortunately it was originally a Democratic idea I believe.

[mwrguy]

91. It was first used against the fundies at abortion clinics

Bad precedent.

[mdmc]

66. rec

[Jack Rabbit]

67. OWS has a way of showing up where they aren't invited

I repeat: civil disobedience is our weapon of choice.

[2pooped2pop]

69. If they thought the teabaggers caused political change...

they ain't seen nothin yet. The occupiers do not think in terms of dem or pug, they think only in terms of "for the people"

All politicians would do well to learn that this is the New World and politics as usual, ain't politics as usual anymore.

I think they just opened up a whole big mess by taking this stance. It could go either way, but I will bet the 99% will not just accept this new order and keep quiet.

Should be lots of fun. I hope to go now.

[one-eyed fat man]

70. If 1968 comes to mind

than you know all the protesters in 1968 accomplished, besides denting the batons of Dick Daley's riot police, was get Tricky Dick elected.

Doubtless, NOT the outcome they wanted.

[deacon_sephiroth]

71. Occupy DNC

and F@ck them very much for the sentiment!

[rbnyc]

110. +1 (nt)

[Rex]

72. Not smart.

[LiberalLovinLug]

74. Stupid Stupid Stupid

But it doesn't surprise me. The DLC seems to be sticking with their bizarre tactic of isolating their liberal base. The louder that base screams about it, and Obama or his underlings laugh at them or call them names, the more "moderate" Obama seems to the masses. At least that is the plan.

It could have been so much different. They had a window in '08 - '10 to change the conversation. Now they are boxed in with Wall Street apologists after weeding out most of the progressive candidates.

So instead they will watch from a lofty convention center the police crack heads and pepper spray with impunity. The MSM will do their job in portraying the protesters as anti-American lazy hippies or lunatics. And the Democratic leadership will instruct all those on the inside to say things like "We Democrats do not support that kind of radical extremism and violence"

I just hope enough protesters come down to make it impossible for the Democratic leadership to ignore them.
What they should have done is organized a meeting with some of the leadership of OWS. Even if they had no intention of actually enacting some of OWS suggestions, they would have at least been able to say they are listening. That is a political solution. But maybe this stupid political move will backfire and force them to have to confront the issue in a more upfront way.....if this goes the way of '68 which it seems to be.

[greiner3]

76. "0. Occupy Wall Street Banned From Democratic National Convention"

The title to the OP and responses from most DU'ers is Wrong. The Democrats did not authorize this crap.

I realize North Carolina is a battleground state and this is why it has been picked for the convention.

But damn it, so are several other states. How about here in OH? I think mayor Coleman would give a much better reception to the idea of Occupy ANYTHING. This would also have the added plus of giving Kasich another black eye. How many would that make, 4 or 5?

[Kingofalldems]

78. The mock and undermine crowd liking this one

[frazzled]

79. Every Democratic Convention in recent history has restricted protesters

So this is not just about OWS.

Okay, I was living in Boston in 2004, so I remember this (as well as the snipers that I saw on all the rooftops for blocks around the convention hall):

Protesters at this summer's Democratic National Convention in Boston may be confined to a cozy triangle of land off Haymarket Square, blocked off from the FleetCenter and convention delegates by a maze of Central Artery service roads, MBTA train tracks, and a temporary parking lot holding scores of buses and media trucks.

Under a preliminary plan floated by convention organizers, the "free-speech zone" would be a small plot bounded by Green Line tracks and North Washington Street, in an area that until recently was given over to the elevated artery. The zone would hold as few as 400 of the several thousand protesters who are expected in Boston in late July.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/02/20/convention_plan_puts_protesters_blocks_away/

Denver? Voila:

The fence around the public demonstration zone outside the Democratic National Convention will be chicken wire or chain link, authorities revealed in U.S. District Court today.
That may allow protestors to be seen and heard by delegates going in and out of the Pepsi Center during the convention.
But the American Civil Liberties Union and several advocacy groups have filed an amended complaint to their lawsuit against the U.S. Secret Service and the city and county of Denver that says protestors and demonstrators may have their First Amendment rights violated by security restrictions.
The ACLU has said it wants to avoid the conditions that existed during the 2004 convention in Boston, where protesters were caged, infuriating First Amendment advocates.

Read more: DNC protests will be behind fence - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9744092#ixzz1gH3aMrgi
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

As for the city restricting camping, I'm getting a little tired of hearing supposed progressives equating their right to free speech with a right to camp overnight. I mean, that's as ridiculous as the Supreme Court resolutions that we've opposed over the years that equate free speech with money.

Protest as much as is needed between the hours of, say 7 am and 11 pm, but camping overnight in public spaces without permits is not a god-given right. Just as anti-abortion activists are (rightly) not allowed to protest within a certain distance of clinics, I think it's reasonable for cities to determine whether OWS activists should be allowed to gather (and cook and sleep and, god forbid, drum) at certain times of night. And, oh yeah, you're not being discriminated against if you have to get a permit to protest somewhere ... just like people who want to have a group picnic for their organization in a park have to get a permit.

[Occulus]

90. So, inconvenient protest is inconvenient.

Tough titty, said the kitty.

OWS will be there.

[frazzled]

92. I'd suggest ...

you not use expressions like that if you do go. Your fellow protesters who are women are certainly not going to take well to it.

[Occulus]

93. It was Blaine the mono, from King's "The Dark Tower III: The Wastelands"; the context is even apt

"YOU HAVE EXACTLY ELEVEN MINUTES AND TWENTY SECONDS BEFORE THE CANNISTERS RUPTURE.”

“Stop it!” Jake yelled over the blatting siren. “It isn’t just the city! A gas like that could float anywhere! It could even kill the old people in River Crossing!”

“TOUGH TITTY, SAID THE KITTY,” Blaine responded unfeelingly. “ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THEY CAN COUNT ON MEASURING OUT THEIR LIVES IN COFFEE-SPOONS FOR A FEW MORE YEARS; THE AUTUMN STORMS HAVE BEGUN, AND THE PREVAILING WINDS WILL CARRY THE GASES AWAY FROM THEM. THE SITUATION OF YOU FOUR IS, HOWEVER, VERY DIFFERENT. YOU BETTER PUT ON YOUR THINKING CAPS, OR IT’S SEE YOU LATER ALLIGATOR, AFTER A WHILE CROCODILE, DON’T FORGET TO WRITE.” The voice paused. “ONE PIECE OF ADDITIONAL INPUT: THIS GAS IS NOT PAINLESS.”

Very famous Blaine quote.

edit: It's also the short version of an old saying: "Tough titty, said the kitty, but the milk's still good". It means that even though you didn't get exactly what you wanted, it's close enough, so be happy with it.

[truedelphi]

106. One thing that people who did not live during the Great Depression do not understand -

Many people survived the Great Depression because people parked themselves and their families in tents.

I grew up in a far south Chicago neighborhood, and the older people would talk about how many tent "villages" had existed in those plots of land back in the thirties.

Those who have been affected by the manipulations of the Power Brokers on Wall Street have not been inconvenienced only between the hours you lay out as decent hours for an inconvenience.

If you haven't eaten for days, your stomach is hurting 24/7.

If you are living in your car, it is not inconvenient only between 7Am and 11Pm.

If you have a chronic bodily ailment, and no health insurance, as many of us between the ags of 45 to 62 are experiencing, it is not a 7Am to 11Pm matter. It is 24/7.

If the people in power, of both parties, had not allowed themselves to be bought and paid for, perhaps the provisions of our great economic system, which included Glass Steagall, would have remained as they had been since the late thirties. Rather than those protections and provisions being legislated out of existence.

So that now some Fourteen Trillions of dollars have been handed over to the One Percent. While the rest of us work wearily at unfulfilling jobs, watching as every thing once held sacred in this nation is crumbling.

We need the tents to be visible as a reminder to everyone of why these tents exist. The powerful, including those on City Councils, have spent their lives avoiding the realities, while sucking up to those who write the campaign checks to them.

[annabanana]

116. Consider THIS post rec'd! Those encampments were not just for show.

TPTB should be directly confronted by the fruits of their labor, day in and day out.

[Warren Stupidity]

124. I do see exactly that in the consitution.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances, except that assemblies may not camp out overnight, and they may be restricted by permit regulations that make it both difficult and expensive to assemble, and they may be restricted to locations where they are kept far away from any official functions."

Yes how silly of us to have missed that.

[frazzled]

133. So then you agree that ...

Anti-abortion protesters should be allowed to wave their placards and scream horrifying things directly at woman women on the doorsteps of clinics as they try to enter and exercise their legal right to an abortion ... and that all laws, accepted as constitutional to create a buffer zone, are illicit.

You then, are a full-fledged libertarian, not a progressive.

PS: Every municipality in the country requires permits for assemblies, be it for a march or a gathering over a certain number of people for a bbq, on publicly owned land. This is not about OWS, and these permit requirements have been on the books for decades and decades and decades. Because rights have to be balanced.

[sabrina 1]

141. Where in the 1st Amendment is there is a time limit on when Citizens can exercise their right to

free speech??

It's interesting that 'money is speech' and 'corporations are people' have been made legal, while ordinary citizens demonstrating at times that someone decides are 'inconvenient' is called 'stupid' even by progressives.

The law of this land now says, wrongly but legally nevertheless, that Money is Speech and I presume there is no curfew on THAT 'speech' but you argue for a curfew on actual real people speaking??

When Corporations are no longer 'people' and money is no longer 'speech' then lets talk about putting a curfew on the rights of American citizens to have THEIR say. Maybe if they paid someone off?? Yes, that would probably be just fine. In the end, everything is about money, and THAT is what we are working to change.

Edited for spelling and just generally typing too fast.

[frazzled]

151. You can't exercise it in your sleep

Camping means sleeping in a tent. That's not "speech."

I prefer what OWS Chicago decided. Because there was already an 11pm closing in Grant Park, where they had wanted to camp, they decided to abandon the camping route and instead have a 24-hour presence in the Financial District, working in shifts. That's fine. Stupid maybe (no one is there in that neighborhood at 3 am except wandering drunks and homeless people, and cab drivers who don't speak English anyway passing by), but perfectly legitimate.

My point was that sleeping in a tent is not tantamount to free speech. Just as money should not be tantamount to free speech. My firm conviction is that Congress should be able to limit campaign financing constitutionally. That puts me in the camp that says not everything is free speech (and that free speech can have reasonable limits that relate to the common good or harm to others). And then I have to be consistent, saying that I don't believe city ordinances that would restrict, say, overnight camping for long periods, is an abridgement of one's constitutional rights.

[sabrina 1]

171. Did you think that everyone in an occupation camp was sleeping at the same time?

Everything is not free speech. But would you say that a soldier, when he is sleeping in a tent while at war, is not at war while he is sleeping? Only when he is awake?

In a few of the court rulings that were in favor of the occupiers judges stated a concern that when operating 'under the umbrella of the 1st Amendment, applying local ordinances may be violating the Constitutional rights of the occupiers'. Iow, the Constitution trumpts local ordinances.

People sleep in tents during the day when camping. Does that mean they are not really camping when getting some rest during the day?

The question is not whether they are sleeping or not. The question is, if they were not exercising their Constitutional Rights, would they be there and since that statement includes occupying public space until their grievances are addressed, clearly they need rest.

Money can be transferred to candidates electronically even while the donor is sleeping. Is that money still speech?

And again, is the soldier who is sleeping, at war while s/he is sleeping?

[AverageJoe90]

147. Well, even so....

It'd probably help the Dems if they side with OWS instead of allowing the City Council to have their way.

[leveymg]

80. Same old faces, same outcomes: Daley, Sr., and Daley, Jr. heckling at the Democratic Convention '68

They never learn.

[truedelphi]

103. Thank you for those photos. Yet as someone who

Used to ride a commuter train with one of Dick Jr's friends, I learned that Mayor Daley Sr never wanted the war in Vietnam to involve his offspring!

I guess certain things like wars and marching around in a uniform are fine, unless they affect you or your family members.

[AverageJoe90]

148. Man, FUCK the Daleys. Both of 'em.

[rbixby]

81. What about the RNC?

Or is that not even worth occupying? I'd think that that would be the place where the media spotlight would be on them more.

[FirstLight]

82. why not both?

...OWS is about freedom of speech, and that means protesting ALL of the above!

[truedelphi]

105. Thank you fo rthat piece of common sense.

[jaysunb]

86. 1968 redux

But I really hope not....

[TygrBright]

87. Wow. Talk about buying trouble! n/t

[JoePhilly]

88. I have some honest questions about this ...

You OP starts with this statement ...

"Charlotte, North Carolina, the host city for the Democratic National Convention next year to renominate President Obama, has announced that it will not tolerate planned Occupy Wall Street demonstrations."

The city of Charlotte is not the DNC, correct?.

And your next sentence makes that clear ...

Rather, the city council enacted a series of restrictions on the allowed locations in which protesters can demonstrate and the outright ban on overnight stays.

The DNC does not control the city of Charlotte NC, or any other US city. No matter where the convention is held, there will be people who come to protest (not just OWS), and the DNC has no more control in those other cities as they will have in Charlotte.

And then past that ... let's imagine that the DNC has contro over Charlotte, or any other city ... and they want to "embrace" OWS ... who exactly is that?

Does anyone who claims to be OWS get a front row seat at the convention? OWS, by definition has no leadership to invite to the convention.

And last ... the reference to 1968 ... that is not happening. LBJ's decision to not run created a vacuum which could not be filled in such a short period.

It is the GOP who faces the vacuum in 2012.

They have nothing.

[truedelphi]

107. Very good points, JoePhilly. Thank you! n/t

[AverageJoe90]

149. Optimism may prove to be quite helpful next year, but......

Perhaps they could step aside and at least make some concessions.

[JoePhilly]

174. Which "They"?

And which "concessions"?

How does the DNC both embrace OWS, and also not be accused of trying to take it over?

Who is the face of the OWS ... if there was one? I mean, I suppose the DNC could give them a slot on the agenda, even a key note ... but who do they give it to?

[Viva]

94. banning "noxious substances,"

By banning "noxious substances," are they banning pepper spray and tear gas?

I really have no idea what they could be banning. With all the drag racing around Charlotte, sometimes the air is noxious.

[unionworks]

95. A Suggestion

Beat the DINOs and the rethugs at their own game. Instead of playing THEIR game, going into cities armed to the teeth like they're preparing for an invasion of zombies, with bloodlust in their heart for Occupiers, the Occupy movement should hold its own ANTI-CONVENTIONS! One on each coast in a major city, and cities that have been relative Occupy friendly should be chosen. At these conventions, the reasons for Occcupys opposition to politics as usual could be expounded, as well as a platform for exposing the fail of the two party system. Imagine the chagrin of mainstream pols having to compete for media attention with the "rabble"! And believe me, if enough people show up, that is what they will be forced to do.

[FirstLight]

97. nice

i remember a call at the Oakland GA in Oct/Sept when they called for another constitutional convention. At the moment I didn't get what that meant (it was late, I'd been glued to the livestream for hours...) and i thought this meant having our OWN 99% convention...

personally, I like it, i think it's brilliant!
god, what kind of playing field would that create?
what if we had delegations from all cities gathering in regional hubs...
what if our goal was to hold larger scale committees and GA's, livestream them to each other, and come up with our own NEW rules/demands/etc?
what if we created national committees of our own, or regional ones to take on certain social ills head on, on the ground in our own cities, and really made things happen...without having to use "their" system to create such change...

hehe, ya, me likey

[unionworks]

100. The playing field

Would be tilted at least a bit more in favor of the 99%, I wring my hands in gleeful anticipation of seeing reporters asking dinos and rethugs for comments on what's happening at the Occupy conventions! Can you picture it? LMAO.

[unionworks]

119. Welcome to the revolution

We are going to knock the 1% flat on their ass.

[bluedigger]

96. Genius!

The MIC lobbyist that got this one through is going to find a little something extra in his Christmas stocking this year!

[unionworks]

98. Mark My Words

Occupys message will NOT be heard at either convention. And all that will be accomplished by giving tptb an excuse to bust heads will be the death (perhaps literally) of Occupy. The tactic I describe will ensure Occupys message is heard loud and clear. Occupy has the power to make it happen. It may even force regular pols to comment on Occupys message! That would be a masterstroke. "Attack what is not defended". - Sun Tzu, "The Art of War"

[Bonobo]

102. Yup. Chicago 1968.

But oh well, the other side is worse, so what choice do we have?

Maybe it will all get better after the election when he is a lame duck, right? Yeah, I am sure the will happen...

[MannyGoldstein]

104. You DO realize that they're doing Occupy a favor, don't you?

Now they won't be arrested and held without trial for as long as the President feels like it, under the new infinite-detention law.

[SammyWinstonJack]

112. ....

[HeyHeymymy]

113. Very good point

What happened President Obama? Did you get lost in the corporate military complex and can't find your way out?

[pnwmom]

114. Charlotte, NC made the decision -- not the DNC. n/t

[unionworks]

118. What a convienient cop out

Get it? "COP-OUT"? Hold on, I have to find my hip waders and manure shovel, it's getting deep on this thread...

[Capn Sunshine]

121. I think that point would defeat the point of this thread, Mom

Don't you know DU exists now to take down the Party through relentless negative web posts?

[Warren Stupidity]

122. series? that is your argument?

[barbtries]

117. the people have rights.

fuck THEM

[baldguy]

123. Another example of why the convention shouldn't be in N Carolina.

[bertman]

125. This was genned up by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce to stimulate motel/hotel

business. All of those aging hippies who can't camp out will be renting rooms for miles around.

I can see it now, The Raging Grannies 500 strong on the front line with their toddler grandkids in their arms smiling and singing to the Homeland Security Department goons, I mean Charlotte PD. Behind them 5000 60-plus Vietnam vets with their fatigues and Veterans for Peace caps. Behind them Iraq and Afghanistan Vets Against the War.

This certainly has a lot of promise.

REC.

[AverageJoe90]

150. If so, then I have a big FUCK YOU for the Charlotte C of C.

[We are Devo]

132. I think they should

focus on the Republicans. I mean, we all have to vote for Obama, we can't have a R. get elected!

my two cents...

[MrMickeysMom]

134. Standing room only at the next public meeting in Council chambers!

Isn't this something that the Charlotte OWS movement might do? Pack the chambers and let Council know what you think of their resolution or whatever moved this into the news.

I'd love to see that.

[sabrina 1]

173. I have seen one of the organizers from Charlotte on TV. He was very impressive and

made it clear they will be there, regardless of any opposition from anywhere. They are expecting to be joined by occupiers from all over the country. And I am sure they will do as you suggest. This had not happened yet when I saw him on TV, but they seemed to be anticipating something like this and preparing for it.

[MrMickeysMom]

179. Great! I'd love someone to upload the stream! eom

[SavWriter]

153. 1968 and today have something in common.

In both cases, the Democratic Party were taking the votes and support of the people for granted. What 1968 told the Democrats was you can't lie to fire up a war to enrich your supporters and still count on the support of the people.

What we are telling the Democrats today is much the same thing. You can't lie, cheat, and steal, and still have our unquestioning support. That is what is scaring the Democrats. We're too smart to believe that only the Rethugs are involved in this shady nonsense. We see that the Democrats are doing it too, granted not ablatantlyly or as greedily, but we're doing it too.

It has to stop. We as a people, as a nation, as a civilization can't afford it any longer. So what the Charlotte City Council, and please don't tell me they took this decision without some input from the DNC, my ability to suspend disbelief will only go so far, is telling the people is just shut up and support us. We have been telling them NO. You represent US. It's time you started to do what WE want. You can't just issue a few statements without the slightest bit of enforcement anymore. We want real and meaningful change. The Politicians as a body told us that the banks were too big to fail. Yet not one of them followed up on that. Too big to fail, means too damn big. Break them apart like we did Ma. Bell. Monopoly is a game, not a guide for real life.

The Democrat elite don't want to hear our message, but we aren't going away. We can't afford to. We can't afford to keep printing money and handing it by the truckload to the rich and shameless.

[fredamae]

154. Call Them and tell them how you feel!

DNC Host Cmte 704-330-2012.

I just did. I am told the Decision is Not yet made/final.
The decision re: OWS & othe protesters belongs to CNPD and the City, Not the DNC.

[texshelters]

161. They are poking the hornets' nest

and will only lose votes, lose respect, and get mic checked at every opportunity during the convention.

Are Democratic politicians really this stupid?

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[texshelters]

165. Move the Convention

After reading the thread I agree that the DNC should move the convention to a city where they won't ignore the constitutional rights of citizens just so the cronies of the 1% can have their little dog and pony show for president.

They probably won't, but we need to make a stink now and put pressure on Obama.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

PTxS

[fredamae]

166. Why not "Occupy" a field with Tents?

No, I'm Not joking. I called, suggested they Move it-Logistics was the reason why they could not-takes a Long time to org these events.
Dems! Take a Step Back Out Of Politics/Procedures etc as Usual and stand with The People!
This may not Be your fault, but it Will be your problem If you Don't do Something Different, Democratic and Bold to Change the Status Quo.
How can you ask your people to support you in light of going along with discriminatory practice and Suppression of Rights?

[HarryPowell]

169. Of course

Standard procedure in the United States of Fascism.

[JNelson6563]

170. The article says it's the city's doing

And our own Cap'n Sunshine, who is part of the DNC wrote a post that clearly states this wasn't the doing of the DNC. But of course that doesn't stop the negative Dem spin here, nor the many recs for anti-Dem spin.

Impressive job with the spin on your OP.

Julie

Edit to add link to aforementioned post: http://www.democraticunderground.com/100210380

[aggiesal]

175. Amendment 1

Congress shall make no law respecting;
- an establishment of religion or
- prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or
- abridging the freedom of speech or
--- of the press; or
- the right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I would think that this would apply to bodies of government
not just Congress.

So, all these laws that prohibit camping or spending the night,
would violate this amendment.

Why doesn't someone or some group actually file a law suit
against this amendment and get at least a restraining order
from the courts to keep this from happening?

[WhatsNext]

177. Because protesting these Conventions has done so much good to date. snark

Perhaps it would terrify them if they were totally ignored?

Or we all dressed in evening dress and cheered on the Oligarchy? Remember the Billionaires for Health Insurance

Or held our own conventions in undisclosed locations? I think the Bohemian Grove would be a hoot.

Anyway, I know OCCUPY WALL STREET etc will come up with some really, really creative alternatives.

Oh, here's one. Pricey, but creative. Cover the sky above both conventions with Occupy Air Balloons.

Kabuki Theater vs Ticked Off 99%