General Discussion

ucrdem

(15,720 posts)

160. I think I've supplied enough personal information already for you to take my meaning

Sat May 2, 2015, 07:25 PM

May 2015

and don't feel inclined to go beyond that at this juncture. However, I'll be happy to elaborate on the conclusion I drew from that experience, which is that the Occupy movement was a domestic civil society operation engineered to "occupy" the time of political activists and divert their attention from legitimate organizing into what was essentially a blind alley. That's not to say that many good people didn't have good experiences or occasionally use the opportunity to organize charitable interventions like Hurricane Sandy and the loan forgiveness program. But it had its greatest effect in Nov. 2012 and we've been living with the repercussions ever since.

That is my opinion based solely on my own experience; others may have had different experiences and reached different conclusions and that's fine.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

169 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

OWS was disproportionately affluent young white males [View all] struggle4progress May 2015 OP

I guess that group has *some * value to society? MannyGoldstein May 2015 #1

I guess that's indeed possible struggle4progress May 2015 #10

Yeah, 2 things: (1) Gripe at 'em; (2) Gripe at 'em while asking for a donation. Eleanors38 May 2015 #156

Students are often leaders of protests for similar reasons. Bonobo May 2015 #2

Is there a point you're trying to make? Comrade Grumpy May 2015 #3

Another of the poster's attempts to snipe at the left Scootaloo May 2015 #9

+1 QC May 2015 #98

Before chanting "We are the 99%!" it might have been good struggle4progress May 2015 #11

How do you know they didn't? On what evidence? Hekate May 2015 #15

See my post #18. This is totally false. Just an attempt to smear Sanders in a very underhanded way. sabrina 1 May 2015 #34

Of course. There are at least 3 threads about OWS and Bernie today and this one shows up neverforget May 2015 #37

Yup madokie May 2015 #78

Rev. Jesse Jackson came to our group in downtown Phoenix at Zorra May 2015 #47

Lovely post. Luminous Animal May 2015 #131

He also showed up at an Occupy event I was at in D.C. I wonder how many he went to? N/T Chathamization May 2015 #157

WTF? I was at Occupy Los Angeles on weekends during October and KingCharlemagne May 2015 #96

They constantly reached out to those groups. Ken Burch May 2015 #127

I wonder if it has something to do with this? neverforget May 2015 #13

The OP subject lines do raise the question: struggle4progress May 2015 #28

The answer to that questions here: sabrina 1 May 2015 #36

good luck with that request. Warren Stupidity May 2015 #138

+Infinity! - nt KingCharlemagne May 2015 #95

Why are you saying this? Cheese Sandwich May 2015 #4

Stir up infighting. Lancero May 2015 #14

It's an interesting report. Over 40% of OWS consisted of people struggle4progress May 2015 #16

The study you linked is trash. Cheese Sandwich May 2015 #17

Since the report is from professional researchers at CUNY, who were sympathetic to OWS struggle4progress May 2015 #32

This study is not even close to a representative sample of OWS Cheese Sandwich May 2015 #40

Trash is the right word. It would be equivalent to Exilednight May 2015 #153

And it's a lie. See my post #18 for the truth about the great work AAs contributed to OWS. Shame on sabrina 1 May 2015 #21

they didn't vote because they had given up on the system. magical thyme May 2015 #84

You should regard real politics as an experimental science: you learn how to do things struggle4progress May 2015 #89

b.s. again. They learned and morphed into groups that provide aid, as I've detailed in other posts. magical thyme May 2015 #115

"only" 80% planned to vote and "only" 63% were going to vote Democratic? LondonReign2 May 2015 #91

It's not clear what those numbers mean. That report indicates a substantial expected drop in voting struggle4progress May 2015 #94

The 99% thing was just the start. Ken Burch May 2015 #128

As Mark Twain commented about himself, Jackpine Radical May 2015 #5

What a sad attempt to sow division with race. Marr May 2015 #6

Struggle against progress? nt Bonobo May 2015 #7

And it's false, see my post #18. I see we'll have to be prepared for these sly smears. sabrina 1 May 2015 #20

Yuck, that's even worse. Marr May 2015 #22

It is gross. Why do people work so hard just LOOKING for negative things, then find a FALSE sabrina 1 May 2015 #24

It should be against the law for affluent white people to advocate for social justice!!!! Doctor_J May 2015 #8

Linked study is garbage. The authors' numbers are based on a survey at one event on May 1, 2012 Cheese Sandwich May 2015 #12

Since the report is from professional researchers at CUNY, who were sympathetic to OWS struggle4progress May 2015 #19

Perhaps you'd prefer "inadequate"? JHB May 2015 #88

Data is data, but conclusions can be garbage. Erich Bloodaxe BSN May 2015 #80

"African Americans More Likely to Support Occupy Movement" sabrina 1 May 2015 #18

To the degree that I personally encountered OWS awareness in So Cal ucrdem May 2015 #33

I was in CA, Oakland, LA, SF where AAs, Hispanics, Older people, young people, all ages, all sabrina 1 May 2015 #39

Fine, your experiences were different. No need to crucify the OP. nt ucrdem May 2015 #42

The OP is attempting to smear Occupy in an attempt to smear Bernie LondonReign2 May 2015 #92

+Infinity! - nt KingCharlemagne May 2015 #102

I spent time at two different OWS gatherings in Los Angeles-- Long Beach and dowtown... Marr May 2015 #46

OP links the study, with page numbers struggle4progress May 2015 #49

Stop stomping your feet-- I'm not interested in talking to you. /nt Marr May 2015 #51

Occupy Atlanta offshoot of Wall Street protest denies Rep. John Lewis chance to speak struggle4progress May 2015 #48

Another falsehood that has been dealt with by Rep Lewis himself. Keep dragging up these old Fox sabrina 1 May 2015 #58

+1, this is one of the lowest things I've seen on this site. Marr May 2015 #59

Shouldn't your handle be "ucrRepub"? brentspeak May 2015 #50

As I was saying . . . ucrdem May 2015 #55

See post #18. Are you denying the evidence in the photos? - nt KingCharlemagne May 2015 #101

Another interesting article: "Occupy DC expands to black churches" Chathamization May 2015 #56

They certainly risked far more in so doing. Erich Bloodaxe BSN May 2015 #83

That is a damned good point. The camp at OLA also had a problem with sexual harassment, abuse KingCharlemagne May 2015 #111

Yup. I'm not trying to minimize the place of either women of minorities or minority women in OWS. Erich Bloodaxe BSN May 2015 #112

Well put. I saw some of the most courageous acts I have ever seen in my life KingCharlemagne May 2015 #114

This should be made into its own OP, imho. Whom are you going to believe, S4P's skeezy data KingCharlemagne May 2015 #100

Thanks for this, sabrina!! hifiguy May 2015 #148

Pardon me, but this is pure and idiotic BS sadoldgirl May 2015 #23

It's a not so subtle smear against Bernie Sanders who got an endorsement from OWS sabrina 1 May 2015 #27

You may be right, Sabrina, but I encountered sadoldgirl May 2015 #41

I spent time at two here in Los Angeles, and had a similar experience. Marr May 2015 #31

OP links the study, with page numbers struggle4progress May 2015 #43

I don't care, I want to know whether YOU ever sadoldgirl May 2015 #53

And thus they don't matter. Luminous Animal May 2015 #25

A totally false OP, intended to subtly smear Bernie Sanders. See my post #18 for the facts. sabrina 1 May 2015 #30

probably because of the anarchists JI7 May 2015 #26

Well thank God I was never an affluent young white male. hunter May 2015 #29

"Was"? I don't know about the racial makeup, but they're not gone. NYC_SKP May 2015 #35

K'n'R, accords with my own observations, detailed above in reply #33. ucrdem May 2015 #38

And you are incorrect, unless you were in a very privileged and small area of the state. AAs sabrina 1 May 2015 #44

I'm telling you what I observed. nt ucrdem May 2015 #45

More likely what you were instructed to say you observed. n/t brentspeak May 2015 #52

People in glass houses should close their drapes. nt ucrdem May 2015 #54

Sanders "new found accolades"...LOL ms liberty May 2015 #87

It would behoove you to study and learn the difference between KingCharlemagne May 2015 #107

The demographics of Occupy Wall Street struggle4progress May 2015 #57

OWS romanic May 2015 #60

Tell that to all the people in NY and NJ who they helped smokey nj May 2015 #72

NOT TRUE OF BOSTON OWS and the Mayor stuc OWS on a median very close to the business district merrily May 2015 #61

Movement demographics may provide insight into what to expect from movement support struggle4progress May 2015 #62

May I ask a question? romanic May 2015 #63

I was once an affluent young white male, and the main difference now struggle4progress May 2015 #70

^^ Awesome ^^ ucrdem May 2015 #71

OWS has long since moved forward from "camping in a public park" magical thyme May 2015 #81

It's not as though any significant number of OWS types voted for McCain-Palin. Ken Burch May 2015 #67

No, I don't think OWS was a GOP plot. I do think there's some evidence that OWS had some tendency struggle4progress May 2015 #74

My impression was that the energy created by OWS helped us in '12. Ken Burch May 2015 #77

But here is what is so ridiculous TM99 May 2015 #76

The dull reality is that one must become a bean counter rather than a binary thinker struggle4progress May 2015 #85

If we accept that the GOP TM99 May 2015 #105

Again: you need to think in statistical rather than binary terms struggle4progress May 2015 #106

I am well aware of statistics TM99 May 2015 #108

I will venture a really wild guess that, if OWS had endorsed HRC, this OP would not exist. djean111 May 2015 #64

For sure. Give the struggler time. morningfog May 2015 #65

No, that won't happen: I almost always like Sanders' positions. struggle4progress May 2015 #73

But apparently it means enough for you to start morningfog May 2015 #75

The nature of the discussion in this thread suggests a fair number of people struggle4progress May 2015 #90

A lot of assumptions on your part, but even so, morningfog May 2015 #97

Oh, I get it. Start the frame early to blame liberals for Hillary's lose. morningfog May 2015 #99

There will be no point in blaming people after the fact; there is, however, some point struggle4progress May 2015 #104

And if Bernie didn't run, no other candidate would engage the people rallying around him. Ken Burch May 2015 #134

If you don't think Bernie is electable, make a positive case for someone else. Ken Burch May 2015 #132

LOL. Dateline: Department of the Obvious :) - nt KingCharlemagne May 2015 #110

I seriously doubt that OWS was racist, if that's what you're implying. Ken Burch May 2015 #66

I think the op is meant to imply that Sanders and his supporters are racists. it is a very Doctor_J May 2015 #93

I never suggested Sanders is a racist and don't consider him such struggle4progress May 2015 #109

You insinuated that OWS was racist, thereby hoping to tarnish KingCharlemagne May 2015 #113

First, it's difficult to understand how a largely amorphous movement with little organization struggle4progress May 2015 #118

So you admit you insinuated that OWS was racist. I doubt you would have had an issue KingCharlemagne May 2015 #123

I often wonder how many people confuse their hallucinations with realities struggle4progress May 2015 #126

If the endorsement is insignificant, why are you so determined to discredit it? Ken Burch May 2015 #135

It looks to me like low swampy ground, and I think searching there for will-o-the-wisps struggle4progress May 2015 #150

Lol, very clumsy attempt to smear Bernie and Economic Justice movements. Katashi_itto May 2015 #68

Can't smear Bernie on civil rights, so smear his supporters. smokey nj May 2015 #69

Makes sense. Erich Bloodaxe BSN May 2015 #79

Your attempts to analyze and engage the smear job in the OP are laudable. Your KingCharlemagne May 2015 #116

I think that's a reasonable school of thought. Erich Bloodaxe BSN May 2015 #117

Since 'terror' as the word is commonly used is a miitary tactic used by the weak KingCharlemagne May 2015 #119

And highly educated treestar May 2015 #82

.... and they still failed miserably... Oktober May 2015 #86

Most of the time, the Left fails... Ken Burch May 2015 #129

And your point is? 99Forever May 2015 #103

I'm thinking affluent people were more likely to be able to put the time in gollygee May 2015 #120

The OP is in fact a straight, white man. Bluenorthwest May 2015 #122

Seriously? Ken Burch May 2015 #125

Nope. I'm old white dude. But I do regularly chat with a number of African American women, struggle4progress May 2015 #137

"But I do regularly chat with a number of African American women" Ken Burch May 2015 #161

Frankly, I don't much care what it sounds like: I'm just grateful for what I learn struggle4progress May 2015 #162

As a charter member of Occupy the tri tiredtoo May 2015 #121

So we're discrediting the OWS movement now. LiberalAndProud May 2015 #124

... whom we don't hate at all! Really! n/t lumberjack_jeff May 2015 #130

For once, I agree with you jeff. LiberalAndProud May 2015 #142

As a posting newbie... marle35 May 2015 #133

Post removed Post removed May 2015 #136

I think it's rude to link long reports without giving details struggle4progress May 2015 #139

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #140

very good point! nashville_brook May 2015 #146

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #152

this is the same reason why nobody takes Tumblrinas seriously MisterP May 2015 #141

So? The only way that the marginalized and oppressed will ever have any chance is if those tblue37 May 2015 #143

wow that's some BS nashville_brook May 2015 #144

It's meant to malign the movement... by associating it with (insert racial/gender group here). lumberjack_jeff May 2015 #151

Are we just importing Discussionist threads these days? DisgustipatedinCA May 2015 #145

Do the demographics of a group standing up for social justice matter? hifiguy May 2015 #147

Demonizing privileges romanic May 2015 #149

Is it possible that someone favors a different candidate or holds a different view of OWS ucrdem May 2015 #154

When you said, "to the extent that I encountered OWS awareness in So Cal", what did that mean? Marr May 2015 #159

I think I've supplied enough personal information already for you to take my meaning ucrdem May 2015 #160

In other words, I was correct. Marr May 2015 #163

Great. Enjoy the rest of the thread. nt ucrdem May 2015 #164

Oh, I will. Just wanted to point out that you didn't ever actually *go* to an OWS gathering, Marr May 2015 #165

Don't forget to wash your hands when you're done. nt ucrdem May 2015 #166

My hands are still clean, but I'll wipe my feet. :) Marr May 2015 #167

Oh my. I'll get a mop. nt ucrdem May 2015 #168

Question-- Marr May 2015 #169

Disaster! Round up the usual suspects, immediately. Eleanors38 May 2015 #155

Wow. SomethingFishy May 2015 #158