Arresting protesters?! - the ugly face of "democracy"

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   Petra Vlahposted 12 years ago

   America is praising itself as the voice of democratic values – freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and all the other empty slogans that are making the rest of the world laughing and many real Americans crying.
   Should anything like that happen in any other part of the world, guess who would be the first to scream bloody murder?

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      logic,commonsenseposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      They did not arrest them until they broke the law.  In fact they were warned if they blocked traffic, they would be arrested.
      Freedom of speech and assembly are all well and good, but does that give one the right to deny others their rights?  They deliberately broke the law so they would get more publicity, since it had become apparent the protest was going nowhere.

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         Petra Vlahposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Blocking the traffic and inconveniencing others is exactly what protesters are suppose to do; that’s how they make their point. When the French or Italians are doing it nobody gets arrested unless they are attaching the police.

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            Tim_511posted 12 years agoin reply to this

            This isn't Italy or France by the grace of God.  Nothing wrong with those countries - but if I wanted to live in Italy or France, I'd just move there.  If you break the law here, you pay the consequences.

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      Zubair Ahmedposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Petra, that's the ugly nature of Western foreign policies - it has always been the same, people are just now realising that as a result of the riots in the UK and the demo's in US now.
      
      This will get worse if the current financial situations does not improve and austerity measures are imposed even more.

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      rhamsonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      While the aimlessness of the protestors seems without merit it does touch on the frustration of many Americans at the helplessness that our current condition seems to indicate.
      
      Politicians are running their greedy aspirations as usual while feeding us the same rhetoric and patriotism that has worked in the past.  But too many coincidences have taken place that seems to show collusion between the government and corporate greed.
      
      The collapse of the manufacturing jobs brought about by the lack of tariff and import accountability with NAFTA and other trade agreements.
      
      The bail out of corporate banking with little or no repercussions to them because of the lack of government oversite.  A three page bill with no threat of legal action? How did that ever get by?
      
      Endless war with no end in site.  Every plateau of achievement is the next step in the process with out any results.
      
      The oligarchy that is in bed with congress and even reaches into the supreme court.  Corporations are people too?
      
      The only thing that these protestors can do is combine all their efforts to demand that there be a constitutional convention to address what has gone wrong and change the way this wayward government has strayed.
      
      Just remember that a rotting fruit goes through an irresistable supersweet stage before it is impossible to stand being around it.

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         Petra Vlahposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Protesters are putting forward a crazy set of demands that will discredit the well overdue protest against Wall Street greed and the incompetence of banks to mind the stores and protect the financial system from going bankrupt.
         Such absurd demands only prove that the movement is not well organized yet, but given time, they will hopefully find their voice; the sooner, the better!

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      2besureposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Got news for you, America is NOT a democracy, it never has been.  I am glad   people are raising up.  The main thing is they are no longer being quiet.  A group will raise to give a more coherent message.  I marched against Viet Nam and I understand the anger and frustration at being screwed by your own country.  I am angry too.

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         Petra Vlahposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I can only hope and pray that more people will be waking up soon and STOP the insanity that is going on

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            2besureposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            They would have to gut and redo the entire political process for things to work again!  As long as our politicians can be bought and sold we will have a problem.

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   RTalloniposted 12 years ago

   Is this about a news report?

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      Petra Vlahposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It is about what happened in New York during Wall Street demonstrations

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   RTalloniposted 12 years ago

   I thought maybe it was this
   
   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne … sters.html
   
   or this
   
   http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/0 … s-to-grow/

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   RTalloniposted 12 years ago

   I don't think protestors have the right to block traffic or inconvenience others, nor do I think they need to do so in order to make their point, particularly in a large city. 
   
   If I were about to give birth and needed to get through the traffic I would hate the protesters' cause.
   
   If I needed to get to a hospital to be with a loved one in an emergency I would hate the protesters' cause.
   
   If I needed to get to work or risk being fired and therefore not feed my family I would hate the protesters' cause.
   
   I think you see what I mean. 
   
   Many protesters have done well and yet not put anyone else in harm's way, or unduly interrupted other's lives.  Endurance would have gotten these people the attention they needed, but they chose to break the law. 
   
   If they were willing to break that law it is likely that they would have been willing to break others, at least some of them, and the arrest prevented that escalation.

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      Joe Badtoeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      me me me me me me me -never mind that millions are made homeless, unemployed, starving, and abandoned just as long as you get to where you want to go eh? I think occupywallstreet is a courageous act by decent Americans who are tired of the 1980's style greed culture which is now causing a 1920's style recession. You should be joining them they're looking out for you.

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         wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, me me me.  Stop what you are doing and listen to my complaint.  Read my sign I shove in your face.  Pay attention to me instead of what you need to be doing.  Let me be the only one to use our public street today.  Everybody, especially the media, pay attention to me!
         
         Never mind that millions of others have their own agendas today, their own needs - stop everything and hear me.
         
         Baloney.  Those that decide they will be the only ones to use public land today can rot behind bars for a few days until they learn they don't own it all.

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            Petra Vlahposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            No, they do not own it; the banks are!

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               wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Sorry, the banks do not own public roads, at least not in American.

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            silver lining 5posted 12 years agoin reply to this

            NO, you are so wrong!  The world needs to be heard and these protesters are representing 90% of the American people and possibly the world, even though a segment of these people do not even know what is going on or are misinformed.  Wallstreet protesters may break the law some intentionally and some by accident but our government leaders all the way from the top levels to our county officials have been taking advantage of their positions to walk away free after misusing their positions to enrich themselves and block our rights at every level.  There truly are zombies in our governing agencies.  It's time WE weed them out.  The media refuses to cover this protest because they are not a true American media, they are bought and paid for by Corporations and those who suck up to Corporations.  It's time to topple the giant money machine that is starving the middle and lower classes.  You who are lucky enough to have a good job, not everyone is so lucky.  It's easy to judge others when you watch from your cozy little situation.   Don't believe everything you think.  I stand behind these protesters and I will speak up for them anywhere.

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               wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Representing 90% of the American people???  What have you been smoking?  From another thread, the reason one was there was to protest:
               
               "The government is changing our genetics. I have 2 children, and one has good hair, but the other one doesn't. That's genetic, man. There's no way that could happen if our genetics hadn't been messed with"
               
               The only thing that one represents is massive stupidity!
               
               Not one of then represented me; no one at all asked me if they should block public streets to maintain my freedom.  I doubt they represented anyone needing to use those streets, either. 
               
               Break the law unintentionally?  Does that mean they don't know they shouldn't walk down the center of the street and stop traffic? 
               
               The large majority are there just to party; they have no intention of actually trying to affect the system at all.  If they can do a little vandalism and destroy some property or steal something all the better.

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                  recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  I normally enjoy your posts but here you are advocating being a system doormat.  If you don't want to protest the financial corruption that is the system, the horrendous wars waged in your name and the destruction of your economy by a few greedy international people who have control of your political system then just pull up a chair and soak up some more TV, and let those who do want to protest get on with it.  Didn't I see you a few weeks ago cheering the same behaviour in Egypt and Libya ??

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                     wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     Not at all.  If you want to change a system the way to do it isn't to shut down the livelihood and activities of everyone around you.  That type of thing differs from terrorist activities only in degree when no blood is shed. 
                     
                     Should you produce some good information I might listen (if interested) but I'm not much interested in seeing a bunch of people disrupting the lives of everyone around to make a point and have a party.
                     
                     I'm just sick of demonstrators that declare their "cause" is more important than anyone else's business and activity.  It isn't so.  Add in that most large demonstrations turn into a riot of destruction and damage and are intended just to get media coverage and I don't see a real use for them.

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                        recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        Unless they are happening in some other country and then you see them as progress and good stuff ??

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                           wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Sorry - I don't remember the episode.  Can you remember any more details that I might search for?

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                              recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

                              Hmmmm  memory loss and complaining about young people protesting - are you getting all the home help you need, and zimmer frames etc ?      I think you might find it under Arab Spring in the news.

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                                 wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                                 No I'm not.  I've been asking my wife for years for a french maid to..you know...help out around the house, but she isn't very receptive.
                                 
                                 Still no mental bells, though.

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                           Petra Vlahposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Selective memory works well

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      kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      In all those situations my reaction would be very different. I would be upset but not with the protesters, rather I would be upset that they need to protest in the first place. I imagine quite a few would rather be out looking for work/at work/ spending time with family, whatever. My complaints would be leveled at the government local and national not the protesters trying to make their voices heard. Then again, I know that there are a lot of people in this world and that it's not all about me and what I want....

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   recommend1posted 12 years ago

   So the Arab spring has reached the USA, a few weeks ago it was the UK - and it has been crushed with the same arrogance and force that all the others have suffered ??  Except those that benefit the USA and the UK of course
   
   When will Americans and Brits rise up and free themselves from their tyrannical despotic governments ?  Maybe we should bomb London and New York for the protestors so that they can overthrow their governments ?
   
   Double talk and double standards everywhere

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   earnestshubposted 12 years ago

   Isn't the American purse well in front of the wall St. losses?
   
   I heard they had recovered all of it and are in front.
   
   By the way I am no fan of the bankers, and feel sure that many will still go to jail.

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      Petra Vlahposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Will bankers go to jail? When? After the statut of limitation expires?
      Bankers have blood on their hands, but what they did is considered only a mortal crime and many of them have been rewarded with millions of dollars upon departure from their CEO possitions

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   Moderndayslaveposted 12 years ago

   There were statements that the protester were herded onto the bridge.
   With the protests growing,where are the peoples representatives? You know the Politicians. The very people elected to represent and protect the little guy.With wall St, The Banks and corporations purchasing the politicians by way of campaign contributions or of promises of well compensated  jobs after political life is over, what will the the pol's do? I'm sure all of the protesters that are Americans can vote. We need to pressure politicians to "Pick a side" so we know who's side they are actually on. When the Too big Too Fails packaged these Mortgage backed securities,paid for them to be rated Triple A and then purchase insurance on them, betting on their failure and there's no charges brought forward,something is fishy.

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   ocbillposted 12 years ago

   Protest until you die! More are needed. You know all the system does is never get fixed right. They lay low for 5 or 10 years then the same ol' crap happens again in real estate, wall street, insurance, etc.
   
   A major financial revolution is needed to change the system. Look at Libya, at Iraq, those people are glad their leader is out. It is not the leader in our case, but the financial system and the corporations simply look at it as a recession. Admittance of guilt 5 or 10 years later by law firms in mortgage back securities. They just play the legal system to win.
   
   But everyone shuts up when they are working and wall street goes back to being corrupt fat-cats manipulating the avg joes. It is just big talk by political leaders, Obama, et al. Bush seemed powerless when he was in office. Cheney continues his rhetoric even today to push Republicans into office in 2012. There's just too much power, corruption, and people to support the system. Hey, I love the US and am glad to be working in this tough time, but things need changing with our banks.

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      Petra Vlahposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Why would they change the financial system if it WORKS for THEM? The power is with the ones that hold the money

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         SanXuaryposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         It is interesting that the US media claims a hundred people were arrested, yet the BBC claims 700 were arrested and even asserts that  some were forced off of the side walks to be arrested. When you our talking billions of dollars you our never going to get the truth. So much goes unreported in this country and every media outlet is up for sale if the price is right. The last thing these people should do is get violent but when it is reported that it has gone violent do not expect the truth. These people want these protesters gone and the more popular it gets, expect a game in the works. Times all reports by 5 when it comes to numbers because that seems to be the truth. There have been countless reports of major protest in this country that have never even received any coverage over the years.

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            Petra Vlahposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            the media is a big part of the many problems we have in this country; never count on them to tell you more than half the story; reading between the lines is a talent the American people has never developed

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