[ExI] Capitalism, anti capitalism, emotional arousal

spike spike66 at att.net
Sat Nov 12 21:48:29 UTC 2011


 

 

>. On Behalf Of Giovanni Santostasi
Subject: Re: [ExI] Capitalism, anti capitalism, emotional arousal

 

>>.Because so many of the participants appear to engage in hunting for drugs
and gathering other people's personal property?  spike

 

 

>.I think it is unfair to characterize the movement because of these
individuals (that are likely a minority). Unfortunately there are many young
people that do drugs and also this kind of social events attract a lot of
people that are into drugs and other dysfunctional ways to deal with stress
and the difficulties of life. But OWS cannot be reduced to a bunch of
hippies and rastafarians. I expect better from this group.

Giovanni

 

 

 

Giovanni, the OWS movement is inherently a target for that element of
society.  Compare for instance any video of any Occupy gathering anywhere,
then compare with video from any Tea Party gathering anywhere.  What do you
find most striking?

 

I will freely grant that the OWS movement has those among them who really
are just the homeless and crazy, but the underlying premise seems to attract
these.  I never recall seeing them at the Tea Party functions.  But the OWS
movement must face the fact that the premises under which it formed will
naturally result in cognitive dissonance.

 

For instance, is it not easily foreseen that camping in a park displaces the
local feral humans who have been camping there for some time?  If the feral
humans put away their "Will Work For Food" signs and make "Support Occupy
Wall Street" signs, then pocket the money, is that not perfectly legitimate?
Or at least as legitimate as their absurd claim that they will work for
food?  And if the OWS people either fight the cops or barricade them out, is
it not easily foreseen that the cops will go around town, round up all the
homeless crazies and take them over to Zuccotti?  

 

Consider: Youtube video shows a protester, Rocky Iskender, delivering a well
deserved thrashing to a crazy homeless guy:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ-T-I2ZZgE

 

Then afterwards, OWS security, in the yellow vest with the + sign, hauls the
deranged screamer away, again perfectly legitimately so it would seem.
However, if you watch, the OWS protester threw the first punch (the water
bottle), and certainly the best one.  The homeless screamer did not actually
commit assault other than audio.  So legally, both Rocky Iskender and the
unidentified OWS security guard could be charged with assault!  The evidence
is as abundant as anything that ever makes it to court.  

 

Cops know they can't punch out the crazy homeless guy.  But the OWS people
are not cops, nor are the OWS makeshift security team.

 

So the OWS people are already mired in self-contradiction.

 

Another example: a highly regarded black civil rights guy, congressman John
Lewis, is pointedly refused the opportunity to speak at the Occupy Atlanta
gathering.  A white guy is the one speaking and organizing the vote to
disallow Lewis.  They spend several minutes deciding they will not allow
Rep. Lewis a few minutes to speak:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QZlp3eGMNI

 

Contrast, the October 2010 Tea Party rally, in which the keynote speaker was
a minority, and a strong defender of civil rights.  In fact, as I recall,
nearly all the speakers that day were minorities:

 

http://sanramon.patch.com/articles/conservative-talk-at-tea-party-rally-in-p
leasanton

 

Ironically, the movement which repeatedly demonstrates that it is not racist
is repeatedly attacked for being racist, while the movement which
demonstrated on video available to the whole world that it is clearly racist
is said to stand against racism.

 

Gio, I recognize the actions of the few do not represent the views of the
many, but notice the vote at Occupy Atlanta.  Apparently the views of the
many Tea Partiers is to include, to welcome minorities, and the views of the
many OWSers is apparently racist.

 

Do the OWSers get a free pass?  Why?  Had we *ever* seen such a shameful
thing at a Tea Party rally, would we too get a free pass?  Why not?

 

spike

 

 

 

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