Occupy Together

[Lowerdeck]

www.flickr.com/photos/brianwaltersphoto/6488383473/


Occupy Boston's last prank at Dewey Square on the Boston PD - the half ton paperweight which was at the sign tent. I saw this on Thursday night and just started laughing. Once they saw it Saturday morning, they must have felt the same way.

[Lowerdeck]

So there's a dozen Occupy Hartford people and 4-5 from Occupy New Haven in a Walmart - and you can probably guess what happens in that video.

My cell phone camera video came out like crap, so I'll link the "official" one here.

[gardenfresh]

Dec 30, 2011 23:51:55 GMT -5 Lowerdeck said:

So there's a dozen Occupy Hartford people and 4-5 from Occupy New Haven in a Walmart - and you can probably guess what happens in that video.

My cell phone camera video came out like crap, so I'll link the "official" one here.

I'm not disagreeing with the movement or anything these occupiers are saying. In fact I choose not to shop at Walmart because of all the sad truths that make the place a corporate devil worshiper.

HOWEVER-- these and many demonstrators like this are ASKING to get the cops called on them. this is not a peaceful example. people are trying to shop! I work in retail and if they busted this out in our store, like hell I'd let them to continue to do that. that is illegal and they are in PRIVATE PROPERTY. that bugs me. if you believe in something, I think you should have the right to share your beliefs with whomever will listen. but take it outside, not infringe on MY constitutional right to not care about politics for one second while i pick up my quacking groceries.

here's what really irks me... I tried to comment nicely on this youtube page about this, and I doubt my comment will be posted because it has to get "approved by the uploader". And the occupiers say THEY are the one's being censored? just throwing it out there...

[Jury]

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get involved with Occupy this month. I was scouring the area for a job since I finished work for the contractor and jobs with the Union are a little thin right now. One seasonal job i got was basically opening and cooking Christmas hams, it paid minimum wage and I smelled like Quackin pig after work. I left that place and now I'm working as a call center rep for a car dealership. So with money being in a crunch right now, I haven't been able to make it to the DC sites this month. Once I get more financially stable, I'll try to do what i can in January.

[aruabear]

Haven't been able to visit this thread that often, but if any of you are wondering what Occupy's plans are, I'll gladly show you.








I hope a lot of you plan to attend. This is your chance to be part of history, and really attempt to change something. Paul Revere this shiz. Facebook, Twitter, and even physical flyers would help. Let everyone you can know that January 17th will be a day to remember.

Once again, get out and vote. You have your own opinion, but I suggest voting against any long-time incumbent first and foremost. We can protest all we want, but until the politicians actually have to deal with some real damage, they won't listen.

We are the 99%

[Dan'ROO]

I'll have to check my schedule, but I might be at school all day.

[Lowerdeck]

New Haven has a bus running down there and back. It'd be a brutal trip to say the least... It leaves NH at 2:20 am on the 17th, and returns around 1:40 am on the 18th. It's also an hour and a half away from me.



If I was much closer to DC, I would. Instead I'm going to Manchester, New Hampshire for the Occupy the Primaries stuff. I probably can't skip that much time from work anyway.

I'm not very happy with the occupy movement because they did'nt target the right place in the first place. Going to wall street just ensured the politicians denied the friend request of there wall street buddiues for a while. Occupy should have opened there history books because the civil rights marches went to the sorce to get there opinions heard not only by the media but the very people whom were the cause of and then solution to there main problem. Our main problem is that our law makers are allowed to do insider trading and as Martha Stewart is well aware of the ordinary citizen is not. The problem is not enough of US the 99% show up to vote. Yet you can be assured ALL of that 1% does or they make the contribution to there winnig canidate.

[Lowerdeck]

Chicagorooer is back...

Jan 3, 2012 18:14:57 GMT -5 Lowerdeck said:

Chicagorooer is back...

Nah. arlenefavreau1 has been around a long time. Check Kdoggs other threads for that story.

[Lowerdeck]

Same bullsh*t, different name.



Anyways, from the people who brought you the mic check on Barack Obama comes... backing Mitt Romney into a corner.

bedford-nh.patch.com/articles/video-romney-debates-occupy-protester#video-8833018

That would be Mark from Occupy New Hampshire - Manchester. This guy is freaking everywhere. And ONH is becoming a nightmare to politicians. And quite frankly, I'm loving all of it. It's not enough. Need to keep raising some hell.

This weekend can't come fast enough.

[Lowerdeck]

If I can get next week off from work, I might go to DC. Only issue I had was... the New Haven bus leaves DC at 7 pm and is there just 10 hours. Would like to be there a little longer.

[Jury]

I've exchanged days off with a co-worker so I'm going to Occupy Congress on the 17th. I'll be there all day.

Lowerdeck, if you can make it down here. I'll definitely throw down some beers for ya. That is a helluva long ride.

[Lowerdeck]

Its like 7 hours to DC from here. I could take a bus down from New Haven. But its only there for 10 hours before the return to Connecticut. Would love to stay longer, but that's much more pricey with logistics and whatnot.

[Lowerdeck]

Meanwhile I'm posting this live from Manchester NH at Occupy NH Primary. Its crazy how political this state is. Wish a bunch you guys were here. So far I've seen way too many Ron Paul fanboys, Fred Karger... and Vermin Supreme.

Tonight should be fun with the debate. I hear there's a bunch people around following candidates. Hartford is currently watching the Maine tent. I got three people taking pictures of me already holding flags. New Haven has been handing out condoms (see my Facebook) saying protect yourself from getting screwed by the govt. There"s press all over the place. And now Vermin Supreme started a USA chant.

If someone's wandering around with a Mitt Romney sign - are they on a walk of shame?

No LD not BS just stating what should have been blaitenly obvious .

[Lowerdeck]

I could write a long post here about the last couple days, but it'd suck since I'm on my phone.

We are everywhere and raising hell. People from all over are here. After leaving a Mitt Romney rally featuring Chris Christie, and Kelly Ayotte - it was getting wild. Some Romney supporter spit in the face of a kid. People nearly starting fights. I called some woman a Ann Coulter. Romney got heckled repeatedly, Christie once, then Romney got mic checked at the end by NH, NYC, and Maine people. One the Maine guys had a Romney supporter covering his mouth during all this.

One the NYC guys handed Romney a condom, he immediately gave it back. The story behind this is - a woman in New Haven thought of giving out condoms this weekend with the message "since the government is screwing you, might as well use protection". The Connecticut people were handing them out Saturday, and one them wound up getting passed on to the corporate whore himself.

Newt Gingrich got heckled and faced stiff protests this afternoon. Boston people were giving him rough questions and trying to start debating him. Before all that, the woman from Hartford got pushed around by Secret Service or the security detail or whatever it was. More people got crap outside protesting from MPD, including Mark Provost who was summoned for noise ordinace violations banging a drum.

Provost was the guy Wednesday who made Romney get uncomfortable with the opening question in a townhall. Met him Saturday. I met the guy who slipped the note to Obama during the mic check on him in November, over at the Romney rally tonight in Exeter.

Someone was arrested in Concord trying to sneak into the NBC debate this morning. First one of the weekend I think. And the big occupy presence up there created a nightmare for logistical people behind the debate. Press had to deal with us to get to the spin room.

Vermin Supreme heckled Santorum, even took the podium for a couple minutes. He's awesome.

[Lowerdeck]

I'm not sure who's reading all this, but I just wanted to share my stories of this weekend anyway.

It's been one crazy experience that I wish wouldn't end so soon. But, today is the last day up here.

Yesterday was pretty interesting. Romney and Gingrich were doing private town hall meetings - press and employees of these companies only. So we didn't have too much opportunity to make ourselves known. Ron Paul was canceling events. Rick Santorum had been given headaches all weekend long, but among people I was around - he wasn't a major target.

As said before, I was in one of the groups who had targeted Romney at a rally in Exeter. So yesterday, we were waiting to do it again in Bedford (near Manchester). The security at the front door recognized a lot of us from Exeter and tried blocking us from entry. I got kicked out, but most the rest were able to get themselves in. We each had partners getting inside, to stick around and make it tougher for security to get us all out. So when my partner, this girl Kristen from Texas, got picked out by security - she grabs me by the arm and we walk in as a couple. But then they pick me out saying they know me from Sunday - so I just walk away without arguing and let her push her way through. I just sat in my car waiting two hours for everyone to come back out. (And yeah, I got her number.)

I just stood outside the door for a few minutes, watching everyone else get in the school - and then hearing security chat up about knowing who we all were, and being able to pick us out of the crowd when needed. I was able to text people on the inside giving them a heads up. I also managed to stand among the crowd of sign holders outside - talked to one guy wearing a suit from Virginia. I'd bet a lot of money he's a paid supporter. I feel dirty having to lie to people. I told this guy I was from New Hampshire and voting for Romney today. That I care about his vision of America. But this is what I have to do sometimes to not get caught in drama. (more on this later)

I hate having to listen to Romney speak. He's everything wrong with the political system in this country, personified. So maybe it's better off I had been waiting for Kristen in the car. She told me it sucked. They got kicked out quickly once they heckled Romney. Even Diane from the NYC group, who Romney was questioning during the exchange - was taken out of the room by security and police while Romney was responding. Also, the paid supporters are very quick to counter our outbursts - we need to be more clever in doing stuff here.

Article and video: bedford-nh.patch.com/articles/video-mitt-romney-engages-occupier-at-grassroots-rally#video-8862993


As for me - I was a part of the protest at the New Hampshire campaign headquarters for Obama. We had a "die in" protest, originally scheduled for inside - but then done in the parking lot since the office manager wouldn't let us in. Cops were eventually called. The guy just had a smug attitude about it.

However, one of my pictures and captions I posted on Facebook was used in a Washington Post blog entry - which was pretty cool.

www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/occupy-new-hampshire-stages-die-in/2012/01/09/gIQAYP4ylP_blog.html

Video:

From there I went to Nashua with a guy from Occupy Boston and a guy from Occupy Asheville to try and lob some tough questions on Gingrich - but it was a private event. We waited in Nashua to try and do the same at a Jon Huntsman event downtown - but the Asheville guy got bored and both the guys were blowing our cover and quite openly talking about scheming being a waste of time and needing to get back to Manchester to prepare for Romney.

I was trying my best to blend in with Huntsman supporters, even was talking with some the crowd and holding a Huntsman sign (which later got confiscated from me). But nope, too obvious I was with two fellow Occupiers. Now I really don't have much against Huntsman, he seems like the sanest of the major candidates in the Rep field. I wanted to hear him speak, and try and get him to comment about campaign finance issues - the fact that guys like him are being buried because they can't compete with the millions upon millions Gingrich and Romney have. But I got blocked by my own people - which was just as well, since as soon as we got back to Manchester, we were off to Bedford for the Romney rally. Had we waited till after 3:30 in Nashua, we would have missed the caravan over from Manchester to Bedford.

Back in Manchester though, us and the Ron Paul supporters double teamed to shut down a Gingrich rally. Then was able to confront Rick Santorum outside an event in Manchester as well. I wasn't at either one - but we gave both of those guys hell this weekend. The Ron Paul supporters up here are hardcore and freaking everywhere. They been trying to co-opt the ONH stuff the past few days, setting up nearby us and trying to convert our people to the cult of Ron Paul.

Someone else was assaulted by Gingrich's security team yesterday - so that's three in two days a black eye for Newt. Rebecca from Occupy Hartford got pushed around by one Sunday, and a few minutes after that some kid trying to sneak in through a window got his hand beaten and bloodied by someone trying to keep him out.

I have no idea what is happening today, but I really wish to be in DC next week. I'm enjoying this Occuvacation. And maybe a day or two in South Carolina to help those guys out.

[Jury]

Good to see the turnout out at the Primaries Lowerdeck. It sounded alot was going on. I'm glad Occupiers showed up at the townhall meetings. Can you explain the deal with the signs at the Romney meeting? Who thought it would be a good idea to write on what looks to be trashbags? I agree with your idea it needed to be more clever. He's essentially Gordon Gecko type, writing on trashbags does not come off as a good idea. Kudos to you meeting up with multiple candidates. Sounds like Newt's security is pretty rough bro.Sucks about the dude's hand

If you are coming to DC and wanted to save a lil money. You can set your tent up at Freedom Plaza and get free meals. Or you if you prefer some home comforts, you can try getting Holiday Inn in the DMV (DC/MD/VA) suburbs. They are about 60 a night.

I'm jacked for this Tuesday. It's gonna be good to be at Congress and after work on Thursday, I'll drive down to DC to support Occupy The Courts. It's time for us to make some noise.

[Jury]

www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/12/vincent-gray-occupy-eviction_n_1203451.html

Vincent Gray, DC's mayor, is evicting the McPherson site. Some Occupiers are real pissed about it. But Freedom Plaza is still good, even though we are located right in front of the mayor's office. It goes to show that if you clean your site and don't deal illegal NO NO WORD!!! on the premise. It makes a real difference.

[Lowerdeck]

1. What's the difference between the two camps? Are they both Occupy DC, or do they have difference purposes and banners?

2. I'm not familiar with the Occupy Congress schedule. I was thinking of going to South Carolina for a few days on Wednesday, but I'm pretty flexible as to what I know and can do. Columbia SC to DC is like 16 hours round trip, on top of the 14 from here to DC ... yikes.

3. Where did you see 60 bucks?

[Jury]

1) Message wise, there is little difference between the two camps. McPherson are against money in government (there location is basically by K street where all the lobbyists are), Freedom Plaza wants human needs over corporate interests(located off Pennsylvania Avenue). It's essentially the same. On major days of action, both camps work together. The slight differences are based on more specific actions. Another difference is how each camp chooses to run their site. Freedom has got a strict no intoxication policy on the site(includes alcohol) which does not always satisfy everybody. Plus, some people prefer McPherson because they have more grass for people to set up their tents. A good chunk of Freedom Plaza is stone but, at the same time, has always had a history of civil protest so cops and park officials are pretty good about respecting the camps. Essentially Kevin, who is one of the founders of Freedom Plaza, wanted a more organized location. Very heavy on political action and the speakers who show up I believe have more substance. But it's debateable.

2)Occupy Congress is scheduled for all day. Not too sure on the exact logistics. I'm just gonna assume we march on down and park out in front of Congress voicing out. I think we have guest speakers coming down but I'll get back to you on that

3) www.hotels.com/search/search.html?cd=01-17-12&dd=01-18-12&dn=Washington%2C+District+of+Columbia%2C+United+States&hid=107651&nr=1&pn=1&r=2&so=NO_SORT&vt=LIST#vt=LIST&rl=destination%3A1467359%3AEXACT_RED%3AHIGH&pfm=1&dn=Washington,+District+of+Columbia,+United+States&cd=01/17/12&dd=01/18/12&nr=1&pn=1&so=PRICE&pfcc=USD&r=2&cpr=0 Connecticut Ave and Dupont are in DC. Manassas and Woodbridge are deep in the boonies so i recommend you pass on that. Just sort out price from low to high.

[Lowerdeck]

I went with Conn Ave, affordable and close to Metro

[Lowerdeck]

To answer the question about the trash bags, its actually a Romney lawn sign turned inside out.

[Jury]

Jan 13, 2012 14:47:03 GMT -5 Lowerdeck said:

I went with Conn Ave, affordable and close to Metro

Great news bud! When you take the Metro, take the orange line to get to the sites. Freedom plaza is off metro center. Mcpherson square has its own stop. Glad you can make it. Solidarity! Looks like I owe you some beers.

[Lowerdeck]

Monday night?


And I'm off the Red, not Orange.

[Jury]

Jan 14, 2012 17:03:41 GMT -5 Lowerdeck said:

Monday night?


And I'm off the Red, not Orange.

There you go. You can get to Metro Center off the Red Line

[kdögg]

I love that there is an Occupy the Super Bowl in the works.

[Lowerdeck]

I saw a couple of people from Indiana in DC, heard about what was going on. Not sure on specific plans or what they did.

[Lowerdeck]

So we in Connecticut are getting together and collaborating on an action against ALEC and one of its corporate contributors Pfizer. ALEC is a group which in a nutshell writes legislation for corporate supporters to benefit corporate supporters.

On Wednesday, we in CT will be protesting Pfizer. They themselves are corporate evil, and this should be fun.

I'll be live streaming the event Wed morning if anyone is interested in watching stuff go down.