Occupy Charlotte now exists. Saw a banner in the crowd today that said "TAKE IT BACK" and had an
anarchy sign on it. Read a story that said the local protests were to go full steam ahead since all necessary
permits had been obtained. .....
Also noticed lots of people drinking bottled water, which is far more expensive than gasoline/bad for the environment/bottled and sold by CORPORATIONS. ....
Found a link to an official (I guess it is) list of grievances and, without researching anything, quickly typed out some replies to them. Thought it might be fun for you to try this at home. Poke holes in anything I've typed in there, and school me on what I don't know about.
From:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/02/wall-street-protesters-approve-declaration-of-occupation/They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.
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They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.
- The gov. provided the means for the corporations to get the bailout money.
They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
- Instantly makes this a leftist movement and probably will alienate many conservatives who sympathize with their position. Also creates an atmosphere where anyone who disagrees is a bigot by default. Also has naught to do with
global economy.
They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.
- Claims (that I happen to side with) not fact.
They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.
- Yet many protestors will be wearing leather and eating burgers. Has naught to do with global economy.
They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.
- Unions exist.
They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right.
- Incomprehensibly weak argument. Attenidng school is voluntary after age 16.
They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay.
- Outsourcing to escape Gov. intrusion and taxation. I side with this complaint, but the fix is in "The 99%" 's purchasing power, not with further gov. regulation.
They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility.
- The gov. provides the means for this.
They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.
- The gov. provides the means for this. Purchasing power will fix this.
They have sold our privacy as a commodity.
- You submitted your information, probably without reading the fine print.
They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.
- Specifics needed, otherwise this is a whine.
They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.
- The gov. provides the means for this. Purchasing power will fix this.
They have donated large sums of money to politicians, who are responsible for regulating them.
- ...and here you are asking those same politicians nicely to stop this nonsense, right? Ingenious.
They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.
- ..and you keep buying the oil.
They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives or provide relief in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantial profit.
- The gov., FDA, which you are appealing to provides the means for this.
They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.
- The gov. provides the means for this. Purchasing power will fix this.
They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.
- Sounds right-wingish.. Evil Jews? Information is everywhere. If you're uninformed, you're to blame.
They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.
- Corporations did this? Mercenaries? Who contracted them? Do drone attacks on foreign soil count?
They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.
- Specifics?
They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts. *
- Good god.. and who do you suppose is purchasing those weapons?
To the people of the world,
We, the New York City General Assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.
Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy public space; create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.
- BUT DO GET YOUR PERMITS FIRST!