The Occupy Wall Street protests that began in New York, and have been building momentum over the past few weeks will soon spread to the streets of Fayetteville.
Protesters began gathering in New York’s Zuccotti Park on Sept. 17 to express outrage over corporate greed and influence of the wealthy on American politics. The group issued a “Declaration of the Occupation of New York City” on Sept. 29, and since then protests have steadily spread to other cities.
Kappa Sigma response
(Photo: Drew Wilson)
Locally, a group called Occupy NWA is planning a demonstration for Saturday, Oct. 15 in downtown Fayetteville.
According to a Facebook event for the local march, protesters plan to meet on the Fayetteville square at 10 a.m. and proceed toward the Washington County Courthouse at 11 a.m. From there, the group will make its way along Dickson Street before stopping at the Bank of America building at the corner of Arkansas Avenue.
As of Tuesday morning, about 190 people had RSVP’d to attend the event.
Organizers say the local protest will end when the sun goes down, but that plans will be made for further protests on Saturday.
Sign Language from socially_awkwrd on Vimeo.
Just don’t block traffic and they can do whatever thu want.
Thu want cookies!!! Thu want Milk!!!
Just like the banks.
They are a private business. Just keep hour money barried in the back yard, you will be just fine.
For “private” businesses, they certainly have a lot of influence over “public” policy.
Money talks. If you had some I would listen to you, for the right price.
Got Jobs? Obama does !
Coming soon to an economy near you & perhaps an instance of the spirit of “public” policy to which Mr. Franks refers?
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/10/stuart-zechman-the-beatings-will-continue-until-all-not-yet-right-thinking-lefties-support-the-infrastructure-bank-scam.html
my favorite bit:
The legislation seems to require public-private partnerships for funding. In the bill’s criteria for loan approval, there’s a preference for those projects which maximize private investment (page 41):
“the extent to which the provision of assistance by AIFA maximizes the level of private investment in the infrastructure project or supports a public-private partnership, while providing a significant public benefit”
The essence of the American Infrastructure Financing Authority is to use the full faith and credit of the U.S. government to loan funds at below-market rates to public-private partnerships — in other words, to privatize the cash flows from public assets.
This comment thread is gonna be sweet!
Hey! All for it. Wish the groups had better-defined goals. Hopefully that will come with time.
Ditto on the goals. That is my big question.
The Occupy movement is composed of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, and holding diverse political beliefs. The OccupyNWA group includes members ranging from anarcho-capitalist to downy-faced student hippie. Although it is impossible at this time to articulate a detailed solution that such a spectrum of people can all agree on, it is generally agreed by all participants that most of us are separated from our government and its processes by the influence of money. There can be no solution to the problem until it is discussed by the parties involved. The Occupy movement proposes to cause that discussion.
This link leads to the “Declaration of the Occupation of New York City” on the web site of the OccupyWallStreet General Assembly:
http://tinyurl.com/6hydq7y
Although you might not agree with every complaint– I certainly don’t– the Declaration might help to clarify some of the group’s concerns. (It might not.)
so, you are not gonna protest because the goals are not clearly stated??!! one things for certain, there will never be a movement where everyone’s goals will be represented “hand in glove”. i think the people involved in this movement are intelligent enough to know that at this juncture articulating the issues would only let us fall into the trap of dichotomous thinking, us vs. them, donkeys vs. elephants, for vs. against. at this point a rumi quote comes into play, ” somewhere, out beyond rightdoing and wrongdoing there is a field, i will meet you there.” this movement is that field in my opinion. your showing up would just show that something needs to change. old patterns of thinking about the system and our relationship to it would come to my mind.
Come on show the photo of the frat house right across the street. Show both sides.
You can go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/154661181295554/ to see a picture of the frat house right across the street. We who were there at the event this evening posted pictures of the frat house ourselves. We got a kick out of them. They are part of the 99% whether they realize it or not. Their energy just made our energy greater. We really wanted them to keep their sign up for more than the 2 or 3 minutes it was up.
Drew Wilson, the photographer who snapped that photo, gave us permission to repost it here on the Flyer. Here is the photo.
No, it isn’t.
In 2008, the cut-off income for the top 1% of taxpayers was $380,354. I seriously doubt that any of these frat boys’ daddies give them that much money– unless they also declare them as dependents.
The occupy movement in my opinion is good. I just think we need to step it up a little and get on the level of Egypt, Yemen, or Libya… Nothing like molotov cocktails and burning cars to really drive the point home and get people talking. We do after all have the right to bear arms and form well regulated militias, and if I’m not mistaken I think our forefathers gave us those freedoms to be used….? The occupy militia.. coming to to a CEO’s house near you. Anyone? Bueller…? Anyone?
We need a national dialogue on the decades-long erosion of the middle class and widening rich-poor gap.
Too bad the occupation trend is so aimless, unfocused, and poorly branded. Politicians and corporations both make their pay rallying support through simple (often oversimplified) messages that resound with a wide cross section of America. Obama’s “change you can believe in” would be an effective example. Instead, our local protesters posted their banner on their Facebook page:
“Fayetteville, YOU ARE OCCUPIED.”
“Occupation” is their lone buzzword. That doesn’t build a broad basis of support among the silent majority. In fact, it sounds more bratty, pretentious, and pointless than Banksy graffiti. “Occupied” conjures the Rhineland and colonial Africa, not dignified protest.
Most of us are aware that a corporate elite runs this country, which has done no favors to our standard of living. However, we’re tired of the polarization of politics in America. Like the Tea Party, I can seeing this “movement” spiraling into a fringe that only talks the language of ultimatums and excessive force, refusing to work towards a common civilized quest to better the lot of the country.
Get some direction, and ask again.
Well stated, OffCamber. Couldn’t agree more. I am all for this movement at its core: drawing attention to the growing disparity between the super rich and the rest of the people and correcting the unjust rules that have made it this way. But it seems like that message has been hijacked and dilluted a bit.
I get the feeling this is turning into an anti-capitalism and anti-big business movement. If that’s the case, count me out. Capitalism may have its flaws, but it’s the best we have. If anyone has a better system I’m all ears (and don’t say socialism because that’s a joke).
Offcamber, I’m curious what you and those who share your sentiment think about the recently released plans for a national convention in 2012 and the accompanying electoral threat of a new political party.
@mpetty – Whether it’s Occupy or Americans Elect, I’m all for it. The time may finally be right for a true 3rd option (i won’t say party). Maybe the two should join forces?!?
Seems like people of both parties are sick of both parties. It’s time we evolved.
OffCamber–
OccupyNWA uses the word “occupy” because it serves as branding for the group. If they weren’t using it, this article might well not have been written, and this discussion wouldn’t have occurred. The local group is working on an occupation of some sort, but it is a little difficult to adhere to the concept in Northwest Arkansas because unlike New York, there is no real business/financial center (though Walmart headquarters has been mentioned), and there is no suitable property to occupy. The population, the business and the money are too diffuse. As for the image conjured by the word, the irony of comparing a “bunch of dirty hippies” to military actions is quite clear, and mainstream acceptance of the movement seems to have grown.
The Occupy movement isn’t aimless. It is focused on remaining untainted by professionalism, slickness, and hierarchy. The New York City group manages to get quite a bit done as a result of its coalescence and despite its size. The NWA group is working on it.
Unlike the TEA Party, which started out with ultimatums, the Occupy movement seeks general acknowledgement that we have a problem, and development of consensus on how to solve the problem. One advantage of seemingly having no direction is that the movement can’t demand “my way or the highway”– it has no “way”. And as long as the movement can remain free of corporate or political influence– and it has so far– it will avoid the problem of exposure as artificial and hypocritical, which has damaged the TEA Party.
George–
Despite the participation of some who espouse varying degrees of belief in what the government should do, the Occupy movement is not anti-capitalist. It seeks only to break the influence of money over our government.
@DF – I stand with you. Let’s get the money out of politics and level the economic playing field.
I work for a big company (not the biggest): one without a “mom & pop” alternative due to the production complexity. I’m trying my best to make my company more socially & envioromentally responsible and pushing to keep as many jobs as possible in the US. Just want to make sure I’m not protesting against myself. That would be weird.
If your business depends more on, and is more connected to, individual consumers than the corporate network (big-box retailers, larger major manufacturers), then leveling the playing field by ungaming the political and financial system would hardly work against the interests of your employer.
Does old fat guy’s sign say “corpations?”
no wonder the guy is not a part of a corporation, he can’t spell it!!!!!!
SCOTUS says money is speech in politics.
How about a constitutional amendment saying it isn’t?
That would be a fine goal.
Also, the best sign I’ve seen from any of the protests is one that read:
“I won’t believe Corporations are People until Texas executes one.”
…Nuke a Gay Whale for Nelson Mandela.
wow awfully easy to take high handed pot shots from your beer and fart soaked recliners ain’t it boys
Occupy the Dem Gaz!
ADG’s Mike Masterson likens protesters to flea infestation
http://arkansasmediawatch.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/adgs-mike-masterson-likens-protesters-to-flea-infestation/
I would like to read more of Mike Masterson’s stuff, but I don’t know German.
My income says I’m middle class. My wallet says I’m broke. I don’t think I’m alone and hope this problem is somewhere in the heart of this movement.
It is indeed.