New Documents Detail FBI, Bank Crack Down On Occupy Wall Street 584
jvillain writes "The Guardian has up a story detailing the crack down on Occupy Wall Street (OWS). It goes on to show how the FBI, DHS, Terrorist Fusion Centers and the banks all worked together to stifle dissent. From the article: 'This production [of documents], which we believe is just the tip of the iceberg, is a window into the nationwide scope of the FBI's surveillance, monitoring, and reporting on peaceful protesters organizing with the Occupy movement These documents also show these federal agencies functioning as a de facto intelligence arm of Wall Street and Corporate America.' The next question is how many Americans are now listed as part of a 'terrorist group' by the government for their support of OWS?"
Re:Who Cares? (Score:5, Informative)
astroturf movement == fake 'grass roots' movement
A bit of advice to OWS types (Score:1, Informative)
Re:yes, peaceful, 'Capt James' (Score:0, Informative)
You must consider rape, murder, and robbery "peaceful". Not to mention crapping on cop cars, trashing the public parks with garbage, and don't forget the stashes of molotov coctails and safe houses filled with bombs and explosives.
Lying piece of scum (Score:5, Informative)
My god, your grasp of history is fucking flawed.
READ up on the suffragette movement you fucking insane moronic piece of shit before you try spouting your lies.
On November 15th, 1917, Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, founders of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) were arrested along with 216 other women who had picketed the White House under the Woodrow Wilson administration, bearing signs for the right to vote. By morning, some of the incarcerated women were barely alive. Lucy Burns had been beaten. Her hands had been chained to the cell bars over her head, bleeding and gasping for air. When Alice Paul engaged in a hunger strike, guards tried to force-feed her, tying her to a chair and using a tube to pour liquids down her throat. Thirty-three women endured ongoing torture until word was finally smuggled out to the press.
No violence by the government against the movement my ass.
You are scum.
Reverse... (Score:2, Informative)
They have persuaded uneducated fundamentalist Christians and the same poor people who would suffer from their policies to vote for them in the belief that they are somehow aligned to "conservative values". Vote for me and I'll stop abortion. But hey, it won't matter because the rape victim will die for lack of medical treatment.
The Libertarians are the spiritual heirs of Al Capone, and use the same schtick to energise the base.
Re:peaceful protesters? (Score:5, Informative)
I went down there (Zucotti Park) and spoke to them too. Their message was pretty clear, so I'll repeat it:
The wealthiest 1% of Americans have most of the income, most of the wealth, and control the political system through their campaign contributions and power generally.
They're not running it very well. They've used health care, education, and housing as a way to make money, driven the costs up, and made them unaffordable to the rest of us.
There's more of us than there are of them. We can vote. We don't have to vote for politicians that will sell us out (50/50 divided on Obama). We can organize to teach people how they're being exploited by the 1%.
Re:peaceful protesters? (Score:5, Informative)
There was nothing illegal about it.
Zucotti park was a private park open to the public 24 hours a day, according to a legally binding agreement between the City and the original developer. The local Community Board voted to support the occupation. There were court decisions in the past allowing similar protests.
In addition, there's the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gives people the right to peacefully protest, as other people here have mentioned.
I could come down to Zucotti Park at all hours of the day and talk to people about politics. What better use could anyone make of a public space?
Re:The problem with protests. (Score:4, Informative)
1. Zucotti Park was open to the public 24 hours a day, according to a contract signed between the developers and the City. There was no "after hours."
2. Occupy Wall Street wanted to bring portable toilets like every other big event in New York City. The City denied them a permit. So they used the bathrooms in the MacDonald's across the street and the neighboring restaurants.
3. I was at Zucotti Park a couple of times during the demonstration. They organized a volunteer cleanup crew that cleaned every inch of the park continuously. If you threw a candy wrapper on the floor, somebody would sweep it up within 5 minutes.
4. The local Community Board voted to support the demonstration. So the local taxpayers approved.
5. There were surveys of demonstrators which found that most of them were employed, and their average income was probably higher than yours. So they pay more taxes than you do.
6. You find it offensive. Too fucking bad. That's how we do things in America. If you don't like it, go back where you came from. (If they'll have you.)
Re: Who Cares? (Score:4, Informative)
Tell that to the people who received aid from Occupy Sandy when FEMA and the Red Cross were nowhere to be found; or to the people who have had thousands of dollars of debt erased by Rolling Jubilee. Or those facing foreclosure who had their homes saved by Occupiers.
I get it, you don't think political activism can ever bring change and nothing I say will change your mind....but OWS has done quite a lot of good with real, concrete action as well:
current.com/groups/news-blog/93963203_four-occupy-offshoots-making-a-difference.htm