Why Do You Occupy? Interviews with the Occupiers

25 Responses to “Why Do You Occupy? Interviews with the Occupiers”

1. c on October 2nd, 2011 at 11:07 am #

   How can we help if we are far away? Your are all so inspiring!!!
2. nancy gilbert on October 2nd, 2011 at 11:08 am #

   Way to go! I’m part of the 99% too – not phyisically in Boston, but in spirit i am with you!
3. dotrat on October 2nd, 2011 at 11:30 am #

   Just wanted to send my support for you folks…..great idea for a legit problem plaguing our country.
4. CP on October 2nd, 2011 at 12:15 pm #

   I just noticed a twitter post announcing “Meditation Training at the Spirituality and Faith Post”…..

   This kind of stuff is what gives the naysayers ammo. It comes across as Hippy-Dippy and is easily ridiculed, and subsequently makes the entire protest easier to dismiss as frivolous and unfocused.

   People should meditate on their own time, not at a street protest.

   This movement has to be packaged and sold in order to get more traction and support.

   A sure fire way to alienate potential supporters is to outwardly engage in activities that not only have nothing to do with the protests, but are perhaps uncomfortable for other people to want to associate themselves with. I made an earlier point about a group Yoga session in NYC. Despite the fact that Yoga and meditation are perfectly legitimate pursuits, the time and place for them are not now, and not here.
   • martin dagoberto (@radicaloptimist) on October 17th, 2011 at 6:06 pm #

     meditation has everything to do with this. consciousness is key. we must stay present and connected. if you don’t understand that, its ok. we’re doing it for you, too.
5. CP on October 2nd, 2011 at 1:27 pm #

   I also just read in the Metro blog that there was a verbal altercation between tenters, one of whom hung the American flag upside down outside his tent. An offended protester threatened to “put a bullet through (his) head”.

   Clearly both of these guys are a liability to the cause. Threats of any violence against each other or the police simply cannot be tolerated.

   The hanging of the flag upside down is so clearly misguided and stupid, I’m at a loss for words. What is the number one symbolic way to turn people against you? Dishonor the flag. Way to go, hammerhead. Incredible.

   I’d suggest that at the next General Assembly, these issues be addressed. Anyone seen dishonoring the flag, making threats, wearing shirts with anti-American slogans, people holding anti-American signs, etc. will be asked to discontinue their behavior, and failing to do so, they will be asked to leave.

   All it takes to ruin this is a front page photo of an upside down flag.
   • Dan on October 2nd, 2011 at 10:48 pm #

     I disagree with you on this. Flying a flag upside down in its original intention is used as a symbol of declaring a nation in distress. Many believe that our country is in poor shape, and therefore hang the flag upside down, not because they disrespect the country or the flag. I actually have one on upside down on my bedroom wall.
   • Joshua Guerci (@platypusrex256) on October 3rd, 2011 at 10:08 am #

     saying anti-american things as a protest? the nerve!
6. garciadann on October 2nd, 2011 at 1:28 pm #

   http://youtu.be/K7gS85Dzyrs This is a video from Bow Thayer & Perfect Trainwreck that asks the ? to Wall St R U willin to risk it all ?
7. CP on October 2nd, 2011 at 1:32 pm #

   Keep in mind also, that it’s very possible that the protest has been infiltrated by the FBI. You’d be naive not to think it’s already happened. Not to make people paranoid, but mind your P’s and Q’s and don’t be stupid.
   • Solidarity on October 2nd, 2011 at 10:54 pm #

     you should probably attend a GA and bring up your thoughts, not sure posting them on a video is going to make them get any attention
8. Francisco Nogueira on October 2nd, 2011 at 1:36 pm #

   I’m from Brazil. I have 1% to hate USA, but I have 99% to love the American people. Go ahead! My soul is with you.
9. Tami on October 2nd, 2011 at 3:12 pm #

   I am angry because our government continues to sit by and watch as Wall Street attracts and incentivizes our most quantitatively talented youth to amass even greater wealth for those who are already wealthy. These young MIT and Harvard trained engineers, scientists, and mathematicians become part of the problem, because there is no attractive way for them to become part of the solution. If we want to stop the disappearance of our middle class, we need to stay one step ahead of Wall Street— we need to make sure that Wall Street is responsibly stimulating our economy. But to do this, we need to fundamentally change the way the financial markets are overseen. Our government needs to, and in a big way, hire our most gifted analysts to regulate our economy.
   • Tami on October 2nd, 2011 at 5:27 pm #

     I prefer this reforumulation of my thoughts…
     I prefer this formulation (yes, same Tami)

     I am angry because we need to fundamentally change the change the way that Wall Street is overseen. I am angry because the US government continues to sit by and watch as Wall Street attracts and incentivizes our most quantitatively talented youth to amass even greater wealth for those who are already wealthy. And it does not trickle down. These young MIT engineers, Harvard mathematicians, and UVA business students flock to the aid of Wall Street to pay off their college loans. Its hard to blame them individually. If we want to stop the disappearance of our middle class, we need these bright minds to help us stay one step ahead of Wall Street— to make sure that Wall Street is responsibly stimulating our economy. We need them to find the scam— rather than invent it. Our government needs to, and in a big way, hire our most gifted analysts to regulate our economy.
     • Kimberly Lazarski on October 3rd, 2011 at 2:25 pm #

       Wall Street isn’t the root problem. The root problem is twofold: first, the existence of the Federal Reserve, with our currency being a “fiat” currency based on debt rather than a currency based on tangible wealth.

       Secondly, we keep electing politicians into offices rather than public servants.

       We have only ourselves to blame for the ongoing economic meltdown.
10. Occupying Boston « Dennis Fox’s Weblog
    on October 2nd, 2011 at 10:40 pm #

    […] be a mishmash of inconsistent radical and liberal agendas. And here’s a video asking people why they’re taking part. One thing in the works is a teach-in schedule with workshops and classes on whatever anyone wants […]
11. anand on October 3rd, 2011 at 12:45 am #

    As far as yoga and meditation. There are many naysayers. But there are also many who do these practices. I feel there has to be room for all and not to fall into the trap of excluding something because you disagree with it. There are many talented and creative people who can lend their abilities and energy in a host of various affinity groups. In NYC at OWS they are proving that apparently opposing groups can find common ground and work together for the common good. We are all of us in this together. Any kind of separation between people is for me a weakness. There is strength in our diversity as long as we stay peaceful.
12. Nicole on October 3rd, 2011 at 12:52 am #

    brilliant!
13. The IronHelmet on October 3rd, 2011 at 7:40 am #

    if 1% controls 50% of the wealth then, the other 99% should poll their money to make power moves that either work with or against the 1%!!! Seems logical to me how about you?
14. Joshua Guerci (@platypusrex256) on October 3rd, 2011 at 10:04 am #

    What is the income level of the top 1%?
    • joe on October 4th, 2011 at 1:34 pm #

      Why does their income level matter? some people have worked very hard to bring themselves from the pool of little means to making a good living. do you fault them for that? is that a bad thing, that some people work hard to make money? Don’t point to Wall St. “fatcats” in your answer, that would be lazy. I am talking about builders, engineers, small business owners who make a good income because they have and do work hard for it. So, explain to me why “their” income level matters at all. 5% of the tax paying public pays over 80% of the taxes. Are you suggesting that is not enough?
15. Kimberly Lazarski on October 3rd, 2011 at 2:23 pm #

    The people interviewed in this video are discussing the symptoms of the problem – not the root problem with our economy. Mr. Ron Paul is the only serious contender for the upcoming Presidential election who has been urgently preaching about the true cause of our ongoing economic meltdown, and how we can fix it over the course of a few short years. Our economy can be fixed, but only if we are willing to accept the truth and to choose statesmen who understand that it isn’t an elitist, self-absorbed charismatic speaker which makes a great leader, but someone who is a servant. Ron Paul’s record has shown him to be a remarkable servant and an honorable American citizen who puts America’s long-term interest up above that of corporate elitists and bankers.

    The “organizers” of this event should consider welcoming Ron Paul to Boston while these demonstrations are going on. Don’t look to the tea party for help – the tea party has been pretty much taken over by business-as-usual politicians.
16. Kyle on October 3rd, 2011 at 3:23 pm #

    4m4s:
    Well, obviously you can’t get a mortgage modifications like that! Those situations are the ones that caused the financial crisis of 2008! Shit….half of the people in this video don’t understand how our financial system even works. They’re upset about “decade-long wars” and the fact that they can’t get a job with their Master’s degree in some major that doesn’t have a job market. This whole movement is incredibly misguided. It needs to be called, the “Generation of Generally Angry People Movement”
17. Stuart on October 4th, 2011 at 1:03 am #

    You people have no clue what your doing. Your supporting people like George Soros (Hijacking you, he put in 5 million.) The only country too get out of this problem we are in, was Iceland. The derivatives that we supposedly owe, was lost by the bankers, not the rich, these bankers are elitists, there beyond the 1% people. LISTEN to this = > http://www.infowars.com/infowars.asx
    Vote for Ron Paul 2012, all the rest are status quo. In the end the middle class will be squashed by not understanding whats really going on. Warren Buffett got bailed out, did you? If we turn this country into a communist/socialist country we will have war, and a war that has been like no other. Read into these groups: Bilderberg, George Soros, David Rockafeller, And folks you cannot have the state run us, we are free, we are not slaves. JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs run the world….You are just imploding the rich and destroying America. In the end you will have nothing and you could possibly be killed just like Mao did too the farmers in the 1950’s for their land.
    • Zack (@TomJoadsGhost) on October 4th, 2011 at 11:19 am #

      i think you should come on down to the occupation and share your views. Everyone is welcome to share their views