Author Topic: Wall Street Protests  (Read 73180 times)

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Offline Super Dude

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #70 on: October 01, 2011, 10:01:32 PM »
A liberal nightmare: the fear that someone, somewhere, can help themselves.  :rollin

More like the fear that someone, somewhere in this supposedly Enlightened nation-state there is a self-proclaimed judge and jury ready to shoot on sight at anyone of his choosing.

Hearing shit like that makes me love my Second Amendment rights even more, especially because they will NEVER EVER be taken away.  :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin

I hope that's not a threat to use said Second should we ever meet.
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Offline MasterShakezula

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #71 on: October 01, 2011, 10:02:45 PM »
Hearing shit like that makes me love my Second Amendment rights even more, especially because they will NEVER EVER be taken away.  :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin

I believe in your having the right to bear arms, but that (ideally) shouldn't translate into vigilantism, except for in the absolute worst of worst case scenarios. 

Offline PlaysLikeMyung

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #72 on: October 01, 2011, 10:04:08 PM »
Jesus praxis you're like the poster child for neo-conservative nutcases

Offline PraXis

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #73 on: October 01, 2011, 10:06:16 PM »
A liberal nightmare: the fear that someone, somewhere, can help themselves.  :rollin

More like the fear that someone, somewhere in this supposedly Enlightened nation-state there is a self-proclaimed judge and jury ready to shoot on sight at anyone of his choosing.

Hearing shit like that makes me love my Second Amendment rights even more, especially because they will NEVER EVER be taken away.  :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin

I hope that's not a threat to use said Second should we ever meet.

How is that a threat? Unless you trespass on my property (i.e. break into my house) or physically attack me (self defense shot between the eyes) you have nothing to worry about. ;)


Jesus praxis you're like the poster child for neo-conservative nutcases

LOL, Libertarians are not neo-cons... otherwise I would support our foreign imperialism and centrally planning our economy.

Offline Perpetual Change

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #74 on: October 01, 2011, 10:08:48 PM »
you gotta love when PR conversations devolve into a wing-nut going:

 :rollin


over and over again.

Offline 73109

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #75 on: October 01, 2011, 10:09:13 PM »
I must say Praxis, you make me laugh, and I guess that is all I could want from PR.

Offline Super Dude

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #76 on: October 01, 2011, 10:09:51 PM »
I must say Praxis, you make me laugh, and I guess that is all I could want from PR.

P/R could use a few more laughs...
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Offline MasterShakezula

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #77 on: October 01, 2011, 10:11:09 PM »
So, I have a (relevant) question, which I'd be happy for anyone: left nut, right nut, dick, or asshole, to answer:

Do you believe these protests will have some sort of effect in the near future?

If so, what do you think these effects and their ultimate results will be ?

Offline PraXis

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #78 on: October 01, 2011, 10:13:12 PM »
I must say Praxis, you make me laugh, and I guess that is all I could want from PR.

Laughter is a good thing. I laugh every time I see an Obama bumper sticker, especially when I no longer see those cars in my work's parking lot because the driver was laid off. I also laugh about the fact that many people are simply not "prepared" for what is to come. I see it constantly, even more-so during times such as Hurricane Irene preparations.

I also laugh at every "Che" t-shirt I see. Isn't that maggot's death anniversary coming up soon?

Offline MasterShakezula

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #79 on: October 01, 2011, 10:14:03 PM »
Or we could talk about the protests.  (Maybe my question even gave you a little bit of a laugh?  :P )

Offline 73109

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #80 on: October 01, 2011, 10:15:33 PM »
I must say Praxis, you make me laugh, and I guess that is all I could want from PR.

Laughter is a good thing. I laugh every time I see an Obama bumper sticker, especially when I no longer see those cars in my work's parking lot because the driver was laid off. I also laugh about the fact that many people are simply not "prepared" for what is to come. I see it constantly, even more-so during times such as Hurricane Irene preparations.

I also laugh at every "Che" t-shirt I see. Isn't that maggot's death anniversary coming up soon?

Let me guess...Ron Paul or Hermain Cain? I'm thinking Paul but Cain is a little more of a nutjob so I don't know.

Offline Perpetual Change

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #81 on: October 01, 2011, 10:17:22 PM »
I laugh every time I see an Obama bumper sticker, especially when I no longer see those cars in my work's parking lot because the driver was laid off.

Honestly, I laugh every time I see someone who does nothing but post at DTF and surf the web from their office job all day thinking they're better than and deserve what they have more than an unemployed person or recent college grad who hasn't found a job yet in this economy.

Offline PraXis

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #82 on: October 01, 2011, 10:17:49 PM »
So, I have a (relevant) question, which I'd be happy for anyone: left nut, right nut, dick, or asshole, to answer:

Do you believe these protests will have some sort of effect in the near future?

If so, what do you think these effects and their ultimate results will be ?

I think the protests will bring us further into a police state (i.e. more abuses of the Patriot Act), especially with all the arrests involved, such as from the Brooklyn Bridge blockade earlier.

If you want to protest, it depends on what/where/why... think of the TEA Party... they went to demonstrate peacefully in D.C... and they cleaned up after themselves... the police weren't concerned at all, just a bunch of people against the current regime who made their voices known at the ballot box in a shellacking last November.

Compare the TEA Party protest in D.C. to that Daily-Show-inspired one... the DC mall was left with mounds of trash.. and some friends of mine who attended were constantly approached by commies and anarchists actually advertising pro-commie organizations in our country.. of course, these were all useless hippies that I absolutely refuse to ever hire.. along with those wearing baggy pants or with visible tattoos.

Offline Super Dude

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #83 on: October 01, 2011, 10:18:55 PM »
Tea Party peaceful.  lol
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Offline 73109

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #84 on: October 01, 2011, 10:19:21 PM »
Oh, and I bet Rand is his favorite author too. :lol

Offline MasterShakezula

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #85 on: October 01, 2011, 10:23:01 PM »
Though I disagree with you, PraXis, I thank you for answering my question.

It was enjoyable to see you express your prediction; I am quite intrigued by these current protests and their possible effects.

Offline PraXis

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #86 on: October 01, 2011, 10:27:24 PM »
Though I disagree with you, PraXis, I thank you for answering my question.

It was enjoyable to see you express your prediction; I am quite intrigued by these current protests and their possible effects.

I appreciate it. I don't know where you are located, but if you have economic and security concerns for your family, feel free to send me a PM if you need advice about what to do. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better, but we have about 18 months before it reaches that point.

Offline zxlkho

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #87 on: October 01, 2011, 10:28:32 PM »
This thread is making me lol.

Please continue.
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You're a fucking stupid bitch.
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Offline 73109

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #88 on: October 01, 2011, 10:32:59 PM »
I appreciate it. I don't know where you are located, but if you have economic and security concerns for your family, feel free to send me a PM if you need advice about what to do. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better, but we have about 18 months before it reaches that point.

I'm going to laugh hysterically when the Republican party fails to find someone...anyone...to throw Obama out of the White House.

Offline MasterShakezula

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #89 on: October 01, 2011, 10:33:51 PM »
Though I disagree with you, PraXis, I thank you for answering my question.

It was enjoyable to see you express your prediction; I am quite intrigued by these current protests and their possible effects.

I appreciate it. I don't know where you are located, but if you have economic and security concerns for your family, feel free to send me a PM if you need advice about what to do. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better, but we have about 18 months before it reaches that point.

I wouldn't say my family is in immediate danger.  We are about upper-middle class, I guess?

The main source of income in my family ( a professor) is probably retiring soon, though, and he is sorta negligent with paying bills/is an irresponsible spender. 

He often says that he'll be able to pay me through college and that he'll have a decent amount of money to let me inherit, when that happens.  I take it with a grain of salt, though, because he has been acting irrationally often, the last year or so, and as said before, he's irresponsible, especially in terms of expenditures.  So, I'd say my main worry would be about how things are in 2017, when I (most likely) graduate from college and (idealistically) enter the workforce. 

Offline Perpetual Change

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #90 on: October 01, 2011, 11:58:17 PM »
I think you guys are missing the point. This isn't about bashing Ayn Rand or libertarians any more than it is about bashing hippies.

The fact is, there's some seriously liberal people at these protests, as well as more Ron Paul leaning people. Some people are protesting the Fed, some people are protesting the way the wealthy have been acting, and some people are protesting both. It's people from different ends of the political spectrum coming together toward a broader, common goal. Which is the whole way political activism works.

Offline j

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #91 on: October 02, 2011, 12:28:48 AM »
I sort of get where orcus is coming from.  I don't think a whole lot of being "politically active" just for the sake of it, notably when it involves unproductive activities like this.  Not that posting on the internet, as someone brought up, is very productive, but at least there's some (ideally open-minded and reasonable) exchange of ideas.

What is the endgame of stuff like this?  What is it supposed to actually accomplish?  Plenty of attention has already been brought to these issues, and beyond that, I can only think that people participate in these things in order to feel like they are doing something or making some kind of difference. *shrug*

-J

What's accomplished by "plenty of attention" being given to the issues if people then go back to not caring an hour later after the news is over or they forgot half of the article they just read? What alternative do you suggest to people who are upset and want to be heard? And why does something have to lead directly to change for it to matter or make any kind of difference?

I never said something has to lead directly to change to be worthwhile.  But the goal these people claim to have IS to spark change in some capacity...isn't it?

Quote
And, really, you act like the "exchange of ideas" is any more productive than these protests, but what use do any of these discussions have if the only time we ever get involved in anything related to these topics is when we argue about it here? How is this any more "productive" or beneficial than what they're doing? You ask what the protests are supposed to accomplish as if not accomplishing anything makes it pointless, yet it's openly acknowledged that 99% of the discussions here won't change anyone's opinion on the topic.

Obviously, I can't speak for anyone else.  But I think there are a small handful of us who DON'T just come here with the sole purpose of spouting off our beliefs, but rather actually do make an effort to learn from some of the other posters and consider their opinions, or at least try to see issues in a different light.  At any rate, let me be clear: I don't think posting at DTF is a very productive activity either, but I do get a little bit out of it personally.

I post here mostly for entertainment, but it occasionally ends up being an educational experience.  That makes it personally enriching to me in some small way, as I sometimes come away with a better understanding of whatever topic happens to be being discussed.  That knowledge may come into play in some other capacity in my life, I don't know.

What I do know is that I would never waste weeks of my life marching around whining about an issue, no matter how passionate I felt about it.  I would find some other way to address my concerns, preferably an avenue with some remote track record of recent success.  Literally the only thing it can ever accomplish is raising public awareness of said issue, and in this day and age, I think these kind of demonstrations are completely archaic and obsolete for several reasons.  I'd be interested to know what people who are prone to participate in such protests think they are accomplishing, other than self-satisfaction.  I have yet to see someone here address this question.  Anyway, I certainly don't have any contempt for them, but I also don't understand how they are so lauded by some for "fighting for justice," when the reality is that they would be better served putting their efforts almost ANYWHERE else.

tl;dr - I don't care if people want to march around holding up signs and yelling, but I think usually they are at best wasting their time, and at worst doing their cause a disservice.

-J

EDIT: To be clear, I don't disagree with the causes of a lot of these protests.  I just don't think much of their chosen course of "action."

Offline juice

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #92 on: October 02, 2011, 01:41:48 AM »
Tea Party peaceful.  lol
When were they not peaceful at the capitol?

Offline orcus116

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #93 on: October 02, 2011, 02:01:42 AM »
You guys might not think it's accomplishing anything, but I think it's already drawn a lot of attention to the issue. Were/are the protestors as organized as they could be? No. But the fact people are willing to go to Wall Street to begin with and stay there for two weeks is a huge sign that awareness is going to raised and people are going to start looking into why this is happening.

Unless someone has been comatose for three years there's no need for any awareness of the financial state of the country. If they're pissed at what's going on, they've already been pissed. If they're apathetic, they've already been apathetic. No one's opinion is going to suddenly change because of all of this protesting because anyone who has been directly effected by what has been going on has already been dealing with it and continues to deal with it.

Offline Perpetual Change

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #94 on: October 02, 2011, 05:03:38 AM »
Unless someone has been comatose for three years there's no need for any awareness of the financial state of the country.

I gotta ask, do you even follow politics? Because if you can watch the past couple debates and truly tell me any of the candidates seem "aware" of these things I'll be baffled.


Offline snapple

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #95 on: October 02, 2011, 07:32:35 AM »
Praxis, I have a visible tattoo. It is a Bible verse. You wouldn't hire me? That's absurd.

Also, the protests are a bunch of dirty hippies.  ;D


Okay, seriously: I don't give a damn with what Wall Street does with their money. Why do you guys?

Offline Super Dude

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #96 on: October 02, 2011, 08:08:10 AM »
Because it affects the socio-economic and political fates of everyone below them.
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Offline snapple

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #97 on: October 02, 2011, 08:09:54 AM »
Because it affects the socio-economic and political fates of everyone below them.

How so?

Offline Super Dude

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #98 on: October 02, 2011, 08:13:50 AM »
If you belong to the 1% of the population that controls over 40% of national wealth, the effects of your economic choices are bound to be magnified. And even ruling out corruption, the political influence of wealth almost invariably tends to be greater than those of lower socio-economic classes in some facet or other.
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Offline millahh

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #99 on: October 02, 2011, 08:15:20 AM »

Okay, seriously: I don't give a damn with what Wall Street does with their money. Why do you guys?

Dude...their money???  You have no idea how the 401k system works, do you?

I'm SO glad not to mod in here anymore.  And Praxis is like an alternate universe Parallax.
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Offline Super Dude

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #100 on: October 02, 2011, 08:16:21 AM »
I don't remember Parallax. What was he like?
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Offline ehra

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #101 on: October 02, 2011, 01:02:26 PM »
I'd be interested to know what people who are prone to participate in such protests think they are accomplishing, other than self-satisfaction.  I have yet to see someone here address this question.

What also hasn't been addressed is what people should do as an alternative if you feel protests are so worthless. Quite a few times throughout various P/R threads people have talked about how worthless "protesting" is, but when asked what they feel a viable alternative would be for people that DO want to make any kind of difference there's never any answer.

Offline antigoon

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #102 on: October 02, 2011, 03:31:53 PM »
Well, this thread took a turn for the worse. It's not about left vs right; liberal vs libertarian. Or...it shouldn't be anyway. Until we can learn to look past our granular beliefs we're not going to get anything productive done.

And about the whole, "waiting 3 years" thing: I think it's more that things have reached a tipping point -- The economy continues to be shitty, our president sucks, the Republican primary race is a joke, and there's no sign whatsoever that anything is going to get better any time soon. People are just fed up.

PS: Yes, there are a lot of young people there, but I saw plenty of folks in their 30s and up on Friday. It's a mischaracterization to label them all lazy college kids. Hell, I saw a contingent from the National Lawyers Guild there.

Offline Super Dude

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #103 on: October 02, 2011, 03:43:17 PM »
And didn't someone mention a bunch of commercial pilots?
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Offline PraXis

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Re: Wall Street Protests
« Reply #104 on: October 02, 2011, 03:58:20 PM »
Praxis, I have a visible tattoo. It is a Bible verse. You wouldn't hire me? That's absurd.

Also, the protests are a bunch of dirty hippies.  ;D


Okay, seriously: I don't give a damn with what Wall Street does with their money. Why do you guys?

I wouldn't hire if the tattoo was visible because of the nature of the business (i.e. customer interactions in the environment). Otherwise, I couldn't care less about tats. As for Wall Street or anyone with money, I don't care about their wealth as long as they actually earned their money, as long as it's not via fraud like Madoff.