Occupy Atlanta (ref: Wall Street protests here) (White: bankruptcy, salaries)

[JPD]

Originally Posted by roxyrn

Walked past Occupy Atlanta yesterday morning on my way to jury duty at 8:00 am- quiet as could be as they were all in their tents sleeping. Guess they don't have to worry about getting up for work or anything else constructive. While they are down there, why don't they spend some time picking up the trash?

I walked through there yesterday at lunch time. I didn't see a single piece of trash.

Protesting IS constructive, whether you agree with their views or not. A lot of people died to give us freedoms which include the right to protest.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by JPD

It's not about what one can achieve. Racial profiling is just one example of a civil rights issue that must still be addressed.

First you'd have to agree that such a thing exists or can ever be completely removed.

Look, people get "profiled" all day long, every day. That was and has always been the case. People with long hair; people with tattoos; people with handicaps; people who dress differently; etc. You will NEVER change everyone's opinions or beliefs, and that's not a realistic expectation. Today, it is illegal to use race, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, and other attribute in areas such as employment and lending. Does that mean that every individual always follows the law...of course not, but it's not official and it happens with regard to age, sex, religion, and even blacks discriminating against whites or hispanics.

What we have to be careful about is labeling as "racial profiling" in the name of political correctness those things that do use ethnicity. For example: while not all terrorists are muslim or arab, 99% of the terrorists who have struck the US and Europe in the last 10 years have been. So does that mean you only concentrate on young male muslims and arabs? Of course not, but you shouldn't put your head in the sand and pretend that the little old white lady from Wisconsin is just as likely to be a terrorist as the 25 year old male carrying a Saudi passport.

[roxyrn]

Protesting can be constructive if you are able to get your message out effectively to the people who are in position to make the desired changes. Going to Phipps Plaza is not going to change a thing. Camping out in a public park for months is not going to make a difference. The $30,000 spent so far by the APD (according to the mayor, yesterday) could certainly make a difference to those without food, transportation, medication.....

I certainly believe in the right to free speech, but this "group" does not seem to have any understanding of economics, public policy, government nor have organizational skills or even the ability to navigate the MARTA. Pathetic.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by roxyrn

I certainly believe in the right to free speech, but this "group" does not seem to have any understanding of economics, public policy, government nor have organizational skills or even the ability to navigate the MARTA. Pathetic.

Have you actually spoken to any of these people?

[tigers84]

Originally Posted by JPD

Have you actually spoken to any of these people?

Have you actually spoken to any CEOs?

[onemanarmy]

Originally Posted by neil0311

First you'd have to agree that such a thing exists or can ever be completely removed.

Look, people get "profiled" all day long, every day. That was and has always been the case. People with long hair; people with tattoos; people with handicaps; people who dress differently; etc. You will NEVER change everyone's opinions or beliefs, and that's not a realistic expectation. Today, it is illegal to use race, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, and other attribute in areas such as employment and lending. Does that mean that every individual always follows the law...of course not, but it's not official and it happens with regard to age, sex, religion, and even blacks discriminating against whites or hispanics.

What we have to be careful about is labeling as "racial profiling" in the name of political correctness those things that do use ethnicity. For example: while not all terrorists are muslim or arab, 99% of the terrorists who have struck the US and Europe in the last 10 years have been. So does that mean you only concentrate on young male muslims and arabs? Of course not, but you shouldn't put your head in the sand and pretend that the little old white lady from Wisconsin is just as likely to be a terrorist as the 25 year old male carrying a Saudi passport.

The way this is worded makes a reader think of the two being the same, whether it was deliberate or not. Most Arabs are Muslim, but most Muslims are not Arabs. If you look at most of the failed attacks within the last 10 years, yes by far they have come from young muslim men, but not Arabs. So thats why racial profiling is problematic, it has too much room for abuse, and more importantly it's a lazy way of investigating.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by tigers84

Have you actually spoken to any CEOs?

Yes, I have, but I'm not on here bashing CEOs, so I fail to see how that is relevant.

[AcidSnake]

Great responses.

Originally Posted by JPD

Responses in bold.

[tigers84]

Originally Posted by JPD

Yes, I have, but I'm not on here bashing CEOs, so I fail to see how that is relevant.

Really? Because I havent ever spoken to a CEO about these larger matters. You must have quite the connections. Can I ask which ones/what did they say?

As a supporter of OWS, you are bashing "corporate greed". CEOs are symbolic of this to most protestors.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by tigers84

Really? Because I havent ever spoken to a CEO about these larger matters. You must have quite the connections. Can I ask which ones/what did they say?

As a supporter of OWS, you are bashing "corporate greed". CEOs are symbolic of this to most protestors.

I have not spoken to any CEOs about these specific issues, but that is not what you asked, and again, it's not relevant anyway since I've not made one single comment about any CEO, or about CEOs in general.