Another Occupied City: Oakland (San Francisco, Berkeley: severance, mayor, toxic)

[18Montclair]

Not funny, but kinda funny.


Occupy Oakland - KTVU Reporter Harrassed And Spit On *RAW FOOTAGE* - YouTube

[Natural510]

Anyone who spits on me better pray there's a cop around to keep them from a visit to the ICU.

[rkwalton]

The last time I was in NYC in November, Occupy was just frustrating. They ended up in Harlem. I was at a conference in Tribeca that day and someone mentioned how the Occupy protestors were blocking and disrupting the commute of the underprivileged kids that his nonprofit helps. They'd also blocked off NYC's City Hall later that day, which made my commute from Tribeca to SoHo a PITA. Those areas are close enough that I could walk when I couldn't get into the subway. My commentary to the cops and other people I spoke to that night was, "Great! Now the 99% is blocking the 99%! Brilliant!"

If they were doing evolving and doing something productive, they'd have my support. This stuff is just retarded now, and that it's just a reason for people to cause trouble as I'm also not seeing the point. I don't see what the point is of breaking into Oakland's City Hall and destroying a children's art exhibit.

As I've said a few times, Occupy has to evolve. Right now, it seems like they're just unable to do that.

[MovingAloha]

WTF Oakland, I am in favor of the cause of fairness in the economy and for folks to have an equal shot at growing their economic situation. But burning the American Flag, vandalism of public property and destroying historical objects and the hard work of our children is indefensible!!!

So are these thugs really Occupiers or Anarchist using the guise of OWS? If this is where the movement is going, then I'm out. And I don't think this is a "fair weather" decision; I spent quite a few years defending our rights of free speech and assembly in and out of the Military. These thugs do not have the guts or intent to do the same. What a bunch of Jacka**es!

Really P***es me off!!

[dragontales]

Nothing but a pathetic group of losers. Sickening!

[Ultrarunner]

When the protest closed the port several weeks ago... I was surprised there was not a peep from Home Land Security.

Ports are controlled just like airports...

It's just not fair to the citizens of Oakland to have to go this alone...

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by tetka_grunya

They probably feel that City of Oakland doesn't have a strong leadership, so they can do what they want there. And they maybe right...

I believe you hit it on the nose. That and the city and nearby Berkeley has a bit of nostalgic yearnings for the fun-loving 60's. Lots of disaffected folks are ready to turn out for a good old fashion rabble-rousing good time. That and the cops are handcuffed from reacting in a proper manner.

In fact, the mayor of Oakland Michelle Kwan, besides being a hecka of a figure skater, was a 60's radical. That is why she went along with the initial protests so meekly. She was with them! Now that she is being recalled, she has decided that maybe she should protect her constitutes and not the great unwashed crowd. It will be so interesting to see how this plays out!

[mstnghu2]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

I believe you hit it on the nose. That and the city and nearby Berkeley has a bit of nostalgic yearnings for the fun-loving 60's. Lots of disaffected folks are ready to turn out for a good old fashion rabble-rousing good time. That and the cops are handcuffed from reacting in a proper manner.

In fact, the mayor of Oakland Michelle Kwan, besides being a hecka of a figure skater, was a 60's radical. That is why she went along with the initial protests so meekly. She was with them! Now that she is being recalled, she has decided that maybe she should protect her constitutes and not the great unwashed crowd. It will be so interesting to see how this plays out!

Uh, do you mean Jean Quan?

[nullgeo]

Sure there are marauders invading the Occupy concept and trashing its vision and message ... but at the same time the real message is resonating deeper and deeper, regardless of the anarchist shenanigans:

Short piece from CNN today notes that now the GOP candidates are not only acknowledging the Occupy message but trying to get on board with it and leverage it ... the movement is working in spite of the mess ... it will continue and it will improve and the anarchists will continue to be obvious:
Occupy arrives at the Republican Party - CNN.com

Excerpts:
"What's going on here?! Have we been transported to some "Bizarro World" where everything is backward? Since when does the Republican Party care about income equality?"

"The answer is simple: These issues are now resonating with voters. More than 60% of voters support policies addressing income inequality. Indeed, an even higher number support raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans."

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

"The answer is simple: These issues are now resonating with voters. More than 60% of voters support policies addressing income inequality. Indeed, an even higher number support raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans."

OWS proper message should be: "Quit giving our damn money to rich people who hoard it to make more money for themselves instead of even pretend to reinvest it in our country's economy. 'Trickle down' is a friggin' hoax."

Doing battle with cops and breaking stuff doesn't forward any effort towards resolution of this. Especially when a convenient playground is found to do it in (Oakland) and thoroughly exploited by far-flung interlopers (Oakland residents aren't trashing their own city).