# Classist Wall Street occupiers refuse to share food, bridge gaps with marginalized homeless **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 27, 2011, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956 "2011-10-27T12:22:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/241 "2011-11-04T00:00:14Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > What they don’t do is take up residence in public places. Or throw private property off of ships. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/242 "2011-11-04T00:06:22Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Or throw private property off of ships. correct ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/243 "2011-11-04T01:25:12Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Free speech has nothing to do with occupying public land or disturbing the peace. Nobody is trying to stop these people from speaking. They can turn blue from the exercise and not only does nobody care but we as a society encourage even the stupidest practice of our most valuable right. > > Look at something as simple as an election season. People meet at houses and meeting halls, go door to door, send emails, make phone calls, chat on the internet, get permits for open air rallys… What they don’t do is take up residence in public places. Absolutely wrong. Political rallies are held in public places all the damn time. As a matter of fact, when I was young I marched for the rights of blacks in America at the very same square that the Detroit occupation is staying in. Then when the anti-war demonstrations occurred they started at grand Circus Park. Still the same spot. I wish you would get lucky and say something right at least one time. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/244 "2011-11-04T01:31:47Z")
[http://www.jfklink.com/speeches/jfk/sept60/contents\_jfk\_sep60.html](http://www.jfklink.com/speeches/jfk/sept60/contents_jfk_sep60.html) Note Sept. 5 th in detroit. Kennedy speaking in Cadillac Square a square 4 blocks from Grand Circus Park where he also spoke. Yet it is another public square. There is a long history of using spots like that for public demonstrations and speeches. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/245 "2011-11-04T01:46:17Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Absolutely wrong. Political rallies are held in public places all the damn time. As a matter of fact, when I was young I marched for the rights of blacks in America at the very same square that the Detroit occupation is staying in. Then when the anti-war demonstrations occurred they started at grand Circus Park. Still the same spot. I wish you would get lucky and say something right at least one time. Yes, Gonzo, I pointed out that they are held in public places all the time. That’s what permits are for. It does not entitle anyone to squat on the land indefinitely. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/246 "2011-11-04T04:37:08Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > correct Do you condemn groups that celebrate people throwing other’s property off ships? With all you said about property seems like it’d be an easy answer. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/247 "2011-11-04T04:56:24Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > No, that’s not free speech, that’s disturbing the peace. Free speech is a 2 way street, you can’t force others to listen to you. Again. You’ve failed to demonstrate the occupiers have disturbed the peace. Do you have one fucking cite they’re anymore noisy than the city? Your problem is you don’t like their message. Your problem is your head is far up your ass you can’t see something has to change. That Free Market you’re always going about. It put millions of Americans out of work, and almost did much worse if government hadn’t forced it drop the knife it held against it’s own throat. It made their retirements disappear. It replaced a roof over their heads with fear and uncertainty. That same market has more representatives in the government than the people. As evidenced by the corruption it bribed to fight the regulation against high economic risk banking activities. Something needs to change, and be glad it’s peaceful occupiers leading the petition for redress of grievances, because the next group might not be so peaceful. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/248 "2011-11-04T06:10:56Z")
MAGIVER is hearing nothing. She is saying, if I lived in NYC, and I lived close enough to the park that I could hear it. I would not like it. The fact that I would perhaps be bothered is of such large significance, that the protests must be stopped. But protests are messy. They have to make noise to be noticed. The politicians have to get a message that will cause then to change course. It requires a lot of street demonstrations and a bit of disruption to get noticed. The bankers certainly did plenty of disruption. People have lost jobs and homes. The bankers and politicians trashed the economy and put us in the worst financial mess since the great depression. But somehow, people who have suffered great upheavals are suppose to act polite and lawful. , unlike the bankers. They are supposed to air their grievances without making noise. That is not how it will go down. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/249 "2011-11-04T11:48:27Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > MAGIVER is hearing nothing. She is saying, if I lived in NYC, and I lived close enough to the park that I could hear it. I would not like it. The fact that I would perhaps be bothered is of such large significance, that the protests must be stopped. > But protests are messy. They have to make noise to be noticed. The politicians have to get a message that will cause then to change course. It requires a lot of street demonstrations and a bit of disruption to get noticed. The bankers certainly did plenty of disruption. People have lost jobs and homes. The bankers and politicians trashed the economy and put us in the worst financial mess since the great depression. But somehow, people who have suffered great upheavals are suppose to act polite and lawful. , unlike the bankers. They are supposed to air their grievances without making noise. > That is not how it will go down. I will try asking you one more time then I am done trying, how is protesting in a private park upsetting, disrupting or bothering politicians or bankers? Or more simply, how is it being more upsetting or disruptive to the politicians or bankers than the 99% who live around the area? I find it convenient that every time I have asked similar questions I got nothing in return. This is not comparable to the struggles for civil rights, those great men and women were willing to protest where it mattered. These OWS protesters are afraid of confrontation with the same group they are trying to change. Or I could be wrong, did Martin Luther King hold sit ins at NAACP offices? I always thought that sit ins where done in places like segregated libraries, lunch counters, shopping stores etc. They marched in the faces of those who wanted to dehumanize a race, they put themselves at risk of being arrested, beaten or killed, they confronted the problem to change the problem. Until OWS stops confronting the 99% they can have any message they want, but the message will be unheard by the pussy way they punish the 99% they claim to represent. On another note **gonzomax** I do respect you acknowledging the politicians part in this, sadly to many others are trying to lay the blame on corporate greed. Which obviously only happened because politicians of all stripes said fuck the people I wants me some money. The system is broken, and it needs fixed. How? I have no clue, saying this as a fiscal conservative I think we need to elect a true untainted party (Maybe the Green Party?) to majority to swing the pendulum. One with no ties to lobbyist, breaking the hold on Washington allowing them to crack down on gouging of the consumers, shrinking the pay difference between those who break a sweat with the executives. Taking from the rich to give to the poor this is not, this is paying the working poor a percentage they deserve for making you rich. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/250 "2011-11-04T12:06:58Z")
> [@RyJae](#): > > On another note **gonzomax** I do respect you acknowledging the politicians part in this, sadly to many others are trying to lay the blame on corporate greed. Which obviously only happened because politicians of all stripes said fuck the people I wants me some money. The system is broken, and it needs fixed. How? I have no clue, saying this as a fiscal conservative I think we need to elect a true untainted party (Maybe the Green Party?) to majority to swing the pendulum. One with no ties to lobbyist, breaking the hold on Washington allowing them to crack down on gouging of the consumers, shrinking the pay difference between those who break a sweat with the executives. Taking from the rich to give to the poor this is not, this is paying the working poor a percentage they deserve for making you rich. Thank you. Dialog like this I believe is the intent of the OWS movement. Not specifically what you said, but getting people talking about our problems as a country. For the record I agree with everything you’ve said. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/251 "2011-11-04T14:31:08Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Again. You’ve failed to demonstrate the occupiers have disturbed the peace. Do you have one fucking cite they’re anymore noisy than the city? [http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/10/25/occupy\_wall\_street\_drum\_circles\_divide\_organizers\_neighbors.html](http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/10/25/occupy_wall_street_drum_circles_divide_organizers_neighbors.html) Drum circle 10 hours a day and it is FUCKING LOUD ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/252 "2011-11-04T14:57:19Z")
> [@RyJae](#): > > I will try asking you one more time then I am done trying, how is protesting in a private park upsetting, disrupting or bothering politicians or bankers? Or more simply, how is it being more upsetting or disruptive to the politicians or bankers than the 99% who live around the area? > > I find it convenient that every time I have asked similar questions I got nothing in return. This is not comparable to the struggles for civil rights, those great men and women were willing to protest where it mattered. These OWS protesters are afraid of confrontation with the same group they are trying to change. Or I could be wrong, did Martin Luther King hold sit ins at NAACP offices? I always thought that sit ins where done in places like segregated libraries, lunch counters, shopping stores etc. They marched in the faces of those who wanted to dehumanize a race, they put themselves at risk of being arrested, beaten or killed, they confronted the problem to change the problem. > > Until OWS stops confronting the 99% they can have any message they want, but the message will be unheard by the pussy way they punish the 99% they claim to represent. > > On another note **gonzomax** I do respect you acknowledging the politicians part in this, sadly to many others are trying to lay the blame on corporate greed. Which obviously only happened because politicians of all stripes said fuck the people I wants me some money. The system is broken, and it needs fixed. How? I have no clue, saying this as a fiscal conservative I think we need to elect a true untainted party (Maybe the Green Party?) to majority to swing the pendulum. One with no ties to lobbyist, breaking the hold on Washington allowing them to crack down on gouging of the consumers, shrinking the pay difference between those who break a sweat with the executives. Taking from the rich to give to the poor this is not, this is paying the working poor a percentage they deserve for making you rich. People are not angry at the bankers just for what they did in the last decades bring the economy to its knees in 2007. The bankers received trillions of dollars in tax payer money to save the bankers from the destruction they wrought. There was an understanding that they would help jump start the economy by lending to small businesses . But the bankers found a better way. Since they got tax payer money for free, They could buy Tbills and be guaranteed profit on the interest. That is what they did. They paid us back with our own money. Then they foreclosed on millions of homes, often by dishonest methods. Still not satisfied, they cranked up interest rates , in some cases over 30 percent. You can easily understand how that dampens the economy. Now they are trying to find other ways to make money without risk. They are cranking up fees . That of course is taking more money out of the hands of people who would spend it. They have spent mega millions in lobbying and bribing of politicians. I suppose you can figure whose money that is. Yet they are spending it against the interests of the people and the future economy so they can still get huge salaries and bonuses now. Fuck the bankers. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/253 "2011-11-04T15:29:31Z")
Gonzo, You claimed that the pizzerias surrounding Zuccotti Park have hired 22 people due to the protests. Please provide a cite for that. I’ve asked repeatedly and yet you’ve repeatedly refused to provide one. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/254 "2011-11-04T15:52:46Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Your problem is your head is far up your ass you can’t see something has to change. Insulting comments like this don’t belong in GD. I’m giving you a formal warning. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/255 "2011-11-04T15:55:57Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Still not satisfied, they cranked up interest rates , in some cases over 30 percent. You [literally](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=500114) do not understand interest rates. Excuse me for not believing you regarding anything economic. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/256 "2011-11-04T16:01:38Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > You [literally](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=500114) do not understand interest rates. Excuse me for not believing you regarding anything economic. So you are saying banks didn’t raise interest rates on credit cards before the new law took effect? ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/257 "2011-11-04T16:22:49Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > They have spent mega millions in lobbying and bribing of politicians. I suppose you can figure whose money that is. Yet they are spending it against the interests of the people and the future economy so they can still get huge salaries and bonuses now. > Fuck the bankers. And fuck the politicians we elected for taking the election/reelection money and letting the lobbyists guide policy. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/258 "2011-11-04T16:26:49Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > So you are saying banks didn’t raise interest rates on credit cards before the new law took effect? No, but the statement was rather devoid of any real detail. For all I know, he might think that mortgage rates were raised to over thirty percent or some such rubbish. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/259 "2011-11-04T16:27:49Z")
> **[How a Pizza Joint Became the Official Caterer of the Revolution](https://www.gawker.com/5841874/how-a-pizza-joint-became-the-official-caterer-of-the-revolution)** > > Occupy Wall Street, The Anonymous-backed protests in Lower Manhattan, caused some headaches for financial district commuters today. But one business couldn't be happier: Liberatos pizza, the official caterer of the the Wall Street protests. Yep, pizza business is booming around Zuccotti Park. Longer hours and more employees. It is one of many pizzerias in the area. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956/260 "2011-11-04T16:32:15Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > No, but the statement was rather devoid of any real detail. For all I know, he might think that mortgage rates were raised to over thirty percent or some such rubbish. How is your jumping to the wrong conclusion proof that gonzo doesn’t understand interest? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classist-wall-street-occupiers-refuse-to-share-food-bridge-gaps-with-marginalized-homeless/600956.md?page=14)