# \#OccupyWallStreet **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 19, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851 "2011-09-19T18:27:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/1 "2011-09-19T18:27:54Z")
I find this: [http://www.adbusters.org/blogs/adbusters-blog/hey-president-obama-our-one-demand.html](http://www.adbusters.org/blogs/adbusters-blog/hey-president-obama-our-one-demand.html) pretty damn funny. > [@](#): > > Dear patriots, rabble-rousers, revolutionaries, > > On Saturday thousands of us will occupy Wall Street. We will wave our signs, unfurl our banners, beat our drums, chant our slogans … and then we’ll get down to business and hold several people’s assemblies to decide what our “one demand” will be. > > Shall we demand that President Obama reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act; outlaw flash trading; impose a 1% tax on all financial transactions? > > These are good ideas but not very energizing. > > How about we demand the revocation of corporate personhood? > > Feels a bit too abstract. Many Americans don’t fully grasp what’s at stake with this one. And besides, even if he wants to, President Obama cannot deliver this immediately. In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling, a reform project like this requires a constitutional amendment that would take a few years and a whole movement to achieve. > > We could demand Obama set up an American Democracy Reform Commission tasked with ending the monied corruption in Washington? Or perhaps a Presidential Commission to rethink the American banking system? > > Most Americans know that Washington is awash with corporate money and undue influence and would like to see democracy vibrant again. And most would also love to see the “too big to fail” banks broken up, downsized and made to serve the people, the economy and society again. A demand along those lines just might capture the public’s imagination. I have discarded several preconceptions about “The Left” in my 11-ish years here. But this call to arms represents all of the stuff I found laughable about leftist organization and protest. I know it’s not emblematic of the mainstream left’s thinking or planning, but I still think it’s hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/2 "2011-09-19T18:29:35Z")
I think this is a perfect example of someone who knows what they want to do and is looking for a reason to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/3 "2011-09-19T18:32:17Z")
We’re mad as hell about something and we’re not gonna take some of it anymore. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/4 "2011-09-19T18:34:30Z")
I hope we find out it’s not real. Oh so stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/5 "2011-09-19T18:35:07Z")
Hey, if protests are a form of democracy, wouldn’t democratic protests just be the next stage of evolution? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/6 "2011-09-19T18:40:30Z")
> [@bup](#): > > I hope we find out it’s not real. Oh so stupid. It’s [real, if completely ineffectual](http://www.businessinsider.com/anonymous-occupy-wall-street-2011-9). ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/7 "2011-09-19T18:46:17Z")
We will beat our drums, chant slogans and call for “someone to do something”. Then we’ll all go home and roll up a fattie. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/8 "2011-09-19T18:50:56Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > But this call to arms represents all of the stuff I found laughable about leftist organization and protest. I know it’s not emblematic of the mainstream left’s thinking or planning, but I still think it’s hilarious. Hell, I mostly agree with their policy points and it represents everything **I** think is laughable about leftist organization and protest. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/9 "2011-09-19T18:58:14Z")
Let’s have a protest with signs, bullhorns, and marching, demanding that we create a referendum to organize a committee that will look into the leading causes of what may or may not be healthy economic decision making. Maybe! We are gonna ask someone, SOMETHING, during our protest! And they are going to have to respond because we won’t take no (or yes?) for an answer! Or maybe we will, but we certainly won’t be nice about it! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/10 "2011-09-19T19:02:34Z")
Boy, those are some wild and crazy ideas there! Repeal Glass-Stegall? Gasp! Rein in financial speculation? Madness! Aunt Agatha would clutch her pearls and faint dead away. Move over, **Bricker** , so she doesn’t land on top of you… ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/11 "2011-09-19T19:14:01Z")
I may be wrong, but I don’t think **Bricker** was knocking the ideas (although he is undoubtedly against most if not all of them) but rather the notion that one might plan a protest prior to deciding what in the hell they were going to demand. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/12 "2011-09-19T19:14:56Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > We will beat our drums, chant slogans and call for “someone to do something”. > > Then we’ll all go home and roll up a fattie. That perfectly describes the people I see constantly talking about this on Facebook. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/13 "2011-09-19T19:16:56Z")
We’re here! We’re queer! We’re going to have an assembly to figure out what we want! We’re here! We’re queer! We’re going to have an assembly to figure out what we want! ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/14 "2011-09-19T19:33:22Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > I may be wrong, but I don’t think **Bricker** was knocking the ideas (although he is undoubtedly against most if not all of them) but rather the notion that one might plan a protest prior to deciding what in the hell they were going to demand. Precisely. Although I’m against the idea, one can certainly make a principled case for repeal of the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act, which is what the protesters presumabloy mean when they speaking of Obama “reinstating” the Glass-Steagall Act. What I find ludicrously funny is the idea tat they’ll all gather and “people’s committees” will settle on a demand. And only slightly less funny is their apparent idea that the President can repeal an act of Congress by his own lonesome self. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/15 "2011-09-19T19:36:30Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Boy, those are some wild and crazy ideas there! Repeal Glass-Stegall? Gasp! Rein in financial speculation? Madness! Aunt Agatha would clutch her pearls and faint dead away. Move over, **Bricker** , so she doesn’t land on top of you… Either you don’t have the slightest clue what you’re talking about, or you have some hidden free marketeer about you. Do you favor repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act? Really? I’m shocked, but pleasantly so. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/16 "2011-09-19T19:50:39Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Precisely. > > Although I’m against the idea, one can certainly make a principled case for repeal of the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act, which is what the protesters presumabloy mean when they speaking of Obama “reinstating” the Glass-Steagall Act. > > What I find ludicrously funny is the idea tat they’ll all gather and “people’s committees” will settle on a demand. And only slightly less funny is their apparent idea that the President can repeal an act of Congress by his own lonesome self. You completely miss the point, and in so doing demonstrate just how out of touch a rightard curmudgeon you are. Do girls at Wall Street protests put out ? Yes, yes they do. Do they think you’re more interesting the more nonsensical shit you spout ? Yes, yes they fucking do. Do they have daddy and trust issues that lead them to “test” prospective boyfriends through a trial of sex (and faithfulness… I _think_, I never stuck around for part 2) ? You better fucking believe it. So there. Way to display solidarity with your fellow man, _comrade_ _spit_. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/17 "2011-09-19T19:51:16Z")
I’m probably confused about that. I mean the legislation that freed our creative financial institutions from the dull, boring, staid regulations, and allowed them to create the exciting, go-go-go markets we have grown to so love. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/18 "2011-09-19T20:00:00Z")
What do we want? Something! When do we want it? Soon! Not very inspirational, is it? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/19 "2011-09-19T20:00:04Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > I may be wrong, but I don’t think **Bricker** was knocking the ideas (although he is undoubtedly against most if not all of them) but rather the notion that one might plan a protest prior to deciding what in the hell they were going to demand. Tends to muck up the chant, doesn’t it? “WHAT DO WE WANT?” \* \\* ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851/20 "2011-09-19T20:01:25Z")
What does Casey Stengel have to do with this again? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupywallstreet/596851.md?page=2)