Thursday, November 3, 2011
Woods Young Republicans March on Occupy Nashville; 'We Love You,' the Occupiers Reply
Posted by Jeff Woods on Thu, Nov 3, 2011 at 8:10 PM
Undeterred by their warm welcome, the Republicans held their signs aloft and screamed, “Occupy the White House! Fire Obama!” But after only a few minutes, they were smiling, shaking hands and chatting amiably with their fellow demonstrators at the opposite end of the ideological spectrum. The GOP club president, Stephen Siao, even was invited to address the crowd through the People’s Microphone.
“The things you are demanding are unrealistic and will do absolutely nothing but add to the burgeoning debt that’s on each of our shoulders. You should be protesting at the White House, not Wall Street or the Tennessee Capitol,” Siao said as the occupiers expressed their disapproval by lowering their hands and wiggling their fingers.
Occupy Nashville was ready for the young Republicans because they advertised their counter-protest in the media yesterday. There were a couple dozen Republicans and maybe 100 occupiers. Cookies reportedly were baked for tonight's visitors, but we never saw any. Maybe the hungry Wall Street protesters ate them before the Republicans appeared.
At the beginning of Occupy Nashville’s nightly general assembly, Darria Janey Hudson—23, a Vanderbilt divinity student and former Fisk University student minister who was arrested on the first night of Gov. Bill Haslam’s crackdown—told the protesters to celebrate the arrival of the Republicans.
Tonight we will be joined by some of my fellow classmates from Vanderbilt University. I’m personally excited because they will be exercising their First Amendment rights to say whatever it is they feel and believe at the people’s Plaza that we held down just last week. But as we celebrate their joining us, let us not forget why we were originally here, which is to protest the corporate personhood and the corporate control of politics that’s put so many of us in such an economically disenfranchised position. Let us remember that 99’s a big number and it includes people of all walks of life. We are constantly growing, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Siao told reporters he supported Haslam’s actions against Occupy Nashville:
They have the First Amendment right to assemble, but they don’t have the First Amendment right to sleep here or to trash the Plaza and defecate on it. They have the right to assemble but once it gets dangerous or unsanitary, then the government has the right to come in and break it up. The governor did the right thing.
As the Republicans stood yelling at the occupiers, Jake Fentress appeared behind them and waved his own sign: “I Got Mine! Screw You! That’s How Capitalism Works!"
“I'm exercising my First Amendment right to satirize,” he told Pith.
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Comments (63)
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They have the First Amendment right to assemble, but they don’t have the First Amendment right to sleep here or to trash the Plaza and defecate on it. They have the right to assemble but once it gets dangerous or unsanitary, then the government has the right to come in and break it up. The governor did the right thing.
1) how do you draw the line between right to assemble and right to sleep there? trust me, the assemblage and free speech happens 24/7
2) no one has the right to trash / defecate on the plaza. ON was not involved in such. supporters of ON are usually sweeping up in the encampment by 7 am. i would do a patrol for trash before i go to bed at about 3 am when i'm there.
3) the government does have the right to step in if it gets dangerous or unsanitary. however, i would respectfully submit that ON never presented a dangerous or unsanitary condition. others in the plaza did. i would go further to say that if regular (not special babysitting) patrols had continued on the plaza, none of these problems woudl have presented themselves in the first place.
4) as the young republicans are very concerned about costs to state of ON, had the single foot patrolman been regularly visible, as they were the first two weeks, invasions by a total of 150 THP's would not have been neccessary.
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"Actually according to the government they all fall under the same Social Program/Entitlement umbrella"
No they don't. That's something else you can't prove.
"All you're doing is playing semantics so that you can oppose the ones that you think are bad, and still champion others"
I haven't championed any of them. I pointed out your erroneous attempt to lump them all into the social programs category.
"You know what they all have in common? They are funded by tax dollars. Or as you may refer to it "the government steals the money" in order to fund these programs. In essence, would that not make them all "transfer payments?"
Nope. Veterans benefits are the employee benefits for military employees - provided in exchange for the military protection services rendered to the taxpayer. Medicaid recepients are merely getting a handout - a transfer - without providing any product or service to the taxpayer in exchange.
"Attempting to associate Veteran's Benefits and the GI Bill to private sector benefits is also a spurious correlation. In the private sector an employer and employee would both bear the brunt of health insurance costs (for example). In the case of the military, the benefits are predicated on tax dollars as with the rest of the defense budget.
It is a perfectly apt correlation. Employers, whether it be the federal government or private sector employers have to compete for employees by offering benefits for services rendered by those employees. The nature and level of those benefits vary from employer to employer (public or private) but they are all part of the compensation package offered for services rendered.
" According to your previous statement "There is no such thing as a "right" to require anyone else to provide you with anything." Am I now to assume that you only meant this statement to apply to those you don't like, or deem unworthy."
Wrong again (or rather, still). Everyone doesn't have an inherent "right" to veterans benefits. You have to actually serve in the military and provide service to the taxpayers to get those benefits in exchange for services rendered.
"Also, I fail to see the connection to this debate, and my knowledge of economics."
Your inabilty to distinguish a difference between payments for services rendered and mere transers to people who are not providing any services in return certainly do inidcate a fundament lack of understanding of economics.
Actually according to the government they all fall under the same Social Program/Entitlement umbrella. All you're doing is playing semantics so that you can oppose the ones that you think are bad, and still champion others. You know what they all have in common? They are funded by tax dollars. Or as you may refer to it "the government steals the money" in order to fund these programs. In essence, would that not make them all "transfer payments?" Attempting to associate Veteran's Benefits and the GI Bill to private sector benefits is also a spurious correlation. In the private sector an employer and employee would both bear the brunt of health insurance costs (for example). In the case of the military, the benefits are predicated on tax dollars as with the rest of the defense budget. According to your previous statement "There is no such thing as a "right" to require anyone else to provide you with anything." Am I now to assume that you only meant this statement to apply to those you don't like, or deem unworthy.
Also, I fail to see the connection to this debate, and my knowledge of economics.
"You're right, none of the programs have ever been beneficial:"
You have a lot to learn about economics.
Veterans benefits and the GI Bill aren't social programs - they are military employee benefits for services rendered. Just like private sector employee negotiated benefits.
The home mortgage deduction, while an attempt to favor certain economic activity, isn't a social program either. The money that people keep when they get a tax deduction was their own money in the first place - not someone elses.
Actual social programs like Medicad, Medicare, Social Security are merely transfer payments from one citizen to another. The recepient is not providing any product or service in exchange for the money that is generating anything of value that will accrue to the payor.
Like all transfer payments, they net to zero.
@Gilbert Martin
You're right, none of the programs have ever been beneficial:
529 or Coverdell
Home Mortgage Interest Deduction
Social Security--Retirement & Survivors
Pell Grants
Unemployment Insurance
Veterans Benefits
G.I. Bill
Medicare
Head Start
Social Security Disability
SSI--Supplemental Security Income
Medicaid
I also didn't think proof was required. I was using the Tea Party method of just making blanket statements, truth be damned.
@idiot: Savetherepublic makes some good arguments but I don't think he's as witty as I am. For instance, the occupiers have good reason to be cordial to the Young Republicans: In the not too distant future they'll be asking them for jobs.
"Our rights do not give us the right to take away the rights or property of others. "
Indeed not.
All rights are negative liberties. Which is the right to not be prevented by the state from engaging in some activity on your own - such as free speech.
There is no such thing as a "right" to require anyone else to provide you with anything.
"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that social programs benefit society as a whole (even the rich!). "
Ha!
You aren't capable of proving that.
Jdilla, stop wasting your time. I have a sneaking suspicion that "savetherepublic" is a certain Nashville Scene "top commenter"- that's based on volume, not quality. If it's not, he just sounds like him. The way these guys describe Obama, if you didn't know any better, he sounds like history's greatest monster. It's like they've created this Bizarro World Obama that is 180 degrees different then the actual one. If he's reelected (and I think he will), a bunch of people are literally going to explode. It's going to be messy.
@SavetheRepublic
Based on your posts, demeanor, and source references I would say I have a pretty good idea where you stand on those issues.. But no, you're right, you're a true beacon of everything America stands for. No one else knows anything, that's certainly not up for discussion. Also for the second time (sorry to those who possess basic comprehension skills), I never said "everyone gets the same amount of everything" which you put in quotations for some reason. I guess it would be asking a little too much for you to construct a decent straw man judging by your grammar skills and random capitalization.
@jdilla: Also: So it's Obama dividing Americans on the basis of their income and wealth? (per you, or David Limbaugh)
That's funny, I thought it was the amount of money that we have.
Such an ignorant comment. It's obvious that everyone does not have an equal amount of money. duh.
Obama is trying to stir up HATRED AND ENVY between everyone instead of uniting us all under the Constitution. He is making money through Wall Street, takes campaign contributions from them and then demonizes them. Anyone, big or small is not safe with Obama's socialist agenda. If he deems you are "wealthy" AND do NOT contribute to the Obama/democrat agenda, get ready to be raided by federal agents and "take it up the tailpipe" in what HE perceives is YOUR "FAIR" SHARE of taxation.
@jdilla:Rush, is that you?! I did not mean to imply everything for everyone, which is why I chose the language "basic needs." I also did not use the word "everyone" as I thought the previous dialog would indicate that I meant people who are in need. Reasonable people have been able to find the balance between a free market, and helping people who may not be as fortunate as others with basic necessities for some time now. America certainly has ever since the New Deal (I know you hate it, spare us the outrage). Do you mind that the "socialist nanny state" government "robs" people for defense spending? How about roads for us to drive on? What about "robbing" citizens to pay for a Police Dept., Fire Dept., and schools to ensure that we all have an education? I must say I do love the irony of the people who want to regulate women's rights, who marries who, and what we are allowed to say (and when) complain about a "nanny state" and "big brother."
You have no idea where I stand on women's rights, marriage and free speech. Don't try to start assuming and slinging insults. You don't know what I hate and if I want to express outrage, I have that right. I don't have to "spare" you anything. Just don't read and respond if you don't like my opinion.
The government (ie, TAXPAYERS) DO NOT owe "basic needs" to anyone. The government owes the citizens less intrusive, burdensome government, so that everyone can take advantage of the opportunities available in a free society, unencumbered by over- regulation, over taxation and interference into our private lives.
A total revamping of our tax system would be a start. A flat tax or something else simple with no loopholes for big corporations who get away with paying 0%. Everyone should pay something except for the very, very poorest. Cut out the fraud in our social programs and don't add anymore. Put and end "corporate cronyism" that Obama and other politicians (both sides) love so much. Cut out the cushy benefits and retirement for public "servants"(professional politicians, including presidents), public unions, etc, that are above and beyond the private sector. I think that will "equal' things out a bit.
Our republic was NOT intended to become "everybody gets the same amount of everything". That's socialism and it has never worked in any other country in any other century. It's class warfare, envy and greed all rolled up into a big fluffy cotton candy package that quickly melts away.
I stand by my original comment, A Lesson on Socialism: All of OWS "protesters" (Useful Idiots) should be REQUIRED BY LAW to give their tents, food, cookies, provisions and donations that they "worked hard" (begged) for, to the actual homeless in Nashville, or whatever city they are trying to unlawfully "occupy". Soon, they would would run out of those things. Then the homeless could "occupy" the OWS camps and vandalize them, beat them up and demand more. Socialism. Gotta love it. "Wiggle Fingers!!"
Dude there were totally still cookies there when the counter-protesters arrived. I saw them with my own eyes.
I thought the "I got mine, screw you, that's how capitalism works" guy was a real Republican! I was like "props to him, that sign IS pretty funny."
Also: So it's Obama dividing Americans on the basis of their income and wealth? (per you, or David Limbaugh)
That's funny, I thought it was the amount of money that we have.
@SavetheRepublic
Rush, is that you?! I did not mean to imply everything for everyone, which is why I chose the language "basic needs." I also did not use the word "everyone" as I thought the previous dialog would indicate that I meant people who are in need. Reasonable people have been able to find the balance between a free market, and helping people who may not be as fortunate as others with basic necessities for some time now. America certainly has ever since the New Deal (I know you hate it, spare us the outrage). Do you mind that the "socialist nanny state" government "robs" people for defense spending? How about roads for us to drive on? What about "robbing" citizens to pay for a Police Dept., Fire Dept., and schools to ensure that we all have an education? I must say I do love the irony of the people who want to regulate women's rights, who marries who, and what we are allowed to say (and when) complain about a "nanny state" and "big brother."
jdilla: Our republic was not formed to "provide for the needs of the people" but to protect the God given rights of "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness". That does not give us the right to rob others of their hard earned money or to establish a socialist nanny state to provide for all our needs. Our rights do not give us the right to take away the rights or property of others. We don't need a huge government capable of giving us everything (which is just a socialist pipe dream, because it is mathmatically impossible). If Big Brother Government can do that, they can also take it all away.
How's this: All of OWS "protesters" (Useful Idiots) should be REQUIRED BY LAW to give their tents, food, cookies, provisions and donations that they "worked hard" (begged) for, to the actual homeless in Nashville, or whatever city they are trying to unlawfully "occupy". Soon, they would would run out of those things. Then the homeless could "occupy" the OWS camps and vandalize them, beat them up and demand more. Socialism. Gotta love it. "Wiggle Fingers"
Local Foodie LOCAL FOODIE easy EASY isn't always best ISN'T ALWAYS BEST just ask the people JUST ASK THE PEOPLE who are sleeping on cold granite WHO ARE SLEEPING ON COLD GRANITE at Legislative Plaza AT LEGISLATIVE PLAZA suffering for us SUFFERING FOR US! (WIGGLE FINGERS!!!!!!!!!!)
Kind of like those names on the War Memorial KIND OF LIKE THOSE NAMES ON THE WAR MEMORIAL Only our people aren't war mongers ONLY OUR PEOPLE AREN'T WAR MONGERS (wiggle fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!) and they haven't died AND THEY HAVEN'T DIED or anything OR ANYTHING. (wiggle fingers!!!!!!)
GODBLESSTHETHP:
Yes, I think I do understand but, it would be much easier to understand you if you included some punctuation and left off the all caps echo. It's kind of like a bad cellphone call. I enjoy the dialogue but, if all I perceive is a kind of "shouting rant" then your argument is hard to follow.
My lunch break is over but, I will check back later.
Local Foodie LOCAL FOODIE did you see this DID YOU SEE THIS?
"the occupiers expressed their disapproval by lowering their hands and wiggling their fingers.'
Pith wrote that PITH WROTE THAT in the article IN THE ARTICLE, cause well, CAUSE WELL, they wiggle their fingers THEY WIGGLE THEIR FINGERS (wiggle fingers!) Up for good UP FOR GOOD, down for bad DOWN FOR BAD (wiggle fingers) Now do you understand? NOW DO YOUR UNDERSTAND? (wiggle fingers!)
@Local Foodie
You are pretty much spot on. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that social programs benefit society as a whole (even the rich!). If you provide for the basic needs of people they will be happier, less likely to revolt. Ask Marie Antoinette.
GODBLESSTHETHP:
I think freedom of expression is a wonderful thing and feel those in the occupy movement are doing just that. Now, I think your posts would seem more sane if you included some punctuation other than the exclamation points in the "wiggle fingers" part. And, I assume that you don't really mean "wiggle" but, rather "waggle." The notion of wiggling fingers is kind of creepy.
jdilla JDILLA I don't watch TV I DON'T WATCH TV I listen to NPR I LISTEN TO NPR!!(wiggle fingers!!!!!!!!!!) You're just trying YOU'RE JUST TRYING to be mean TO BE MEAN for some reason FOR SOME REASON. (sad wiggle fingers) I'm nice to everybody I"M NICE TO EVERYBODY (wiggle fingers!!!!) except greedy 1%ers EXCEPT GREEDY 1%ers who don't want to pay WHO DON'T WANT TO PAY their fair share THEIR FAIR SHARE (WIGGLE FINGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Local Foodie LOCAL FOODIE it isn't an illness IT ISN'T AN ILLNESS it is IT IS creative expression CREATIVE EXPRESSION (wiggle fingers!!!!) to show written solidarity TO SHOW WRITTEN SOLIDARITY with my 99% comrades WITH MY 99% COMRADES on the Plaza ON THE PLAZA. (wiggle fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Freedom of Speech FREEDOM OF SPEECH and all that AND ALL THAT (wiggle fingers!!!!!)
Glad to know GLAD TO KNOW you're not that person YOU'RE NOT THAT PERSON (wiggle fingers!!!!!!)
@godblessthethp
get a haircut GET A HAIRCUT get off our lawn GET OFF OUR LAWN (grumble grumble)
get a job GET A JOB oh shit, matlock's on (grumble grumble)
To GODBLESSTHETHP:
Er, no, I don't live in East Nashville. I live in downtown Nashville. I can suggest a good neurologist I know for the capitalization stereotypy you seem to be suffering from.
Instead of targeting local bank branch managers and private-sector entrepreneurs, the protesters should be camping out at government offices and asking where all the tens of millions of dollars in federal Obama stimulus funding went over the past two years -- including $40 million from the Department of Health and Human Services, nearly $30 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, $26 million from the Department of Justice, $24 million from the Transportation Department, $15 million from the Department of Education, and $5.3 million from the Environmental Protection Agency.
http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/2011/11/02/malkin-occupy-oaklands-dangerous-strike-follies/
"I'm guessing I'm older than most who've posted here and while not a 1%er, very close."
I hope I HOPE you're not the person YOU'RE NOT THE PERSON I know of I KNOW OF who has WHO HAS a place A PLACE in East Nashville IN EAST NASHVILLE who has a bunch of ten dollar and hour WHO HAS A BUNCH OF TEN DOLLAR AN HOUR wage slaves WAGE SLAVES with no benefits WITH NO BENEFITS mincing her overcooked roasted beets MINCING HER OVERCOOKED ROASTED BEETS and then charging AND THEN CHARGING twenty bucks for half a beet TWENTY BUCKS FOR HALF A BEET and a little goat cheese AND A LITTLE GOAT CHEESE. (down wiggle fingers!!!)
If so IF SO they need to occupy your place THEY NEED TO OCCUPY YOUR PLACE next NEXT (wittle fingers!!!!!) You are worse YOU ARE WORSE than Walmart THAN WALMART..((WIGGLE FINGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Elmer ELMER why so tense dude WHY SO TENSE DUDE Let Eva give you a massage LET EVA GIVE YOU A MASSAGE (wiggle fingers!!!!!!!!!)
If the Vandy kid IF THE VANDY KID becomes a doctor BECOMES A DOCTOR or a lawyer OR A LAWYER or some other really smart person OR SOME OTHER REALLY SMART PERSON he'll pay lots of taxes HE'LL PAY LOTS OF TAXES to the government TO THE GOVERNMENT, not enough NOT ENOUGH, (Wiggle fingers!!!!!!) but it will be a lot more BUT IT WILL BE A LOT MORE than a Pell grant THAN A PELL GRANT (wiggle fingers!!!!)
If he's an artist IF HE'S AN ARTIST or a musician OR A MUSICIAN or a minister OR A MINISTER or a community organizer OR A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER not so much NOT SO MUCH unless you hit it big UNLESS YOU HIT IT BIG but you don't have to go to college BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE especially not Vanderbilt ESPECIALLY NOT VANDERBILT to do all that stuff TO DO ALL THAT STUFF (Wiggle fingers!!!!!!!)
I'm guessing I'm older than most who've posted here and while not a 1%er, very close. Now, for the shocker; I completely understand the occupy movement. Sadly, I've watched the growing divide between the top wage earners and the rest of our society over the years and I think it's the single most worrisome product of our times. We have transmogrified from a production oriented economy to a service oriented economy and in turn have become dependent upon cheap labor to produce our consumable goods and commodities. Aside from agriculture (were we still lead the world) our dominance as a manufacturing nation has been allowed to slip away. My hope is that more of these open dialogues thake place and more of my fellow citizens come to understand that a huge gulf of difference between those who make the top 5% of incomes in this country and everyone else is not only immoral but, unsustainable. I would think a ride through East Nashville would illustrate this to anyone with open eyes.
"Obama's ceaseless attack on the 'rich' and his effort to divide Americans on the basis of their income and wealth can best be seen as a diversion, an attempt to distract Americans' attention from his failure to address our interrelated economic malaise and fiscal crises. ... Obama blames the rich for problems he's causing, despite the absence of causal relationship between the distribution of our national income and wealth and the economic and debt problems we face. Why? Simply because that's what demagogic community-organizing, Marxist-leaning Alinsky disciples do -- and it's disgraceful." --columnist David Limbaugh
"In truth, if the Obamavillians want jobs, their interests run counter to those of the unions, which are far more interested in maximizing pay and benefits for people who already have jobs. When forced to choose between layoffs and reductions in compensation, unions almost always opt for the former. And whereas unions are devoted to seniority, many denizens of Obamaville are so junior that they have yet to land entry-level positions. Unions must really be in trouble if they are looking for support in such an unpromising crowd." --Wall Street Journal columnist James Taranto
"But after only a few minutes, they were smiling, shaking hands and chatting amiably with their fellow demonstrators at the opposite end of the ideological spectrum."
Well at least you admitted that the occupiers are leftists - unlike all the spinnners who keep trying to claim that it's not ideological or that it's not about the "false" left-right divide.
Huh. I had no idea how prescient I was being yesterday when I asked if Stephen and Garrett wanted a cookie to go with their Kool-Aid.
Oh, those Vanderbilt Kiddie GOPers...
"...College Republicans President Stephen Siao says, “The demands of Occupy Nashville protesters will do nothing but add to the burgeoning debt already on my generation’s shoulders. We will be the generation paying for their greed. This is generational theft.”
Occupy Nashville Welcomes Young GOP Counter Protest:
"Neither group quite knew what to expect. The College Republicans looked a bit nervous as they confronted the crowd of more than 100 at the Occupy Nashville assembly. Quickly one of the chants from the students Republicans became a rallying cry for all…
(Chanting) “We are the debt generation. We are the debt generation…. College Republicans looked a bit nervous as they confronted the crowd of more than 100 at the Occupy Nashville assembly. Quickly one of the chants from the students Republicans became a rallying cry for all….”
Given their many, many statements to the news media, I think that it would be extremely newsworthy (and revealing) for the reporters now covering Occupy Nashville at the Tennessee Legislative Plaza --- and now, the Vanderbilt College Republicans such President Stephen Siao, senior Garrett Sweitzer, and other V-kiddies wading in the Vanderbilt GOPer kiddie pool --- these following questions:
1) just exactly how are you (and other protesting Vanderbilt College Republicans) paying for your college tuition and expenses to attend Vanderbilt University?;
2) do you (or any of the protesting Vanderbilt College Republicans) take advantage of federally funded Pell Grants or federally guaranteed student loans to finance part or all of your tuition and expenses necessary for you to attend Vanderbilt University?, and;
3) would you give permission to the news media to inspect your financial aid transcript at Vanderbilt University in order to verify your answers to the aforementioned questions?
Vanderbilt Financial Aid Facts | Undergraduate
The estimated average costs for full-time undergraduate students attending Vanderbilt University for academic year 2011-12 are:
Tuition $40,320
Housing $ 8,860
Meals $ 4,700
Books and Supplies $ 1,344
Activities/Rec Center Fee $ 1,012
Personal Expenses $ 2,318
Travel Allowance Varies
First-Year Experience Fee $ 664
Transcript Fee (one-time payment) $ 30
TOTAL $59,248 (plus travel)
"Paid by the word"-- it's a joke, son, I say I say it's a joke, son.
As for the $10/hour: we're all being suckered down at legislative plaza! Do we need to send our resumes to the HR Department? How about if you hit 40 hours for the week, can we get time and a half? I want my OWS 401k to invest in the Fidelity Corporate Corruption mutual fund. I hear it's doing really well.
Funny Ben FUNNY BEN that you would ask me that THAT YOUR WOULD ASK ME THAT. No NO I don't get paid I DON'T GET PAID.
But I just read BUT I JUST READ that our comrades THAT OUR COMRADES in the group formerly know as ACORN IN THE GROUP FORMERLY KNOWN AS ACORN and now called our Communities something or other AND NOW CALLED OUR COMMUNITIES SOMETHING OR OTHER same difference SAME DIFFERENCE are giving employment to people ARE GIVING EMPLOYMENT TO PEOPLE who would otherwise not be able to protest for free WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE ABLE TO PROTEST FOR FREE at Occupy Wall Street AT OCCUPY WALL STREET (Wiggle fingers!!!) Ten bucks an hour TEN BUCKS AN HOUR (wiggle fingers!!!!!!)
But they don't want the press to know BUT THEY DON'T WANT THE PRESS TO KNOW especially the fascists at FOX ESPECIALLY THE FASCISTS AT FOX shhhhhh SHHHHHHHH! (wiggle fingers)
Save the Republic SAVE THE REPUBLIC try not to be so hard on him TRY NOT TO BE SO HARD ON HIM (wiggle fingers) he is probably a member HE IS PROBABLY A MERBER of some campus marxist socialist organization OF SOME CAMPUS MARXIST SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION (wiggle fingers!!!!!!) Really those groupes are just Fraternities REALLY THOSE GROUPS ARE JUST FRATERNITIES for people who have been shut out FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SHUT OUT (wiggle fingers) by 1%ers like those obnoxious Vandy Rebublicans BY 1%ERS LIKE THOSE OBNOXIOUS VANDY REPUBLICANS.
The solidarity type kids THE SOLIDARITY TYPE KIDS like to get together on the weekends LIKE TO GET TOGETHER ON THE WEEKENDS and drink beer AND DRINK BEER (wiggle fingers!!!!) but not watch football BUT NOT WATCH FOOTBALL cause Chomsky says that's lame CAUSE CHOMSKY SAYS THAT'S LAME.(Wiggle fingers!!!!!)
They also like to take roadtrips to protests THEY ALSO LIKE TO TAKE ROADTRIPS TO PROTESTS like those kids from Memphis LIKE THOSE KIDS FROM MEMPHIS who came all the way up here WHO CAME ALL THE WAY UP HERE to get arrested TO GET ARRESTED (wiggle fingers!!!!!!!) That guy from Kentucky too THAT GUY FROM KENTUCKY TOO (wiggle fingers!!!!!!) Or those people who got arrested OR THOSE PEOPLE WHO GOT ARRESTED that said THAT SAID they had been THEY HAD BEEN at Occupy Wall Street AT OCCUPY WALL STREET (wiggle fingers!!!!!!!!!!!) in New York IN NEW YORK (Wiggle fingers!!!!!!!)
plumpynut, So you're saying that the Young Republicans want to hit the world with a cruise a missile? Disenfranchise the poor? WTH. This is the most ridiculous group of commenters I've ever encountered. Went from Kumbaya, pass me a cookie to You really want to blow me up don't you? Sheesh. I'm going back to bed.
http://patriotpost.us/alexander/2011/11/03/populist-socialism-on-the-rise/
"Their mantra is simple (by necessity): "We are the 99 Percent, and we're all victims of the 1 Percent." By any objective standard, the 99 Percenters are not the brightest bunch, and they really represent the roughly 20 percent of Americans who are irrevocably dependent upon government subsidies and pay no income tax. Thus, this 20 percent has no vested interest in the cost of government and is predisposed to vote for the redistribution of others' incomes rather than work for their own. The underlying assumption is that it's easier to confiscate wealth than create it."
This is the last I will comment here. I wanted to commemorate Ben. . I have been out of the country for 10 years or so and only read about Benny's passing recently. I was shocked. My father passed me the obituary and I just about fell down. Ben was a champion. He was my best friend. He always stuck it in the collective ass of the powers that be. That started even in High School when he sued the school district in Tazewell about prayer in school on behalf of the ACLU.I think he obtained an award for that. Ben was a trooper. And he stood up for those who could not defend themselves. I'm sorry to say that I was not a part of Ben's life for the past 10 years or so but if he was here today he would remember the times that we studied torts, crim law, and contracts together. He would remember the times that we went to his farm and burnt the bonfire and had a few six packs. Graham would probably recall that as well :) I will miss benny... he was one of a kind. Integrity, intelligence, and honesty are adjectives that will always be indelibly stamped upon my memory of Ben.
" I'm SOOOO sure that they just LOOOOOVE people they don't even know!"-SavetheRepublic
The difference between the Young Republicans and the Occupiers(and most of the rest of humanity) in a nutshell. Depersonalize the poor and disenfranchised. Then hit 'em with a cruise missile. Meh.
nice to see our favorite troll in action tonight. I have to say that from my point of view what happened tonight was beautiful. Two opposing groups met, exchanged dialogue, and ended up in discussion. And we had cookies!
Whatever. Still seems odd to me and doesn't belong here, but say whatever you want. It doesn't apply to the article, however. Good night.
Ok sorry if it seems like that - I am a friend of Ben and we studied law together. We were best friends during law school. I remember the first time i heard Ben at UTK Law... he talked about the "paradigms" that were being put forth by the government. I immediately turned an ear. Ben and I spent 2 years of UTK law toghether. We spend 2 years eating at that cafeteria behind the law school, and not to mention Vic and Bills. (Which we called "Sick and Ills") Ben and I studied our first 2 years of law together, and we became very good friends. I spent time with Ben in Tazewell, as well as at that farm that he loved so much out near morristown that his grandpa built. I was there when we lit the bonfires. I was there when Spartacus was almost run over by my car, and i felt like shit. But thank God Spartacus was ok. I loved benny and the planet is a sorrier place with his loss. I
You didn't step on my toes. They are perfectly intact. Your comments just made you look like a fibber who knew about the death of Ben Pressnell and wanted to attach his tragic death and the name "Ben" to the commenter, "Ben" below, who has an ongoing "debate" with another commenter.
And, no offense, but I think you are pulling something here. Your original comment on "Ben" said "he just passed away" not "I just HEARD that he passed away".
Your comment seems totally inappropriate and unrelated to the topic and discussion going on here. Seems to me there would better ways to commemorate your "friend".
Sorry if i offended you. I love Ben, and spent most of my law school with him- we studied for many a final together. I just heard about it and wanted to commemorate his passsing as well as the things that he stood for when he was among us. Sorry if i stepped on your toes... Ben will always be in my heart.
"Published SEP 28 2011 by Claiborne Progress
Gone too soon: Ben Pressnell
Young attorney Ben Pressnell, an assistant public defender for the 8th Judicial District, died Sunday, September 11, following a sudden illness. He was 38.
Pressnell, who contracted a staph infection, passed away at the University of Tennessee Medical Center after being hospitalized..."
Why are you injecting this into the comments? This man died September 11. Not just now. Really weird of you. If he really was your friend, my condolences, but doesn't seem to fit here.
I just want to add that Ben was just 42 and was destroyed by some "infection" around his heart. He was a healthy guy who rowed a lot, he was not a smoker, he was in great shape, and, well, perhaps UT Med has some questions that need to be answered.
Oh, and he also knew that China has had nuclear weapons since 1964.
A true progressive, a defender of human rights, an attorney for the ACLU, and a graduate of Vandy. Ben was a philosophy major. He realized that there are issues of morality which are not just black and white. He was compassionate. He was the kind of guy who would don a viking helmet and hoist a liter of german beer while we were studying for contract law finals. He was the kind of guy who would be sitting with me in Contracts class and pass me a note that just said "penis". And we both laughed. He represented the poor, the downtrodden, probably the guilty as well, but he was always true to his oath And he has just passed well before his time. Ben S. Pressnell, with whom i studied the law at UTK School of Law, has just passed at UT Med with, apparently, a staph infection. A true progressive, and a bona fide champion for the dis-enfranchised, Ben Pressnell will me miss you brother....
