Faces of Occupy L.A.: The Student, the Actor, the Addict, the Vet

Visions1

Just seen you live on the Occupy LA feed from my home here in the UK Steve.You spoke well -- very inspiring!When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will have peace!Dave Haith

David_Barron

I dream of a law that states: If you file to run for another elected office before your term is up, you immediately forfeit your present seat....it would be no different than being run over and killed by a High Speed Rail Train.As I look at those 'Occupy' protesters throughout the country, I see the very 'anti-establishment' protesters of the 60's who are now corrupt bureaucrats destroying our America and our City of Los Angeles. Then, there's the two-faced 'antonio' handing out rain-poncho’s to the protesters as a gesture of approval of their cause....only to turn and walk away, leaving them to soak in the rain while he heads out to join the very people these protesters hate; 'antonio's' capitalist, billionaire, 'establishment' friends.

You are the Population

Keep setting up systems like the AA group within the community. Continue taking responsibility for your own lives and your communities. We do not need the corrupt, wasteful and unintelligent systems set up to serve the current powers that be. The citizens can do the job of our representatives and government tools.

Example: people are more than capable of directing traffic, but the police don't want to lose their jobs or look stupid so they give people who do such things tickets.

We need to examine everything our federal and local governments do and get rid of the things that don't work. We should no longer wait around for things to change, but be that change. If you have an idea of how to improve something share it with people. Expose waste and corruption. Offer solutions. Think for yourselves.

They say that the population is ignorant and that it needs to wake up. Guess what. That is you. Even if you currently think you are awake and aware of what is truly going on while living your life to uphold those ideals, there is much more to learn and many ways to improve upon your actions to further awaken the population.

What portion or the 99% needs to work together to fix our country? Is it 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 or 80 percent? The technology that exists today is far beyond what any civilization has ever had. We can now increase the democratic aspects of our Republic by leveraging the knowledge and input of the citizens who would be making decisions in their best interest and the best interest of this country and NO ONE ELSE.

Do a little extra every day and keep the snow ball rolling. If not now, when?

Mike Jonesian

One "occupier" muses that "These are folks who are skilled at going to Bonnaroo and Burning Man," which is very revealing as to the type of yahoos campin' out on the lawn: drug users and freeloaders--usually trust fund kids who wouldn't accept a job if their life depended on it. Man, I'll bet there are some amazing stories in all this! How about the occupiers who don't want to adhere their ridiculous form of government? There surely must be dissidents! How about the students who are missing classes their parent paid for? Interview some of their personal security, that would be fun...

Steve Gelder

I'm the "occupier" who said that, and it's more because of my smart-ass nature as a former comedian that I made that obvious joke. Don't try to label our people with my joke - it'll only make you look foolish.

The media is painting us as nothing but 20-something's who are chillin' on the lawns, but in reality, I'm in my 40s and there are plenty of people in their 50s, 60s and 70s who are proudly joining with us. They've seen things go from bad to worse as money influences both sides of our two-party system into something that works only for the benefit of companies and the ultra-rich, and leaves nothing for "We the People".

These kids aren't trust fund kids - these are kids who trusted the system when it told them that if you go to college, you'll get a job. Where are the jobs? Got any answers for us "yahoos"...?

There are very few dissidents among our occupation. We work pretty effectively, considering we're trying to give everyone a chance to be heard and offer their ideas. Your mutant cynicism ability will probably draw the attention of Professor X at some point; until then, why not let people who are concerned with the negative course this country has been on for too long try to solve things, since it doesn't sound like you're offering any solutions...?

Mike Jonesian

Steve - I admire your efforts at reform--really, I do, but I do not think a Socialist agenda is likely to replace capitalism. Do you think the government should set a limit on the amount of profit allowed? If I had a solution, I would gladly offer it. I do know what the solution is NOT. In my city, there are people who hang out at freeway off- and on-ramps, asking for handouts. Its an embarrassment to the city. Now why would these people want a paying job when they get free handouts? I see the general assembly of Occupy as being made up of like-minded individuals. My parents taught me to work for money. If you are sticking to the "you go to college, you'll get a job" mantra, I'd be interested to find out how many "Occupiers" have master's degrees.

notlaughingenough

@Steve Gelder... I now see why you are an unemployed former comedian living in El Norte Hollywood.

Steve Gelder

Mike, we're not putting forth a socialist agenda. We are trying to make some kind of real change in the inequitable way the system works for those who can afford to influence politics to work for them, not for the people.

We have economists, attorneys, educators - plenty of degrees at work down here, trying to find real solutions, and from what I can see, being involved in the process, we are coming up with more ideas than our paid representatives are.

We're not the people asking for free handouts. We're the people fighting to get money out of the political process so we can be heard, and represented, once again.