Video: Jon Stewart Addresses Occupy Oakland's Retail Vandalism Problem

for the record, the kids in the black that were vandalizing the store look the Black Bloc Anarchists, not 99% protesters. don't quote me on that, but thats what it looks like.

too funny

It's worth noting that statistically speaking it's pretty likely that a lot of the Occupy folks failed to vote in the last election.

That is all.

Men’s Wearhouse: Corporate lackeys of the Occupy Movement? It appears George Zimmer, who lives in extravagant Blackhawk, California and who’s supposedly worth an estimated $800 million, stands with the 99%, 99% of who will never probably wear a suit. Perhaps the Men’s Whorehouse would be a better name George? Doesn’t look like your pandering saved your window.

more violence. you americans protest like girls.

fuck whole foods

yeah, I'm down with my ghetto Safeway in the Marina.

It just occurred to me that there's a double standard here....

* On one hand, protesters don't want to be lumped in with the "bad elements" and claim that the #occupy movement has value and it's only these "few bad apples" that give the rest of us (those that aren't protesting) a bad impression of their protests. "Those guys aren't us; we are the peaceful ones shitting/blogging/chanting/whatever in the park" they claim.* On the other hand, these very same protesters want to condemn the entire BART police force because one convicted dumbass blew away another idiot who was out partying and getting into fights on NYE with a young daughter at home. Instead of saying it was just one bad apple (Mehserle), they want to damn the whole police force.

Despite the news reports that people are leaving notes of apology and/or scrubbing some of the most offensive graffiti from the bank branch walls, the movement should do a better job of policing themselves and turn these miscreants over to the police. Of course, that's not likely to happen. However, until they get all their ducks in a row, this "movement" is irrelevant.

-mm

mmathers called the movement irrelevant you guys: we can all go home now!

Right, but the point he makes is spot on.

Occupy won't allow anyone to generalize about their actions, but they'll generalize the shit out of the cops (and, for that matter, the 1%, banks, business; etc.)

The more money Oakland has to spend on overtime for cops, cleaning up your shit, teargas and other party supplies, the less money they have to further one of Occupy's primary issues --- growing income inequality.

Like it or not, going home would be the best thing these guys could do for their movement. The hated tea party understood this and within a few years you can see how quickly their grassroots effort swayed the republican party. These folks too have similar issues in that there isn't necessarily any one "head" of the tea party. 

Occupiers, if they did more than whine, chant, blog, and spray paint, could do the same with the democratic party. Obama didn't offer you enough Change? Influence it yourself. Of course, chanting in a plaza is just that much easier.

-mm

That's because Occupy are rich white kids who don't care about people of color.  They just use them as tools.  Hence the tokenism of renaming Frank Ogawa Plaza for Oscar Grant.

>> their grassroots effort swayed the republican party.

LOL.

Say, wanna buy a bridge?

I actually initially quoted "grassroots" but decided to be sincere instead of snide.

However cynical you may be, the same applies for the OWS movement. Have you seen how much money is tied up with the various unions that support OWS?
-mm

Thanks for noticing that unions (working people) are involved in the movement. Not everyone out there is a homeless hippie.

But I did have to laugh at "grassroots", when the Tea Partiers would gather 150 people and get live coverage on CNN and FOX...it was hard for me to see that as grassroots.

that retard with the yellow helmet is lucky he didn't get his head caved in.

Hurray for occupy! 36% of the 61% of the 99% that have heard of it approve! Meanwhile, 14% of the 1% also approve!

Altogether you've got about 26% of the 100% supporting it.  That means you're only 2% behind the Tea Party, but still a 24% behind waterboarding. Maybe if you started waterboarding Whole Foods employees instead of just smashing Whole Foods windows your rating would improve?

Something for the open-ended committee to debate!

This was a good comment until you had to go and suggest waterboarding Whoe Foods employees. Maybe if you toned it down a notch, more people would take you seriously.

How's yer junk today, bro?

Polished smooth from yesterday, like Kojak's head. Thanks for asking!

Isn't it nice to not have to talk about stuff you don't want to talk about? I don't know why you spend so much time not talking about your alleged boy-parts. Do what you love!

I'm not sure what you're saying, but sure! Friday afternoon is when my dick's work week really cranks up, so yeah, let's give it some props. MY PENIS WHAT WHAAAA!

Hope whatever genitalia you're sporting has an excellent time this weekend too!

the new 1% (of the 99%).      ... love it

Occupy represents the new 1% (of the 99%).

My liberal friends have said that they might be on board with the #Occupy if it wasn’t just a bunch of rowdy hippies and street kids. I think that if they cleaned up and conducted themselves in a civil manner and brought a clear and specific message with a solution, more people would get on board. Until then #Occupy won’t be taken seriously outside of the fringe that they are.

John Steward it trying really hard to make you guys legit, but you are really making it hard for him.

Exactly. If we want the police to no be involved, we'll have to police ourselves. But people aren't going that far because the dispersion of responsibility is so easy in a group like this.

It's hard to call #Occupy a "bunch of rowdy hippies and street kids" when there are hundreds of thousands of people participating nation-wide. Yes, there are people that will "always judge movements by their worst elements," as Stewart says. But, those same people are looking for any reason to find a way to judge things. Much in the same fashion that plenty of people made huge blanket statements that every tea partier was a gun toting racist.

I can't exactly speak for the demographics of Oakland, but I can say that in the 5 weeks I've spent covering Occupy Chicago I've found rowdy hippies and street kids, suburban mothers, small business owners, clergy members, steelworkers, and plenty of others. As far as vandalism goes, I've seen two instances of graffiti and one broken window, both performed by people who weren't interested in Occupy's goals.

Every movement is going to have its shit starters. It's time to stop writing off large swaths of people based on the bad actions of a few.

I have to agree with the Colonel aaron.  There's no evidence that the combined numbers of all of the US protests have reached "hundreds of thousands."  "Tens of thousands" I will buy.

I'd like to see a citation supporting your assertion that there are "hundreds of thousands of people participating nationwide."  Oakland is number 2 to NYC, and at its biggest this past week it was what--20,000?

I'll do my best to explain my theory, as there aren't exactly formal numbers kept anywhere. It's all just a guesstimate. Given the amount of people who've camped out, participated in marches, gone to teach ins, signed petitions, participated online some way, etc - I use the term hundreds of thousands very loosely. There are several hundred "occupations" nationwide (see this map and list: http://www.occupytogether.org/....

Yes, plenty of those are probably in the dozens or hundreds. However, plenty of those cities have thousands of people participating in some way. Chicago has seen several marches featuring 2 to 3 thousand people, and they're not all the same people returning.

If you want to split hairs over semantics, perhaps instead, I'll retract the word "participants" and instead, use the word "supporters."

I don't think that's exactly "semantics," but in any event your ultimate conclusion is correct: the CNN poll this week showed that of the 61% of the people who've heard of Occupy, 36% agree with their message.

So about 25% of Americans (including me) are supportive of Occupy's principles.   It's their methods that cause the problem . . .

You sound scared Miles.

Thanks disqus!

Scared? Yes, I’m scared that that a bunch of unshowered halfwits that have never opened an economics book before in their lives are trying to shut down the flow of commerce to revolutionize the system (capitalism) that they know nothing about and replace it with some sort of socialism/communism/anarchist mix. The ones that do have a grasp of economics are misleading the ones willing to listen with one sided views and this is causing this movement to be miseducated on the fundamental reason that they are there in the first place.

Disorganized leaderless political encampments where half the people there are bums, and everyone lives in squalor is a scary thing that I hope does not get bigger. Please go down there and see for yourself and talk to a few people, play devil avocate, because the people that do have an educated grasp are very few.

The ones that do have a grasp of economics are misleading the ones
willing to listen with one sided views and this is causing this movement
to be miseducated on the fundamental reason that they are there in the
first place.

Sounds just like the Tea Party.

As you said, Eric, Occupy is the opposite side of the fringe from the Tea Party, so it makes sense. WHOOT!

> Scared? Yes, I’m scared

Best thing I've read all day!
Cheers!

You guys are so classy and cool. HURRAY for occupy!

Well, you have a pattern of being a real dick, so it's kind of a boy cried wolf thing.

It addition to being a colossal buzz kill, your sarcasm detector sucks.  I was just poking some fun at Miles.

IS our children learning?

Just admit it: you don't want them to be taken seriously, and it doesn't matter what they do or don't do, it still won't be enough for you.

I'd take them more seriously if they'd push some political candidates we could vote on (i.e. work within the democratic system we've had in place for hundreds of years), and do a proper focused message (instead of "Free Palestine!", "Oscar Grant Plaza", "Tax 401K's!").

Right.  Because it's sooo hard to keep more than one thought in my tiny little mind.  Especially with Kim Kardashian's impending divorce.

Those Tea Party guys had the right idea.  "Taxes are bad."  Simple, direct, to the point.

What a great thread, and so typical of the #occupy discussion.  Miles and Malcove offer legit, non-loaded criticisms of the movement, and are rewarded for their efforts by having their integrity and intelligence attacked.

I look forward to whatever lame diss you drop on me, too. HURRAY!