Pittstain thinks we are scared....

[CC27]

WilliamPitt (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sun Oct-09-11 10:13 AM
Original message
Bank On It: They're Scared   Updated at 10:14 AM
   
Edited on Sun Oct-09-11 10:14 AM by WilliamPitt
Many thanks to arcane1 for providing the "Protest Safety Handbook."



October 3, 2011, Day 17 of Occupy Wall Street saw zombie bankers chasing money. (Photo: David Shankbone)

Bank On It: They're Scared
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed

Sunday 09 October 2011

Far be it from me to accuse Gandhi of missing a note, but in the case of the 'Occupy Wall Street' protests, the Mahatma's famous quote appears to be lacking a few essential words. "First they ignore you," he said, "then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."

That's not quite correct.

Certainly, the OWS protests began with a great whistling silence from the "mainstream" news media. It is only because of the resources available to the average person in this marvelous technological age we live in that word of the protest ever reached beyond its original location.

Thanks to cell phones, video cameras, digital recorders, and of course, the internet - all wielded by patriot citizens - reports, images and video of the protest began to dribble out via Twitter, Facebook and a variety of blogs and alternative news media sites like Truthout. But from the "mainstream" news, there was nothing, and nothing, and nothing.

Eventually, however, the OWS protest broke through the "mainstream" news blackout, thanks in no small part to commentators like Lawrence O'Donnell, Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann. Once the "mainstream" news outlets finally deigned to lower themselves to report on the rabble down on Wall Street, their tone and tenor fairly oozed contempt. The New York Times, bastion of the status quo, published an article describing each and every participant of the OWS protest as a moonbeam-riding fuzzbrain, someone reeking of patchouli who couldn't string a coherent thought together if their life depended on it...which was followed up immediately by a barrage of reports defending cops who hosed down defenseless women penned in behind nylon barriers with pepper spray, because those cops were doing exactly, precisely the right thing. Or something.

This, as usual, from the same "mainstream" news media that didn't have any problem with the gun-toting "patriots" of the Tea Party and their catastrophically-spelled signs. Well, then again, the Tea Party has corporate sponsorship, while the OWS protesters are doing this on their own. It pays - literally - to have friends in high places.

Similar disdain was heaped upon the OWS protest from every corner of the "mainstream" news realm, most especially from Fox News and the long reach of conservative talk radio. These protesters are bums, hippies, losers, anarchists, idiots, communists and fools, a drumbeat which has continued to this very day.

So.

First they ignore you: check.

Then they ridicule you: check.

According to Gandhi, the next step comes when they fight you, but here is the spot where his marvelous wisdom could use a bit of enhancement.

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you...

Then they get scared.

And they are scared, now. You can smell it. The criticism being leveled at the OWS movement has gotten far harsher in the last several days. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney recently deployed the old chestnut about "class warfare" to describe the protest. Rep. Eric Cantor doubled down on Romney's rhetoric with some of his own: "If you read the newspapers today, I for one am increasingly concerned about the growing mobs occupying Wall Street and the other cities across the country. Believe it or not, some in this town have actually condoned the pitting of Americans against Americans."

That's pretty rich right there, don't you think? Fellows like Cantor have made turning American against American their bread and butter for the last ten years..."You're with us or against us"...but I digress.

Fact: OWS has bloomed in more than a dozen major cities all across the country. It stopped being a protest a while ago. It's a movement now.

And they're scared.

Know how I know? I know because a friend in San Francisco took the time to transcribe a document he was given by the major bank he works for. The document, titled "Protest Safety Handbook," explains what a bank employee should do when confronted with the horror and terror of an OWS protest.

I am leaving the name of the bank out of this to protect my friend. Some tidbits:

The movement in New York has begun to publish a four page news paper titled "The Occupied Wall Street Journal." The current edition of the published document loosely outlines the group's manifesto and intentions. The group has indicated that they have been inspired by the results from similar groups involved in the "Arab Spring" in the Middle East. The group's publication cites an intention to first to protest and then to march, escalating to civil disobedience when necessary.

These types of groups are reaching out to the disengaged and disenfranchised population of the United States for members, often encouraging the unemployed and homeless to join the movement. Often these marches and protests are unplanned and result from instant notification on "Social Networks" that produce "Flash Protest Mobs" in a matter of minutes. While this group has not yet resorted to violence the possibility exists that they can.

Safety Tips:

- Avoid poorly lit areas and isolated locations that may make you vulnerable to an attack.

- Keep the cars doors locked while driving in the area of a mob or protest march.

- Project an image of confidence and strength. Walk with a purpose and avoid hesitation, keep your head up, shoulders back and make eye contact with people you pass.

- Avoid confrontation and unnecessary contact with protesters.

- Avoid walking or driving alone. There is safety in numbers.

- Carry purses close to the body.

- Wallets and cash are best kept in a front pocket.

- Avoid wearing Bank ID or logo items outside the bank if possible.

- Keep your cell phone charged and close at hand.

- Have emergency contact information pre-programmed into your phone.

- Have your keys out and ready before you need them.

- If you feel that you're in danger or if you observe suspicious or illegal activities, call the police or dial 911.

- If confronted or attacked, try to remain calm and cooperate by following the attacker's instructions.

- Do not attempt to reason or argue with the protesters.

- Cooperate and do not risk your personal safety.

- Be a good witness and try to remember as many details of what occurred as you can.

(Emphasis added)


Makes it sound like you're walking through a war zone, right? Not a peaceful protest, but some actively dangerous Thunderdome where instant and horrible death might reach out at any time to cut you down.

The financial powers-that-be are desperate to paint this peaceful, meaningful movement as some kind of civilization-annihilating upheaval, populated by rogues, pickpockets, mobs and murderers. They need the OWS protest to be seen this way by the general public, so they can discredit it and destroy it. Fear-mongering is an old, old tactic, and they are deploying it once again.

Note well: the bank that distributed this hyper-paranoid ball of gibberish is an entire continent away from the nexus of the OWS movement in New York City.

I guess San Francisco's OWS chapter has been making some noise. Same with Boston, and DC, and a dozen other cities.

First they ignore you.

Then they ridicule you.

Then they get scared.

Then they fight you.

Then you win.

I don't think the Mahatma would mind this small edition to his statement. It fits.

And it's true. They are scared.

You can smell it.

http://www.truth-out.org/bank-it-theyre-scared/13180208...

How the mighty have fallen huh Will? You're so irrelevant its not funny.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2084851

[Ballygrl]

Are they not aware how much they're being mocked by the average American?

[franksolich]

How the mighty have fallen huh Will? You're so irrelevant its not funny.

 

[CC27]

I feel honored i made Frank laugh.

[franksolich]

I feel honored i made Frank laugh.

I was thinking about what would happen if the people who mail out the welfare and dividend checks went on strike, too.

I wish they would.

[ChuckJ]

And they are scared, now. You can smell it.

That's not fear that you smell WeeWill.

[CC27]

That's not fear that you smell WeeWill.

I think they smell moonbats peeing on the sidewalk.

[franksolich]

That's not fear that you smell WeeWill.

As you know, sir, the Bostonian Drunkard is afflicted with boryborygmia.

Don't sit next to him in an airplane, or get into an elevator with him.

At least without wearing a gas mask.

[CC27]

I was thinking about what would happen if the people who mail out the welfare and dividend checks went on strike, too.

I wish they would.

Convenience stores would go out of  business.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Then they ridicule you: check.

We're still at this part.

[Freeper]

The only fear we have of the clOWnS is the violence that they will inflict on innocent people. After that though the decent and civilized people in law enforcement will shut this nonsense down.

[jukin]

Projection, pure projection. I think Wee Willie would be scared if the Tea Party had done what the filthy, dirty, freestuffers had done. 

[JohnnyReb]

Wee Willie said, "Once the "mainstream" news outlets finally deigned to lower themselves to report on the rabble down on Wall Street, their tone and tenor fairly oozed contempt. "....and I saw that contempt on TV this morning. It was a liberal news person lamenting the fact that the extreme left only comprises a small percentage of the vote in this country....and he was lamenting the fact that this OWS thing with it's open display of Marxism can only hurt the democrats chances at election time.    

Long live the OWS demonstrations.....

[GOBUCKS]

Projection, pure projection. I think Wee Willie would be scared if the Tea Party had done what the filthy, dirty, freestuffers had done.

Freestuffers. That's good, and it will be repeated.

[vesta111]

 I fear this will come back to bite Conservatives in the ass.     Remember the Tory's, Conservatives that the liberal, crazy, unwashed fought to give us America . [26]

[Carl]

Pitt actually was ignorant and stupid enough to say "Bank on it"?

[Rebel]

I fear this will come back to bite Conservatives in the ass.     Remember the Tory's, Conservatives that the liberal, crazy, unwashed fought to give us America . [26]

No one's scared of this gaggle of f'n fruitbats, Vesta. Many, including me, are just waiting for them to cowboy the hell up and do something instead of just running their cock gobblers. 

[67 Rover]

WilliamPitt (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Sun Oct-09-11 10:13 AM
Original message
Bank On It: They're Scared   Updated at 10:14 AM

Dear God. Let's hope this turns out the same way the last time wee willie said "bank on it" hint Marsha vs. Brown.

[GOBUCKS]

Remember the Tory's

God STILL kills a kitten every time a halfwit uses an apostrophe to make a plural.

[zeitgeist]

I fear this will come back to bite Conservatives in the ass.     Remember the Tory's, Conservatives that the liberal, crazy, unwashed fought to give us America . [26]

Remember the hippies protesting Viet Nam? They gave us Nixon.  See how it all works out Vesta?

[BlueStateSaint]

No one's scared of this gaggle of f'n fruitbats, Vesta. Many, including me, are just waiting for them to cowboy the hell up and do something instead of just running their cock gobblers. 

The only way they'll "cowboy the hell up" will be if they think a remake of Brokeback Mountain is being filmed.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I fear this will come back to bite Conservatives in the ass.     Remember the Tory's, Conservatives that the liberal, crazy, unwashed fought to give us America . [26]

Well, now we know where Pitt has been going to get his readings on current Conservative thought.

 

[movie buff]

How the mighty have fallen huh Will? You're so irrelevant its not funny.

Yeah.
He's already a laughingstock among even his fellow DUmmies for the infamous "24 business hours" incident, and became even more so after bragging to anyone who would listen about Michael Moore quoting Pitt in his annual Christmas rant, only to have it be revealed that the quote in question was one that Pitt had in fact plagiarized from a Douglas Adams novel. I guess Pitt figures he might gain back something vaguely resembling respect from the DUmmies by pandering to them, especially those actually participating in OWS. "OOh, you guys are REALLY big heroes! Everyone in America may be mocking you, but that's REALLY because they all must be scared of you!" At least he credited Gandhi for the quote, though, and didn't plagiarize it like he did the Adams quote.
btw, regarding the quote and Pitt's addition to it, that could all just as easily apply to the Left's reaction to the Tea Party movement:
First, they ignore you ("Oh, they're just bitter old white losers angry over a black man in the White House, this'll all be forgotten in two weeks!").
Then, they ridicule you ("Teabaggers!" "Rednecks!").
Then, as Pitt said, they get scared ("Dangerous right wing extremists!" "Violent, hate- filled rhetoric!" "Cross- Hairs!").
Then, they fight you (Already started a bit, such as the beating of Kenneth Gladney).
Then, you win (Also already started a bit, though the 2010 election results).

[JohnnyReb]

God STILL kills a kitten every time a halfwit uses an apostrophe to make a plural.

Good, I hate cat's to piece's.

[franksolich]

btw, regarding the quote and Pitt's addition to it, that could all just as easily apply to the Left's reaction to the Tea Party movement:

First, they ignore you ("Oh, they're just bitter old white losers angry over a black man in the White House, this'll all be forgotten in two weeks!").

Then, they ridicule you ("Teabaggers!" "Rednecks!").

Then, as Pitt said, they get scared ("Dangerous right wing extremists!" "Violent, hate- filled rhetoric!" "Cross- Hairs!").

Then, they fight you (Already started a bit, such as the beating of Kenneth Gladney).

Then, you win (Also already started a bit, though the 2010 election results).

Good one, sir.

Awesome display of primitive lack of vision.