Occupy Charleston Back from Obscurity
Group had largely fallen out of the spotlight after lukewarm October demonstrations.
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If gaining attention is half the battle for the Occupy movement, Thursday’s takeover of a Michele Bachmann event in Mount Pleasant could be deemed a huge success by its organizers.
The group's emergence Thursday is the first time the public has heard from them since tepid protests in mid-October drew small crowds.
By contrast on Thursday, in front of a throng of reporters who broadcast the raucous demonstration around the globe, roughly 30 or so Occupy Charleston protesters stopped Bachmann’s speech and forced her to briefly leave the stage under police escort.
Read more about the Bachmann protest, view videos and photos.
The protesters say the demonstration was their way of sharing their views, and ambushing Bachmann’s event is the only way their grassroots effort can do it, they say.
“People in power create this illusion … by setting up big events like this on a warship… that they have consensus, that what they are saying is in the best interest of everyone,” said protester Max Brewer.
The Occupy movement, which has roots to the three-month-long protests in New York’s financial district, seeks to show that the vast majority of Americans aren’t represented by government and the big business and wealthy individuals they say control politics.
“They are funded by huge corporations, which represent the top 1 percent of wealth in America,” Brewer said following the protest.
Bachmann, a Minnesota Republican, was in Mount Pleasant to discuss national security aboard the USS Yorktown, a retired WWII-era aircraft carrier. The venue is a popular stopping point for such candidate speeches.
While Occupy Wall Street has been in the public spotlight since September, Occupy Charleston has had a less noticeable — practically silent — public presence.
A mid-October Occupy march through downtown Charleston drew just over 150 protesters. A 99-hour occupation of a waterside Charleston park drew even smaller crowds.
So on Thursday, when the group made it back into the public eye, Occupy supporters were jubilant. High-fives were shared as the crowd of mostly 20-somethings poured off the Yorktown. On Facebook, congratulatory messages from across the country were shared.
“We are in huge economic upheaval, and we believe the policies of the U.S. government are not representing our needs,” Brewer said.
Spreading that message while cameras were focused on Bachmann — who Occupy protesters say does not represent their views — is the most effective way to reach a large audience, they say.
“We came to Michele Bachmann’s rally, and we essentially just gave out some information,” said Adrianna Veredi, another protester. “We have to give ourselves a voice.”
Protesters read from a speech that railed on Bachmann for variety of issues, including her alignment with big business and conservative political action groups.
“You cater to the 1 percent,” they yelled. “You oppose paying hardworking Americans a living wage and refuse to promote realistic solutions to economic problems.”
The group repeated the line “this does not help the American people” throughout the three-minute demonstration.
Brewer and Veredi, who were nominated as spokespeople for the protest, didn’t discuss their next steps. Also on Thursday House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, was interrupted by Occupy protestors at a Houston speech.
“We hope that other people will feel inclined to join us and realize they have power in this system, even though the illusion is that they do not,” Brewer said.
Kay
11:55 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011
They have to 'give themselves a voice' while taking away other people's voices.
jfreedom
12:14 am on Friday, November 11, 2011
Charleston was gracious enough to grant Occupy uninterrupted free speech during their venue at the park. And this is how you treat those with differing views? What about Michelle Bachman's free speech? Imperialistic hypocrites.
Mrs. Katie
9:36 am on Friday, November 11, 2011
"Yorktown Action Transcript"
"Mic check!
Mic check!
This will only take a minute.
We have a message for Mrs. Bachmann.
You capitalize on dividing Americans
claiming people that disagree with you
are unpatriotic socialists
and you promote discrimination.
This does not help the American people.
You parade as a grassroots candidate
but your campaign is funded
by Americans For Prosperity
a group that takes advantage
of legalized money laundering.
This does not help the American people.
You cater to the One Percent
you oppose paying hardworking Americans
a living wage
and refuse
to promote realistic solutions
to economic problems.
This does not help the American people.
This 501(c)4
is funded by the Koch Brothers
one of many organizations
that engage
in misinformation
and drowns out the voice
of the American people,
a disturbing result
of the Citizens United decision.
This does not help the American people.
We demand an end to legitimized corruption
through a constitutional reversal
of the Citizens United decision.
This will help the American people.
Have a pleasant day."
Then they left and let her continue her speech.
Robert Wittner
4:49 pm on Saturday, November 12, 2011
This shows the violent and totalitarian core at the heart of the radical Left, which talks about free speech but insists on silencing those with whom they disagree: "Free speech for me, but not for thee."
The OWS nihilist hooligans have taken their cue from Princess Pelosi and Hussein Obama, both of whom have praised them.
Bachmann has been the most courageous and honorable among in the political class for labeling the OWS crowd for what it is: an organized mob of Communists and other radicals who want something for nothing. The true OWS credo is credo is anarchism and nihilism, not democracy.
stanley seigler
7:16 pm on Saturday, November 12, 2011
@Robert Wittner
re: This shows the violent and totalitarian core at the heart of the radical Left...etcetc.
from which neo nazi, KKK klavern, radical christian fringe right blog did this oh so wrong rhetoric come...surely no serious minded person believe it...but if they do...they do much to divide our country.
well maybe not...for doubt if anyone pays them any attention...
the majority on either side of of the political spectrum are good people trying to solve our country's problem...it the fringe (as represented by this rhetoric) who divide...
someone help us understand...
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