Mayor Mike Bloomberg is growing tired of the heroic demonstrators, who are putting his Wall Street Bankster buddies on Front Street. Almost all of the police violence against demonstrators has been perpetrated by high ranking police supervisors, not rank and file cops. From that I infer that the abusive behavior was motivated by political rather than public safety concerns. Mike Bloomberg is the the political boss there. While I have no direct evidence to support this, it seems likely that at least some of the violence would not have happened without his knowledge and consent.
You remember billionaire Mayor Mike Bloomberg, right? The guy who had the expensive neighborhoods plowed during the worst snowstorm of the year while the rest of New York City was trapped? Yeah, that guy. Now here he is, trying to push the absolutely baseless charge that Occupy Wall Street protesters are harassing working-class Joes and Janes on their way to work. Why? Because he’s trying to build a narrative that will justify the coming crackdown.
Could he be any more out of touch with the rest of us? Read this story by Alex Pareene:
“The protesters are protesting against people who make $40-50,000 a year and are struggling to make ends meet. That’s the bottom line,” Bloomberg said, presumably meaning service workers on Wall Street, adding that “we all” share blame for taking on too much risk, not just the financial industry.
“And people in this day and age need support for their employers. If the banks don’t go out and make loans we will not come out of our economic problems, we will not have jobs so anything we can do that’s responsible to help the banks do that is what we need.”
Wonkette’s Kirsten Boyd Johnson correctly notes that every single word the mayor says here is utterly nonsensical, unless you are, say, a billionaire mogul with deep ties to the financial industry.
Everyone else knows that the banks exist to make huge amounts of money by screwing everyone over, but banks are generally run by human beings (with the exception of Goldman Sachs, a Lizard Person From Outer Space operation), and those human beings have largely convinced themselves that they are very good and productive members of society. Hence, this sort of talk… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Crooks and Liars>
Here’s the video:
In my opinion, Suzie Madrak has this right. I think Bloomberg plans a crackdown, and it’s going to be ugly! I urge the demonstrators to remain peaceful in their civil disobedience, as Thoreau, Gandhi, and King advocated. If they use violence, they will be the ones stained by it.
22 Responses to “Bloomberg’s excuse for repression”
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Bullshit…Kings tactics got him killed and did little to secure the moral high ground for black folks in America.
They won freedom for India, and they put OWS on the map.
And after his leadership was terminated it started a decades long war between the Hindu of India and the Muslims of Pakistan over a spit of land that means nothing ther than more reasons to shed blood. History Tom is the truth teller not opinion. Freedom from colonial rule was a good thing yet history shows that those nations freed have decades of violence behind them. Look at the Balkans which though we here little about it anymore there is still skirmishing going on between the different ethnic peoples there.
And the statement originally was about the black population in America not the Indian population on the subcontinent. Though I can see why there may have been a misunderstanding because both were assassinated.
You’re ,making my point. Whenever violence is introduces matters deteriorate.
King won the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts.
A violent crackdown would lionize the protesters in the eyes of the world, so I suspect that it would backfire on politicians and law enforcement. For the sake of the protesters, though, I hope a bloody crackdown never occurs.
I could not have said it better.
We got sold out and banks got bailed out. This is justice?
I have been watching the protesters and have seen no violence on their part. The only abhorrent behavior has been on the side of police in supervisory positions. Politics as usual?
Nope.
That’s the way I see it too,
Good advice, TomCat. It is clear that Bloomberg is one of THEM, not one of us. Let he and his champagne sipping, caviar and lobster munching crowd start the violence. It will only work against all those pigs in the long run. I will be going to the OCCUPY MINNESOTA event on Friday to show solidarity. I encourage everyone to go to similar functions, a list of which can be found at http://occupytogether.org/. The time has come for each of us to ACT and not just complain. I see there will be an OCCUPY PORTLAND event at noon on Oct.6 in your area. Do you think you’ll be able to attend?
Jack, where it’s located, it’s hard for people with disabilities to get to, so I’ll have to pass. I encourage others, though.
TWM and Ahab, I agree completely. While violence is not the answer, think back to the beginning of the Russian revolution when innocent protestors were gunned down. This was the beginning of the end and anyone who thinks that it can’t happen here has their head in a dark place. People can take only so much and be pushed only so far before they resist and push back. It is time for Wall St and the GOP assholes to listen or there will be blood in the streets.
It has happened here, but your history is off. After protestors were gunned down the revolution of 1914 was successful, but like so many violent revolutions, repressive forces took over and replaced democratic socialism with the totalitarian Bolshevik state.
The peasants are revolting! But the lack of empathy & civility is what’s Really Revolting! I think the Revolution is underway – we need Corporate Sponsors..”Let them eat Lil Debbie cakes!” ?;)
The peasants aren’t revolting, Yvonne. They bathe regularly!! 🙄
They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack.
Training for homeland scenarios has already begun at Fort Stewart and includes specialty tasks such as knowing how to use the “jaws of life” to extract a person from a mangled vehicle; extra medical training for a CBRNE incident; and working with U.S. Forestry Service experts on how to go in with chainsaws and cut and clear trees to clear a road or area.
The 1st BCT’s soldiers also will learn how to use “the first ever nonlethal package that the Army has fielded,” 1st BCT commander Col. Roger Cloutier said, referring to crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10341
The federal government has been preparing for military intervention within the borders of the United States since 2008 and Obama made it a permanent rotating assignment in October signing the directive in august.
Mark, I stopped using Global Research as a source, because using them embarrassed me on more than one occasion. They are long on conspiracy, but short on accuracy. I’m not saying this isn’t true, but please document it credibly.
The original source of the article they quoted from was The Army Times…is that credible as a source Tom? The Army Times first made the announcement of this troop deployment under NORCOM in mid ’08. It was temporary and was made permanent by Obama. And in the Army times article it specifically said “…in cases of civil disturbance” as a part of their mandate for deployment.
Army Times is a more credible source Mark. I won’t use them without fact checking them first, but that’s certainly an improvement. Everything listed there is a legitimate military role until that last part. I suspect it became permanent, because Obama left Gates at DoD, a mistake that I called out at the time. That needs to be changed.
Bloomberg knows exactly how far he can go – Wall St is his home turf – his harem and where he meets his pimps – he’s King Pimp – until now he’s been fairly decent as Mayor – governing the finances of the city very well – and taking no pay for his work – although even in NYC taking a salary for “public service” when you’re a billionaire doesn’t bode well – he’s talking out of his ass – this town has plenty of gazillionaires everywhere and I’d say if they’re not working on Wall St itself – it’s on 6th Ave – home of the banks and insurance palaces!!! Bloomberg has first and last say as to the conduct of the cops – if Guilliani were still the little ” napoleon” believe me there would have been murder by now – so I think we’re getting off “easy” – as for the 50 thou workers down on Wall St – not even the custodians make that little – they’re WELL PAID from bottom up!! Bloombrtg was just trying to negate, belittle and demoralize the would be demonstrators, knowing full well of Weds massinve protest planned in an effort to discourage us. If I weren’t so old – I’d be down there and camped out! I’ll join in for the Mega-March that will include AFL- CIO – teachers – everybody’s going down there to join in a march to Wall St for the closing bell – just hope they don’t hit me in my surgical site!!! – and also hope I don’t get arrested. – OH well —
I think you’re right about Rudy 911
There is a fine line that cannot be crossed without jeopardising the cause. By alienating people like the construction worker, the protesters do more harm than good for the legitimacy of the protest. If they act like holligans and show disrespect for the rights of others ie the average worker going to work to feed a family, then the protest is doomed to fail. Protest the system that allows the bankers free reign to get rich and take inordinate risks with the money of the country. The protesters need to keep the American people on their side. If the police come at the protesters as I think they will, any resistance must be for personal protection only. Let the police demonstrate that they are clearly the aggressors. Mahatma Gandhi said “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” I would say that the protest is entering the “then they fight you” stage. Stay focused, say cool. As Gandhi said: “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. “
BTW, I think Bloomberg is a political hack that hasn’t got a clue. Either that, or he does have a clue and is afraid of his friends. ”
Very well said Lynn. My next lead article will show how much alike we are thinking.