Michael Moore helps to "Occupy Wall Street"
Filmmaker Michael Moore gestures during a visit to the "Occupy Wall Street" protest in Zuccotti Park in New York, Sept. 26, 2011. / AP
NEW YORK - Protesters camping out in a lower Manhattan plaza to speak out against corporate greed and social inequality got a morale boost Monday from filmmaker activist Michael Moore, who told the crowd they were the start of something big.
"It warms my heart to see all of you here," Moore told the few hundred people gathered at Zuccotti Park as part of the "Occupy Wall Street" protest. He told them they each represented thousands of other Americans, and to not lose heart, that "our power is derived from the people."
Moore posted a message on his Twitter account while he was still with the protesters stating: "This is just the beginning. Honored to be part of this."He railed against Wall Street and the richest of the rich, saying "they have tried to take our democracy and turn it into a 'kleptocracy."'
The protest is in its second week. Moore, an outspoken critic of Wall Street and its role in the economic downturn, arrived in the evening.
"These people on Wall Street ripped off the future of many of these young people here and their not-yet-born children," he said. "It was the greatest heist, certainly of my lifetime. This protest has to start somewhere, and it might as well have started here."
While the main focus of "Occupy Wall Street" is centered on the financial world, those camping out in the park speak to causes covering the political and social spectrum, from supporters of Ron Paul to the anti-war activists of the Granny Peace Brigade. The protest has also included marches, with mixed results. On Saturday, about 80 people were arrested in tense and sometimes physical interactions with police.
Video of some of the arrests were posted online, and included scenes that appeared to show officers using pepper spray on women who already were cordoned off and officers handcuffing a man after pulling him up off the ground, blood trickling down his face. The police have said the response was appropriate to the situation.
A march Monday night was not confrontational.
Below: Video posted to YouTube by TheOther99Percent shows police confronting protesters.
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However, I will forgive the right wingers if they join with us in the Class War against the Top 2%. That means no more Tea Baggers unwittingly supporting a laissez-faire agenda for establishing a corporate plutocracy over the people.
Thank goodness for people like these protesters that make the world a better place. As many of us as possible need to join them there. Let's take our country back from the ultra-rich corporate interests.
Oh yes that's right he deserves everything he earns. But any other businessman who is considered rich, doesn't deserve it.
Haven't seen MM write a big fat donation to the Federal government as a protest against greed. How about all these rich people who want higher taxes writing a big check to the Federal government to help with the deficit as a protest. THat would be putting your money where your mouth is and supporting the belief they seem have that the Federal government can spend money more wisely and with less waste then anyone else. I'd like to see that kinda of protest. I won't hold my breath. Call it the 'put your money where your mouth is' protest. Buffett can spend a few bucks on it right. How about it MM, Buffett?
Secondly, is there really anyone on the planet who hasn't seen the vast array of evidence that some Wall Street traders, banks, and very crooked CEOs and companies are fully responsible for many of our economic woes? Does anyone really think that somehow Bernie Madoff is a rarity? Does anyone really believe Wall Street Greed is not a world wide problem. Maybe we need more public education - not less. Of course, that is already obvious by many posts. Simple minded people look for simple answers that completely absolve them of any guilt or complicity.
We're dead. Congress (Dems & GOP) is a "millionaires club" who sold out the middle class. They "only" care about themselves, their families & cronies—and nobody else.
Congress allowed Corporate America move million upon million of jobs (first manufacturing and now service) minted here to foreign lands, and thereby undermining our national security. That's something that nobody mentions. The middle class supports our tax-base infrastructure. For over 30 years now we have been eroding that tax base—federal, state and local. So, why can't we pay our teachers (and other civil servants) what they are worth? Duh???
And this outsourcing (and off-shoring) of American jobs continues today, despite the fact that 55% our young people (age 19-29) are either unemployed or underemployed. Congress is not getting the message. Congress is not getting the message!!!
This "is not" a Government of the people, by the people and for the people. It's a government of the rich, by the rich and for the rich. There's my two cents.
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