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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think this protester needs to rethink her motives

22 replies

luluscadoo · 27/10/2011 00:34

I was reading an article about the Occupy Wall Street protest's and at the bottom was this quote.

"We have compassion toward everyone. However, we have certain rules and guidelines," said Lauren Digioia, 26, a member of the sanitation committee.

"If you're going to come here and get our food, bedding and clothing, have books and medical supplies for no charge, they need to give back," Digioia said. "There's a lot of takers here and they feel entitled."

The article and quote was about how many homeless people are coming to the protest because they are able to get food and supplies. Now normally i would agree with the above quote as in i think people should pull there own weight and earn what they take. However aibu to think that if you are protesting against corporate greed and how you feel that money should be spread out more you should not be denying the facility's you have to the needy?

www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/occupy_wall_street/2011/10/23/2011-10-23_where_vagrants_excons__takers_find_a_home.html

OP posts:

worraliberty · 27/10/2011 00:38

Is she actually denying them though?

Original poster

luluscadoo · 27/10/2011 00:49

I don't know if she is denying them in person but she is saying for them to give what they have had back so i think it is more or less the same thing. In my opinion though its more the message she is sending by saying this.

OP posts:

giyadas · 27/10/2011 00:52

But it's an anti-greed protest. To take while giving nothing back does go against the whole ethos of the protest. In what way are they expecting people to give something back? Can't really comment properly without knowing what the rules and guidelines are.

Original poster

luluscadoo · 27/10/2011 01:05

Yes giyadas its an anti-greed protest, i think you have made an excellent point. But it depends on your definition of greed i think most people are greedy i think wanting anything you don't need is slightly greedy (and im including myself in being greedy, i have no moral high ground). So i feel that not helping those who need it you are being greedy with your supplies. Your saying its not fair that banks have all that money they should spread it out. But unless your helping us your not getting what we have because that's not fair, i just think it is a slight contradiction.

OP posts:

wannaBe · 27/10/2011 01:09

how many of these protesters actually work for a living anyway?

Original poster

luluscadoo · 27/10/2011 01:12

wannaBe. Was that supposed to be sarcastic or genuine? With topics like this its hard to tell

OP posts:

giyadas · 27/10/2011 01:13

Not really, if all they are asking for is help in the form of time and a bit of effort towards the protest. From each according to his ability, to each according to his need, and all that.

giyadas · 27/10/2011 01:14

The 'not really' bit was referring to your point about it being contradictory.

Original poster

luluscadoo · 27/10/2011 01:21

Giyagas. We'll have to agree to disagree, but i do think you made an excellent point in your first post that made me think :) (sorry if i seem to be a bit arse kissy i have not posted on here before and am not quite sure of stranded practice yet)

OP posts:

ParsleyTheLioness · 27/10/2011 01:21

giya makes a good point. If she is in effect saying, you can have the supplies, but you need to give some time, then that seems ok to me? Unless there is some reason they can't fulfill that part of the deal, which might make it different.

ParsleyTheLioness · 27/10/2011 01:23

Lulu have not read link fully. Am sleep-deprived, and not at my analytical best.But in theory, could they do as she was asking, or would their circs make it more difficult or impossibl, iuswim.

Original poster

luluscadoo · 27/10/2011 01:26

Yes but in an extreme way you could say that the protesters/this protester (as im sure most of the protesters have no issues with helping the homeless) did not help the banks make all that money (or lose it) so why should the banks be less greedy and spread more of the money out.

OP posts:

ParsleyTheLioness · 27/10/2011 01:31

Isn't that seperate from the homeless claiming stuff tho?

giyadas · 27/10/2011 01:32

you can kiss my arse as much as you like Lulus
noone else does

ParsleyTheLioness · 27/10/2011 01:35

Seperate issue Lulu though, no? Not the arse kissing, up the thread...

SolidGoldVampireBat · 27/10/2011 01:46

Digoia sounds like a fairly classic middle-class wanker TBH - all very well to help the poor but the wretched plebs just aren't grateful enough and some of them smell and use bad language...

Original poster

luluscadoo · 27/10/2011 01:48

yes separate issues but kind of similar as in people wanting something they may not have earned but still wanting it. I dont see a great difference in the protesters wanting the bank to spread the wealth even though they themselves may not have anything to do with the banks making that money because they feel they need more (im sure some do and some dont). And the homeless man who has not helped with the protest but is still hungry and still needs the services

OP posts:

ParsleyTheLioness · 27/10/2011 01:51

I think you need to argue the points seperately, they are not as clear-cut linked as you say, IMO, but I agree there is at least a correlation. I think its to do with arguing from'seperate premises', but I can't get my knackered head around it any more than I have already...why can't they put the time in though Lulu? you have not addressed that part.

Original poster

luluscadoo · 27/10/2011 01:58

I'm sure even if they tried to help they would be dis waded from doing do because they would not want a homeless person to do the jobs, if you understand what i mean as in some people would not want to be served by a homeless person. Plus i'm sure that even though there are a lot of people at the protest there are not enough jobs for everybody to have one.

OP posts:

ParsleyTheLioness · 27/10/2011 02:00

Take your point...but if she is just saying, and I don't know, just a thought, show willing and give it a go, then don't see the problem. If there isn't a job for them, or some arsehole objects, they should still get what is on offer.

giyadas · 27/10/2011 02:08

I agree with Parsley, there should be no problem as long as it's 'show willing and give it a go'. Trouble is we don't know what she means by rules and guidelines. Even just sticking around to be a visible presence is helping the protest.

ParsleyTheLioness · 27/10/2011 02:20

Thanks giy worried my sleep-deprived head meant I wasn't explaining properly....[hgrin]

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