Parents meet-up at St Pauls/Occupy London?

[zelda200]

Hello all - would anyone be interested in meeting up at St Pauls on Wednesday 26th under a parents-for-change sort of banner?

I went to the start of the protest on Sat 15th (with my two kids, 3.5 and 1.5), and was struck by the need for more so-called ordinary people to be there, as otherwise it might get dismissed as just the "usual suspects" (far-left agitators etc). I think just from talking around that a lot of parents think this is important for our kids' future. I would like to take a stand against the growing inequality in this country.

Anyone interested in meeting?

Thanks

claig you ARE wasted on here.

If you have a chance do go along to the Occupation as I know they have occasional standup (or sitdown as you prefer) comdey turns to while away the day when not dodging the far right agit prop hacks disguised as protesters. There are sheeple there too though as there are in all walks of life and may not take kindly to your global warming conspiracy jibes.

I think it's so important to have a sense of humour, don't you?

'I think it's so important to have a sense of humour, don't you?'

I agree, otherwise how can you keep sane among the all the deception, pomposity, madness and bombast in the world?

Moliere was the master. I've only read "Le Bougeois Gentilhomme" and "Le Malade Imaginaire", what a shame Moliere isn't here today to write about the greens, catastrophic climate change and noble, global warming.

with regards to the potential fire hazards, whether percieved or real, if St Pauls has a policy that wouldn't cover them in the (highly unlikely) event of a fire, then they cannot allow it to remain open. Not their choice surely we're all bound by the constraints of insurance policies, we agree to it when we take them out. I'm sure they didn't forsee this one!

I suspect it's more of a general public liability issue really, they just can't take a risk with so many visitors.

I really don't understand the motivation of so-called "protestors" who come on here to harangue posters for not agreeing with them, instead of getting on with their "protest"

glasnost. Are you able to:

a) Point me and others in the direction of unbiased sources of information that might illuminate us better about the aims of the protest, and the corruption of the mainstream media or other issues that have arisen in this thread

b) Answer whether you think it's possible that someone with a clear autonomous mind might be able to examine the issues surrounding the protests and arrive at a different viewpoint from you?

c) Answer whether you think using the word 'sheeple', and portraying others as devoid of their own thought (copyright Torygraph, etc) is more or less likely to promote your case and convince other people that your political ideas are worth taking an interest in?

"Spyro van Leemnen. Did he work for bankers Leemnen Brothers?"

Wouldn't that be a delicious irony? Has anyone asked him?

I think it would be deja vu for progressives. Nothing would surprise me less, except that the bank was unfortunately called Lehman Brothers.

The Daily Mail had an article about an anarchist protestor, called Jack Hardup, who is the son of a property millionaire.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2053126/St-Pauls-protests-Jack-Hartcup-son-property-tycoon-centre-Occupy-London.html

?I?m an anarchist and I don?t believe in leadership,' he said.

That may explain why he is a fan of New Labour.

so, ok what do they want?

do they think they will get what they want protesting where they are?

or is this just a gathering for saying 'rararar bankers rararar greed' rather than muttering about it at home,or on internet forums?

i've managed to hear alot of coverage of it without being any the wiser (from that well known source of fascist propaganda: Radio 4)

Much of the criticism on here is on the grounds that the protesters should address people/institutions who could deliver the changes they want. Most of the protesters have concluded or realised that this is pointless, because the current system cannot provide for the needs of the people. The aim is a much more fundamental challenge to existing economic and political thought and practice.
Please stop picking on glasnost. I'm jealous she gets all the attention

soundcloud.com/jon-cheetham/occupied-audio-london?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook&utm_content=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fjon-cheetham%2Foccupied-audio-london

alice I'm used to being the MN rightwing agit props' bete noir. The SWATHES of rightwingers on here can't seem to tolerate even a handful of dissenting voices, can they? How democratic. BTW do you prefer a little Star in the Morning or a Worker with your Socialist?

Anyway seems buffoon Boris Johnson has decided it's time to call it a day on the occupation. Will they remove the protesters forcibly? In which case as that dangerous communist subversive Kennedy said in 1962, "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." Nobody wants that.

Stop scaremongering. You must know perfectly well by now that adjustments are being made to the layout of the camp and the Cathedral expects to relish on Friday.

glasnost - are you scared of answering my questions directly? Or are you unable to?

Evasiveness doesn't really show much of an argument and name dropping and famous quoting doesn't necessarily show depth of intelligence or command of a subject.

If you are able to, please could you answer a) b) and c) of my post of 13:38?

(And why would asking posters to defend their position be seen as 'picking on' someone? Surely posters on here are stronger than that? Not as if it's personal stuff - it's politics!)

"relish"? Sorry - "reopen"

That was quick.

I seriously don't get your mindset, meditrina. All your posts are in support of the powers that be and authority. That's a serious lack of imagination there.

No Lemon I've no desire whatsoever to interact with you.

But just quickly then
a)no
b)yes
c)don't give a toss

So then given your answers,

a) you are seriously saying that you know of independent media that would enlighten us all.... but you aren't prepared to tell us? What next?! My four year old can come up with better excuses than that ('I do have the biscuits, I'm just not going to show you where')

b) if 'yes' then perhaps this could apply to meditrina. All your posts are in support of the powers that be and authority. That's a serious lack of imagination there.

I think perhaps, if you accept the possibility that someone could be in full control of their mental faculties and come to a different conclusion to you then that person could be meditrina, could it not? Or does your imagination not stretch that far?

ooooh, wait missed c)

and
c) Well, that doesn't make you a very effective campaigner then!

And who said I'm right wing anyway? If I were you, I wouldn't flatter myself that I was anyone's bete noir, or I might be overstating my influence.

Tomorrow buffoon Boris is being briefed on how to get rid of the protesters, meditrina. The cathedral reopening is by the by. They couldn't have kept it closed any longer using their spurious excuses anyway.

And Lemon what's your problem, exactly? Why be so down on someone siding with the powerless over the powerful? You should channel your energies better.

Or are you emanating a sulphurial Millbank whiff too?

Just wondering.

Or - even worse - you have absolutely no bloody sense of humour.

Who is briefing Boris?

It's taken far too long for the camp to cease biting the hand that fed them, but if the foreshadowed rearrangements do indeed clear the fire paths and meet any other fire service stipulations, the Cathedral will re-open and there will no longer be a need to talk of eviction.

Hello, the OP here. I did go today, and found it very interesting. I will be going again on Tuesday 1 Nov - please let me know if you would like to meet up.

1. Many of the 'organisers' (they would not like that word I suspect) are quite young, probably 20s. They need help articulating their messages and sharpening their media liaison. They are not a political party - of course it can't be as slick as we are used to. I feel we can't criticise them for our absence - ie they need us to help them improve things.

2. The ones I spoke to were clear that there were too many points in their original manifesto, and were also unhappy about that losing them public support. I proposed putting their manifesto ideas to the public on their website - people sign under each that they care about, like a petition - and let this guide where they focus their efforts. Also saves them in-fighting about their aims.

3. There were lots of tourists there, talking to the campers and taking photos of the more creative parts (giant monopoly board etc). I got the impression that this camp was enlivening a previously rather dead area. All the shops were still open, so I don't think it's fair to say any small businesses are losing money.

4. It's not beyond possibility that the shutting of St Pauls was politically motivated - not health and safety. From my very casual observation all exits seemed clear enough. But it's just a massive red herring distracting people from whether we need to protest about the greed engulfing us. I feel UK people protesting about the direction of our society is more important that the rights of tourists who have many other things they can go look at.

5. To those who are interested in protest - how else can we protest? It's a genuine question: I have written letters to MPs, I have changed my bank accounts etc (I even marched against Iraq, 2m people there, what good did that do?)... but it feels fruitless. What else can people do except create large, long-standing, inconvenient protests?

Zelda, what you've written makes clear sense. However, there does seem to be a tone among protestor that they are 'against stuff' and 'for stuff' but without being able to articulate the issues or even really having collective view of the issues. They look a bit 'rent an issue'.

Many appear to think that they have some higher intellectual insight into the difficult global issues than those who are actually working in positions of power trying to resolve them. This is simplistic and makes the protestors look well-meaning but with unsophisticated, unworkable ideas. It looks studenty, but not in a clear anti-Nam way, just in a directionless self-absorbed way.

And Lemon what's your problem, exactly? Why be so down on someone siding with the powerless over the powerful? You should channel your energies better.

I'm not down on 'someone', I have no personal issue with you, glasnost. It's just all this t-shirt slogan guff about 'the powerless over the powerful' etc, etc, as though you imagine there's some burning crusade of justice you have to tell everyone about....but you aren't prepared to give details. Cos it's, like, a secret against the capitalistbastardpigswhooppresstheglobalmassesandputupthecostofciderandputsimoncowellonthetellyastheiragentofconsumerism.

'sulphurial whiff of Millbank'

Congratulations LemonDifficult; that's 100 points in Glasnost's 'Avoid Rational Debate Bingo'! Try for full house.