Wall St., Meet the 99ers

Self defined as the 99% who pay taxes and get screwed with less than 1% of the profits, a determined and disciplined group of mostly early 30 year olds attempted to occupy Wall Street.  Even the benches were fenced in!!!  After a day of playing hide & seek with the NYPD, the radicals settled in at "Liberty Park" on Broadway just north of Wall.  Although the afternoon was fraught with chaos and potential police riot, once this detente was reached everyone settled in.  I took a break and returned around 1:00 am.  Some were sleeping, a group of about 6 played with one of those little balls you kick around, there were clusters of folks around a guitarist or singer, some danced.  It all,  it was peaceful  I hope the morning will bring new recruits to the occupation of Wall Street.

Finally got the photos downloaded--more details will come about today's events and the people there.

O

https://occupywallst.org/

Getcha Bumper Stickers Here!

Join The Pen's vigorous campaign to protect government of the people and get a free bumper sticker!  Just take a moment to fax your senators, the prez and/or newspapers while you're at it.

http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1030.php

 

Wal-Mart Caused Black Friday Tragedy

The NY Times report below attempts to place an ethical question onto this tragedy, but misses the point.
Americans have been brainwashed into believing they are only as good, successful, and worthy as the things they own.
Democracy Now's Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzales present the facts with clarity as well as compassion. Their interview with Patrick Purcell of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 and Savriti D, Director of Rev. Billy's Church of Stop Shopping, discusses the conditions which were created by a corporate giant. Wal-Mart saved money and murdered a man who went to his job one morning but will never go home again.
Wal-Mart Worker Crushed to Death in Early Morning Stampede of Shoppers on Black Friday
A Wal-Mart employee in Long Island, New York died after being trampled to death by a mob of shoppers on Friday, the traditional first day of the holiday shopping season. The 34-year-old worker Jdimytai Damour was killed after a crowd of 2,000 broke down store doors and ran over him shortly before the store"s schedule 5 a.m. opening. Four shoppers were injured in the stampede. Nassau County police were trying to determine what happened during the stampede, but said it was unclear if there would be any criminal charges.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/12/1/wal_mart_worker_crushed_to_death
A Shopping Guernica Captures the Moment
By PETER S. GOODMAN
Published: November 29, 2008
From the Great Depression, we remember the bread lines. From the oil shocks of the 1970s, we recall lines of cars snaking from gas stations. And from our current moment, we may come to remember scenes like the one at a Long Island Wal-Mart in the dawn after Thanksgiving, when 2,000 frantic shoppers trampled to death an employee who stood between them and the bargains within.
It was a tragedy, yet it did not feel like an accident. All those people were there, lined up in the cold and darkness, because of sophisticated marketing forces that have produced this day now called Black Friday. They were engaging in early-morning shopping as contact sport. American business has long excelled at creating a sense of shortage amid abundance, an anxiety that one must act now or miss out.
Americans demonstrate acceptable behavior learned during the Reagan-BushCo. years
[…] After 9/11, President Bush dispatched Americans to the malls as a patriotic act. When the economy faltered early this year, the government gave out tax rebate checks and told people to spend. In a sense, those Chinese-made flat-screen televisions sitting inside Wal-Mart have become American comfort food.
And yet the ability to spend is cnstricting rapidly. Credit card limits are getting cut. Millions of Americans now owe the bank more than the value of their homes, making further borrowing impossible. The banks themselves are hunkered down, just hoping to survive.
[…] Wages for most Americans have fallen in real terms over the last eight years. Pensions have been turned into 401(k) plans that have just relinquished half their value to an angry market. Health benefits have been downgraded or eliminated altogether. Working hours are being slashed, and full-time workers are having to settle for jobs through temp agencies.
Indeed, this was the situation for the unfortunate man who found himself working at the Valley Stream Wal-Mart at 5 a.m. Friday, a temp at a company emblematic of low wages and weak benefits, earning his dollars by trying to police an unruly crowd worried about missing out. […]
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/weekinreview/30goodman.html?_r=2&hp

Repent With The Church of Stop Shopping

Arise From Black Friday!

Reverend Billy and

The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir

Nyack - Washington D.C. - New York City

In respectful memory of

Jdimytai "Jimbo" Damour,

killed by shoppers at the

Valley Stream Wal-Mart

on November 28, 2008

Nyack, NY: Riverspace Arts

Thursday, December 4th at 8pm

119 Main Street Nyack, New York 10960 http://www.riverspace.org/

Reverend Billy and the Choir deliver songs and sermons, great gospel and hot preaching!

Tickets are $12.00, click here to order now or call 845.348.1880

Washington D.C: Busboys and Poets

Saturday, December 6th at 4pm

2021 14th St NW Washington, DC 20009 http://www.busboysandpoets.com/

Join the Rev and Choir for a Capitol City Revival!

This event is FREE and open to the public

New York, NY: Stop Shopping Christmas Revival at Dixon Place

Sunday December 7th, 14th and 21st at 3pm http://www.dixonplace.com/

Our annual Christmas performance. This year you have three chances to be with us! How will you survive the holiday onslaught of Starbucks gingerbread lattes and last-minute-big-box-bargain stampedes?!?? Back away, children! You don't have to buy a gift to give a gift! What Would JESUS Buy?

Tickets are $12.00, click here to order now or call 1-866-811-4111Check http://www.revbilly.com/ for video, sermons, discussions more events(Image by Chris Ryan of Team Spider TV)