A note of respect, and thank you.

It's no secret and I won't try to pretend I've been a best friend to OWS or affiliate events around the nation. The truth is, I've been skeptical and I still am. I preface this note with that because what I started this thread to say is sincere and unrelated to my opinion of the prospects for success as things stand this morning. Time will tell, but this morning has given me new perspective.

Over the course of the last few hours I have watched Atlanta build toward what looked like inevitable assault on the protesters. Mounted units, a bomb squad unit and a large number of police waiting for orders weren't rumored, but filmed and streamed. I actually did watch the apparently brutal assault on site 2 in Boston. Rumors are running about the fate of those in Seattle. Some reports now say the Mayors office has ordered the Seattle Police to stand down for the night and others say the Police are unfazed. Yet more suggest an assault has already begun there. The morning will tell that tale, as there apparently isn't live feed there like we had in Atlanta and still watch right now in Boston.


After watching all this, I have one thing to say. REGARDLESS of how I feel about the events, I have a great deal of respect and appreciation to those who are filming this as well as those trying to keep things together and keep everyone peaceful. More power to them all, and I sincerely hope none of them are hurt. They certainly know the police won't care that they are filming and might actually TARGET them for it and yet they film and stream away.

Without their hard work....I may or may not have even heard of these things tonight. MSM isn't doing much to cover these events as they are actually happening, good or bad. I hope those who are filming do come across these threads and know there are thousands upon thousands of us out here, at least, who are deeply thankful for the unconventional coverage they are supplying. Please don't stop! Win lose or draw, knowing the facts is priceless.

I think there is a lot of anti-law enforcement sentiment going around. And a lot of people claiming they have constitutional rights that they fail to understand that the constitution does not give them super powers. But in the spirit of documenting everything that goes on I agree with you. In the end that will be more important when determining the outcome of this movement.

Do you know of anyone who has any footage what so ever. You do know members will come in here and call foul to this. If they have been brutal towards those protestors then this needs to shown to the world. And others around the USA. I am contacting those involved with Occupy Atlanta to get the specifics. Will post what information I receive.

reply to post by AnonymousFem
I would welcome any suggestions to recording these live stream displays in the future. If the streamer doesn't save and post everything he sent out live from Atlanta at the barricades, it'll be a shame. People will simply claim the cops weren't there to assault the park, which is patently ridiculous if one saw the staging they were there doing.

Same with Boston, I'm afraid. I watched much of that from what looks like 10+ floors above the Site 2 protest location. The shoulder to shoulder square of cops surrounding the park on all 4 sides was clearly visible, as were the cops moving through the camp. Street level videos of the assault itself are coming out and giving more detail of what I already saw...but it helps.

I'd LOVE to know how I can effectively capture and record these in the future. Firefox has addons, I know...but those have been hit and miss at best for me. I've got hundreds of web pages archived off line since this madness really started in Tunisia after the 1st of the year. Adding video feeds to that growing archive would be helpful.

Someday, I plan to help my son understand what happened here, and why. That is the purpose for my archive, by the way. I'm really not some hermit slipping into madness in a one room hovel somewhere.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I thought you could save the footage on Live Stream. Unless I am wrong. Next time there is going to be a live stream. I will watch and see if I myself can save the footage. The post it on you tube or send it to who it needs to be sent to. Can you use you tube film maker to capture footage, or do you have a camera of your own? That way you can take footage as post it yourself.

Always make sure you have proof, cause others will come in and call this a hoax, just some advice.

reply to post by thehoneycomb


No those in charge do not like this, that they are being challenged.

They would rather everyone returned to their original programming, in believe everything those in Authority tells you. Do as your told, do not protest. We will protect you.

See how ridiculous that is nowadays?

Sorry not going to happen, in this day and age, Everyone is wakening up to the corruption and lies that have been spoon fed to them for years. And those in power do not like it.

Anyone hear about the war veteran being beaten down by Police in Boston>?

Any footage of it?

If so how do people feel about this.

Video Report below:

Originally posted by AnonymousFem
Anyone hear about the war veteran being beaten down by Police in Boston>?

Any footage of it?

If so how do people feel about this.

Video Report below:

Yes, I heard about it. I was sitting here several hours ago watching it happen live.

How do I feel about it? The events in Boston have changed my outlook from sitting on the sidelines and occasionally poking fun to being someone who will be at whatever occupation looks closest to my personal feelings and attitudes toward change, and within about 500 miles of me. I'm spending the rest of today figuring out which one I'll be committing myself to.

I hope BPD is happy with themselves. They did incredible things last night........for the occupation movement's recruiting effort. Everyone has a line they just can't take crap beyond. I've finally reached mine for staying out of this and just blogging about it.

How's that for an answer regarding the way they lit into the American Veterans in Boston?

I did start this thread and the date this was written really was the ultimate turning point in my thinking and commitment to seeing change would come to the nation I love so dearly. So a quick update here would seem to be appropriate.

I was able to spend about a week in Occupy St Louis as a resident and volunteer around the camp. It was an incredible learning experience and by being a natural conservative as I am, a very enlightening time as well. Being accepted into camp with no hesitation by anyone, as I did nothing to hide my conservative feelings from the first day is also something that was a surprise.

I've seen several posts saying Occupy is all liberal/progressive. Well, that is true, to a point. What that leaves out is that Liberal/Progressives are only part of the population in the camps and among the part timers that come down after work or on weekends. There are libertarians, some anarchists, socialists and yes, good red blooded conservatives. I actually discovered I wasn't alone there, and the surprises just kept on coming.

The fact is, I couldn't have learned half of what I did any way BUT going down personally and putting time in to help and support a cause I've come to believe deeply in since the Boston raid. I would strongly recommend anyone, of EITHER political side, just wander down to an Occupy site or the general assembly meeting of a city Occupy that only come out part time as a group. (Not ALL are actually camping a location.......something I rarely ever see mentioned by those so against OWS.)

The camps and meetings are entirely open and the people don't bite, really. I wouldn't necessarily recommend going down late at night if nothing special is happening, given where many Occupy camps are located. Just a fact of life on that one in many cases......

Anyway, I wasn't there as a blogger... I was there as a protester and volunteer so personal type specifics are something I leave entirely alone but I got to know some really great people and hope to see this effort grow and eventually see serious success. Having said that, there are a great many misconceptions and just careless disinformation being thrown around the net and media compared to anything I was involved with in Occupy St Louis or have seen by watching LiveStreams around the world.

If things are disorganized, it's because a large % of the people who are turning out for these are first timers to anything like this. I know I am and I sure wasn't alone. The learning curve is exponential though and the progress in just the last 10 days is really something to watch.

The important thing is, the movement has real Heart, good people committing themselves to it and good old fashioned American ingenuity. Problems are getting fixed and the long term winter occupation is being prepared. This will be interesting to watch as the American version of what we've watched in peaceful form in other nations progresses here.