My Experience at the Occupywallstreet/Occupynashville Protest

[Joey Fuller]

unfort. won't be able to post pics and footage until tomm...

I went with a Abolish the Federal Reserve sign and educational Federal Reserve literature.. I did not wear a Ron Paul shirt or carry a RP sign... some of my friends did and the other protesters were not as friendly/open with them...

About 1/4 of the crowd were okay the message of Ron Paul.. I got a lot of people arguing about the need for a central bank, the Federal Reserve is constitutional, etc, etc

One guy even said that Ron Paul is a Corporatist and that Obama loves the people, not corporations! haha

here's the cool part:

The protest turned into a march through downtown.. my friend and I were able to stop the march and have them turn around and march to the Federal Reserve with the use of a megaphone...

The crowd was about 80% receptive to my message... although it was a strange experience: 1. I had never used a megaphone before 2. I was trying to speak and debunk the things to hardcore socialists were heckling while I was speaking...

But, after my speech I handed out Republic Magazines, end the fed fliers, and some dvds. I talked to a few of them about the Blue Republican issue but they did not like that..

my advice:
if you go, don't wear a ron paul shirt/sign. go with someone. watch out for agent provocs. there were some rowdy/drunk/agressive people in the crowd and I went home after my impromptu speech.

[jmdrake]

+rep! And if you only convinced 1 person to vote for Ron Paul that's still were more than 1,000 posts at RPF.

[FrankRep]

my advice:
if you go, don't wear a ron paul shirt/sign.

Thank you.

[AuH20]

Next time tell them that their lord Obama took 1 million dollars from Goldman Sachs. They hate when you bring that up. That's usually a conversation ender. In fact, everyone who goes to these events should bring an Obama/Goldman Sachs sign, just to rile up the natives.

[LibertyEagle]

[
One guy even said that Ron Paul is a Corporatist and that Obama loves the people, not corporations! haha

Yeah. I doubt they know what being a corporatist really means. They probably think it means someone who likes corporations.

[Joey Fuller]

that was definitely a mob scene.. when you talked about something you didnt like.. they would start chanting "we are the 99" over you.. Collectivism is violent and not peaceful.. mob rule is not cool.. I wasnt hurt... but was wise enough to see how it could go bad.

[LibertyEagle]

The so-called left seems to put all the fault on corporations. The so-called right tends to blame the government. The truth is that both are both right and wrong. The fault is with both of them in that certain corporations buy off government to grant them special favors, and government is more than happy to be a part of the transaction. And of course the Federal Reserve.

[Aratus]

was it mitt people or barack people who said via cardboard in windows up
in chicago's loop they ARE the 1% or was it a fatcat boastful fiftyfifty split?

[Sola_Fide]

that was definitely a mob scene.. when you talked about something you didnt like.. they would start chanting "we are the 99" over you..Collectivism is violent and not peaceful.. mob rule is not cool.. I wasnt hurt... but was wise enough to see how it could go bad.

Well said.

[wgadget]

The so-called left seems to put all the fault on corporations. The so-called right tends to blame the government. The truth is that both are both right and wrong. The fault is with both of them in that certain corporations buy off government to grant them special favors, and government is more than happy to be a part of the transaction. And of course the Federal Reserve.

The government and the big corporations/banks have been incestuously married by the Federal Reserve.

[LibertyEagle]

The government and the big corporations/banks have been incestuously married by the Federal Reserve.

I don't think you can make a blanket statement like that. Not all big corporations are engaged in corporatism.

[wgadget]

I don't think you can make a blanket statement like that. Not all big corporations are engaged in corporatism.

Okay, let me try again:

The Federal government and some of the big corporations/banks have been incestuously married by the Federal Reserve.

How's that?

[Philhelm]

Yeah. I doubt they know what being a corporatist really means. They probably think it means someone who likes corporations.

I think it's that most people confuse corporations with big business, much like people confuse corporatism with free market capitalism. They don't realize that corporations with their liability protections and government-issued charters are actually government created entities.

[Joey Fuller]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wi6iJzWvsxE/To4Rq3lsvaI/AAAAAAAACB0/Aa8qlyCXheQ/s1600/occupy2.JPG

more pics/vids tomm.
here's just a couple:http://www.tennesseesonsofliberty.com/2011/10/occupywallstreet-and-occupynashville.html

[Joey Fuller]

the video is shaky.. we were running to catch up with the crowd.. we then used the megaphone to redirect the mob back up the sidewalk, across the street a couple of blocks to the Nashville Federal Reserve...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKihWsIWh5s&feature=player_embedded

you can hear the we are the 99% trying to stop us.. as well as this crazy lady attempting to scream nonsense in order to drown us out.. but as you can see the crowd listened and followed us to the Fed.. I then gave an impromptu speech.. (post tomm)

[nobody's_hero]

It's kind of funny that you got away with saying Ron Paul's name about a dozen times in that video and they kept following you.

Repping.

[One Last Battle!]

the video is shaky.. we were running to catch up with the crowd.. we then used the megaphone to redirect the mob back up the sidewalk, across the street a couple of blocks to the Nashville Federal Reserve...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKihWsIWh5s&feature=player_embedded

you can hear the we are the 99% trying to stop us.. as well as this crazy lady attempting to scream nonsense in order to drown us out.. but as you can see the crowd listened and followed us to the Fed.. I then gave an impromptu speech.. (post tomm)

If we had more people with megaphones redirecting "Occupy Wall Street" people to the Federal Reserve and less people sitting on their asses and saying "ITS ALL A CONSPIRACY AND WE SHOULDN'T TOUCH THESE PEOPLE", the media would be showing hordes of people protesting the Federal Reserve and corporatism rather than Wall Street and capitalism.

This is all very reminiscent of the stuff we did with the Tea Party back in 09 and 2010. A large portion of people constantly screamed that the Tea Party was for neocons and that it was astroturf, and thus the self fulfilling prophecy was that without our initial influence they ended up becoming filled with neocons, who circle jerked to the point where changing their minds on issues like foreign policy is impossible. Meanwhile, some people took a stand, helped the Tea Party groups so as to influence them in our direction, and it left us with several Tea Party organizations that are extremely friendly and have assisted us greatly (the ones in New York state come to mind).

OWS is filled with progressives and even outright communists. But then, the Tea Party initially had its fair share of lukewarm neo-cons and Bush/McCain supporting conservatives, too. If we get in early, we can push them in our direction so that they help us later. Even with the hardcore collectivists who detest us, we just need to get in strong enough to overrule them.

Presently, despite the claim that most of the people involved are unchangeable communists, the protesters are a lot like a herd of sheep, following whatever those with clear goals (that are somewhat related to what they oppose) and loud voices say. I have heard that the likes of Soros are funding them, so that means we have two options; we can sit around and let them become a giant organization of collectivists to counterbalance the Tea Party, or we can get involved (we don't have to associate ourselves with Ron Paul initially) and steer them in such a way as to make them primarily oppose corporatism and the Fed. I'd go try myself, but I unfortunately am not in the US.

[american.swan]

Here's what I'd do. I'd take a lawn chair and a boom box down to a corner. If possible, sit down and turn on the boom box. That is all.

Oh, the boom box would be playing Rothbard's "History of Money and Banking in the US" Audio Book!! AND Rothbard's lectures on the End of Laissez Faire. AND Rothbard's Conceived in Liberty audio book.

[libertybrewcity]

nice job Joey Fuller +rep

[Joey Fuller]

here is a quick summary with new video of how two End the Fed/Ron Paul Supporters were able to sway a large crowd to go protest the Federal Reserve:
http://www.tennesseesonsofliberty.com/2011/10/occupynashville-protest-turns-into.html


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPzyyqJOoIE&feature=player_embedded

[nobody's_hero]

Dude, you deserve so much rep. Rep is not enough.

"You don't just treat the symptoms, you cut the cancer out."

I'm thrilled. Really. Some people on here are whining about OWS and you are out there educating people. Anyone who says there's no potential to educate these people is full of shit. End of story.

EDIT: Now, where's the rest of the video? I want to know what others had to say so we can figure out a way to get through to them.

[TNforPaul45]

Here's what I'd do. I'd take a lawn chair and a boom box down to a corner. If possible, sit down and turn on the boom box. That is all.

Oh, the boom box would be playing Rothbard's "History of Money and Banking in the US" Audio Book!! AND Rothbard's lectures on the End of Laissez Faire. AND Rothbard's Conceived in Liberty audio book.

+rep! And we would be handing out copies of those books too.

[GunnyFreedom]

That's hot stuff! I especially like in the 1st vid how when the sheep started to get unsure you busted out with the 'which one will legalize weed tomorrow!" to draw them back under your umbrella. That was genius! I'da repped the video too, but I already repped the OP and it won't let me...

[nbruno322]

Everybody at every occupy whatever protest should be given a complimentary Aaron Russo "Freedom to Fascism" DVD

[speciallyblend]

That's hot stuff! I especially like in the 1st vid how when the sheep started to get unsure you busted out with the 'which one will legalize weed tomorrow!" to draw them back under your umbrella. That was genius! I'da repped the video too, but I already repped the OP and it won't let me...

the marijuana issue will win ron paul colorado. This i promise. I would love to see a poll obama vs ron paul on this very issue!! Ron Paul Wins i bet;)

[teacherone]

amazing video.

these people are like newly born ducklings ready to follow whomever will lead.

you are the mama duck Joey. lead them.

[Joey Fuller]

Thanks for the nice comments... sucks that our liberty crew had a camera malfunction.. 3 or 4 diff ppl were recording mee..so alll I can do is hope they post it in its entirety

[juleswin]

You are the man Joey. This is the kind of thing I will like to do but probably dont have the confidence to go up and spread the message in such a big stage. I try to go in and talk to individual not thing close to what you did. Big props to you and your crew