Today I saw a side to the Occupy Wall Street protests which hasn’t been much reported — the impact on local businesses. A Vietnamese immigrant came up to me and, frustrated, asked me what the protesters wanted and when they would leave. He hasn’t worked for two weeks, he said:
The Vietnamese man would have been better asking you, Mr. Cooke, why you would want to prolong his problem by reporting on these ne'er do wells and thus extending their purpose.
Impact on local business is important but there are
other issues. Chicago has ousted Occupy Chicago from
a street corner that the demonstrators had indeed
"occupied", making it into a kind of semi-permanent
peoples park. What is NYC doing about Zuccotti park,
or Occupy Boston, etc.
This "Occupy ___" will go on anyway, but why must local
authority make it easy? Is taking over Zuccotti park illegal in some way. Are we going to see ourselves looking at "occupiers" entrenched with heated tents, etc. well into winter 2011?
The Vietnamese man probably owns a corporate jet and is funded by the Koch brothers. Why doesn't he have a right to control his storefront? What a frickin' joke. These protesters need to be forcefully removed if they continue to impede on people's living. Of course many of them want that anyway, like they will be part of some Arab Spring protest rally against the "man".
Racist right wing a-hole. He's just saying that because the Prez is black. Get with it man.... Hopeandchange, free tuition, and obstructionist camping (at least until it gets cold then back to the Gay Studies at NYU, Alanis Morrisette, and NPR fundraising). Typical capitalist pig!
Cooke should have realized that this poor schnook knows exactly what this herd of semi-coherent dolts is demanding -- they've got a particularly unsentimental version of it in place back in Hanoi.
Maybe I'm just crazy, but it seems to me that if this food cart guy had any business acumen at all, he'd realize that he's surrounded by people who eat.
Maybe I'm crazy, but it seems to me that if this food cart guy had any business acumen at all, it would dawn on him that he's surrounded by thousands of people who eat food.
My favorite part about this interview is the man's civility. It would be easy for him to just say "I want them to get the hell out of here so I can put food on the table!" But instead, he says "I want them to figure out what they want, who they need to talk to, and then go do it." Yeah, he's frustrated. But even in his frustration he respects the inherent right of people to protest in a free society. He wants them out of there, but he wants them to voice what they need to voice first. I'm sure that sort of assembly right is something he appreciates a lot more than your average American, and a helluva lot more than your average Occupant.
I don't agree with the message or intent but I can't help but thinking that allowing protests of this sort is a beneficial release of frustration and discontent that would otherwise find a more detrimental form of expression. We should accomodate them in any reasonable means. Porta-potties perhaps?
Allowing protests of this sort is part of what has enabled the US to endure as long as it has.
You're so funny! If you were paying attention for the last few weeks, you would have seen the "day of rage" planned through the Internet fell through due to lack of interest, but those in NYC hung on, and have been receiving funding from Move-On.org, various unions that are the favs of Obama, George Soros through other organizations. Now it's a party free-for-all while the protests are carefully scoped to aim at nebulous "evil corporations" and never is Obama mentioned for his administration's part in the terrible economy. Obama has been putting everyone in the energy business out of business since he got in office, from Gulf workers to West Virginia coal miners, but that is no surprise because he promised to do that on the campaign trail. He not only turned over the future in terms of stimulus to the banks, he hired half of them and the wall streeters for his cabinet and czars. Yet ask those protesters, they may tell you they will vote democrat again.
What do they want? They do NOT want to be like you. They do not want to work hard, take risks and make a better life for themselves and their children (heaven help us on that one!). They want their life-style to be subsidized by others, namely you. Welcome to America in the 21st century, brought to you by 100+ years of progressive 'reform' and the 'best and brightest' of academe!
I was under the impression that it was the police -- not the protesters -- who had closed down Wall Street with metal barricades and evicted street vendors.
The Vietnamese man would have been better asking you, Mr. Cooke, why you would want to prolong his problem by reporting on these ne'er do wells and thus extending their purpose.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseImpact on local business is important but there are
other issues. Chicago has ousted Occupy Chicago from
a street corner that the demonstrators had indeed
"occupied", making it into a kind of semi-permanent
peoples park. What is NYC doing about Zuccotti park,
or Occupy Boston, etc.
This "Occupy ___" will go on anyway, but why must local
authority make it easy? Is taking over Zuccotti park illegal in some way. Are we going to see ourselves looking at "occupiers" entrenched with heated tents, etc. well into winter 2011?
Maybe Obama's home base Chicago did it right.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Vietnamese man probably owns a corporate jet and is funded by the Koch brothers. Why doesn't he have a right to control his storefront? What a frickin' joke. These protesters need to be forcefully removed if they continue to impede on people's living. Of course many of them want that anyway, like they will be part of some Arab Spring protest rally against the "man".
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRacist right wing a-hole. He's just saying that because the Prez is black. Get with it man.... Hopeandchange, free tuition, and obstructionist camping (at least until it gets cold then back to the Gay Studies at NYU, Alanis Morrisette, and NPR fundraising). Typical capitalist pig!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCooke should have realized that this poor schnook knows exactly what this herd of semi-coherent dolts is demanding -- they've got a particularly unsentimental version of it in place back in Hanoi.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe woman behind him has mistaken the Mercedes logo for a peace sign. Classic.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMaybe I'm just crazy, but it seems to me that if this food cart guy had any business acumen at all, he'd realize that he's surrounded by people who eat.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMaybe I'm crazy, but it seems to me that if this food cart guy had any business acumen at all, it would dawn on him that he's surrounded by thousands of people who eat food.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThey eat food. It's just that they don't pay for food.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMy favorite part about this interview is the man's civility. It would be easy for him to just say "I want them to get the hell out of here so I can put food on the table!" But instead, he says "I want them to figure out what they want, who they need to talk to, and then go do it." Yeah, he's frustrated. But even in his frustration he respects the inherent right of people to protest in a free society. He wants them out of there, but he wants them to voice what they need to voice first. I'm sure that sort of assembly right is something he appreciates a lot more than your average American, and a helluva lot more than your average Occupant.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't agree with the message or intent but I can't help but thinking that allowing protests of this sort is a beneficial release of frustration and discontent that would otherwise find a more detrimental form of expression. We should accomodate them in any reasonable means. Porta-potties perhaps?
Allowing protests of this sort is part of what has enabled the US to endure as long as it has.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou're so funny! If you were paying attention for the last few weeks, you would have seen the "day of rage" planned through the Internet fell through due to lack of interest, but those in NYC hung on, and have been receiving funding from Move-On.org, various unions that are the favs of Obama, George Soros through other organizations. Now it's a party free-for-all while the protests are carefully scoped to aim at nebulous "evil corporations" and never is Obama mentioned for his administration's part in the terrible economy. Obama has been putting everyone in the energy business out of business since he got in office, from Gulf workers to West Virginia coal miners, but that is no surprise because he promised to do that on the campaign trail. He not only turned over the future in terms of stimulus to the banks, he hired half of them and the wall streeters for his cabinet and czars. Yet ask those protesters, they may tell you they will vote democrat again.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTo the person being interviewed:
What do they want? They do NOT want to be like you. They do not want to work hard, take risks and make a better life for themselves and their children (heaven help us on that one!). They want their life-style to be subsidized by others, namely you. Welcome to America in the 21st century, brought to you by 100+ years of progressive 'reform' and the 'best and brightest' of academe!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI was under the impression that it was the police -- not the protesters -- who had closed down Wall Street with metal barricades and evicted street vendors.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse