When I look at the leadership/motivator of today’s protest (occupy Wall street) and notice it’s the same guy that glittered for gay rights last summer (Nick Espinosa) I question his sincerity. Can he find other work perhaps? Is stirring the pot an addiction? A little of both?

Petitions and Protests definitely work. There are many instances where petitions (even online ones like the BoA Fee one) succeeded.

_But_ protests and petitions need to be clear cut and definitive in their goal(s).
“End the Viet Nam War” = clear-cut, definitive.
“Make the economy less suck-y” = not clear-cut nor definitve.

Which is why the Occupy Protests will get nowhere unless or until they come together and agree on precise, targeted, definitive goals.
How can aything be fixed if you don’t know what specifically needs to be fixed and who should be doing the fixing?

There’s simply too much to fix! And…when we can’t count on our elected officials to do the right thing—we take matters into your own hands. A bunch of jilted individuals protesting together for several different causes is what it’s come to. The problems are global and not uniquely American. In fact, they’re not getting any better—they’re getting worse. Greece, Italy, Ireland, Spain—and the Swiss (yes, the Swiss). Not to mention the Chinese mess. We are looking down our own road to austerity and this movement will morph and change right along with it. Not out of activism, out of bold necessity. The only facet that gets me red in the eyeballs is Americans hating Americans. Inexplicable.

The revolution has begun and it is global. whether you like it or not YOU are part of the 99%. The police should be used to fight for instead of against us. I’m not against making money and yes if you work or have the resources then by all means enjoy your riches. However, inflation, prices at the grocery stores, bank fees, gas prices, etc etc is NOT proportional equal by any means to even increases in household income. In fact research shows that in the past number of years the average household and personal income have decreased, but our cost of living has not.

With a little further consideration, for a petition/protest to work it must be a simple message with a simple solution. Directness works as there is a tendancy to easily get off track and lose focus.

I agree that a petition and/or protest can succeed but: The people involved in such must be focused on the issue and not on their anger or own agenda. To succeed, people must respectfully state what it is they want and then work to get that specific point across. I don’t think protests or petitions are as effective when people start acting crazy and doing inane acts in the name of the protest. Be respectful people and you are more likely to get heard!

The petition should be written as clearly and concisely as possible and state exactly what it is that is to be accomplished. Don’t write anger into the petition…simply state the facts and possible resolutions. Again, respect and intelligence is the key to succeeding.

Well Jason, that’s my 2 cents worth and I’ve signed many an online petition that has made some impact in it’s objective. I haven’t been involved in protests but I imagine they should be conducted in a similar manner but I can also see how emotions can run high.

Thanks!

It takes something that people from all walks of life to feel is wrong to step up rather than just a slight agreement. Best example of that was the Rodney King riots in 1992 and the worldwide outcry against Uganda’s social policy. It needs a much stronger following than what they had.

Works better to vote with the wallet where it can be done: Netflix, “New” coke, B of A