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Homeless find home at Occupy Seattle, so is it still a protest?
KPLU-FM National Public Radio ^ | October 10, 2011 | Paula Wissel

Posted on 10/10/2011 10:18:01 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Protesters or homeless or both? What's happening to the Occupy Seattle gathering at Seattle's Westlake Park has some wondering, but those you ask have an answer to why they are there.

More and more homeless people are joining protesters occupying Seattle’s Westlake Park. The Occupy Wall Street movement has a special attraction for people who sleep on the streets.

When you walk through Westlake Park, in the heart of downtown Seattle’s shopping district, you notice the donated tarps and sleeping bags on hand to keep people warm. And there's a big tent where you can get a cheese sandwich or receive first aid.

If you don’t have a home, it seems like a good place to hang out.

But, the homeless people I talked with on Monday afternoon said it's about a lot more than that.

"I think it’s a beautiful cause. It says in the constitution that when the government becomes corrupt it's our duty as Americans to stand up against it and change it and that's what we're trying to do," said a young woman who goes by the name Murphy.

Sitting near Murphy was Delmar Bryant. He says he’s lived on streets all over the Northwest. He believes Occupy Seattle is the start of something special.

"We’re in America and our history has been to stand up for what we think is right and there is a way that we have done this in our country and this is one of the ways. No matter how it looks, just be really glad that someone is standing up for our rights,” he said.

Uncertain McGinn

The Mayor of Seattle, Mike McGinn, is wrestling with what to do about this ongoing protest at Westlake Park. He says he supports the cause and even brought coffee to protesters on Sunday. He says it’s important to highlight the gulf between the haves and the have nots. But McGinn is also hearing from local businesses and residents upset with the mess and noise.

When asked if he’s concerned that Westlake could become something of a homeless haven, McGinn says he is.

"I think that’s one of the reasons Westlake Park is not intended to be a place for camping. It's just not a compatible use with the other uses of the park," he said during a news conference on Monday.

The city says protesters cannot set up tents or spend the night. Many are staying in Westlake Park 24/7 anyway.

(VIDEO AT LINK)


TOPICS: Local News; Politics
KEYWORDS: hippies; homeless; occupywallstreet; seattle; washington
I'm guessing the mayor is a Democrat.
1 posted on 10/10/2011 10:18:07 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Of course.


2 posted on 10/10/2011 10:22:00 PM PDT by ConjunctionJunction
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I can see why all the comparisons between the Tea Party and this “Occupy” stuff. I can’t tell you how many times I was to a Tea Party rally holding anti Obamacare signage and the dude next to me is holding a sign that says “Will work for food, but would rather get it for nothing”.


3 posted on 10/10/2011 10:36:10 PM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

4 posted on 10/10/2011 10:40:37 PM PDT by Bobalu (More rubble, less trouble)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“It says in the constitution that when the government becomes corrupt it’s our duty as Americans to stand up against it and change it and that’s what we’re trying to do,” said a young woman who goes by the name Murphy.”

No Murphy, it does not. There is something similar in the Declaration of Independence, but I’m sure Thomas Jefferson, and the Signers of the document would disembowel themselves before they would say your cause was the reason they included the phrase.
As a matter of fact it was meant to have the people you are cheering for, including the ones in Washington DC arrested and hung for treason.
But of course, you libs think that any of the founding documents should be folded and spindled to meet your warped view of the world.
Ignorant Jackwagons!

I have a worsening dread about this. Since Napolitano declared Conservatives terrorists, this little uprising is going to be all the Kenyan needs to declare martial law, and void the elections next year. You just know one of the organizers of this is going to have one of these brainwashed minions attack a Tea Party member, who they know is armed. The little nut job is going to get martyred, and that will be all he needs to have the police start trying to round us up, and start confiscating registered weapons.
It’s like a bad episode of the Twilight Zone. I can tell where the story is going, and I don’t see a way to change the channel.


5 posted on 10/10/2011 10:54:23 PM PDT by rikkir (Political office should be a sacrifice, not a reward. Do your service and GO HOME!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Democrats should be barred from being Mayors of big cities. They do nothing but destroy and then the Republicans have to come into power again and rebuild - like Guiliani did in NYC. This ying and yang is absolutely destroying our great cities.


6 posted on 10/10/2011 10:56:05 PM PDT by miss marmelstein (Let's have a Cain Mutiny!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Not only a Dem but a far left loon, who just discovered that
he was mugged.


7 posted on 10/10/2011 11:14:00 PM PDT by RitchieAprile (Create enough caffeine abusers in your society and you'll be statistically more likely to launch an)
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To: rikkir
No one is going to "void" elections in 2012.

No question, however, anything that happens will be exploited for maximum gain by this president and his party, particularly the coordinated effort like the Occupy protests. They'd love for their allies to cause chaos which they would blame on "do nothing" Republicans. It's cynical and perverse, even despicable.

8 posted on 10/11/2011 12:15:29 AM PDT by newzjunkey (Obama wins in 2012.)
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To: miss marmelstein

It’s too much yin that’s destroying our cities.


9 posted on 10/11/2011 12:57:00 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

How do the homeless stand the smell?


10 posted on 10/11/2011 5:40:41 AM PDT by Moltke (Always retaliate first.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The woman in the video who identified herself as Dee said the protesters would be staying there 24/7. But she herself does not spend the nights there. Why not Dee? If you’re so committed to the social justice thingy, why don’t you stay there 24/7?


11 posted on 10/11/2011 7:16:25 AM PDT by driftless2
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