Occupy Wall Street crowd failing to attract average people\
- Judi McLeod Friday, October 7, 2011

The takedown of society the Occupy Wall Street protests strive to achieve, like the politicians they serve, has no significant constituency.

Even those with a strong sense of entitlement don’t race off to the public square to protest when they can watch it from the comfort of their digs on television.

The government is no help to the protest there because it cannot afford to withdraw its support of 42% of American households until the very end of the game. To do so now would cut too heavily into one of their most dependable voter contingents.


The shock waves and bitter disappointment will hit first the ranks of the disaffected youth and the permanently entitled long before it ever scores points with John Q. Public. Clamouring, beating drums and shouting chants haven’t brought about significant change since the long ago days of the French Revolution.

For the moment lying about on mattresses, strumming guitars under starlit skies; lining up in the great outdoors for meals delivered during texting appeals to the starved sense of adventure for people with nothing better to do.

All is never all sunshine and lollipops for the ‘Take Down Corporate Greed’ crowd.


With media hounds like Code Pink and Greenpeace running the show, breakouts of internecine fighting among the hordes is all but inevitable.

Whistle-stop visits from film celebrities like Susan Sarandon and Michael Moore don’t do much for morale when you have to line up with working people at busy McDonald washrooms.

Downloading video onto the Internet showing “the brutality of the policeâ€