Posted on 10/31/2011 11:06:01 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
The Occupy movement came to Los Angeles aiming for Wall Street titans, but farmers market vendors are the first to take a real hit.
Two weeks ago, about 40 vendors who sell on the City Hall lawn every Thursday were forced off the property after protesters refused to remove their city of tents.
.. Since that relocation, profits have plummeted, vendors have pulled out and shoppers have become scarce.
"The cause is good," said Genaro Lopez, a vendor who initially helped protesters with free sodas and burritos. "But this is our bread and butter, and we've taken a huge hit."
Many vendors, who already struggle to make it through the slow winter months, have reported a 40% to 60% drop in sales since the move, said market manager Susan Hutchinson. So far, three have decided to quit showing up until the demonstrators are gone.
The irony is not lost on Occupy L.A. protesters.
"Here we are representing the 99%," said Martine Fennelly, an activist. "And the farmers are the first to suffer from the movement."
Still, Fennelly said, protesters are choosing to stay put, because "an occupation means an occupation, not a three-week camp-out."
The decision was made through a vote Oct. 19, she said. Close to a hundred demonstrators cast votes. Nearly everyone agreed to move, but a handful did not. Because decisions required unanimous approval, the handful won, Fennelly said.
"Some people cried because they were so affected," she said, adding that the voting rules have changed: A 90% majority is now required.
Fennelly said protesters have tried to help the market by announcing its new location on Twitter and Facebook.
For vendors, some of whom travel from as far as the Central Valley, the publicity is little consolation. As with real estate, they say, location is key.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
IT’s all about MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
See MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
Hear MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
Obama has been using it to drum up sympathy for his cause, and it's time to make him own it.
Start calling it:
“Nearly everyone agreed to move, but a handful did not. Because decisions required unanimous approval, the handful won”
Tyranny of the 10%. Oh the irony.
“Here we are representing the 99%,” said Martine Fennelly, an activist. “And the farmers are the first to suffer from the movement.”
Why Business 101 should be mandatory in all schooling.
a primer on OCCUPY, from Oct 17th.
Understanding the Occupy Wall Street movement: A primer
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/10/occupy-wall-street-primer-.html
—
Q: Who is running this movement and what do they want?
A: No one is officially in charge of the diffuse movement. In fact, it has different leaders and goals depending on where the occupiers have sprung up.
But there is a clear anti-capitalist theme and associated populist demands in the face of various governments’ inability to solve the world’s economic crisis. The most frequent demands are for an end to Wall Street and corporate greed. That’s blamed for the most recent recession and for the slow recovery with its high unemployment, particularly among the young seeking their first real jobs.
The other common demand seems to be a forgiveness of debt, whether student loans or personal, as a result of having to borrow to make ends meet during the downturn.
Among the most frequent slogans are attacks on the 1% at the top of the economic distribution pyramid who protesters claim have prospered while the remaining 99% have suffered.
—
It’s all the rich’s greedy excesses, yaknow..
The LA Times claims their are no leaders in the latest STUPIFY movement borne of think tanks...
It’s a weak attempt to make it appear more ‘TEA Partyesque’, a very weak one ..
It appears they still don’t have a clue as to who is behind it.
” but hurting small vendors instead “
By their lights, then, wouldn’t that make them equivalent to WalMart, ‘evil destroyer of local small business’??
The mayor needs to boot them. The land in front of city hall is public land, not private land like Zuccoti park. That site is the place where many protests are organized. Why does OWS get to “own” it? - especially when there is infrared photo evidence suggesting that it truly isn’t occupied but rather that there are just a bunch of empty tents to make it look full.
“Still, Fennelly said, protesters are choosing to stay put, because... We’re getting paid $100 a day to stay.”
Nothing ironic about it, FRiend. There goal is to destroy capitalism, so they don’t care if they take out a big business or a small business.
Nothing ironic about it, FRiend. There goal is to destroy capitalism, so they don’t care if they take out a big business or a small business.
That was my thought, too.
Reality bites.
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