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Christopher Berkey for msnbc.com
Samantha Blanchard works in the Occupy Nashville protest camp on Monday.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Compared to “Occupy” protests on the coasts, the rebel encampment tucked between Tennessee’s War Memorial Plaza and the Statehouse – a few dozen tents adorned with American flags and even a libertarian one – has a decidedly Southern feel.
While protesters in New York, California and elsewhere may often pass their downtime playing drums, meditating or knitting, their Tennessee counterparts could be playing football, hosting a square dance, flying kites, skateboarding or welcoming opponents with cookies.
And if conversations on the coasts tend toward left-wing political theory, such as anarchy, Marxism and socialism, protesters here work on bridging a different divide: uniting the “blue” and “red” factions in their local audience.
"We do have a lot of conservative voices in this camp and the thing that is really appealing to all of us is we believe in the common ties that bind us,” said Samantha Blanchard, a 30-year-old office administrator who was sheltering in a tent as rain poured down on a frosty, grey Sunday afternoon.
“This is a place where if people were really going to come together and form that 'purple' (combination of blue and red political affiliations) that everybody lusts for, it’s going to probably happen in this camp.”
While occupiers in several other cities have been forced to retreat, Nashville’s protest -- a core group of about 90 and a looser support network of 400 part-timers -- has survived two attempted evictions on Oct. 28-29. Fifty-five people were arrested on misdemeanor charges of criminal trespassing that were eventually dismissed, said William P. York II, one of the attorneys who represented them.
Among them was 64-year-old Bill Howell, regional organizer for the Tennesseans for Fair Taxation.
'I've been treated like a rock star'
Howell, who said he had never been arrested before, had planned for the moment, leading other protesters in a reading of the Declaration of Independence before he was taken into custody.
Christopher Berkey for MSNBC
Bill Howell, 64, a regional organizer of Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, at the Occupy Nashville protest camp on Monday, Nov. 28. The "23" tag signifies that he was the 23rd protestor arrested in Nashville.
Reaction to the “Occupy Nashville” protest has been varied, he said, with “some people going by honking and hollering, ‘Get a job!’ and you know all the usual stuff. In my community, in some circles, I’ve been treated like a rock star,” he said chuckling, as a train horn blared in the background.
A preliminary injunction has allowed the camp to remain for now, but a status conference will be held with a federal judge on Feb. 3. However, protesters say “side attacks” have continued, with city inspectors warning about food preparation safety standards and the state attempting to deny them port-a-potties, which was revealed in emails obtained under Tennessee's open records law, said another one of the Occupy Nashville attorneys, William W. Hunt III.
But efforts to squelch the movement only served to fire up “couch occupiers,” said Jason Steen, 32, an office administrator.
“We had a good number of people here, but it suddenly turned into a First Amendment issue when Governor (Bill) Haslam started evicting everyone for curfew rights,” he said, estimating that the camp size has more than doubled to about 60 tents in the wake of the arrests.
Though Steen has a home, he spends most of his time at the camp and sometimes sleeps there.
“I just feel that strong about it because if we don’t have people down here for when all the legislators are in session and looking out their windows … what kind of impact are we going to have?”
One of those drawn in over First Amendment concerns was Jon Louis, who describes himself as a right-winger with some liberal social tendencies. He said he grew "irritated" as he watched state troopers arrest protesters.
Christopher Berkey for msnbc.com
Samantha Blanchard, Matthew Hamill and Jon Louis spend time in the Occupy Nashville protest camp on Monday.
Louis, who said some on the right have cast him as a “plant” in the movement while friends have taken to calling him a "hippie," noted that he does not agree with all of the views put forward at the camp and that it took him a while learning about it before he joined.
"There’s some like minds here and there’s also, you know, a melting pot of different opinions," he said, noting he was “trying to get to the more right conservative South … mindsets and try to explain it to them, that we aren’t just a bunch of lefties (because) I’m most certainly not a lefty."
Three goals
Despite the range of political beliefs represented in the camp – and Nashville’s reputation as a liberal bastion in the state -- the protesters have winnowed their “goals” down to three, which are printed on a blue index card and handed out to visitors. They are: ending corporate personhood, getting money out of politics and supporting Occupy Wall Street.
“It’s a lot more conservative here so we definitely have to tailor our approach and our message,” said Elli Whiteway, a 21-year-old college student. “… We kind of pride ourselves on being a common denominator movement … that’s been our approach, just trying to be, not exactly centrist, but applicable to both sides of the political spectrum.”
That approach hasn’t won over all conservatives.
The Vanderbilt College Republicans organized a protest at the camp on Nov. 3 – which the occupiers said they welcomed with cookies and open dialogue.
"We wanted to make known that not all the youths are with the movement, as is perceived by many. Their demands will do nothing but add to the burgeoning debt already on our shoulders," Stephen Siao, the group's president, wrote to msnbc.com in an email. "We think the Occupy Nashville movement is misguided -- they should be protesting at the White House, not at the State Capitol or Wall Street. It's this administration's policies that are prolonging this dreadful economy."
He also said that while Occupy Nashville "might have one or two members who claim to be conservative," the "core of conservatism is personal responsibility, and that is completely the opposite of their demands. We don't believe prosperity should be punished."
At a General Assembly meeting on Sunday, the protesters shivered, stamped their feet and huddled together to keep warm in 45-degree temperatures while outlining upcoming protests, addressing financial donations and discussing a planned two-day meeting of all the state’s occupations – about a dozen total from towns and cities – for this weekend.
On the sidelines, Michael Custer, a 47-year-old father of four and self-described rabble-rouser, said that Nashville brings a "unique perspective" to the global movement but also has some additional challenges.
Christopher Berkey for MSNBC
Michael Custer shakes his hands in approval during the General Assembly at the Occupy Nashville protest camp on Monday, Nov. 28.
"We’re the incubation place for Martin Luther King’s nonviolent struggles. This is his test kitchen. … So we have some unique perspective on the nonviolent aspect of these types of struggles,” he said. “The South is generally a lot more laidback and a lot more difficult to motivate. But as you can see … we are out here in the cold and rain so obviously there are quite a few of us that are motivated.”
Custer said he will always be "vocal," but others are not as willing to express their opinions.
“People are terrified of government, they are terrified to the point that they won’t speak out. They’ll tell you what they think behind closed doors,” he said. “I think a lot of that’s held over from the old Klan days where when you spoke out, they came and beat you up, or tried to kill you.”
'Express yourself'
With other camps across the country shut down by authorities in recent weeks or facing the threat of eviction, “it really gives us an opportunity to step in and just become one of the most action-oriented occupations,” said Matt Hamill, 26, a self-described political conservative who works for Radio Free Nashville and hosts a weekly radio show on the movement.
Those actions include even lighter fare, such as a square dancing event with a live band held recently in the plaza.
“(It) really kind of hit home … (that) this is what occupying is about,” Hamill said of the livestream of the event, which garnered positive feedback from supporters around the country. “… You should be allowed to express yourself however you want to and not have to worry about anybody coming in and trying to silence your voice or shut you down.”
Blanchard also noted that people in the chat were saying they needed to see such a lighthearted event, that it was “so cathartic to see a camp having fun.”
“I feel like in a lot of ways … Nashville is starting to become maybe a bit of a tender spot or a hearthstone for other occupiers,” she added. “We’re like the little heartbeat, the little southern hospitality of the movement.”
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NYC,LA,Seatle,Oakland should take note of Nashville
This group of losers continues to cost the taxpayers millions of dollars with their socialist anti-American movement and the left wing media continues to try and shove it down our throats that we should all love them. The truth is that the real 99.99% of the public are sick of theses anarchists / criminals / communists / mentally ill and want them out of their parks, plazas and cities.
Why do the GOPtards fantasize about having things rammed down their throats?
Why do you fantasize about things being rammed up your A$$
"the core of conservatism is personal responsibility" said Thadeus and Mindy of the Vanderbilt Republican Club.
Congratulations!!! How patriotic of you. How shallow and self-serving. How child like.
The various governments make me mad. The arrests are just a way to get names, addresses, fingerprints and any personal info that they can. It is why New York blocked off both ends of the bridge to arrest people. Any excuse to violate civil rights in the name of something or the other. Banning partying on public grounds is next..
"uniting the “blue” and “red” factions"
Amen!!!
The international corporations are undermining our Democracy by flooding the representatives of THIS country with huge amounts of "contributions" (bribes).
When it comes to finance, energy, and pharmaceutical companies in particular, the amount of power they have amassed is staggering.
They can now cheat, pollute and prevent competition from lowering prices.
Until we stop having corporations pay for American elections, the differences the "two" parties make is no where near enough to stop the US from destroying itself.
Other countries like NEW Zealand don't have this problem because their government pays the total cost of the elections, and "contributions" and "gifts" are forbidden.
They also pay their politicians very well and have severe punishments for those who are stupid enough not to know they have a good deal.
Lets stop this ridiculous left-right divide crap and fix this deadly problem.
Like we were back in the heyday? the late 1950's? When the top 1% was being taxed at around 70% I'm with ya there!
a few dozen tents adorned with American flags and even a libertarian one – has a decidedly Southern feel.
Yeah right !
They need to drape the Hammer and Sickle over top of everything. Ingrateful socialist panhandlers.
What these spoiled beggars want is for someone to give them something. They want central planning by the government and the redistribution of wealth
1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.
5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebod else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.
ED: Funny, but you don't seem to have a problem with "Big Government" coddling corporate America or the uber rich. For them, it's just one tax cut followed by another, Right?
If your crowd were half as fiscacly conservative as you claim to be, you never would hav allowed Bush to start two wars, both of them UNPAID, as well as a real socialist/commie drug plan, also UNPAID for and then of course all of his wonderful tax cuts for corporations and favoring the super rich. What do you propose that we pay for Bush's two wars with? He didn't even have the honesty to put them on the books but rather hid the debt in "supplementary spending" which was a complete dodge.
And spare us all the Rights tired talking points. Did you take notes from Sean Hannity??? You sound crazy and reactionary enough to be a John Bircher.
Contrary to your claim government can and has assisted people in achieving prosperity and bettering their lives. I'll bet you'd just love to roll back the clock 100 years or more. Let's bring back the era of no unions, sweat shops, child labor, hidious and unsafe working conditions and while we're at it, how about we let corporations to completely poison our eviornment.
No one is attempting to destroy the rich, that's a canard the Right uses constantly. The fact is, we have done quite the opposite, we've given the rich every break in the book which is why the disparity in wealth over the last 40 years has grown so dramatically. One has to only look at the numbers, the wealthy have done better and better, the middle class has been slipping back andt the poor have been decimated. But I guess that's because the poor are all shiftless, lazy bums looking for a handout and all the wealth are incredibly industrious, bright, hard working and god fearing Americans. No trust fund babies out there, right Ed??? People who have their money managed so they pay little or no taxes but are allowed to milk the system for all it's worth. These are the folks who hire the fancy lobbyists on K street to buy off more GOP Congressman to pass legislation in their favor.
I'd recommend you lighten your tone up just a bit. You sound like the archetypal angry, bitter old man. It would be nice if you could find just a trace of understanding and compassion for those who find themselves in a less advantageous than yourself. I'm not betting on it however.
I guess Newtie baby is going to have to tell some conservatives to take a bath and get a job. My, my, my.
To all those repugnican right wingers out there. First of all most of you idiots probably don't have a job making $20,000 a year if you have one and are still living and sponging off of your parents. If you think Wall street is on the side of the middle class and the poor you better take your moronic head out of your ass and start getting informed. I love it that the deep redneck south are repugnicans and they have the lowest standard of living, education, wages, etc. Keep holding your breath that romney and gingrich will make things a lot better for you. romney is reportedly worth almost $300 million so he has a lot in common with the middle class. You deserve all the crap you get. At least the occupy wall streeters are trying to do something about the inequality between the rich and the rest of the country. Who do the repugnican politicians try to help? When is the last time you saw any of them trying to help the middle class and the poor? Isn't going to happen. They only do things for the RICH!
So thats why 7 out of the top 10 congressman are Democraps. Wow have another glass.
CANON: You miss the point entirely. Of course, there are many wealthy Democrats in the Congress. Hell, the Senate has basically turned into a private club for multi millionaires. However, my observations over the years have shown me that wealthy Democrats do not whine endlessly about paying taxes or using their money for the public good. I'm not saying there are not philanthropic Conservates but they complain endlessly about taxes which of course feeds right into the narrative of Republicans and has created this myth that the wealthy or overtaxed.
Look at people like Warren Buffet & Bill Gates who are giving away the majority of their fortunes. Or people like Paul Newman who has given hundreds of millions to truly worthwhile causes.
Troll harder, You're slipping.
When I was 13 my father left a book on my desk, I got home from school picked it up and laughed because it was about the size of a children's book, actually I think Curious George was a bit larger. I turned it over and looked at the title which read Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, I opened it and read it once then again and again, I'm 25 now and I can't count how many times I've read the book. I recommend anyone who hasn't read this book to go and get a copy today, anyone who has read the book will understand my following comment. The book has what Franklin refers to as the 13 virtues things like frugality, justice, chastity, reverence, etc. My favorite was always humility, which most people only know the virtue as imitate Jesus and Socrates of course the virtue is described in a whole paragraph which I'll leave to those curious or smart enough to read themselves. I see these people this "99%" of people who participate in these Occupy Tents Protest, I see people complaining about unemployment and that there are no jobs for them and it makes me angry. There are plenty of jobs the problem is these people. It's not that they have don't have humility it's that it's misguided these people have no problem sleeping in tents on the ground, urinating in bottles & defecating on the ground living as if they were truly homeless and helpless the truth is they're just too proud. If you have enough humility to sleep in a tent the you have enough to work at McDonald's, Burger King, being a janitor, what have you; not everyone can work in an office and wear a tie n suit, stature like that is earned not given or handed out like hot cakes in the Salvation Army food line. I went to college for 6 years, lived in dorms for 4 of those years, worked countless night jobs in fast food, being a waiter, washing cars, walking peoples dog's, I can go on forever. A month after I graduated, a month after all that hard work and dedication, a month after I truly though I was going to starve because I didn't want to eat noodles anymore (being the only thing I could afford), a month after all this I was given a job offering 75 grand a year, a office with a refrigerator, two sinks, and a personal bathroom. Pride didn't get me this position, it was humility. In conclusion I say to all the occupy people get out of your tents, get off your couches, lose your senseless & useless pride, and be a REAL AMERICAN like good Ol' Benjamin.
MARSHALL: Two things, firstly, according to your "logic" all poor or unemployed people are bums, is that it?
Secondly, Benjamin Franklin advocated "Chastity" LMAO Go tell that to all the Parisian babes he hooked up with.
I never called anyone a bum I've been poor and flat broke myself, but I never asked for a hand out and I never asked for help. Obviously you haven't read the book so until you do I'll end my discussion with you here.
MARSHAL: Never say never. One never know what the future might hold. And I'll make a guess that if you were totally broke with several young children you just might swallow your pride and ask for help.
You may have referred to the poor and unemployed as bums but you only have to look at some of postings on here from far Right Wing crazies to see that it is not an anomaly.
Marshal- Many of the protesters, have done just like you and are working. The Iraq vet, that was injured by the tear gas canister, came down to the protest after work. Many of the protesters are retired. Painting the whole OWS movement as lazy hippies, that defaecate and urinate everywhere, is Fox news(faux noise) dribble. They love to through out the fear and hate words, muslims, gays, liberal, socialist, communist etc. If you don't like the protest's don't go!
Last time you tried you got the Romneycare rammed down your throat.
It's time to have a zero tolerance policy for any occupy camps, what a bunch of worthless bums. I know, free speech and blah blah blah, but these camps only accomplish two things; being an eye sore, and creating filth.
What do you propose this zero tolerance policy look like: cities should spend thousands of dollars arresting harmless protesters?
The OWS are not just a bunch of unemployed people. I support the OWS movement, and I have a job. I've never collected unemployment or welfare in my life.
Obama did NOT cause this recession/depression, no matter WHAT the teabirthers say. If McCain/female windbag had won, the economy would not be ANY better. If the Republicans win in 2012, they'll just get the blame in 2016. They won't do ANYTHING to make it better. They'll just increase the number of homeless people, just like Reagan did.
Quite possibly the dumbest post on the entire website.
You are the biggest handouter I know.
Tell us what percentage of your income is taxpayer funded?
"And if conversations on the coasts tend toward left-wing political theory, such as anarchy, Marxism and socialism" Where the hell did this come from? These people are protesting a lack of opportunity in the so-called land of opportunity. Get an education, be willing to work hard and you'll be rewarded. Thats not happening. They're pissed and disillusioned and want things to change. I'm behind em 100%. This article is another example of mainstream media drinking the corporate koolaid. Disgusting!
The unemployment rate among people with a basic college degree is about 4.4%.
That makes your post look stoopid, eh Jerry?
REBUTTAL; By your standard, I suppose guys who went through College on the G.I. bill are freeloaders as well, eh. Tell that to my family members who are combat veterans of WWII.
As a matter of fact, you seem quite obsessed with "freeloaders". There's all kinds of welfare buddy and you seem oblivious to the billions handed out to corporations every year. Does it trouble you that we give money back to Exxon/Mobil, the wealthiest corporation in the world??? Does it bother you that a dimwit like Michele Bachman who, lik you, rails against "Big Government" has received several hundred thousand in Farm Subsidies for doing absolutely nothing. Or her husband (who she is too dumb to even know that he's gay which he clearly is) who receives substantial payments from both Medicare & Medicaid which helped underwrite his "clinic" to "Pray the gay away". I couldn't make this stuff up.
Just wondering why truthfindunow is so hateful! We are all americans and that means we all are free to express our opinions!!!!!! Our country was formed around people having different opinions, but lately its I hate you if you think any differently then me!!!Why is that? Have we all perhaps been conditioned by our political parties to hate each other? Is it a divide and conquer philosophy that a small very powerful group of people are brainwashing us with that causes so much hatred of anyone with a different view???????????
It's not divide and conquer but it is a political tool. The purpose of the tool is to keep the people in office IN office at the lowest possible cost to them. Partisanship isn't a problem in DC. Those folks will say whatever and then go out to dinner or play golf together. What THEY want is for the electorate to be so sharply focused on blaming the "other" party that they pay no attention whatsoever to what they themselves are doing.
It's the cheapest way in the world to buy votes. If every time something bad happens I can get you to point your finger and blame the other party then you won't remember that MY party was just as responsible for the problem or that MY party supported the exact same thing when we were in the minority/majority. So, when it comes time to vote you just go into that booth and hit "Vote Party Ticket". I didn't have to build a museum or fix a road or build a school. i just had to keep you ticked off and not thinking for yourself.
"I disagree with what you say sir, but I will defend to death your right to say it." The Friends of Voltaire
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
That is your First Amendment to the Constitution. It specifically says Congress won't make a law that prohibits the free exercise of free speech. Unless you are a horses ass like Michael Bloomberg then you just make up curfew laws as you go along.
Yes, the Constitution protects the right of free speech. But, in the case of OWS, it doesn't protect stupidity.
There is no guarantee that you will be provided a venue for that free speech, only that you have the right to speak without the government coming after you for what you say. Remember what the INTENT of that was all about based on when it was written. If you spoke out against the Crown or its policies you could be arrested, tried, and sentenced for sedition even if you said it in your own home or in a tavern. Thus the protection for the new country's citizens' free speech. The could and CAN speak out against the government, its policies, and even its representatives without fear of being arrested and prosecuted for their OPINION.
That is not the same thing as saying you can go anywhere you WANT, even on private property to express your opinions or to take over that property for the purpose of expressing those opinions. Nor does it include a right to "occupy" public places that are open to ALL citizens and thus denying them the right to use those public spaces so that you can voice an opinion. Doing so is an attempt to put your rights above the rights of all other citizens and there is NO right to that in the First Amendment or anywhere in the Constitution.
Is THAT you, Justice THOMAS?
I'm going to sit in my tent on my computer & blog about how these greedy corporations suck. I will then video message some friends on my Iphone 4 to tell them to come on down to help out our cause. After that, I will check my facebook status to see if anyone "liked" the page I created entitled "Our country is BROKEN because the system is FIXED" That'll get some things to change around here, no doubt!
Let's do PURPLE! I like that!!! Let's come together and do what we can to fix the problems in this country!
Shouldn't that headline be Square dancing Trespasser's.
Did he say Non violent movement, guess the fights,broken windows and threats are the 21st centurys version of non violence.
Your a fake movement for nothing good,you read these comments and then make the changes to refelect a postive face to your union backed,socialst un American demands for changes that come right out of an old failed everytime it was tried ideas Commie hand book.
You slackers would die without the internet, your laptops and some mask to hide your cowardly little faces behind when breaking the law and being the ungrateful and hate filled spoiled brats you really are!
I hope they string up a bobwire fence to keep you people in and allow school children to see the dumbest, most ill informed , unworthy group of people to trend on American soil.
Thanks for proving that Abortion should stay legal and more accessable everywhere, you people are a waste and a burden on Society.
In 2001, I lost everything. There was no bailout for me. Didn't expect one. I take responsibility for my actions. So, I resonate with the comment about taking personal responsibility. With that in mind, here's my take on the Occupy movement:
I would like to see the banks be responsible for their ponzi schemes. I would like to see the health care insurers be more responsible to their customers (not shareholders). I would like to see government take responsibility for an equal chance for all its citizens. All citizens. Not corporations. Real people.
Corporations are not people. Corporations can have foreign shareholders. Since Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission corporations have been given free rein to drive the political process. To choose who gets elected. Corporations are too big to fail because the politicians need the corporate patronage to get elected. So, what we've got is socialism for the rich.
I'm sick of one-dollar-one-vote. I want a democracy. So, what's the solution? Here's one, google "fix congress first"
Are unions people? Who runs corporations, robots?
yes, not just lefties are angry. Taxation without true representation is why we are the country we are. lets not forget we are all americans.
Be afraid those in Washington who do nothing but give out trillions to banks, do insider trading and continue to take this country down hill. Here you have conservatives, progresives talking together, treating each other with respect and compromise positions. Makes the Newt statement I'm so rich I don't need a campaign a very reason why those currently in Washington will fail.
What evil corporation benefited from the purchase of her laptop or is it made from hemp and spit?
This article reads like a mom lecturing a sullen tween:
"See? Look at your sister! Why can't you be more like Denise?"
That said, Nashville Occupiers seem very sweet. Kudos.
Moochers, errrrr, owEs(me a living), the more that cities have to pay to rid parks of you losers, the less taxpayer money for you to beg for. Are you going to riot in front of the 38k per plate feast where your ruler will be tonight? Think about it.