Occupy Lansdale organizer speaks out about march
Jeremy Roebuck and Bonnie Cook share the stories behind their Montco beat.
Occupy Lansdale organizer speaks out about march
Occupy Lansdake organizer Jeanette McGinley just checked in. She's confirming that the first march, under the auspices of the new group, will step off this afternoon from the Lansdale Train Station at 5:30 p.m.
McGinley, a Yoga instructor, and Lansdale Police Chief Robert McDyre discussed the group's plan yesterday.
"We don't expect a large crowd," he said. "We had a good meeting with the organizers. We don't expect any problems. No permits are necessary."
McGinley, who attended some of the Occupy Philly activities, said the message of the Occupy movement has become diffused, and she'd like to remedy that.
"My slogan is, we don't want corporations owning our politicians. We The People are helping the politicians to stand on their own two feet. We are 99 percent strong," she said.
Further, McGinley said: "We no longer have a middle class. People are confused, and they are getting sarcastic that there's not one main flow of ideas. I would like to see people on the same page at every individual gathering."
MGinley said the weeklong, nightly march will be along Main Street from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Anybody who wants to join the Occupy Lansdale protest should meet at the Lansdale Train Station.
McGinley has lived in the borough for 25 years. She is pursuing a degree in psychology. She said the Occupy movement is being mischaracterized.
"We have angry bystanders who think people want a handout. That's not true. People want to work, so they can support their families," she said.
Writing on the Lansdale Reporter's website, www.thereporteronline.com, montcores sounded off about the planned demonstration. "I understand the right to protest, but some of us actually have jobs we need to keep our bills paid, and use that train station on our trip home. This better not disrupt the already poor service we deal with. While I think this was all well-intentioned when it started, it's so disorganized that I think people who have nothing else to do are now starting these everywhere they can. What's next - Occupy Acme?"
McGinley is undaunted. "Ghandi once said: 'First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win.' We're not going away."
The anrticpation is overwelming for this "spreading movement". I expect hundreds if not thousands on the train platform tonight. Or at least 3 or 4. Please dont let this story go, give us a follow-up.— tr88- What's your point, tr88? The Occupy movement is appearing in the suburbs. We cover the suburbs. What do you have to offer?— bcook
- I wrote 4 sentences. Read the last one and get back to me if you still dont understand. — tr88
- Bonnie, where is Lansdake? — tr88
- At least at the "Occupy Doylestown" protest last month, the occupiers got to sample gourmet pizza. Who's going to cater Lansdale?— Bucks County Mike
- Lots o' us occupying Lansdale every day from 4-6, usually at Montella's, Panico's or, if you're on "the other side of the tracks", at 3rd & Walnut.— CiceroSpuriousDeodatus
- HOpe there's no union work going on at the train station. They'll want to move the protest.
- Bonnie, since you cover the suburbs, I wonder if you'd provide a link to your work promoting the Tea Party rallies in Montgomery County for us.— tr88
- I wonder what our 52 year old Yoga instructing, on-line psychology studying, Ghandi quoting, claiming to speak for the 99% novice activist would characterize as a "win"? Bet it looks a lot like big government tax and spend. Some free advice if youre worried "the movements" message has become diffused. Come up with a shorter slogan than "we don't want corporations owning our politicians. We The People are helping the politicians to stand on their own two feet. We are 99 percent strong",— tr88
- Yeah tr88, it's understood that people like you need real short sound bites for comprehension. That's actually part of the problem with most amerikans today - inability to understand concepts that take multiple sentences,— CiceroSpuriousDeodatus
- I'll spot you 20 IQ points and 3/4 of a million in net worth you loser.— tr88
- The resulkts are in. The "Montgomery Reporter" reported "about 12" showed up. It was too much work to count apparently, but to be fair, after watching the video, it was a little confusing was counting a group of 3 teenage boys who were joining and leaving and giggling and having a good old time. I was out for drinks last night with more people. I should have called Bonnie Cook and she could have written about it.— tr88
- It has been a four day event Monday 11/21 will be the last of the five days out. We found Monday evenings work best for us.12 showed for the picture that evening. However it was the total of 32 over the four nights. Tonight two more men stepped up on is a speaker one has a band. We are applying for a permit and if all goes well every Monday evening starting November 28th, we will have music and speakers. -tr88 Do you get this anxious when people have an opinion other then yours?— Jeannette McGinley
- I get nervous when a miniscule band of mostly attention-seeking losers band together with media propagandists to claim they speak for nearly everyone. You do not. I do not support a leftist revolution in this country being led by people who claim empowerment because they have nothing to lose and I resent being told 99% of people support it when nothing is further from the truth. I asked the author a question which I havent gotten a response to so I'll ask it again. Did she also promote the Tea party rallies in Montgomery Country and if so, would she post a link to it so we can all see how fair and balanced she and her newspaper are. — tr88
- Wow, averaging 8 people per night. Now music and speakers? Sounds like a hoot. Not accomplishing anything, but well, isn't that the track record of OWS and it's cousins?— jimmymack
Contact Davis at cdavis@phillynews.com or 610-313-8109.
Contact Parks at 610-313-8117, jparks@philly.com, or https://twitter.com/JS_Parks.
