In Statement To Press Barack Obama Sides With 99% in Occupy Movement

Submitted by President Barack Obama
November 18, 2011 - 9:20am
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My administration has been closely monitoring the situation... and I know that we will be learning more tomorrow when day breaks.

As the situation continues to unfold, our first concern is preventing injury or loss of life. So I want to be very clear in calling upon the... authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protesters.

The people... have rights that are universal. That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny.


Watch
11/15/2011 Video
NYPD Police Attack
OWS Protesters
These are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere.

Violence will not address the grievances of the... people. And suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away.

What's needed right now are concrete steps that advance the rights of the... people, a meaningful dialogue between the government and its citizens and a path of political change that leads to a future of greater freedom and greater opportunity and justice for the... people.

Now ultimately the future... will be determined by the... people. I believe the... people want the same things that we all want: a better life for ourselves and our children, and a government that is fair and just and responsive.

Put simply, the... people want a future that befits the heirs to a great and ancient civilization. The United States always will be a partner in pursuit of that future, and we are committed to working with the... people, all quarters, to achieve it.

Around the world governments have an obligation to respond to their citizens. That's true here in the United States.

Surely there will be difficult days to come, but the United States will continue to stand up for the rights of the... people and work with their government in pursuit of a future that is more just, more free, and more hopeful.

Thank you very much.

-- President Barack Obama, January 28, 2011

Obama never approached the masterful response of his party's last President: "Well, I meant it when I said it."
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Comments

Submitted by RiaD on November 18, 2011 - 9:57am.

i knew there was a

trick to it... that he wasn't talking about US

 
Submitted by Robert Alexander Dumas on November 18, 2011 - 11:15am.

My how you talk Mr. Prez....

Fascism has never had such an eloquent spokesperson.

However, we've become inured to the siren's song now though Barack. Give it a rest, it has become tiresome.

 
Submitted by Michael Dawson on November 18, 2011 - 11:43am.

Nice Catch!

nm

 
Submitted by Dusty on November 18, 2011 - 11:46am.

LOL!

but the United States will continue to stand up for the rights of the... people and work with their government in pursuit of a future that is more just, more free, and more hopeful. Right dude!

 
Submitted by Dusty on November 18, 2011 - 11:50am.

Oh....

Finally got around to blogrolling ya. ;)

 
Submitted by TomUsher on November 18, 2011 - 6:26pm.

What he didn't say is more important than what he did

I'll have to read or listen to the entire statement. What I don't see from this post is that he said that the government belongs to the people and is subservient to the people.

It is carefully drafted to avoid that so as not to offend the hyper-fascists too much.

Now, if he had ordered all of the various governments (cities mostly) to stop breaking up peaceful assemblies and said that if they don't stop that he'll step in to protect the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and specifically in this case, the first and fourth amendments, I'd have been favorably impressed even though I'm a pacifist.

You sure can tell his people have been reading tweets, etc.

 
Submitted by admin on November 18, 2011 - 7:11pm.

It is his

statement to the press on Egypt, from January 28, 2011 - see the link at the bottom of the post, Tom...

 
Submitted by TomUsher on November 19, 2011 - 12:14pm.

I got it.

You thought I thought he had made that statement about the #ows Movement directly? No.

The point of the post is, I assume, multi-fold. His words do sound as if he supports the OWS Movement. If he were consistent, he would. I believe the author, at least I hope so, is aware of the irony. So, if he were consistent, he would already have ordered that those who are peacefully assembled under the First Amendment be protected from any local and/or state government trampling their constitutional rights.

I'd be favorably impressed had he done that. I'd look back on his statement quoted in the post and see continuity between his otherwise hollow words and his actual deeds, particularly concerning here in the US, which he mentioned.

I hadn't read his entire statement when I posted. I still haven't. I don't know whether he said the US government belongs to the American people and that all governments belong to the various, applicable peoples. I don't think he did. I can't recall if I had seen his entire statement when he made it.

Of course, it wasn't about OWS directly, as nothing major had happened where he would say, "...we will be learning more tomorrow when day breaks." I can see where you thought I thought it was about OWS, per se, though. It is indirectly for the reasons I've mentioned.

Thank you for understanding.

Peace!

 
Submitted by TomUsher on November 19, 2011 - 12:19pm.

ancient

"ancient" certainly said it wasn't about the US, per se, too. Thanks.

 
Submitted by admin on November 19, 2011 - 12:37pm.

The point of posting it here

is to highlight his hypocrisy in the contrast between his words then for Egyptians and his silence now for Americans.

 
Submitted by hungeski on November 19, 2011 - 8:55am.

Good one!

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You had me wondering.