Conservative Values Voters Sound Off On Occupy Wall Street (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- A reckless, selfish mob is on the loose in southern Manhattan, its values out of step with ordinary Americans and cleaved from the principles that founded the nation.

Also on Wall Street, there are thousands of protesters camped out, trying to bring attention to corporate greed and economic injustice for the fourth straight week.

At the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C. last week, The Huffington Post asked the socially conservative attendees -- many of whom said they consider themselves to be Tea Party members -- about their thoughts on the Occupy Wall Street protests that are spreading around the country.

They were all critical of the aims and tactics of the movement, calling the protesters "Marxist" and "anti-America[n]."

But many of their criticisms inadvertently echoed the grievances of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

"They're just saying, 'Give us free stuff,'" declared Jim Zenkowich of Cinnaminson, N.J., who was talking about the Occupy Wall Street protesters but could have been referencing the $700 billion bailout banks received in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

"I would definitely suggest that they check into the core values of what the country was founded on," advised Hope Houchins of Spartanburg, S.C.

 

 

Comments

[evekat]

12:10 PM on 10/12/2011

Do they ever read the Constitution? The First Amendment which provides for Free Speech, Freedom of Religion, and also...the Right to Assemble Peacefully in Protest....???

[vegancheesenut]

11:36 AM on 10/12/2011

What the Sam Hill are the talking about?? And the Hats WTF???

[Jim Trebowski]

10:56 AM on 10/12/2011

"We should get back to the fundementals of the Constitution".

Um, where does it say that Wall Street and Corporations should be paying off our politicians?

[Pamela Lake]

02:00 AM on 10/12/2011

Ah the Conservative Clueless Voters: keep talking folks, you're digging yourselves in pretty deep. You do not represent the majority of middle Americans; you have no clue what you're talking about. You defend the powerful and the rich - but sadly, it will be to your own disadvantage. You just don't know it yet.

[whywhywalt]

10:20 PM on 10/11/2011

You have just seen and heard from people suffering from what is called GOP strained brain. This happens sometimes when their tongues engage in talk while their brain keeps telling them don't say that. PEOPLE who have this sickness also contradict themselves a lot.

[Brigette]

06:56 PM on 10/11/2011

If we went back to the time of the Revolution, these people would be Tories. Because we all know our founding fathers who fought a war against tyranny were never "rabble rousers" or "trouble makers."

[gpop824]

05:45 PM on 10/11/2011

To the OWS protesters, If you were qualified and offered a job at Wall Street, that paid you 6 figures would you accept it?

[Littlewords]

05:37 PM on 10/11/2011

Our contemporary faux, conflicted Tea Partiers have a serious identity problem.

Oh sure, the Tea Partiers have far better costumes than the occupy wall street folk, and yes they had air conditioned buses shipping them around like the right wing's favorite romper room toy, and of course the Tea Partiers had grammar and spelling errors littering their signage as well as obnoxious screaming about things like 'Gov't keep your paws off my medicare,' but their self perceived purpose is not aligned to the original tea partiers which is where the occupy wall streeters have them beat hands down.

You see, the actual tea partiers stood up to the world's largest corporate monopoly (East India Company) which had more than healthy representation via Parliament and Crown in contrast to the lowly colonial citizens without any representation. Gov't was doing the bidding of corporate interests forcing products (highly taxed tea) onto the people over the wishes of it's own colonials. After the famous tea dumping, the colonials endured a Gov't imposed police state with round ups, arrests, and harassment as it continued ramming corporate interests onto the feisty tea dumping colonials. From here, a nation born and at w@r over the lofty notion of a representative government of/by/for the people rather than one owned/bought/paid for corporate interests.

Here the occupy wall streeters have a historical parallel. However the tea partiers, well, they still have their costumes and loud mouths, but little else from a historical perspective.

[vegancheesenut]

11:38 AM on 10/12/2011

Already fanned..........but a big high fave!!!!

[Skydivernyc]

05:17 PM on 10/11/2011

These people have never read the constitution. They would realize that "Corporation" and "God" no where in the constitution. If you don't believe me, then follow these simple steps:

Go to the search window and type in God, and Corporation, and see what you get.
http://constitutioncenter.org/633876696043236250.pdf

[LickMyDecalsOffBaby]

05:16 PM on 10/11/2011

your old world is rapidly agin'
and you better get out of the way
if you can't lend a hand
oh, the times they are a'changin'
--ZimmerMan

[MichaelMcKLA]

05:11 PM on 10/11/2011

Yeah, like you jokers represent "American values." You guys have zero clue about such values.

[Shadow Diver]

05:10 PM on 10/11/2011

So if I dress up as say "Gumby" can I get national coverage like these immature lads?

[Politics Matters]

05:06 PM on 10/11/2011

The “Occupy Wall Street” movement and the “Tea Party” movement are examples of citizens becoming active in politics. On political activism and the news media, Bob Gibson, Executive Director of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, recently said: “It’s everyone’s obligation to follow the news as best they can, as they understand it, as they want to become involved in their communities. What we need are people who are going to find outlets that they trust and participate in their community’s affairs. The more people who are turned off by politics and turned off by the news of politics, it just leaves politics in the hands of fewer and fewer special interests. The more people who become involved and stay informed, the better off we are.” (Gibson appeared on the Charlottesville, VA, politics interview program Politics Matters with host and producer Jan Madeleine Paynter discussing journalism http://bit.ly/pm-gibson)

[judiNJ]

05:01 PM on 10/11/2011

Bwaaa haaaa haaaaa! These TPers don their three cornered hats and costumes and berate OWS as a mob? OMG, what has happened to my poor, beloved country? Enough, already.

[proudtohaveserved]

05:18 PM on 10/11/2011

JUD because of reagan and bush, we got poorer

[judiNJ]

01:16 PM on 10/13/2011

Oh, I do so know this. I was around to watch it happen. I guess I am questioning more the American voters at this point. What has happened to our collective intelligence?

[KeyInfo]

04:43 PM on 10/11/2011

The first and most important part necessary to get this country back on track is for the Tea Party to dissolve. I'd like to put them all on a ship called the Pinta and send them sailing with a one way ticket towards Spain.

[proudtohaveserved]

05:21 PM on 10/11/2011

KEY EXCUSE ME? I AM ITALIAN SPANIARD, RAISED IN SPAIN, WE DON'T WANT THESE PEOPLE IN SPAIN. THEY ARE YOUR PEOPLE. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO IMPOSE THEM ON ANY OTHER NATION. HOW DARE YOU? SPAIN IS A CIVILIZED COUNTRY,

[Pamela Lake]

02:02 AM on 10/12/2011

Darn! We were hoping we'd sneak 'em past you guys without you ever knowing.