Despite failing to have any real impact on the Iowa Caucus, Occupy Wall Street protesters say they plan to make their voices heard in the New Hampshire primary with a gay pride parade and a "funeral for the American dream" on Saturday, the same day the candidates will face each other in a debate.
The Blaze reported:
Lauren Dickson of Occupy New Hampshire said activists would be trained on the art of “bird-dogging,” or confronting candidates with hard questions. She credited Iowa’s protests with bringing attention to the movement.
“This is the beginning of the Occupy movement. As time goes on, we‘ll see the effect it’s having,” she said.
During the 2010 midterm election, liberal activists with Moveon.org engaged in a campaign of "bird-dogging" that saw conflicts between angry liberals and supporters of GOP candidates.
One "bird-dogger" - Lauren Valle - was the center of attention when she was wrestled to the ground and allegedly stomped on the head after attempting to violently "bird-dog" then Senate candidate Rand Paul.
Despite the childish attempts by groups like Moveon.org, voters gave the GOP a historic win.
Now, it seems Occupy Wall Street is going to do in 2012 what Moveon.org did in 2010. It didn't work then, and it's unlikely - after months of seeing protesters defecate in the streets while committing numerous criminal acts - to sway voters away from Republican candidates.
The Blaze adds:
Tim Liszewski, an activist with Occupy Columbia in South Carolina, where the third nomination vote will be held, said he was only aware of one event – a gathering outside a Jan. 16 debate – planned so far. He said the movement will avoid aggressive steps that would limit its appeal in the heavily Republican state.
“We want to reach out to people in all parties. Heckling people might show the Republicans who were willing to work with us that, `Oh, they’re just a partisan group,’” Liszewski said.
In New Hampshire, however, protesters are intent on being seen and heard.
“Every place politicians go from here they are going to hear the same message about the corrosive impact of money in politics,” Occupy New Hampshire organizer Mark Provost said. Beginning Friday, the group plans four days of protests.
More on Occupy Wall Street at Examiner.com can be found here.
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