Co-founder of the “We are the 99 percent” site: “I am an anarchist”
Mother Jones: What is your background, and your role in the Occupy movement?
Chris: I am 28 years old, college educated, full-time job, part-time freelance job, and I volunteer to feed the hungry and needy every Sunday. I live in New York City. I wear a tie to work, unless it’s Friday. I am an anarchist, though my belief is that anarchism should be more about building things up than tearing things down. I am a dedicated pacifist. I drink too much coffee. My favorite band is Sleater Kinney, and I think their best album is Dig Me Out, followed closely by One Beat. I’ve read Infinite Jest twice, and I’m fully aware of how pretentious that makes me sound, and I’m really, really sorry.
Priscilla Grim: I worked for nonprofits for 10 years, have studied online media in school, and I am currently in grad school studying information science. I helped to organize online actions pre-MoveOn. I love serving people and improving the world, firstly for my kid and secondly for the rest of us. I worked in a lot of different realms and know how to build organizations and make them sustainable, if I am working with like-minded, determined individuals.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Sounds like they were reading those answers off a teleprompter.
vcferlita on October 14, 2011 at 12:06 PM
The fact that this level of detail about something so irrelevant speaks volumes as to what motivates and “inspires” these nutjobs.
mankai on October 14, 2011 at 12:06 PM
I see two future Nobel Peace prize winners here, oh yes.
Marcus on October 14, 2011 at 12:06 PM
“I am an anarchist” who will be voting to reelect the head of the most powerful government in the world. “I am a dedicated pacifist” who is equally dedicated to reelecting the Drone Ranger, the Nobel Peace Prize winner with the highest body count since Yasser Arafat.
“You keep using those words. I do not think they mean what you think they mean.”
Fabozz on October 14, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Gotta love new age communists!
lorien1973 on October 14, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Originally, they wanted to call themselves the 199%, but a helpful math teacher explained to them why 99% might help them sound a little smarter…even if they’re not.
RBMN on October 14, 2011 at 12:08 PM
No. You have no idea how pretentious your entire statement makes you sound.
strictnein on October 14, 2011 at 12:13 PM
Question is: Anarchist that of the Leftist sort or Anarchist of the Ron paul right sort? Doesn’t say, had they given last name we could probably find his facebook page and find out.
If you go to Mises.org and their forums you’ll see the self-professed Anarchist ron paul supporters, who will make arguments RP is an Anarcho-Capitalist.
jp on October 14, 2011 at 12:14 PM
That’s as far as I got.
Tony737 on October 14, 2011 at 12:19 PM
“Hi there, I’m Chris, a self-important ahole who thinks anarchy would be cool but only without all the…well…without all the anarchy. Did I mention I’m an ahole?’
Bishop on October 14, 2011 at 12:20 PM
View the political spectrum as a circle rather than a line. It makes no difference. Go far enough right or left; and they want the same thing if for different reasons.
lorien1973 on October 14, 2011 at 12:22 PM
If self-identified anarchists believe they can use violence to spread anarchy, they’re just going to end up dead.
IronDioPriest on October 14, 2011 at 12:23 PM
Do you even have to ask? Of course they are left-leaning anarchists.
LibertarianRepublican on October 14, 2011 at 12:23 PM
I lol’d.
Washington Nearsider on October 14, 2011 at 12:24 PM
I read “I am an anarchist” as “I am an antichrist.” So I was initially surprised at that level of candor.
acasilaco on October 14, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Color me shocked.
Red Cloud on October 14, 2011 at 12:30 PM
“I am a muddle headed moron.” – OWSer
The vapidity and ignorance of the typical OWSer is astounding. There should be some bright lights shining on their complete failure as thinkers considering most went to college. I see an opportunity to out the 1960′s Commies currently occupying academia.
NotCoach on October 14, 2011 at 12:31 PM
You got me at ahole.
NotCoach on October 14, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Stefan Molyneux hardest hit.
RayinVA on October 14, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Dreck stated the obvious!
Schadenfreude on October 14, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Did the Occupy Boston kid say it must’ve been an anarchist who spit on the Coastie?
Tony737 on October 14, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Yes, because as has been reported these Occupy events around the country all have Ron Paul supporters at them. Mostly ranting against the banks.
jp on October 14, 2011 at 12:39 PM
I guess he threw in the album references because of the shortage of historical examples of anarchist movements that have built anything. Ever. Anywhere.
It’s useful information though–that letting people know what’s cued on your ipod and name-dropping book titles is like yelling “squirrel!” whenever you need to gloss over a shaky point in your recitation of your world view when speaking with the OWS crowd.
TexasDan on October 14, 2011 at 12:50 PM
Isn’t an anarchist co-founder/leader a non sequitur?
Fallon on October 14, 2011 at 12:57 PM
To paraphrase Abby Sciuto – the problem with anarchy is that there’s too many rules.
crazy_legs on October 14, 2011 at 12:59 PM
” …though my belief is that anarchism should be more about building things up than tearing things down.”
Anarchy Rules!
anarchism should be Umm … okay? At least we know he’s more than the oxy-type-moron.
kregg on October 14, 2011 at 1:00 PM
Anarchists of the raider type, who want to take your stuff, and also of the “pacifist” type, which means they don’t want to endanger themselves by fighting a war.
Count to 10 on October 14, 2011 at 1:04 PM
(Emphasis added)
Super-appropriate surname.
Blaise on October 14, 2011 at 1:06 PM
Occupy Wall Street types certainly are the 99%
They are 99% of the problem in America.
Moesart on October 14, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Nothin’ quite screams BETA MALE like admitting your favorite tunes are from a crap-tastic, all-girl band from the dregs of an Olympia, WA suburb.
Maybe he went to Evergreen State College, too?
/
Shepherd Lover on October 14, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Are you effing kidding me?!?
There are actually starving people in this world.
Real, honest to goodness, haven’t eaten for weeks, STARVING people in this world.
And this guy is organizing food drives for a bunch of grad students that don’t want to get a job and pay their own bills.
*spit*
And yes, I know, they all claim that they can’t find a job. Funny thing is, I pass “Help Wanted” signs all the time, but they happen to be at coffee shops and restaurants and small offices, all of which these folks probably think are beneath them…
JadeNYU on October 14, 2011 at 1:16 PM
If we accept the premise that Wall Street is the problem, what does an anarchist suggest we do about it?
BlueCollarAstronaut on October 14, 2011 at 1:24 PM
I only read Infinite Jest once (I think DFW’s non-fiction is a lot better) and I think Sleater Kinney is crap. I guess I’m not quite pretentious enough to be in the Anarchy Club.
Good Solid B-Plus on October 14, 2011 at 1:40 PM
When do we get to hear Meghan McCain’s take on OWS? I wait with bated breath…
stvnscott on October 14, 2011 at 1:52 PM
Or at least an oxymoron.
acasilaco on October 14, 2011 at 1:53 PM
I used to live next to John Zerzan. His followers had a little pre-riot in Eugene as warm-up for their big debut in the 1999 Battle of Seattle. After marching toward the Nike Store, they attacked the police in a park, got tear-gassed, and concluded the event by descending on a local Taco Bell demanding free gorditas.
The best part was when they were blocking traffic, jumping on cars and smashing windshields. A lady got out of her smashed car and told them to leave her alone. She had a pregnant girl and the boyfriend in back. The anarchists told her to get in her car and leave or else. That’s when the guy in the back jumped out with a tire iron and cracked a rioter in the head. Immediately, the “anarchists” started shouting “Police! Somebody call an ambulance! I’m gonna sue!” Oh, so now they want society and The Man.
Good times, good times.
Christien on October 14, 2011 at 2:09 PM