The mainstream news media is fond of trying to compare the Occupy Wall Street (or, as I've seen it called, the Ows) movement to the Tea Party. Let's explore that concept.
The Occupy protests have received far more news coverage than Tea Party events. That's entirely fair, because while the Occupiers stay at it week after week, Tea Party events are limited to a day or less at a time, thereby generating less ongoing newsworthiness. There is also demonstrable empathy with the Occupiers and hostility towards the Tea Party in the mainstream press.
Both the Occupiers and the Tea Party have been called extremist by their detractors. Both have been falsely stereotyped -- the former as unemployed, whining ingrates, the latter as racists and bigots. Both have been called hypocritical -- the former for relying on technology produced by the Big Business economy they damn, the latter for reliance on government social services from Social Security and Medicare to schools while condemning government socialism.
After moving into a public place, the Occupiers beg for handouts of everything from tents and clothing to latrines, and their rallies have become notorious for accumulating litter and filth. What an idea -- camp out illegally for days, and then think of sanitation needs while demanding that taxpayers shelter you!
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