Earlier this week I wrote about a viral video that promised you could “Keep Wall Street Occupied” by sending back credit card business reply envelopes stuffed with anti-corporate messages and wooden shims. The video said this would increase mailing costs for the banks and force them to engage in a dialogue with their customers. Responding to my review where I called this idea “terrible,” the video’s maker sent me a note defending his campaign.

Artie writes:

Thank you for blogging about my videos for “Keep Wall Street Occupied.”

Subsequent posters on your blog covered most of the points I’d have raised in response to your article. Mediaite.com fact-checked my video with a US Postal Service spokesperson, who confirmed my two main technical assertions: mailing the envelope back costs the banks money, and heavier envelopes cost the banks more money. Tossing unwanted credit card offers in the bin costs banks nothing, and removing oneself from bank mailing lists actually saves banks money by refocusing their scattershot marketing efforts.

I read up on USPS BRE specifications before I produced the videos. No one sticking to “Phase 1” or “Phase 2” as explained in my first video is wasting her time. She may or may not be wasting the bank’s time. She is wasting the bank’s money. Even tiny protests are important, because they swell the ranks of those who see themselves as protesters.

Despite what some have insinuated, nowhere did I advocate mailing bricks. Or straw men.

My second video, more clarification than sequel, went up shortly before you posted your story. My third and fourth videos will go up later this week.

Thank you again for your article.

Yours,

Artie Moffa

While mailing back envelopes may marginally increase the mailing costs for the banks, I don’t think it will be enough to make a difference or provoke any soul-searching meetings. Instead, I’d rather see people who want to change how this country works spend their time getting candidates sympathetic to their interests elected. After all, it’s what the banks did.

Here’s Artie’s second video:

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Sending Back Protest Messages In Pre-Paid Credit Card Envelopes Isn’t Going To Occupy Wall Street One Bit

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