The 84 year old woman who was pepper sprayed at the Occupy Seattle.
I feel like we are reaching a turning point with the Occupy movement- Bloomberg's cowardly, violent raid on the peaceful, sleeping occupiers in Zuccotti Park has already infused the movement with fresh passion and energy. Tomorrow, in 500 cities and towns across our country, people will be taking to the streets to show their solidarity with OWS! Go here to find an action near you- http://civic.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?rc=homepage&action_id=260
Many of us are also heading for NYC for a day of mass action that will culminate in Foley Square at 5PM. As the American Dream movement says "November 17th will be unstoppable".
"On November 15th, Mayor Bloomberg and the NYPD made a cowardly attempt to stomp out the spirited movement that sparked in Zuccotti Park two months ago, only to find the flame has spread too far and wide to be stifled. Hundreds have been arrested in New York City defending the birthplace of the Occupy movement, but what Bloomberg fails to understand is that the movement extends beyond the perimeters of Zuccotti Park. As the Occupy alert from last night reads, “You can’t evict an idea whose time has come.” "
The country has woken up – we will no longer tolerate a political system ruled by the interests of the 1% at the expense of the rest of us.
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Posted by Allan Goldhammer on FB- reprinted with permission. I invite others to share their experiences of the Occupy movement!
I visited Zuccotti Park in October and have helped Occupy Poughkeepsie, NY and just came back from visiting Occupy Philadelphia when the OWS contingent walking to DC was there. The experience of visiting an Occupation provided me with experiences that educated me and inspired me well beyond what is available in online discourse or on other venues. In my visits, I spoke with people I would never get a chance to meet in other ways. We shared views, saw people of similar intent and had my own heart raised in hope in ways that have not happened in way too long.
I was interviewed five times on my OWS visit, speaking to people making documentaries and Youtube videos. I spoke to a CNN reporter, watched a cop throw away signs and then people picking them up and placing them back in use. I picked up a support "Medicare, not Billionaires" sign, and asked people who in their family has been helped by Medicare. I saw people of all ages and walks of life. I helped make "Support the Wall St. Occupation - economic justice" buttons with a man who had made 1500 of them in three days. He was giving them away for free, as long as you promised to wear them everywhere. People promised and still stuffed the box in front of him with money. There was beautiful art being made, and theater, and people being very, very alive.
In Philly I spoke with homeless people, who are legitimate members of the disenfranchised and belong in the Occupy movement. Some were articulate, some less so, some just had a place to camp where the cops weren't harassing them. We all brought our human weaknesses, but Occupy is in some ways a place apart, where our common interests let us speak across social gulfs. A homeless woman with health issues and a college professor were running the free book tent. I stood close to a press conference with major news venues, listening to the OP legal team describe in detail the City's lack of communication regarding their possibly imminent eviction. The construction project necessitating this move was not due to begin until February. This appeared to be a poor excuse.
The General Assembly I joined in was led by a smart energetic young woman who made sure the process was followed and had good words for people who managed to violate the process accidentally. She has been here since the beginning, she told me. She would be living there herself, but she is wheelchair bound and needs her home. I participated in my first labor action, marching with union members to the Aramark Tower one of the Forbes 500 companies who is being tightfisted in their contract negotiations.
In Poughkeepsie, as in Philadelphia, I spoke with young people, some who had found purpose and kinship in ways they have not before. I saw a support group form who brings them food every day, and a visit from an OWS person bringing a pizza. The support group was organized by a new friend who has much organizing history, and who is at least as enthused as I am by the process.
There are huge differences between watching from afar and putting your body there, and participating in some way. Support Occupation, go there.
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