Occupy Wall Street: An Observation
October 31, 2011
New York, NY
Wall to wall people, tents, signs...
The day was a beautiful sunny one with just enough breezes to make it comfortable.
A friend and I took the train up to New York to lend our support to the efforts of those involved with the Occupy Wall Street effort.
The park, which is privately owned, is smack in the middle of the Wall Street area and for those of us who have been seeing and hearing about the protest via TV news it was a striking surprise to see that the park is actually only a block long and far less than a block wide. It is surrounded by metal fence sections joined together the sort that are typically seen at parades, protests, and other open-air public gatherings. It was unexpected that the park itself -- the actual site of the 'occupation' -- is much smaller than what we had assumed it would be from all of the news reports and from the extent of the impact already felt world wide from the effort.
The park itself is jammed packed with people, people, people, and more people who were surrounding, and surrounded by, a mass of tents- one upon another like sardines in a can, tables with propaganda, buttons, and other items that referenced a wide range of topics of concern to those present, and signs of all manner, mostly homemade, that spoke to the major issues of the day and why change is critical and [hopefully] unavoidable.
Frequently repeated references to the 99% are continual reminders that a mere 1% of the population of the country has overwhelming possession of the wealth in this nation. That 1% therefore has control over the resources needed by and depended upon by the remaining 99% -- the rest of us. This shocking inequity is the rallying point of the occupation. A spirit of camaraderie engendered by this rallying point is unmistakable and impossible to avoid; it is a source of kinship and comfort that clearly defines the effort and the experience of visiting the park.
There were small circles of people throughout the park engaged in conversation and dialogue with each other about political realities, approaches, scams and shams, atrocities, frustrations, and alternatives. There was some street theater and music happening in various spots in the park and around the perimeter. Groups of uniformed police, usually standing two to four in a bunch, were scattered around the perimeter; they all seemed so young-- ironically, younger than the majority of the so-called protesters.
There is an area called 'the library' with tons of crates and boxes of used books. Titles covered all kinds of topics and interests and it seemed they were either for sale, trade, or free for the taking. A few vendors were scattered about selling buttons relevant to the protest who said proceeds were going toward food and supplies needed by the protestors. I believe there were also some enterprising button and tee-shirt vendors on the pavement just outside the park that were there for personal gain and not necessarily connected to the goals of the protest as such. Capitalism reigning supreme, albeit in the shadow of the occupation.
There is a 'food area' in the park with food that may have been free for the people living in the park, or perhaps available for a donation. We were told that some people have been donating food for the protestors. It was of passing interest to me that all of the food we saw people eating from the food area looked incredibly healthy-- lots of veggies, noodles and salads! In addition, there were a few independently owned and operated food trucks/stands present within the perimeter. One of these vendors told us that he had normally been in this area (before there was protest/occupation happening) and his business is about 40% off because his regular customers won't come to the park now; he was talking about those customers that are part of the Wall Street firms surrounding the park.
We did not see any evidence of port-a-potties or running water... a puzzle regarding how and where people are taking care of personal needs.
In spite of the park being filed with tents, signs, tables, displays, and literature, and certainly crowded with people, it was not dirty. There was a greater sense of clutter than dirt. A number of people continually circulated throughout the park picking up trash and emptying large trash receptacles, sorting out recyclables along the way.
There are many, many people throughout the encampment distributing literature and other propaganda; it is free for the taking and donations/contributions are accepted when offered. The literature runs the gamut and is sometimes in languages other than English (especially some Spanish from what we saw). In some spots petitions are available for signing that are intended for the attention of bankers, legislators, and other representatives of the establishment and/or those considered to be 'offenders'.
Upon arrival we found an upbeat and remarkably peaceful and calm atmosphere. People were eager to talk with us, and more than willing to talk about their concerns and why they are participating. The majority of those we spoke with said they had been there since the beginning or very early in the occupation. To a person, they said they are determined to stay the course for as long as possible and necessary.
Without question, the amount of people, tents, signs, and other 'stuff' jammed into the space is almost overwhelming, although not in an alarming way at all. Informally evolved 'trails' lead you through the park in what appears were completely unplanned ways that work perfectly fine. Equally impressive, and totally unexpected given the way much of the media has portrayed and presented 'the occupation', is the atmosphere, the 'ambiance' if you will, of the park and immediate surroundings. I doubt that I have ever heard --anywhere or anytime-- "... excuse me; pardon me; oops, sorry for bumping you..." so often and so respectfully uttered! People were polite, considerate of others’ space, open to friendly and spontaneous conversation, and eager to engage with one another; smiles and gracious friendliness were the order of the day.
The assemblage included people of all ages, colors, descriptions, and appearances. Contrary to what some of the media and many detractors would have us believe, this is not a one-dimensional population by any means. It is a very diverse gathering in a variety of ways -- refreshingly and stimulatingly so! There are people who have been laid off for long periods, some of whom have lost their homes and are now homeless; students and recent graduates with degrees who are unable to find work of any kind; people who have lived in poverty most of their lives; people who have always been employed and lived comfortably as part of the middle class who are now out of work and unable to meet their obligations -- many are laid off professionals and civil servants working at part time jobs for which they are dramatically over qualified and yet grateful to have; former members of our armed forces; retired executives; and so on... a truly representative population of Americans. The sense of community is evident and impacts in a great many ways.
The small groups of police officers just outside of the fence surrounding the park were talking easily with one another, with some of the protestors, and with the endless stream of 'tourists/visitors' that passed by. The 'tourists/visitors' add another whole dimension. There are those, like us, who had come to express support of the occupation and who feel strongly that we have a responsibility to advocate for positive change in the country and the way we utilize and distribute our resources. There are those irresistible New Yorkers passing by the park on their way to and from work, shopping, or other errands; these folks are easily identified because they are moving much faster and more focused than anyone else. Some of the New Yorkers stop for a moment or two to take in the view of the park and the myriad of signs, sights and sounds and then quickly are on their way.
There are 'regulars' who work in the area and evidently have made it a practice to come to visit the park on their lunch hours and sometimes after work. We actually spoke to a few people who told us they did this as a way to lend their support. One fellow who appeared to be in his late forty's or so with long hair and casual dress surprised us when he told us he currently works on Wall Street and uses his lunch time and time after work daily to join the effort and lend his presence to what he thinks is not only important but a necessary thing to do to get the message out and draw attention to current inequities. We had assumed, incorrectly as it turned out, that he was living in the park.
Tons of people were busy recording the scene on video recorders, still cameras, and their cell phone cameras. It is a universe of amateur filmmakers and archivists at the ready, creating an immediately accessible trove of documentation of the continually changing phenomena. It is safe to assume that no one minute of any day of the occupation will ever be repeated no matter how long the occupation goes on. This inescapable reality of continual change makes it much more of a progressive force (in the sense of a process) than an event. It seems that because of this sense of 'motion' the occupation is absolutely loaded with energy and is most definitely organic in it's essence.
The sense we felt of 'things are alive here' made for an inviting and somewhat seductive experience. The lovely weather helped in this direction. The positive nature of how people interacted, made their points, offered assistance to each other, participated in what was going on, expressed their views directly and at times quite eloquently, and generally made their presence known is hard to come by and enthusiastically welcomed, particularly in the midst of the current challenges we are facing in the country.
We were very pleased that we had made the trip and were able to experience at least some of the occupation at Wall Street. For those who are curious or would like to see for yourself what this is all about, I cannot be more encouraging. You will be at least a little different once you’ve gone there, maybe more than a little. We found it to be inspirational and reassuring. I hope to get back there again soon.