Thanks so much for checking in. It should be a pretty long post. And, thanks again to Taryn for allowing me to post here. This posting will appear on both of our sites. I have quite a few pics from the Times Square demonstration, a few videos I took of the cops rolling in, and headlines from some of the other major demonstrations that took place yesterday. And, if you enjoy my writing, you can check out more here. Feel free to peruse the recent postings for my thoughts on my local occupation (Syracuse).
Before I get going, I have a major announcement. I have decided to write an E-book, that will focus on things seen (and that will be seen) in this blog. In just a week of blogging again, I have the writing bug. Details will be forthcoming and posted on the blog as the time passes. But, there will be many things within the book, that are not in the blog. And, any topics you've seen here will be expanded on in the book. It won't be a cut and paste job. So, I'll have the freedom to not edit myself like I do here. So, if you ever thought my posts were too short, this is your lucky day (I'm guessing no one thinks that). Since it's an E-book, I will have to market it myself. I kinda need your help too. If you enjoy the blog, please post it to Facebook, Twitter, e-mail it to friends, etc. As a bonus, anyone who subscribes to the blog will have their name appear on the book's "Dedications" page. Subscribe to "Amorphous Thoughts" and get your name in print. Win and win! Onto to Times Square.
Ok, I had the longest of days yesterday, but it was so very worth it. I had to go into the office (in Syracuse mind you) for a few hours in the morning. I packed everything I thought I would need for a demonstration. I wore my contacts to start. My glasses were with me, in an unbreakable case. I had them as a backup, in case I got maced and slammed to the ground. I wore comfortable shoes, figuring I'd be there a while. And, I had loads of snacks in case I couldn't get to any food joints. I had fruits and bottled water. I even brought gum, figuring I'd be in close quarters with other protestors. I didn't want a fellow protestor to think I have bad breath. Now that's being prepared, and polite. I wasn't even a Boy Scout as a kid.
I got on the road about 11am and got to into New York about 3:30, arriving at Times Square
about 4pm. When I arrived, it was tough to get a sense of how many people where there. You just can't get a sense of it when you're in the middle of it. As you looked around though, you see that you are engulfed by people all on sides, on the edges of Times Square. The police shrewdly put up barricades to continue to allow traffic through and to separate the crowd. But this tactic, I felt, really put a cap on the crowd's enthusiasm, their ability to start chants, get riled up, etc. I'm guessing there is a "Riot Prevention" handbook out there and this maneuver falls under "Crowd Dispersion".After settling into where I was, I took in the scenes for a while. We were all waiting for the march from Washington Square Park to join us at Times Square. While waiting, I was interviewed by a network from the Far East (pretty sure it was from Japan). I'm really hoping I can track it down and post it. But, it's not looking likely. A friend did record me getting interviewed. So, you can see me, but not quite hear me.
After the interview, I continued to take in the scene. The signs, denoting grievances, ran the gamut. Someone created a pretty nice model of a Predator Drone, to protest all our wars. All pics from New York, are in slideshow form here, just scroll to the bottom of the posting. Apologies for asking you to bounce back and forth, but I can't post a slideshow to Blogger, and there about 15 pics. But, if you click that link, you'll see all of them on my Wordpress set up. Someone held a Che Guevara flag. Signs asked for investments in public works projects, others asked to end corporate person-hood, some for investments in education and green technology, and others to raise taxes. The list goes on. But, if you've followed this occupation story closely, you're aware of the main issues.
The day also had an international feel. I saw a sign stating that a particular group was made up of "Belgian, French, and Flemish" people and sided with the protestors. I witnessed two different groups flying the flag of Canada another with Puerto Rico's flag. Later in the evening, I also met two women from Denmark. I know Times Square is called "The Crossroads of the World", so the international feel was expected. Passers-by on double-decker buses also showed support. There were people waving, "thumbs up" signs, peace signs, etc. Buses honked their horns in supports as they went by as well.
From there, I tried to get to the edges of the protest to get a feel for how far it all stretched. That was probably not the best idea at first. It took the better part of 45 minutes to go 3 blocks. Because we were all barricaded in, it felt like there was a chance of people getting trampled if someone fell over. As you walked, you passed under scaffolding that people literally climbed upon to get a better look at the scene. Photographers climbed atop payphones and stand-alone traffic lights to better to get their shots.
After arriving on at 47th and Broadway, the protest really started to heat up. The portion of the crowd, right up against the barricades, wanted to move further into the street the relieve the bottleneck. The cops beat back a few people, as tensions rose. One of the police horses fell over. I heard (from an eyewitness) that one man was cracked pretty good by a police baton and had to go to St. Luke's Hospital. At this point, I was getting nervous for public safety. All of this is going on, right in the middle of the tourism capital of the US. I saw quite a few people with kids in strollers, small children, and a few elderly people. It could have easily gotten out of hand, with pedestrians, unaware of the day's events, getting hurt. My own opinion is that the NYPD would have done anything to keep the protestors from filling the streets, because there would be no way to control them from that point. In the process, they did seem to create a safety hazard And, did I mention, that across Broadway on the other side of 47th street, was a large Bank of America branch. It's probably not a coincidence.
Check out Lucy Kafanov's report, for RT America, she's been great during these protests. She was right on the barricades with protestors.
From there, the NYPD shuttled us east towards 6th Street to disperse the crowd. I also noticed some cops positioning themselves behind us and I also saw the orange netting make an appearance. As I went down 47th I saw this, and I really knew it was time for me to go. Before I got out of there, I did have someone write the Lawyer's Guild phone number on my arm, in case I got hemmed in with the large group. So, I did get my first piece of protest swag. Bonus!
Then I saw this. And, this followed the cops in.
After I tried to loop back around, I saw these guys come up 48th street, and I got the hell out of there:
All in all, before yesterday, I was about 98% sure we live in a police state. And, now I'm at 100%. These measures from the cops will not quell this movement. You can't kill an idea (see, terrorism). And, so many of these people have nothing to lose. Right now, I do have something to lose. So, I had to get out of there. But, a few weeks back 700 people were arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge. There were around 70 last night. With each, more vow to come back and fight even harder. I don't know where this all goes. But, it's amazing to have just a little part in it. If you can get to a large protest, I suggest you do. There's a feeling you get, that you can't get in too many other places. It's the feeling that you're a part of something bigger than yourself.
Full disclosure on me: my wife is from Germany and I can get out of the US, to a place with virtually free education. A place where everyone has health care. A place with strong unions and better income equality, a plan on renewable energies, etc. So, me being in New York, or sleeping outside in Syracuse, isn't really about me. I'm lucky enough to be working and have health care. I don't feel personally aggrieved. It's about a better, fairer world, some greater good. May sound corny to some, but you do truly feel it when you're there.
Before I go, just a couple of the major headlines from yesterday's "Global Day of Change":
-500,000 people marched and sat in Madrid main square, Puerta Del Sol.
-Reports estimated 350,000 in Barcelona.
- Here is how it looked in Paris.
-Cops violently removed campers from outside the Reichstag in Berlin (Reichstag, Germany equivalent to The U.S. Capitol building).-200,000 hit the streets in Rome and it got pretty violent, including a burned out riot van and civilian vehicles, looting, etc (story and amazing video, only 1:35).
- 25 people were arrested at Citibank for trying to close their accounts, including one lady who was just standing on the street.
-About 200 people were arrested in Chicago.
Very last thing, before I finish. I know I gave you a lot today. It was a multimedia posting, and about 1700 words. But, this last thing just warmed my heart. It comes from Madrid's Puerta Del Sol square. A symphony plays Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", but at the end all the people raise their hands, with their palms open, saying, "these are our weapons (in Spanish)." It just moves me, to no end, each time I watch it.
Check back Tuesday morning, for Part II of the GOP Debate Preview(Gingrich/Huntsmann), and remember to subscribe to claim your spot on the "Dedications" page of my forthcoming E-book (trying for early Winter).
UPDATE: 12:00PM, 10/17/11:
The horse, that I mention going to the ground during the protest, had to be put down last night. This is according to a reporter, that was within earshot of the police. Details here.
Until next time,
James
Here's my thinking to this point. To stop the protests, the police and their bosses have violent means and non-violent means. Two of their violent tactics have already been stymied--beating up protesters looks really, really bad on You Tube; arresting the leaders is, well, who exactly are these leaders? :-) Of the non-violent tactics, they can try to discredit, divide or co-opt. I'm sure they'll try all three, but the clarity of the message (and it is clear, despite all this hand-wringing by our overlords about our lack of focus) and the internet, again, has made all three of those (discredit, divide, co-opt) less certain. For sure, it's all new territory, and tactics which worked in the past can't be cookie-cutter applied.
ReplyDeleteIf I were them, since we're sitting on the main contradiction (class) right now, I'd go with co-optation. A real reform like the New Deal reforms with a strengthening of the safety net--that might dissipate our strength. Of course, the danger is that the very success of the movement might encourage even more protests. But, I don't think so. Major reform worked before, and I believe it would work again. What we got out of the New Deal and the Great Society (i.e, a modest form of Democratic Socialism) looks better even to me (and I'm a commie) than the nebulous and probably violent prospect of revolution.
Short of co-optation, however, and in my book, the co-optation would have to be pretty major, short of co-optation, it IS class war. The odds aren't on our side. Just crack a history book--recounting the past any time, anywhere--and you'll see that. But we have new tools on our side this time, and the overlords did something really stupid--they left us with few choices. We could fight, or we could submit to humiliating and ever-increasing impoverishment. If they want a guarantee on the continuation of a regulated capitalism, I still think co-optation is their best bet.