Yesterday marked two months since the Occupy Wall Street movement began. And all day yesterday I couldn’t concentrate on my work. I kept stopping what I was doing to read the NY Times—and, to get the real scoop, a few Twitter feeds from people I knew (mainly, @iamcaroline and @johannafateman, but several others, too) that were protesting.
Ben and I have had a lot of work to do this week for TOYC—and we’re still not done!—but I couldn’t shake this guilty feeling I had for not being in downtown Manhattan showing my support. I basically had to ask myself, “What would every person I admire/respect do in this situation?” Then I knew what I had to do. So, around 5PM, I put on my boots, bundled up, and told Ben I’m leaving to go be there.
When I got there, it was a madhouse. A relatively peaceful madhouse, thankfully, unlike earlier in the day—but still a madhouse. Tense. Helicopters flying overhead. (My apologies now for the shitty photographs, but it was nighttime and all I had was my cell phone.)
My original intention was to go to Foley Square, but when I got out of the subway stop, there was nothing but barricades, tons of police in riot gear, and tons and tons of people. I noticed people were marching towards the Brooklyn Bridge, so I stood and watched and supported and soaked it all in. They began projecting “99%” on buildings, and everyone cheered.
Eventually I ran into my girl Caroline C. (mentioned above), who grabbed me and said, “March with us!”
And so I did.
We (thousands of people, that is) marched across the Brooklyn Bridge, while many cars below honked in support. (I even saw a Beastie Boy in the crowd.)
It was an amazing experience. I barely spoke the entire time. There was an energy in the air that I won’t forget.
I don’t pretend to understand the fine details of the economy and the depression because a lot of it goes right over my head. But as an average American, I do know that our economy’s collapse was caused by a very few people gambling with our money. Ultimately disrupting/ruining many lives, creating a wider gap between the rich and poor in this country. Yet they have gotten bailed out and not tried for their abuses.
How is that fair? What part of the game is that?
I couldn’t just sit at home and not show my support. I had to go be with other people who were asking the same questions.
-craig
