Now in its fifth week, the Occupy Wall Street solidarity protesters in Burlington are beginning to channel their energy into more direct action.
Demonstrators plan to stage an actual occupation — of City Hall Park — starting this Friday.
On Sunday, about 150 people gathered in City Hall Park and marched up and down Church Street. Back at the park, the crowd held a “speak out” and “general assembly.” The latter resembles a large town meeting, where facilitators help people make proposals to the group — either to form subgroups or take collective action — and bring specific proposals on which the assembly can vote.
The biggest “Occupy Vermont” rally to date was last Saturday, when as many as 500 people gathered in City Hall Park and marched through downtown Burlington. At last Sunday’s weekly rally, about 250 people came together and held Burlington’s first general assembly. From that meeting, several subgroups were formed — including ones focused on direct action, anti-misogyny, the economy, and media.
After a brief report from the spokesman for the “strategy working group,” a demonstrator who identified himself only as Will, the rally-goers agreed to occupy City Hall Park starting at 3 p.m. this coming Friday. The occupation will last through the weekend.
When asked what the purpose of the occupation will be, Will replied, “That’s a good question. We’re open to suggestions.”
People planning to camp out for the weekend should bring tents, sleeping bags, food and other things to keep themselves “comfortable,” said Will. People who have extra camping gear were encouraged to bring it.
This is the status of the nascent “Occupy” movement that is bringing together socialists and libertarians, peaceniks and labor activists, veterans and students. There is no one unifying message, platform or list of easy-to-recite demands.
In general, the crowd wants justice and fairness, and wants big government and big business to stop messing around with little folk. And, they want to stop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, reform the Federal Reserve, get rid of the two-party political system, call on the University of Vermont to craft fair budgets for students and workers and — last but not least — close Vermont Yankee.
Additional occupations are in the works. The University of Vermont is one possible location as is Vermont Yankee, according to rally attendees who have attended a so-called “strategy working group.”
“There are other places we are thinking to occupy that might get us into trouble,” said Will. “Because of that, we’re not saying where that might be in order to keep the element of surprise on our side.”
Matthew Cropp, one of the early organizers of Vermont’s Occupy rallies, suggested a group of people picket outside of one of the large, out-of-state banks.
Al Salzman, a retired teacher from Franklin County, made the trek to Burlington to unveil his latest protest sign, a police tape-style banner that read: “Shumlin’s Budget = Mortal Idiocy & Cruelty! Makes the Rich Richer & Screws the Elderly & Poor!” Under these words were written, “We’re all Greeks,” referencing the unrest in Greece over austerity measures being taken to keep the country from complete insolvency.
Salzman said he wants to channel some of the pent-up anger and frustration at Wall Street toward things closer to home, for instance the state budget. He hopes more people begin paying attention to the budget-cutting measures being weighed in Montpelier.
Gov. Peter Shumlin has asked agency budget writers to cut next year’s budget by 4 percent. As of now, that would not include restoration of a 3 percent pay cut to state workers.
The “media working group” has established a wiki for the “Occupy Burlington” effort, which is designed to allow more people to participate — albeit electronically — in the various working groups that meet in between the weekly rallies. That wiki site is www.owsvt.wikispaces.com. There, people can check out reports from the various working groups, and follow the “Occupy” groups springing up in other parts of the state — including Bennington, Brattleboro, Montpelier and Rutland.
The general assembly, which occurred around the fountain at the center of City Hall Park, displaced some of the homeless who had been gathered there to drink and play chess.
Upset by being displaced, two of the men confronted the protesters. In turn, the protesters tried to explain to the men that they were, in fact, allies. That didn’t seem to appease the men who were stumbling and slurring their words. Shortly afterward, two uniformed police officers arrived to talk to the men; the officers also dumped out liquid from at least one water bottle belonging to the homeless group, which sought refuge from the protesters on the steps of City Hall.
Unlike in New York City, where police officers are buffering the 1 percent from the rowdy masses, Burlington cops were keeping the 99 percent from being harassed by folks who might be called the 99.999999 percent.
This article appears in The Winter Preview Issue 2011.
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Why OWS? Well, here are the words of William Dudley, chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York: “I certainly understand why people are upset. You can argue very clearly that what happened was very unfair in the sense that to rescue the financial system, the federal government had to rescue individual firms. Then those firms go prosper while the unemployment rate in the country rises.” If that’s not enough, how about the Pope Benedict XVI’s words: ?”The conviction that the economy must be autonomous, that it must be shielded from ‘influences’ of a moral character, has led man to abuse the economic process in a thoroughly destructive way… In the long term, these convictions have led to economic, social and political systems that trample upon personal and social freedom, and are therefore unable to deliver the justice that they promise.” Last but not least, the words of trillion dollar bond fund manager Bill Gross: ” Class warfare by the 99%? Of course, they’re fighting back after 30 years of being shot at.”
“Over a dozen working groups have organically formed in Burlington alone to develop many action plans for achieving many goals.”I didn’t ask for THE one action plan, I just asked for ANY one. Because I know it doesn’t exist, thus proving my point.”Come to one general assembly”If I have an action plan for bettering our society, I’m taking it to someone who can help me enact it, not your “general assembly.” I would literally sooner take it to the aforementioned nieces and nephews.I mean, there’s next to nothing on your wiki so far but here’s one nugget, an actual agenda item from the “Anti Opporession [sic]” group:”Diversity is the well of our union, oppression poisons that well”…again, it’s all about what you’re mad at, not what you’re going to do about it. I’ll be waiting to hear about that second part, but I won’t hold my breath.Keep posting those videos by the way, they’re comedy gold!
What I find interesting in all of this is that the Occupier’s refer to this “will of the people” and our gov’t no longer works. Like somehow our Constitution has been corrupted. The irony here however is that pretty much all of their proposals amount to altering our Constitution. Something that largely has served us well. Reform free speech… that sounds like something I want no part of. Then we have this doozyCLOSE VERMONT YANKEE (this has been a big one, where it is a clear case of big business against the will and the health and well being of the public)”This does nothing to help your cause Joe. It merely makes you look like an ignorant fear monger. First off, there is nothing that says it’s the will of the people, and EVERY entity with the expertise and knowledge to evaluate VY disagrees with your assessment of a health risk. This will all end in a month or so. Once it get’s cold that will be enough and everyone will go back home. The reason this “occupation/revolt” will never go anywhere is the same reason the gov’t will never take them seriously… all they do is talk. This country would not be here if all our founding father’s did was talk.
Jimmy, please don’t jump to hasty conclusions. Clearly you have not participated in a general assembly. Perhaps you have witnessed some of the speak-outs, which provide a forum for people to be heard. Many people do feel dis-empowered and angered by the system and don’t know what to do about it, but are comforted by the solidarity of those around them. You also express anger in all of your posts, and you are using this forum to vent it – why can’t they use their forum to vent theirs? A general assembly requires the use of the funny hand signals and the consensus process so that people can construct and agree upon proposals. Proposals are not grievances, they are constructive. You say, “name one thing that this “movement” is asking for, and articulate the specific action plan for getting it.” Over a dozen working groups have organically formed in Burlington alone to develop many action plans for achieving many goals. You see, we can’t define an entire movement by asking one simple request or formulating one specific action plan. This is about shifting a paradigm – there is much work to be done; and despite what you might assume, Jimmy, people are doing it. I challenge you, Jimmy, and anyone else who reads this, to develop a goal to better our society and a specific action plan for achieving it. Come to one general assembly and propose a working group to get other like-minded folks on board. Draft a proposal and bring it to the group; if it’s a strong idea, I guarantee that many will stand behind you and help you achieve it. That’s what it’s all about. See you in City Hall Park!
“Occupations provide a literal staging ground for direct democracy.”This is meaningless. It’s like sitting around at a party voting on what you’re mad about. The fact that all of your friends agree that they’re mad about the same things doesn’t get you the tiniest bit closer to solving anything.The idea that consensus has to be achieved among a bunch of dumbasses who came out to a park to talk about things essentially eliminates any chance of success in any of these (yet to be defined) endeavors. People who know how to get things done don’t come out to these things; they’re primarily populated by people who are angry and don’t know what to do about it but yell.The one thing you said that you want to do is not vote. Great, go ahead, stay home. The people you hate love you for it.I guess no one wants to answer my specific problem / specific action plan question. What a shock.
Articles like this don’t reflect what is really going on. There are many people who know exactly why we are there. I care more about people than companies, I want companies to pay tax, and so many other very human ideals.
With all due respect, Jimmy and other detractors, whatever your strategies have been up to this point do not seem to have been very effective in addressing the issues you cited. Voting one way or another hasn’t really gotten us anywhere, except in a deeper hole. Aren’t you tired of trying the same old thing and getting the same old results? That’s what this is about. Our democracy is flawed. In fact, it isn’t a democracy at all. So what exactly is the point of voting when most often it’s a choice between the lesser of two evils? And we can assume if recent (and ancient) history is any indicator, that those elected will probably be bought off anyway. Occupations provide a literal staging ground for direct democracy. General assemblies allow everyone to participate -including you- if you’d like to give your input. And JIMVT, when you say, “The language and attitudes only make you look like angry, spolied brats,” perhaps you should compare what supporters are saying on this thread to what detractors are saying. Supporters have hope and are taking time and effort to help build solutions. The unsolicited anger against the movement serves no one. I’m sure you all have good ideas that can help get us out of this mess, and this occupation provides the perfect forum for you to gather the support and people you need to make it happen. Please, come be a part of the solution!
I submit that posting a comment on a newspaper’s message board is as productive an act as the Occupy Wall Street protest.
I can find like-minded folk interested in working on it without sitting around in a park waggling my fingers in the air. And they’ll be folk who are capable of actually accomplishing things.
Jimmy – I’d encourage you to show up and propose such a plan re: the City Government. I think it’s a conversation that needs to happen, and you might some like-minded folk interested in working on it ;).