If you haven’t heard of Occupy Olympia or the OccupyWallstreet movement—you need to. Now. The proceeding words will be informative and colorfully pieced together, but they will not, I repeat - Not - adequately substitute your own personal investigation and participation of the movement. Go to Heritage Park, via the 41 or 48, and get out at the second stop over Rainbow Bridge. That sea of multi-colored tents, backed picturesquely by the Capitol, is Occupy Olympia. The movement is here, in your downtown. A global phenomenon has worked its way to the hearts and hands of your fellow Greeners and Olympians. Do not miss an opportunity to participate in fluid democracy; in the building of a sustainable community engaged in dialogue about many issues we are all facing today locally around Olympia, state-wide in Washington, nation-wide in the ‘ol U.S. of A., and world-wide, as a global community. I will take my opportunity here to provide some background of the origin and growth of the movement, as well as a few observations from my time in the movement here, in Olympia, for all those interested or concerned.
Occupy Wallstreet began this year, Sept. 17, at Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan (NYC!!) from a page in Adbusters #97 Post Anarchism (July issue of the monthly magazine) calling to “…flood into lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barricades and occupy Wall street.” (http://www.adbusters.org/blogs/adbusters-blog/occupywallstreet.html)
The post began with a tantilizing hook, “Are you ready for a Tahrir moment?" This question still resonates with a contagious, empowering energy. Tahrir Square is downtown Cairo, Egypt, and has been credited with the ignition of the "Arab Spring". The Arab Spring was ignited in Tunisia, however, it took hold on an enormous scale in Tahrir Square and then spread to European countries witnessing an unprecedented unification of large communities - with the youth populations especially - against the many faces of their respective governments.
During the past three to five years, the European Union has seen a tremendous swell in inflation, unemployment, eviction and financial destitution that urged millions throughout Greece, Italy, Spain, UKs London, and the Netherlands Brussels to organize and voice their vehement disapproval of EU fiscal and governing policies that, many say, put their countries in such dire straits.
But what specifically are these protests against? How serious are they? You need only spend a few minutes on YouTube to witness footage, shot from across the world capturing what looks like protestors enveloping the entire city of Madrid on International Occupation Day, Oct. 15. Or you might see the infamous Brooklyn Bridge skirmish between marchers and the NYPD that occured Oct. 1, resulting in over 700 arrests.
Or browse the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, the Boston Globe, any mainstream press online, and you will find coverage. This coverage was not there a month ago; alternative press, blogs and facebooks championed the early stages of the American movement despite the awkward silence of big media outlets. It's front page news now. About time American press.
As for the Occupation in your own downtown, the General Assembly meetings began Oct. 7 at Slyvester Park. On Oct. 14, a few dozen brave souls slept in Slyvester Park out in the open, without tents, just tarps and sleeping bags. After that day, consense taking at the following General Assembly meeting moved the Occupation form Sylyvester Park over to Heritage Park where the occupants will have 24-hour access to bathrooms.
The General Assembly is a congregation of interested persons where issues and plans are discussed, proposed, and agreed upon in a consensus decision-making system. Everyone present has a voice and an opportunity to raise that voice. There are no absentee ballots or delegating board members; if you want to participate you need only take the time, make the meeting and offer what you can.
Crafting this bit of occupational awareness at the Flaming Eggplant, I spread my inquiry to neighboring gnoshers. Joe Zeman had this to say about the Occupation, “It’s heading in a good direction. The great thing about Olympia is the good relations with police and it being a positive movement is really important.”
Soon after, Gabriel joined us and added, “Real time, real effort, real work—no wages. Its not just a political protest, its community building.”
Interested? Contact your local Occupation (occuplyolympia.org), get on the bus and see it for yourself.