Inside the Occupy Wall Street protest

By Outer Banks Voice on November 6, 2011

By Hayley Ingram

I had seen Occupy Wall Street only from a distance — in the news or on YouTube videos. I was stunned by the reactions of the media and the police.

Opinions varied, but the focal point was usually the same: The protestors and the movement were declared pointless. The generalization was that Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan was overrun by crowds of dirty hippies, romping without purpose.

I wanted to see for myself what was truly occurring, but more so, I wanted to be able to say that I was there.

New York City is such an astounding and outlandish environment compared to the enclosed, small-town vibe I am used to on the Outer Banks. People are consistently on the move. I asked for directions numerous times, having on average three of eight people help me, people who actually cared enough to send me in the right direction.

One of my economics students at College of The Albemarle mentioned, quite excitedly, that she was going to visit New York City to see the Occupy Wall Street protest firsthand. As an economics instructor, I suspect I might disagree with much of what these protesters have to say. But I also find myself in sympathy with their frustrations directed toward the crony capitalism that has replaced good old laissez-faire economics. As a political science instructor, I embrace the very essence of non-violent protest. It is as American and patriotic as any symbol of liberty. And finally, as an older adult, I am proud (and envious) to see our young people bravely leave the relative calm of Dare County and wade into the heart of a city that is more alien than familiar. Whether or not you agree with the protest, youth is the time to add to your experiences. A young person with the passion and maturity to approach something as unwieldy as Occupy Wall Street with a completely open mind is a rare commodity.

Russ Lay

From Washington Square Park, I took a cab downtown. Walking without any idea of where I was going, I stumbled upon the Statue of Liberty. She was standing stoic and silent across New York Harbor. It was my first time seeing her. I found irony in the symbolic significance she held for my trip.

Soon I was strolling past the eerie gravel where the Twin Towers once hovered, until my eyes caught the hundreds of blue tarps the next block over.

Predisposed by the articles I had read on the Internet, I tried to imagine what scent these people would yield having been there for almost a month. To my surprise, the closer I got, the more I realized that the air was exactly the same as it was across the street.

The overall mood at Zuccotti Park was placid, despite the fact that there were at least 200 people huddled together in such a small environment. I was taken aback at how collected the protestors were.

Many things caught me by surprise. There was a tiny library, full of donations from outside and inside the organization. The library consisted of books on politics and democracy.

There was also an information stand for travelers like myself. However, the most surprising ingredient to this melting pot was the makeshift kitchen, right in the center of the park. It was free and donation-based, and every person who made their way inside was given free meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Volunteers ranged from protestors inside the park to travelers from Europe. The kitchen served a variety of everything from salmon to vegan dishes. It was incredible to witness so many people wait in line in complete unison. The food was also quite amazing, saving me considerable expense.

Free sweaters, hats, mittens, blankets, and tarps were also provided. If you were present, you were taken care of.

In the front of the park, the protestors had established a shrine, full of candles, books, apples and other oddities. Groups of people would often meditate here.

The protesters kept to a schedule. Arriving around 9 a.m., I got to experience breakfast. Everyone was drinking coffee and offering me conversation. I spoke with a fellow from Germany who had flown here with the same intentions as I. He told me how baffled he was at the love and generosity that these people offered.

You would think with so many people, conflict was bound to occur, but everyone who stepped foot in camp was regarded as family. They had established their own commune.

Around 1 p.m., a drum circle began, starting with six men and growing to at least 30. Passersby across the roadblock stopped, watched and snapped photos at people dancing and laughing. This was the opportune moment to hold signs and poster board. I realized that the intentions of Occupy Wall Street were to simply get the word out “there.”

People automatically assume change happens miraculously by itself; however it takes patience. We are the first step in the change that is sought. Many of the people I spoke to did not expect any outcome in this lifetime; their intention was simply to inform.

After the drum circle it was time to march to Wall Street The protestors doubled in number. Some carried their drums, others blew whistles, while the rest of us held our pickets and shouted phrases such as, “We are the 99%!” and “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!”

Completely nonviolent, it was comparable to a marching band walking the streets of NYC. The cops at this point were on edge, at least 40 following us through every corner. Still, everyone continued walking.

The brutality was amplified by the media. While I saw a few arrests, the police generally stood around merely to keep a lid on chaos, even though honestly, these people didn’t appear capable of such. The march lasted about 30 minutes, until we circled back to camp. At that point, another drum circle began and dinner was served.

It wasn’t just teenagers and young adults who took part. I noticed many elders and even businessmen. I was told U.S. Marines had been there the night before. There were parents with their children, dancing to the beats of the drums and holding hands during the marches.

Occupy Wall Street is a prime example of what can happen when people come together. It is also an example of the impact you can make on individuals. It certainly gave me the motivation to pay more attention in my microeconomics class.

Whether or not you agree with the ideas behind the Occupy Wall Street movement, it’s hard not to notice the benevolence revolving around the movement. Right wing, left wing, liberal or conservative, those trivial viewpoints do not matter. What matters is the way we approach life and others.

Living in an altruistic world is not so far away. It begins with giving. I walked out of Wall Street not with any more knowledge of “corporate greed” than I already possessed, but with hope for my generation and the chapters of our lives to follow.

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