I just returned from #OccupyBoston and I am impressed. If other cities are even a third as organized and motivated as these guys we will accomplish a lot with this movement. This is my tale, from beginning to end.
But first, here is your income inequality and economic injustice statistics for today, courtesy of ThinkProgress.org
As Wages Dropped For Most Americans, Number Of People Making More Than $1 Million A Year Rose 20 Percent
The median paycheck — half made more, half less — fell again in 2010, down 1.2 percent to $26,364. That works out to $507 a week, the lowest level, after adjusting for inflation, since 1999.
The number of Americans with any work fell again last year, down by more than a half million from 2009 to less than 150.4 million. [...]
The number of workers making $1 million or more rose to almost 94,000 from 78,000 in 2009. However, that was still below some earlier years, including 2007, when more than 110,000 workers made more than $1 million each.
At the very top, the number of workers making more than $50 million rose in 2010 to 81, up from 72 the year before. But average pay in this group declined $4.5 million to $79.6 million.
Only 81 Americans earned over $50 million a year last year, but their average pay fell $4.5 million to only an average of $79.6 million each? OH THE AGONY! DAMN SOCIALISM!
Cry me a river you greedy swine.
More below the fold
I will try to post videos of my travel as soon as I can, for now, I hope this written account will suffice.
I jumped on the bus from Chinatown in NYC to Boston for only $15 each way. On twitter the hashtag #OccupyTheBus looks waaay sexier than it is in real life. After a four hours or so, I was in Beantown.
The bus stop is only blocks away from the occupied territory. A short walk found me there at the foot of a sea of tents. The straw on the ground gives the place the feel of a modern continental army encampment. My first impression was of a place of great energy and community.
There is a large kitchen under a tent where delicious food made with love is served to anyone who is hungry. Apparently, the media can only provide a circus, we will have to provide our own bread, but that is fine by us. We are used to it.
Another tent housed the media working group. This tent has a causeway made of wooden panels leading over a moat of mud. Inside you will find a makeshift technological fortress where data is being compiled from surveys to show what many protesters are claiming would be the policy priorities they would prefer to see enacted. Austerity measures make up the least popular by far of all the proposals. The tech guys here are amazing, geniuses in their own right. It turns out, when you try to rob intelligent teachers and students of their future you will discover that you have disturbed a hornets nest that is beyond your imagination. #OccupyBoston has something to teach us all about how to use creative technology during this occupation. I am eager to learn more from the contacts I made.
The next tent that stands apart from the living area is the library, and WOW, what a library it is! The lesson; don't piss off Americas' librarians, they are stern and unyielding in their dedication to the distribution and preservation of knowledge. They also seem to be the most enthusiastic of the working groups I visited to badmouth Fox News. One need not struggle to wonder why.
The library was impressive. As a book nerd I was quite proud. To the fools who would like to compare the tea party as an equivalent of #OccupyWallStreet I have only this to say, #ows has a library, the tea party has Fox News. Nuff said.
To my amazement, the last non residential tent I visited had the most shocking surprise, bicycle powered generators! Alternative energy at your door. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. Imagine what a bicycle generator in each home in America could do? A slim and healthy population generating their own power! No wonder the oilgarchy fears us.
"MMMMOOOOTTTTT!"
I heard someone shriek my screen name, and then a woman ran towards me and jumped into my arms. I'm still getting used to this.
It was our fellow kossack Keori. After a warm welcome she gave me a grand tour of the grounds and explained the state of the encampment. Apparently, the night the police raided their second encampment site at the next park over on the greenway a line of veterans took a stand to defend the peaceful occupiers, and though they were unsuccessful in protecting the newly annexed land for the occupiers, they did their nation proud for defending the freedom of assembly here at home as well as abroad. Only the corrupt and dishonest can try to deny the commitment to defending freedom that you can see everyday at an #Occupy protest.
I met up with another kossack, rsie, who introduced me to a few folks, among them veterans for peace. Cars honked like crazy in approval as they sped past down Atlantic Ave. You could literally feel the love and solidarity despite a brisk wind. I was glad that Tool had helped me choose a new winter coat before my trip, paid for by the donations made to me by all the kind people here at Daily Kos.
Only once was there any animosity aimed at the occupiers I observed, and that came in the form of a very overweight man in a business suit who shouted "GET A JOB!" as he waddled past. I shouted back "Pay your taxes and STFU". Laughter followed.
And laughter plays a huge part in our occupied community. The bozos who scorn us may mock our drums and our dancing, but frankly, I don't want to be a part of any revolution that does have music you can dance to. Yes, we are angry, and rightly so, but I do not see the seething anger or vitriol that was easy to find at tea party events, rather, it is our joy and laughter and our caring spirit that unites at #Occupy events. I wouldn't have it any other way.
I ran into Unaspenser as the sun set and the General Assembly began. She has an energy about herself, a purpose, and being near that energy is invigorating. We were not able to talk for long, her obligations could not be neglected, and it was that kind of dedication that I saw all around me, people dedicated to each other and our future, all standing as one. I am still quite amazed, as I have been each day these past weeks of occupying our democracy.
After the General Assembly, at which I spoke some short words of admiration and solidarity, I wandered off into Boston. At ye olde Union Oyster House on Union Street I had the best damn bowl of clam chowder in my life. It was doubly satisfyingly warm against the contrast of the crisp New England wind. I had a beer with my thoughts and set about checking my email when AnotherMassachusettsLiberal called. He joined me for a few beers and we talked as if old friends, which we are through DKos. It is funny, as I meet more and more friends here at DailyKos is real life I am becoming aware that this is not just a website, but a community, and I value these friendships more than you might imagine.
Upon finishing our libations AnotherMassachusettsLiberal helped me find the bus depot where I would return home. After parting as good friends I found my bus, got on board at 2am, and immediately passed out for the full ride back to NYC.
Now I am back in NYC, talking a bunch of phone interviews with radio shows in Baltimore, Tampa, and other places, as well as with MadCow. The banks say they are Too Big To Fail, I say working class people need to be too big to ignore. Keep fighting, people are starting to pay attention.
Many friends were made, some from DailyKos, others by chance. The feeling I get after visiting #OccupyBoston is one of great hope and inspiration. Someone in Boston who was playing Jimmy Henderix's "National Anthem" on his electric guitar got the song stuck in my head. I thank him for it. This is a new day for Americans, we are starting to band together in defiance of the corporate machine that would chew us up and spit us out. After witnessing the folk of Boston in the midst of their own occupied territory I feel confident that this movement we are participating in isn't going anywhere anytime soon. There is a power shift taking place in America, and in other places around the world. That shift has already begun. What comes next, only the future knows, but at least it is still our future for now, they haven't stolen it yet, and they will not steal our future, not without a fight.
After seeing #OccupyBoston with my own eyes, I am pleased to report that in the fight for our future, we are not alone. In fact, we are greater than any of us yet realize.
About time.
Peace and love to all,
Jesse LaGreca/MoT
____________________
Oct Friday 21 NYC
Oct Sat 22 - Madison, Wisconsin
Oct Sun 23 & Mon 24 - Seattle, Washington
Oct Tues 25 & Weds 26 - Denver, Colorado
Oct Thurs 27 - Chicago, Illinois
Oct Fri 28 & Sat 29 - Washington D.C.
For more info
1. Get this message out there. Get the word out about these protests of Wall Street's greed to everyone you know. Raise awareness, even if it is via word of mouth, every little bit helps.
2. Use the twitter hashtags #OccupyWallStreet and follow us on facebook and twitter accounts related to the ongoing protests. Help put this video on your facebook pageand any other social media that you use. Make it viral.
3. Make a donation to WeAreTheOther99%'s media fund. They need funding to stay active, and without huge corporate interests backing us up like the Teabaggers have, the only way this works is with your small donations.
4. Go to OccupyWallSt.org and make a donation to our General Fund to support the ongoing protests.
5. To send care packages to Liberty Square, go to OccupyWallSt.org for more information. WE NEED WATER.
Info from http://occupywallst.org/
MAIL
The UPS Store
Re: Occupy Wall Street
118A Fulton St. #205
New York, NY 10038
Money orders only please, cannot cash checks yet. Non-perishable goods only. We can accept packages of any size. We're currently low on food and water.
6. Find out if there will be an #Occupation event in your neighborhood and participate and contribute there if you can't come to NYC.
7. Be a better person to your brothers and sisters around you.
You can follow me on the series of tubes they call Twitter @JesseLaGreca