One of the things I most like about the Occupy movement is the fact that things get done. You’re standing around, and suddenly people need to move some supplies and the people around will help. Soup gets handed out(most days, generally). Pizzas get passed around. People from the legal group will work with people willing to get arrested or who are being arrested. In the announcements at the end of the General Assembly, someone will ask for help and usually get it even if there’s some begging. The work groups figure out what needs to be done and then either do it, or take it to the General Assembly. It’s not always a perfect process, and I’m not sure how long it can last after the excitement of the movement dulls. But for now it seems to work.
So when at the end of a recent General Assembly, someone asked for help cleaning the park, I shot my hand up, and was glad to do it. I didn’t mention that I was a blogger, so I’d say everything was off the record, and I won’t get into specifics (and I won’t say it was problem free). But I have to say, I loved sweeping up.
I loved seeing the park clean. I loved people thanking me for helping. I walked home after and noticed how much dirtier the streets were than at and around Westlake. More than going there regularly, more than participating in a General Assembly, more than giving a little money, this really felt like taking ownership of a part of Occupy Seattle. It’s certainly not as much as the people who stay at the park or who work more than me, but it was really a great feeling, especially as someone who has generally stayed more at arms length as a blogger than I might otherwise.
And so I’d encourage people, if you can, to put in an hour doing something. Go to General Assembly and wait for the announcements; someone will find something for you to do. Ask the people handing out food if they need help. Find a work group that you’d be interested in. Of course the more the better, but don’t be afraid to spend just a bit of time.
This warm and fuzzy feeling is dangerous! The communal feel of these gatherings is reminiscent of the hippies! These people are a threat to the American Way of Life! This could lead to communism! They must be sent to re-education camps and re-socialized in our societal mores of selfishness and greed! The whole system depends on everyone acting in self-interest! These people are only supposed to work for FREE in corporate sweatshops and cubicle warrens! This whole Occupy movement could potentially undermine the funtioning of the economy that keeps the 1% aloft in luxurious indolence. What if we had no unemployment? Where would they get cheap labor?
That’s not what the OWS movement looks like according to Faux News.
It is definitely an interesting thing to experience. There’s a great spirit amongst the protesters, and seeing them tend to the space they are occupying is unexpected and different.
thanks Carl. I noticed the difference down there after you cleaned up. I knew you were a small d democrat, but I had no idea you were such a neatnik… and talented. Bravo!
Good work Carl and thanks for sharing. I know that the cities are using the cleanup as an excuse for police overreaction.
carle pats himself on the back for picking up a little trash, while telling us that the closure of the viaduct has not had any impact in traffic.
just more confirmation of how out of touch carle is with reality….as well as proof that HA is spiraling towards an impending death, to go along with its already established certificate of irrelevancy.
@6 “picking up a little trash”
When do you ever see a one-percenter picking up trash? Those pigs trashed our entire society and the rest of us must clean up after them.
P.S., rumors of HA’s impending death are mere rumors.
Why not just execute all the rich people and be done with it? If they piss you all off so much, why not just attack them and kill them?
As certain right wing asswipes have been saying for years now..
As if those right wing jerks won’t someday die themselves..
What did they do with their lives? Listened to Rush Limbaugh/Sean Hannity/Michael Savage-Weiner/Dori Monson and trolled HA?
The OWS movement will no doubt be forgotten in a couple months. Both major parties oppose it, both major parties are run by corporatists.
@10
Exactly correct
I understand all the stores in the area are out of NixLice and RidLice…the head lice products and there is a massive special order en route.
Carl–
Be careful for the head lice and pubic lice outbreak @Westlake. If we see you itching, we will know you didn’t heed the warning.
@9
Well when you have less than a dozen(and more like a half dozen) regular posters..and when half the posts are by one person(who rarely posts anything on topic), yes, I would say the place irrelevant and heading for death….
re 14: You lie!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will ban you from commenting here because, uhhhhhhhhhhh……….YOU LIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The movement may — understandably — slow down in the winter — but if there is no change, they’ll be back with a vengeance in the spring.
In fact, the false elation the right will have for thinking that they have defeated the Occupiers will intensify their feeings of helplessness and ineffectiveness when the resurgence comes.
Things like this don’t go away. When you pull the Koch funding from the ‘bagger movement, they’ll fade fast.
14 – We’re all headed for death dumbass.. Nothing lasts forever..
When you’re gone, who’s going to miss you, a hater?
I predict HA will be here in Nov 2012 and beyond.
I predict you’ll be here wanting to see it end. Such is the way of your kind.
Says one of our regular posters…
@18
correction Michael: “says one of our few regualar posters”
but not for long…..its getting rather boring.
@17
thanks for confirming exactly my point.
way to make yourself useful, dumbass.
@17
“the way of your kind”
you my kind, as in the producers in society? you mean my kind, as in the people who put into the system a hell of a lot more than we get out?(unlike you and Lee Rujax Rosenberg)
ya, my kind…lol
“my kind” works for living, “youre kind” “lives off the internet” and spends time complaining and protesting various shit. big difference between the two.
hope youre loving living that mediocre life…..”when average is considered acceptable – and even special”
The producers of hate, ignorance and bigotry..
19 – Forgot the link to Faux News friendo. More fevered Roger Ailes approved crap.
@23
more like the producers of products, money, and keeping your lazy ass with family fed and warm in the winter.
25 – Nope more like what I said – oh almost forgot what drives all of that:
RACISM..
A racist can shit gold but at the end he’s still a racist. Take that to your deathbed dumbass. You’ll have plenty of company I’m sure..
It’s lowest common denominator sort of behavior.
Ohhh Lookee here..
The creep is a misogynist to boot.
Pretty hard to keep tabs on such loathsome people.. You just want to forget they exist.
@26 and 27
LMFAO…and thats all you can come up with?
BTW, tell your old lady I said HI, I hope her uterus is all healed up now…
keep on with the jealousy ylbarrio, its fun to watch – almost as much fun and pulling your strings and playing you for the puppet that you are.
SIESTA!
ACORN are the “organizers” behind OCCUPY!
[Deleted — see HA Comment Policy]
28 – zzzzzZzzzzzzz…
How’s the screwdrivers taste at happy hour?
Take a taxi home fool..
Oh it looks like you’re helping yourself at home.. My bad..
Don’t get too red faced..
not to worry, I typically dont drink during the week…its yet another in the long list of reasons why I am so much more successful than you.
jealousy, its whats for dinner at the ylburrito house tonight..and every night.
zzzzzZZZZzzzzzz…..
Typically… yea right… Alcohol-fueled mean-spirited rage…
I knows it when I sees it..
well now we have some insight on how you were raised…drunk ass pops in the house putting the beatings on poor ylb and his momma……fucked up your self confidence and turned you into an overweight, basement dwelling dweeb who “lives off the net”.
case closed.
33 – Fuck that’s your story.. Nothing else explains your obnoxious, abusive persona here..
I predict a year from now:
You’ll be calling people who see your ignorant views for the shallow bullshit they are all kinds of abusive names (“bitch”, “fag”, “bleeder”) just like now.
You’ll still be pretending you’re not a Republican while acting like just about any other right wing troll here who votes lockstep Republican just like now.
You’ll be predicting the end of HA just like now.
Once in a while you’ll feel tempted to proffer a half-assed analysis that will be shot down for the shallow right wing bullshit it is just like the Hoover debacle..
You won’t bring anything to table other than the last things I’ve listed just like now.
What a life you’ve got in store for yourself. Have fun.. I couldn’t give a flip at this point.
YeaS! wes ocuuPie peEps ar deh KenGs of Dah werld…douN wit Deh ZiOnesT JoOoO banceRs!