Occupy Wall Street -- just venting

[PamNY]

Honest, I was going to leave this topic alone, but the Daily Show (Jon Stewart) has addressed the bathroom issue.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/th...treet-occupied

If you aren't familiar with the Daily Show, it is irreverent, sometimes graphic humor.

And in case you think we in lower Manhattan are obsessed with potty issues, the 9/11 Memorial does not have public rest room facilities. This lack was already putting a strain on small businesses and other tourist destinations in the area.

[ny biker]

I was going to post that Daily Show link. With a warning to not ever let those people into your home, for any amount of money. How do they not see what they are doing to some really hard-working people??

Re: the 9/11 Memorial, what exactly is open to the public at this point? The fountain area? The museum? Is the lack of bathroom facilities a temporary thing while it's all still under construction?

[PamNY]

I think just the fountain part is open now, and the area where names are engraved. Museum opens next fall and will have restrooms.

They can't have outdoor public trash cans or Porta potties near the memorial because both are security hazards -- bombs could be placed in them. It's really crowded and littered and only a block away from OWS's encampment.

[PamNY]

If anyone is interested, this article from Salon reflects what I have seen fairly well.

Like everyone else who writes about OWS, the author fails to note that this event is taking place in an established neighborhood. I was stunned that the author regards the Yom Kippur observance across the street from Zuccotti Park as a sign of "mainstream acceptance" of OWS being in the neighborhood.

They have this Yom Kippur observance every year. It has nothing to do with accepting OWS -- it has to do with Yom Kippur.

I am, of course, going to email the author about this. But I need a day or two to calm down.

[channlluv]

Pam, I appreciate your commentary, too, and completely missed whatever political angle was perceived by some. The thing that I found most disturbing, actually, was when you - I think it was you, maybe someone else - said that these protesters were stealing from the falafel vendors and farmer's market people. That really bugs me.

I thought the zombie thing was stupid, too. I am enjoying reading the signs, though, and some of the editorial cartoons that are coming out of this.

I hope that you and your neighbors can retain/regain some sense of normalcy soon.

Roxy

[Crankin]

I think Pam's comments are an interesting view from the street. I would be worried, too, with any large group of people camping out by my home.
I don't think this thread is political at all. I have my opinions, I don't think I'm a particularly uninformed person, and quite frankly, if you are going to judge me by my lack of comments, well, so be it. I know that I am a member of the 1%, or at least close to it. I've worked hard for everything I have and I am not embarrassed. If some have an issue with that, it is not my issue. I'm not a member of the Tea Party, a Republican, or even against the protesters. I know I am lucky. I've spent my whole adult life in jobs that tried to help people lift themselves out of poverty or other negative situations. I guess I hope that in the past 35 years, I've had some positive effect on the world.

[PamNY]

Roxy, as far as theft, I think that's just the inevitable result of a large crowd. There are plenty of responsible people trying to keep order.

[shootingstar]

There is Occupy Calgary ....here.

I have not read all the protesters' grievances.

However to deal with Wall Street like folks, it might be way more effective for protestors to indicate that there is a fine line that only separates the unemployed / low-income from Wall St. folks.

It is probably a better way to think of how little separates us (TE folks) from the protestors. After all, some of us have been unemployed for an appreciable chunk of time.

Right now, some of this Occupy stuff seems like mob rule.

It makes one wonder if social media has a downside from its powerful speed to communicate worldwide and to mobilize: Down side is that unlike the speed of social media for commmunicating and getting the word out to protest, is that REAL change, for Wall St...actually is demanding for some social change. Which takes a long time.

[PamNY]

Right now, some of this Occupy stuff seems like mob rule. .

It's definitely mob rule in NYC, albeit a fairly benign mob (at the moment anyway).

OWS agreed w/local officials to limit drumming to two hours a day -- quite a few of us are close to going mad from listening to drums all day. It was part of the deal to keep OWS in their current location.

After eight hours of drumming, I went over to complain. Couldn't find the "community liaison" they promised to have available at all times, but I was welcomed warmly by a guy at the information desk. Most of the protesters are also sick of the drums, but because it's a leaderless democracy, they can't really stop it. They were thrilled for a complaining resident to show up.

Someone found a guy from the security committee, and off we went to the drum circle. This was right after their donation of Ben and Jerry's ice cream was delivered, and the security guy continued to enjoy his ice cream all the time I was there.

After much discussion, waving of arms including the ice cream cup, and screaming, the drummers refused to stop. The security guy called out "mic check" which means he wanted to speak, but he was drowned out when fans of the drummers started chanting "We are the 99 percent." Apparently the 99 percent simply MUST drum, or at least the drum circle lovers think so. OWS security guy threw up his hands (one of which still held ice cream) and told me to talk to the cops.

I did so, cops said they couldn't help. The local official who brokered the drumming limit deal is my new favorite pen pal.

A great anecdote I heard: when the mayor visited, someone offered him a joint.

[PamNY]

This is a photo of the most committed drummer expressing his opinion of the "Good Neighbor" agreement which limits drumming to two hours a day.

He's kind of a scary guy -- actually threatened a woman who asked him to abide by the time limit. Told her he was going to "personally remove" her from the park.

Needless to say, I'm sending this photo to the city official who brokered the "Good Neighbor" deal.