Anderson@Large

Nobody Knows the Trouble ‘Sitting Man’ Has Seen

I stopped by Occupy Wall Street yesterday. They were serving lunch so I had a plate of peas and rice, plantains and a slice of watermelon.

The Occupiers include folks who march to the beat of a different drummer.

At times, the drumming was deafening. Although one Occupier called the drum circle the “heart beat” of the encampment, few want to “give the drummer some.” Instead, they want to give them the boot. The Slatest reports:

Someday the Occupy Wall Street protests will end, and the only question is whether they will go out with a bang or a whimper—or a lot of loud banging followed by whimpers.

At least one organizer fears it’s the latter. An anonymous activist wrote a letter to the literary magazine N+1 on Monday warning that drum circles are causing such an outcry that it could derail the whole movement. Really.

It seems a core group of beatniks in New York’s Zuccotti Park has been holding marathon jam sessions from mid-morning until late at night every day, punishing the eardrums of their fellow protesters and the surrounding neighborhood. Teachers at a school across the street have complained they can’t teach. And the local neighborhood community board is holding a meeting Tuesday night in which it could revoke its support of the protests if it’s not satisfied that the noise will subside.

Seward Johnson’s “Double Check” sits a few feet from the drum circle. Occupiers have renamed the iconic sculpture “Sitting Man.”

Sitting Man survived the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. I was a volunteer at Ground Zero. For both workers and volunteers, he was a talisman and symbol of hope.

Ten years later, nobody knows the trouble Sitting Man has seen. Nobody knows his sorrow.

Day Tripping at Occupy Wall Street

On the one-month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, I went to Zuccotti Park to see what was going on.

The half-acre public space has been transformed into Liberty Square, a self-contained encampment of unemployed 20-somethings, homeless, progressives, anarchists and aging hippies “veteran leftist activists.” There is also a garden variety of nuts and thieves.

While it’s messy, the park has not been trashed. I was expecting a scene out of “Hoarders.” Instead, OWS is organized chaos with a “Good Neighbor Policy.”

Don’t even think about trampling the flowers:

Keep it clean. This plaza and these flowers are important to the community. Our ability to uphold the beauty of this park well represents our commitment to a better world.

There’s a kitchen that serves healthy and free food.

They were serving breakfast so I helped myself to scrambled eggs, hash browns and a bagel.

The Occupiers have everything one would need in an encampment that never sleeps, including a cellphone and laptop charging area, generator, Health Care and Comfort stations, and Sanitation Department.

They even have some kitchen sinks.

The encampment is surrounded by the NYPD. If Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave the order, the police could clear out the tent city in, well, a New York minute.

Right now, OWS is the place to see and be seen. It’s the latest tourist attraction in Lower Manhattan. A Quinnipiac University poll found overwhelming support among New York City voters.

Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a statement:

It’s a free country. Let them keep on protesting as long as they obey the law, New Yorkers say overwhelmingly. Critics complain that no one can figure out what the protesters are protesting. But seven out of 10 New Yorkers say they understand and most agree with the anti-Wall Street views of the protesters

Meanwhile, a Gallup poll found most Americans have no opinion of the Occupiers:

Given Americans’ apparent lack of knowledge about the Occupy Wall Street movement, it is not surprising to find a minority of Americans describing themselves as supporters (26%) or opponents (19%) of the movement. A majority, 52%, say they are neither supporters nor opponents, with another 4% not having an opinion.

Until the Occupiers figure out what their goals are, it is an open question whether it’s a moment or a movement.

As Occupy Wall Street celebrates its one-month anniversary, it remains a collection of grievances. If and when the General Assembly adopts goals, there is no plan to achieve them.

As the unwashed body count rises, the temperature drops and media coverage fades away, the General Assembly will be asked: Why are you still here?

Occupy Wall Street

I’m in New York City. While here, I’m going to make the pilgrimage to the Occupy Wall Street encampment at Zuccotti Park.

I’m wearing a knockoff of a Picasso scarf that I bought from a street vendor a few years ago when I was in Madrid.

I had just left Museo Reina Sofía where I viewed Picasso’s “Guernica.” I was so inspired by the painting that I said I would only wear the scarf into battle.

I’m not looking for trouble but as we know, sh stuff happens.

Occupiers Will Party Like It’s 1969

Later today, Wall Street occupiers will take their act to Times Square.

The Occupy Wall Street drum circles will come in handy for “people who only need a beat.”

Organizers want party-goers to be “as dramatic as possible.” They want to party like it’s 1969.

(Pre-)Occupied in Philly

Sarah Palin famously said she could see Russia from her window. I can’t see Occupy Philadelphia from my apartment, but I sometimes hear the protesters.

I have not blogged much the last few days because I’ve been preoccupied with a project. I’ll get back to my regular schedule next week.

With folks in an uproar from the Big Apple to the Big Easy, a Facebook friend left this comment on my wall:

Buckle up! The pot is starting to stir. 2012 is starting to look like it’s going to be a real doozy of a year with a spectacular conclusion, considering the economy and the election, and people in the streets, and the Mayan Calendar thing and all.

While it “ain’t exactly clear” what’s going down, it’s going down all around us.