Went down to check it out Saturday. There was a General Assembly, and then a march around downtown Nashville. The legislative plaza was busy with a book fair, so Occupy Nashville went to City Hall/County Courthouse - a fine specimen of New Deal construction (PWA, not WPA.)
Some of the same people were there, some of the same signs. One guy recognized me, and had seen my previous posting about Occupy Nashville. (There was a picture of him in that diary.)
There was a lot of organizational stuff going on. They've been building a culture. A lot is copied from New York, but it's also home grown.
Note: This diary is belated. The events depicted happened Saturday. I had an earlier version almost done, but the #%$^@%$ editor ate it. Didn't have it in me to do it all over in time to get it done and posted on Sunday. File it under: Better late than never.
I got within earshot of events within the main circle just in time for this Announcement: If you get arrested, here's your lawyer's number. Store it in your phone, sure. But write it on your arm, too because when you get arrested, they take your phone. Arrests weren't expected since the march had a permit, but just in case. And there were legal observers who had their very own caps. (They were looking all earnest and serious until noticed my camera.)
Like a secular amen, the crowd raised their hands and wiggled their fingers at regular intervals. Might be a practice imported from New York, or it might be invented in Tennessee or somewhere else. Presumably, it lets people express support and still let someone keep talking where applause or cheers would drown them out.
This young man, standing in profile, appears to be emerging as a leader. Earned fair and square, by effort and respect. The young woman with the clipboard circulated in the crowd, lining up speakers for the Soap Box, which came after Announcements and Task Force reports.
This woman was one of the speakers who came up to the Soap Box. She's from Murfreesboro, where arsonists attacked the construction site for their new mosque. I noticed several people approached her afterwards to express support, myself included.
She spoke about religious tolerance. And other matters, the kinds of things that concern everyone. This sign was on the reverse side of the one shown in the picture above.
I hear that Eric Cantor has called these gatherings throughout the land "mobs." Pundits and pols are scratching their heads, wondering what to make of it all.
Come Senators, Congressmen please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall
...
Don't criticize what you can't understand
The song holds up pretty well. We'll say
I guess it varies in some places, but so far in Nashville, the tone's been good. People bring their dogs (all on leashes.)
Small children are not uncommon, many in strollers.
You could almost call it a carnival atmosphere atmosphere at times. There's certainly theatrical and entertainment elements.
I don't know this guy's story, but he gave something akin to a blessing. It didn't sound like any religion I've ever heard of, but it was poetic. (Even if closer to an invocation of the FSM's noodly appendage than any conventional orthodoxy.)
And again, there's lots of creativity and inspiration in the multitude of small actions by individuals.
Most of the signs are homemade.
Corporatism and economic injustice mostly seem to be front and center.
Most everyone who poses for a picture breaks out a friendly smile. (See lawyers, above.) Such is the tone of these events. But I like how fierce this face is. Matches the sentiment of her sign.
And there's always some with facts. Reality-based.
In Nashville, there's always evidence of the music business.
When I first arrived, this was one of the first pictures I took. TV Channel 5 was filming her, too.
Then later, just before the march, she was handing them out to those who didn't have one yet.
In addition to the Occupy Nashville sub-groups, other groups showed up, too.
There's always a few of these folks around. Not sure what to make of the "Men in Black" types - not invoking Johnny Cash, not really Gothic either.
And so the march begins. There wasn't a destination - instead they went through several blocks of downtown. Visibility might have been the main point, and since 600+ people newly liked the Occupy Nashville FaceBook page over the weekend, one could argue Mission Accomplished.
Despite the festive and convivial, even carnival, tone, there's plenty of reminders that there's serious problems afoot in the land.
Hobbs can't walk much yet (they just did the other hip), so when they took off marching, I headed back to the car. Managed to get out in the street so he could see the full three-plus block procession, and even had a chance to talk to a few of 'em.
About the same time I arrived on the scene, so did several young men with skateboards. Occupy Nashville had also occupied their normal skating grounds. They asked me what was up. You seen that Occupy Wall Street stuff on TV? They had. This is the Nashville chapter. Is it OK if I hold this up? Sure, why not? They thought it was cool, and stuck around for the better part of an hour.