I am excited to be at Occupy DC for the first time and am pretty excited at what I am seeing. The first evidence that the reigning ideology of the last 30 years is being seriously challenged. About ¾ of McPherson square is covered by tents. Last time I was downtown for anything, knowing that there were protests, I walked by McPherson square on the way to services and saw only a few people before Kol Nidre. Most notably a DC statehood activist. Since I was wearing a suit I was almost certainly mistaken for some sort of Republican who gets his wingnut welfare check on a biweekly basis and ignored. I guess its because I dress too well to look the part of a DFH.
There are a few children playing in the area designated for then and the participants are generally hanging out. Mostly by the kitchen and library tents which are crude tarps held up by stakes.
While here, I heard Mic check and a brief request for people to shut down an intersection as as part of a larger march. I declined to go because I have no intention of getting arrested. Being in the IT field, I know that sooner or latter I will despite my best of efforts have to work for some Three Letter Agency and that requires a background check. Those IT departments do not look for troublemakers.
I stayed to the side and watched as the demonstrators blocked the intersection briefly, chanting. There seemed to be an unspoken arrangement with the police about the limits to respect so that no one got arrested and yet there was the maximum disruption tolerated by the city. There were perhaps 100 or 150 marchers blocking the intersection for perhaps 15 or 20 minutes.
From talking with the protesters, I learned that although the ethos was Anarchist, there were plenty of Social Democrats and Disaffected Democrats (no surprise there). Some protestors like Russel see the police as the enemy for protecting the rich and corrupt. I think its a little more complicated. Because we are trying to protect their pension from the rapacity of Wall Street.
As I was leaving, there was mandatory meeting at the statue for people engaged in the sleep out and another meeting to discuss an ideal society. I wish I could have stayed to listen mostly.
I had to cut my visit short in an effort to get to a City Council Candidate forum. Got back home too late to go to the candidate forum but plan to be back next weekend.
While there I could feel the energy in the air and a feeling for the first time that things were going to change. I was born just before the beginning of the Regan era and this is the first time that I have seen the possibility of moving to a more humane, equitable and sustainable political economy that works for all Americans.