I stopped by the Occupy Anchorage site today. It was a chilly 5˚F (-15˚C) or lower. There's an open side tent and three other tents on the edge of Town Square at the end of F Street. I got there a bit after 4pm and there were three people and two dogs. More folks dropped by after a bit.
I didn't have enough room on my camera disk to get more than this 28 second video. (Sorry, I'd backed the disk up on my external hard drive, but then I couldn't access those pictures and videos on my camera to delete them. I better read the instruction manual better. I can delete them using the computer.)
Next Friday, Black Friday, is the day they're expecting to have trouble with the Municipality. They'll be lighting the official city Christmas Tree on Town Square and they don't want the protestors tents there. The said they are being left alone even though they don't have a permit ($800, they said per week). But the Muni has a permit for next Friday. They are playing it by ear.
They said there were 14 sites in Alaska.
Here's
part of a forum post from Nov. 11 by Dub - the guy in the black hat in the picture.
My name is John Westlund. I am 21 years old. I have been working since I was 11 trying to support my family and myself. Trying to have stability. Recently I quit my job, left my still paid for apartment, and joined the occupy wall street movement 24/7 for the past few weeks. I have never felt better about what I'm doing with my life. All I wanted was stability, and I found no way to truly accomplish this while relying on money. I realized it could and should be worth nothing tomorrow. The economy everywhere is unstable because of ecological practices worldwide. Money is truly worth nothing! Until we have a perfect system. Until that day I will stay a protester, an environmentalist and a part of Occupy. We have learned enough over the past 200 years to create this system, a unified peaceful system. One of stability. One that is permanent. Sustainable. For all. No more overpopulation problems from idiotic food manipulating meant only to make the most amount of money possible.
BTW, there are heaters in the tent, but they weren't getting any electricity when I was there.
Thanks for posting this, Steve. I keep trying to find time to stop by again and interview the few stalwarts there. Maybe people can band together to help them raise permit money, if that becomes an issue next week.
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting this out. I am most moved by Dub's writing.
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