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Good Government/Reform Thu Sep 29 2011
Occupy Chicago, in Photo and Video
It's now been a week since a small group of Chicagoans descended on the Federal Reserve (by way of a brief stint at the Willis — neé Sears — Tower) to stand in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Since then, Occupy Chicago has grown to include dozens of others jaded by what they perceive as continued political acquiescence to corporate interests. This, however, is only one of a broad, diverse list of grievances shared among an equally diffuse collective -- held together by all being members of the "99%" of people who could have used a hand, when banks got the bailout.
Other "occupy" movements have popped up in cities across the country — and around the globe. Many protesters explicitly reference international revolutions, such as the Arab Spring, when discussing what's at the heart of what they're doing on the ground here (see video).
While mainstream media coverage of the Chicago (and other) occupy movements has been largely absent (or dismissive), some are beginning to take notice.
Lacking either definitive leadership or agenda, the occupiers may be getting the brush off for all the wrong reasons. No, the protesters do not have a definitive road map for change, and yes, those are smart phones and laptops they're using to spread the word.
The point, however, to parking themselves in the financial districts of major cities is perhaps too obvious to mention — so obvious, in fact, that no one wants to talk about it: You should be ashamed.