Gapers Block has ceased publication.

Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
 Thank you for your readership and contributions. 

TODAY

Friday, March 29

Gapers Block
Search

Gapers Block on Facebook Gapers Block on Flickr Gapers Block on Twitter The Gapers Block Tumblr


The Mechanics
« Chicago History Museum to Host Discussion on Current Political Climate The Battle Over the Cook County Health and Hospital System Budget »

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.

Untitled_HDR4.jpg
Untitled_HDR12.jpg

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.

Untitled_HDR2.jpg
Untitled_HDR6.jpg
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).

Untitled_HDR10.jpg
Untitled_HDR8.jpg
While mainstream media coverage of the Chicago (and other) occupy movements has been largely absent (or dismissive), some are beginning to take notice.

Untitled_HDR13.jpg
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.

Untitled_HDR11.jpg

 
GB store
GB store

Feature

Parents Still Steaming, but About More Than Just Boilers

By Phil Huckelberry / 2 Comments

It's now been 11 days since the carbon monoxide leak which sent over 80 Prussing Elementary School students and staff to the hospital. While officials from Chicago Public Schools have partially answered some questions, and CPS CEO Forrest Claypool has informed that he will be visiting the school to field more questions on Nov. 16, many parents remain irate at the CPS response to date. More...

Civics

Substance, Not Style, the Source of Rahm's Woes

By Ramsin Canon / 2 Comments

It's not surprising that some of Mayor Emanuel's sympathizers and supporters are confusing people's substantive disputes with the mayor as the effect of poor marketing on his part. It's exactly this insular worldview that has gotten the mayor in hot... More...

Special Series

Classroom Mechanics Oral History Project
GB store



About Mechanics

Mechanics is the politics section of Gapers Block, reflecting the diversity of viewpoints and beliefs of Chicagoans and Illinoisans. More...
Please see our submission guidelines.

Editor: Mike Ewing, mike@gapersblock.com
Mechanics staff inbox: mechanics@gapersblock.com

Archives

 

 Subscribe in a reader.

GB store

GB Store

GB Buttons $1.50

GB T-Shirt $12

I ✶ Chi T-Shirts $15