Eviction Bloomberg Style – OWS
Tent City
We took my son to Zuccotti Park last week.
He shot some video (is in the process of editing as I write this) and I took some pictures. My wife tried to explain the whole thing to him. A couple of young men in the park handing out literature did too. Mostly I wanted him to understand that there are some things you can feel strongly about – so strongly that you take action to try to change them. One percent of the population controls the majority of our nation’s resources. So it has been for a long long time. Our politicians are afraid to address it. It is a powerful system based on money and the power that comes from it.
Last night at 1AM Bloomberg sent in a host of police officers with helmets, plastic visors, and riot gear to evict the protesters. He didn’t allow news coverage. He did it in the dead of night. There’s something wrong with that. I told my son what happened and he’s not sure what to make of it. He’s nine. He likes to think these things through. “It’s a good thing we got this video then,” he said. Yup. When my son finishes his video I’ll post it if he allows me to.
What does this have to do with Open Wounds? I dropped off a copy of my book for their library last week when we visited the site. The news says that over 5000 books were dumped when they were evicted last night – Open Wounds was one of them.
What does this eviction have to do with writing?
Nothing… and everything.
Occupy Wall Street
Lunievicz 
I could say so much about this, but it’s the kind of discussion that has to be had face to face. My issue with the Occupy movement is that it’s too little, and yet too much.
The problem is that if we truly repeated the original Boston tea party, the stormtroopers would end up killing our children in the streets.
That’s so sad about those books, and yet not the least bit surprising. Knowledge is a dangerous thing to allow the masses to obtain, as far as some are concerned.
November 16, 2011 at 8:18 am
I was listening to the news on the way up to Boston this afternoon (reading at Cambridge Public Library) and lasted about ten minutes to a conservative talk show speak to how idiotic the OWS is. It is fascinating how each side views the events unfolding. I am disheartened by the spin but glad to have activists – young people in particular – taking stands on this – regardless of it’s utility or effectiveness. Karen and I had a long talk with Max about how important it is to have things you believe in strong enough to speak out on.
November 16, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Joe, What a poignant account of both the meaning of the Occupy Wall St. protest and the events of the past 36 hours, especially as seen by a kid. I hope your son allows you to post his video, I am looking forward to seeing it. The fact that a copy of your book was among the 5,000 in the destroyed library is, well, very bittersweet.
November 16, 2011 at 9:59 am
Thanks, Sonya. Good to hear from you. Let me know how the book is coming and don’t forget my offer!
November 16, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Orwellian. Cowardly. I am glad you went, and that your boy got to see the camp. I hope that the library gets restored on the next OWS. Fully restored.
November 16, 2011 at 2:43 pm
I am truly amazed at how Orwellian (I love that!) it is. Helmets, plastic visors, no press,middle of night. Does no one else see it this way?
November 16, 2011 at 9:28 pm