Occupy Philly Photos from the Weekend
Update: After I’ve read all the comments, I realize I was wrong about this movement, they’re doing all the hard work by sacrificing their time for things I believe in too. I was unemployed earlier this year, but it wasn’t because of corporate greed, just the good old fashion Information Highway eliminated my job since now you can do legal search on the internet and not have a paralegal run to the library or across the country to obtain the same info. I was glib in this coverage, and really didn’t think long and hard about all the movements that brought our country to this place. What I don’t want to see is what happened in London a few weeks ago. I don’t want to see a class warfare. I cover a lot of the 1% who make a difference in peoples lives, who are philanthropists, who volunteer, who give back. Just like I did with the 99%, we can not put all of the 1% in a category. I am still going to leave the more factual points in like the conversation Mike has with the eco guy.
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Saturday afternoon the tent city is starting to take shape. 
I wonder if the homeless feel disenfranchised since they aren’t allowed to have a tent city at City Hall?
Do Not Litter says one of the signs above
Checking out the books at the lending library
I like the sign that says a week without crime MLK Week 2012
What was the lesson in Sweeden?
I love the tech support camp. 
She’s reading “Sex with Hugs.”
This flag has a lot of corporations on it instead of stars, like CNN, IBM, McDonald’s probably not POLO like he’s wearing
This sign says stop feeding your kids McDonald’s
Imagine how much money it’s costing to pay the cops overtime to baby sit these kids. What about my dwindling dollars? (I checked with high ranking captain in the police dept, and they know of no such fund that is going to pay for the OT of the cops, as stated in the comments below.) 
I was impressed by the organization, and by the majority of the occupiers dedication to changing the corporate environment, although I do think they are punching into the wind. I think as I stated above that there are other ways to change the world that are more effective.
I would say that Occupy Philly is well funded and organized but by who?
The Wikileaks foot soldier chatting with protestors. Says he just came up from DC and heard about the great things Philly is doing.
Says this is in support of Obama presidency. OK well let’s get these people to the voting booth come 2012 and out of my City. (I think this hurts Obama, and that many of these kids won’t vote at all because throughout the weekend they’ve stated that both parties are the same.)
Mike had a nice chat with one of the eco terrorists on site. He had a sign that said burn the logging camps. Mike asked him if he ever burned one, and the guy said no it was illegal and he didn’t want to go to jail. He’s not responsible for how others interpret his sign. Nice. Also these kids running in the street, if the cars didn’t honk in support they would scream obscenities at them and other stupid comments that only juveniles would make. I do hope as time goes on the occupiers don’t get restless and think that violence is the answer, which is what the eco terrorist stated to mike and what some of the street walkers were saying to each other. They said if they don’t get want they want their mission will be forcing the message on deaf ears. The Wikileaks guy told the gathered that D-Date is 10/15.
How long does Occupy Philly go on, as long as it takes to get answers said one girl. I say when is the first frost? Here is what others say about Occupy Philly , <<< if you clicked on this link you would have seen it is the City Paper article.
http://occupyphiladelphia.wordpress.com/ Philly.com Good luck, and God speed. Keep it safe leaders of Occupy Philly, I don’t want to see another Kent State or worse London 2011 where homes and business’ of the rich were burned.
I am thinking of moving my 401K after reading about the $5 monthly ATM fee instituted by Bank of America – after it was bailed out by taxpayers. That’s how we can hurt corporate America in the pocketbook, don’t shop there, write them, otherwise the effect will be minimum from these protests.
And who exactly are you referring to when you say "the natives"?
sorry I changed it to occupiers, no offense. glad you read the whole thing.
na·tive/ˈnātiv/
Noun:
Existing in or belonging to one by nature ie occupier
Oh last commentator please stop reading my blog you've been complaining about my spelling and everything else you don't agree with for 4 years. Yet you still come back. If I want to use "Occupier" instead of Native, I will. You could start your own blog. These guys like my comments. http://philadelphiaspeaks.com/forum/local-state/25647-join-occupy-movement-27.html
This is not just your city, this is our city too. We are here in support of everyone who just wants to work hard for a fair wage, including you. This is about economic justice and fairness for all.
Your blog post is full of inaccuracies. That "litter" pile is a free-for-all library. There are also two more organized book exchanges/libraries at City Hall. There is a sanitation crew that goes around multiple times a day to pick up litter.
Also, civil affairs police exist purely for protests like this. We are not forcing overtime on them, and any costs the protest accrues is being billed to us and paid for by donations and money from our own pockets. A lot of the canvassing jobs you deride are the only jobs these kids can get in this economy. A bachelor's degree, even from Penn, won't get you far anymore.
The homeless people at Dilworth Plaza are getting three meals a day thanks to Occupy Philadelphia. Normally they are only allowed to sleep at City Hall between midnight and 6am, but now they have a place to stay all day. Also, the occupiers have agreed on quiet hours so that everyone, including the homeless, can get 8 hours of sleep.
I was out at 15th and Market getting cars to honk and no one threatened to kill or rape anyone. The protest has been peaceful and there has not been a single arrest or confrontation with police in five days. You are spreading lies and misinformation about a peaceful protest, and only making yourself look ignorant.
Are you not also dissatisfied with the way big business has influenced the government? Your tax dollars are not being put to good use. Aren't you annoyed? Join us!
I have video. I will post it, when I get home.
You're commenting on the wrong photo. It's the one above with the litter. I published your comments to correct my statements. Of course I am irritated by the gov't, but sleeping outside city hall with the rats isn't going to prove as much as what Move On did, HRC, or voting, and voting with one's dollars.
Anonymous did a great job responding to some of your points in this post, so I'll just add a few.
I attended one of the general assembly planning meetings prior to the occupation and can report a great deal of thought was put into NOT displacing homeless. In fact, that's part of why City Hall was chosen over Rittenhouse and Love Park (other finalists for occupation) – because fewer would be inconvenienced.
Separately, on your bigger questions of why are they there, it's not going to work, what do they want, why don't they just vote in change, etc. I'll point you to two pieces that I thought were great at explaining this movement and some text from them.
"In the weeks leading up to September 17, the NYC General Assembly seemed to be veering away from the language of “demands” in the first place, largely because government institutions are already so shot through with corporate money that making specific demands would be pointless until the movement grew stronger politically. Instead, to begin with, they opted to make their demand the occupation itself—and the direct democracy taking place there—which in turn may or may not come up with some specific demand. When you think about it, this act is actually a pretty powerful statement against the corruption that Wall Street has come to represent. But since thinking is often too much to ask of the American mass media, the question of demands has turned into a massive PR challenge."
http://www.thenation.com/article/163719/occupy-wall-street-faq
The second comes from our own NakedCity Blog at Citypaper:
"As for the direction and goals of this movement, it's certainly true that they are many, often vague, and thus far without a single central unifying message — but that's exactly the way movements have always been and always will be.
When it comes to political and social movements, we rewrite history with an eye for tidiness, as if every period of change was some logical, coherent idea which Americans spontaneously agreed with. In reality, every movement — the sexual revolution of the '50s and '60s, the Vietnam anti-war movement, the Civil Rights movement, the rise of the Tea Party — gets messier and less unified the more closely you look at it. The idea that any social movement in American history was the product of a single, unified vision is a historical fiction. "
"Lastly, I've heard not a few angry grumblings about how our taxes are paying the bill for security during the "occupation" here — a point noticeably lacking when police turn out in droves to secure private sports events, public parades and any number of city happenings.
Democracy comes with a price tag. Those who object to pitching in for the protection of the right to assembly may wish to visit humanrightswatch.org to find plenty of countries happy to accommodate."
http://www.citypaper.net/blogs/nakedcity/Man-Overboard-special-Occupy-Philly-edition.html
My final point is this: I don't care if you (the royal you) support this movement or scoff it. But let's never question or undermine the right of Americans to assemble and speak out at injustice – be it real or perceived.
BTW, I have video of the protesters actually sweeping (keeping the place cleaner than it normally is kept).
Compare that to the typical aftermath of a charity walk on the Drives. Simply no comparison.
Although I wasn't a big fan of the concept, I stopped by tonight to listen to the different speakers on their "soap boxes".
There's probably nothing more democratic than that.
(BTW, I still think they should #occupyAshower – it doesn't smell pleasant down there)
These g'damn smelly frickin low life FREAKS please get out of my city. Most of yous aren't from this region anyway. And what the f are you protesting for? You make your bed, you lie in it. Stop complaining, whining and crying. Grow the f up, get a job or go back to school. Better yet, stay off the drugs and alcohol, sandal wearing freaks!
Hugh, you really should vacillate. Whatever you felt initially, you really should stick with it. This so called movement is all smoke and mirrors. It absolutely makes no sense at all. We're in a bad economy yes, but aren't there protocols in place to get the ship righted? Theses freaks are probably drop outs who couldn't make it on their own volition and now have joined together because they think it's the right thing to do. Just as easily they make their arguments for what they think they're doing is effective. I can make contra arguments which shows they're not effective at all.
Wtf would they go to local governments. Their focus should be national insitutions, hence Washington DC. Not nyc. not Philly, etc
I was one who objected to the police resources to babysit the #occupyphilly folks.
PikPR made a good point: think about the police resources for escorts for the god-hates-fag nut jobs as they walk through gay pride events with their hateful nasty signs.
If our tax dollars go to protecting them with their inflammatory messages, then I guess police overtime at city hall isn't that bad after all.
Hughe
What happened in London was quite different. In fact of about 1500 people seen by the courts, 80% had previous criminal records and they had 16,000 offences between them.
Its unfortunate that some parts of the media jumped to the conclusion that the riots had a root cause in social unrest. In fact people rioted, looted, stole, commited arson, criminal damage etc because they could.
There are criminals at Occupy Philly. People are complaining of theft. Anyone who was at the GA meeting tonight heard from two people who had computers stolen. You really don't know who your tent neighbor is. I mean who goes in someone elses tent, that's ballsy.
As to theft of laptops / ipads at #occupyphilly, I guess that just goes to show that the 99% isn't just coveting what the 1% has.
Next: the top 2%, then 5%, then 30%, etc. When does that stop? when everyone has exactly the same stuff?
As someone probably in the top 30%, I don't think I want a bunch of 70% socialist wacko's marching across Market street demanding my iphone because they think I'm rich, and they deserve what I have.
Just say'n