My personal OWS experience - Cleveland

Just came back from the OWS Cleveland rally and must admit that I am mildly impressed. I expected more of a love-in, hippie type crowd that usually hangs around Willard Park during events. Nothing wrong with that, they have their thing and I have mine.

I was wrong.

My buddy brought his camcorder but did not want to wade into the fray so to speak, once he found that the darn thing did’nt work. So he went off to the sidelines to play the commodities on his iPhone. Oh the irony! Made a profit too while I was walking about.

I was stuck with my camera, though am having troubles downsizing the pics so I can’t show y’all. Any hints?

I struck out into the crowd and talked to quite a few of them. I would estimate the crowd size to be 200-250. I always was polite and identified myself as a individual with conservative leanings who was curious about the movement. I was treated with respect and kindness. I won’t go into all of the conversations, but will go over a few that stuck in my mind.

I hesitate to call the people I ran into protesters as they all seemed like normal Clevelanders to me.

Anyways, there were the standard Guy Faulkes masks here and there. I asked one individual where he had gotten his.

“On-line.” Was the reply.

“Do you realize that Time-Warner gets a share of every mask sold?” I asked.

“Of course, everything we buy for the most part has ties to big business.” He actually looked amused as if he knew the next question.

“If we bring down the corporations, do you realize the chaos that would bring to your average person?”

“We don’t want to bring them down…that’s a misconception. We want them to change the way they do business.”

“And how do you want to have them change the way they do business?”

“Well, truth be told, we don’t know yet…we’re still working on that one.” And off he went.

I ran into a small group of Tea Party folk and introduced myself.

“May I ask why you are here?”

An older veteran said that they were there due to the fact that the message was similar, smaller government, less taxes, a livable wage and they supported the mostly young folk there. Solidarity.

“What about the unions?”, I asked since Cleveland is a heavily populated union town.

“Oh them? No one is paying them much mind.”

There were two obvious Union reps at the rally and from my observation, what he said was true. Color me amazed.

The Union guy refused to talk to me, he was polite but nonetheless refused. How rude!

Yep, there were stoners there and Anarchists as well. But it was a nice day and everything was peaceful. The organizers kept repeating to remember that the Police and other Safety forces were part of the 99% as well and not give them grief. Also to pick up after themselves and to leave the park clean.

Unfortunately, I had to leave as my calipers on my truck had locked pulling into the parking garage, so I missed out on the working groups. I had to get the darn thing to the garage during working hours.

But I will be there at the next one and see how they have progressed.

ETA: Can anyone tell me how to resize the pics so I can post them?

I'm actually glad you went down to check it out. I think I will do the same thing in Seattle if I get some time. I'm still not going to throw my support blindly behind the movement, but at least they're doing something.

reply to post by Domo1


Love the pic.

I also counted ethnicities while there.

But I won't get into that other than the Tea Party folk during their last rally here had more representation. And half of them weren't pan-handling.

Vagrants/Homeless plussed up this rally by at least ten people....not really a big number, but they were there and mostly ignored.

Originally posted by TDawgRex
reply to post by Domo1

 

Vagrants/Homeless plussed up this rally by at least ten people....not really a big number, but they were there and mostly ignored.

What a surprise.

If the protestors are Ignoring the homeless and vagrants, then they are just as bad as the corporations ignoring the said people protesting.

Got to love the irony in that.

reply to post by Manhater


I had much the same thoughts.

Cleveland has been struck pretty bad, much like the rest of the nation, by this economy.

If you go downtown in any city, the homeless & panhandlers are almost always ignored.

It eventually becomes a ingrained thing and they just become part of the landscape, much like a tree. Something you may notice, but pay no attention to.

Im glad you folk are going down to protest and realizing the people are YOU .

Originally posted by Manhater

Originally posted by TDawgRex
reply to post by Domo1

 

Vagrants/Homeless plussed up this rally by at least ten people....not really a big number, but they were there and mostly ignored.

What a surprise.

If the protestors are Ignoring the homeless and vagrants, then they are just as bad as the corporations ignoring the said people protesting.

Got to love the irony in that.

edit on 6-10-2011 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

edit on 6-10-2011 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

This group may have ignored them, but from what I understand the protestors in NY have been sharing their food with the homeless. Perhaps others have, perhaps not, but it's hardly THE thing that proves they are as bad as corporations. It does not seem to me that the protestors are under some delusion that the corporations and financial institutions will listen to them and be moved to operate as assets to their community instead of mindless predators... or perhaps not so mindless.

They are working to organize themselves and seem to be clarifying their goals and agenda as they go.

Originally posted by TDawgRex
reply to post by Manhater

 

I had much the same thoughts.

Cleveland has been struck pretty bad, much like the rest of the nation, by this economy.

If you go downtown in any city, the homeless & panhandlers are almost always ignored.

It eventually becomes a ingrained thing and they just become part of the landscape, much like a tree. Something you may notice, but pay no attention to.

Oh, so we may assume that you interviewed some of the homeless, then offered to feed some of them? If not, werent you and your friend who made a profit on his phone both guilty of the same thing? Point your finger at someone, 3 are pointing back at you.

reply to post by TDawgRex


I came up with an easy method for resizing pics, go to this comment to read my technique.

Just google "gimp". Stands for Graphic Image Manipulation Program. GIMP. Awesome tool!

And thanks for going. Get those pics uploaded!

reply to post by aching_knuckles


I give what I can to local charities, food & money, but never give money, of which I didn't have much on me at the time, to people I don't know. Whenever I go downtown, I take just what I need. I have foiled two robbery attempts while down there, both in broad daylight.

The truck breaking down upon arrival also took a chunk of of my savings as well. It was quite expensive, it blew money I needed for other things...like bills. Oh well, that's life.

They do have my sympathies as I've been kind of a charitable case as well before in my life.