"This is What Democracy Looks Like"

For a day, at least, the message was clear.

Thousands of protestors took to the streets to rail against the people they hold responsible for the current economic climate during evening rush yesterday. They marched to the Art Institute's Modern Wing from five different starting points, a coalition of 19 neighborhood advocacy groups and labor unions called Stand Up Chicago. The Modern Wing was where a reception for the Mortgage Bankers Association was held last night. Attendees to that reception watched as protestors stormed to the doors of the modern wing, shouting "We are the 99 percent" and "This is what democracy looks like."

The protestors at Occupy Chicago also took part, but Stand Up Chicago had planned this march for months. In press releases Stand Up Chicago promised up to 7,500 people participating in the march. From both the perspectives of Aaron Cynic and myself there weren't that many on the streets -- the Police Department estimated the crowd at around 3,000 -- but it made the mass-up at the Modern Wing no less impressive.

The message yesterday was clear: Stand Up Chicago was through with the bailouts of superbanks, deregulation and tax breaks on the wealthy they believe are the reasons the country is where it's at today. Sticking to that message is something the Occupy Chicago braintrust should have been paying attention. And maybe they have, if their list of demands they released late last week is any indication.

The protests were largely civil. One ~~union member~~ man from Alabama was arrested for punching a cop. 24 others were cited for being in the roadway. Aaron reported four teachers arrested for civil disobedience.

As the Reader's Steve Bogira noted yesterday the protests come at an interesting time for the American progressive left. I'm in agreement with Bogira that the future of the Occupy protests depend on some sort of hierarchical structure, something the left has long been loathe to adopt.

Aaron, who's spent more time at the Federal Reserve building downtown since the protests began 19 days ago, has a more optimistic view of what they're doing. The Occupy Chicago movement is trying to work out their demands with every participant who's present, all members, in the most democratic way possible. Beyond that, they're interested in doing things in solidarity with people, but not being co-opted.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@chicagoist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Chuck Sudo in News on October 11, 2011 8:45 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

jlongstreet

I wouldn't accuse Chicagoist of this, but the media response has largely been: http://i.imgur.com/a7QBj.jpg

"For a day, at least, the message was clear." definitely makes it sound as though there hasn't been a message until yesterday.

ChicagoD

I realized, after seeing a few of the lists of "demands" that are floating around that I now believe the Occupy groups should avoid having a formal platform. As long as there is no formal platform people can fill in their own issue. As soon as a platform is developed the movement gets narrowed. I was wrong before when I said they should make clear what they want.

P.S. If student loans get forgiven do I get a refund on the payments I've already made? Because if I knew there was going to be forgiveness I would have defaulted years ago.

Navin_Johnson

I'm guessing you graduated before fees completely exploded (as they have), so you probably got off very lucky and much cheaper than most kids these days. If I were Dear Leader, I'd make an exception for you tho.

bionnaki z

the person that punched the cop was not a union member. he was someone from alabama: http://www.chicagotribune.com/...

In regards to hierarchal leadership and "demands," I refer you to this piece: http://www.nakedcapitalism.com...

michelle labedz

it's offensive but also getting a little tired that every story about occupy____ claims it doesn't have a purpose or it has a lack of direction ("the message is clear, for a day at least...").

if you, or any news organization/blogger/anyone who cares to write about this, actually took the time to go down to these protests, interview people, you know, actual journalism, you would see that this movement has had a focal point all along.

covering a story doesn't simply mean recounting the events that happened. where's the reflection? i think your view, and the view of most media outlets have been rather one-sded and lazy in their reporting,

Tafter

To accuse Chicagoist, of all organizations, of not digging deeper, looking into this protest and being "one-sided" is absurd. Actually it is utterly ignorant as you clearly didn't spend even five minutes looking at their coverage. Which makes your criticism of Chicagoist being "lazy" pretty damn hypocritical.

As a person who doesn't particularly love the Occupy ___ movement or Chicagoist's coverage of that movement, let me tell you that you are way off the mark. They are on your side. Honest.

Mimihaha

I love it when people who can't even use a shift key call other people 'lazy.'

aaroncynic

Michelle, perhaps you should take a look back at some of the coverage we've done previously before being so hasty in your comments. I have taken the time to go down to the Federal Reserve, as Chuck pointed out. So have many of our other writers here on staff. Personally speaking, I was there on the second day and I've been back more times than I can remember. I've spoken with dozens of people, done plenty of formal interviews and taken hundreds of pictures. Those "reflections" you say you're looking for exist in the posts I have worked on previously.

Before you go accusing people of being lazy, you should probably not be so lazy in your own research.