Tuesday – Day Five | Occupy Chicago

Today was definitely a turning point at Camp Downpour. New faces appear day and night. At 1:30 in the morning, there were nearly thirty people wide awake and enthusiastic as ever. Occasionally the word “morale” is used and one realizes that, except possibly for those times when we wake up in a pool of rainwater, the idea of morale is almost irrelevant. We were led to the Fed because of an unbridled passion for this cause and that shared fervor has not dissipated in the least.

At our General Assembly this evening we made a quantum leap in our organization and democratic procedure. In order for this revolution to move forward, we implemented a committee system that harnesses occupiers’ talents and creativity. The philosophy of that system consists of a division of labor rather than a division of power. By discussing specific strategies for outreach, logistics, social media management, etc. in small and focused groups, we can move more quickly and match the pace of this accelerating movement. Committees will present their concrete ideas to the General Assembly and they must then be approved unanimously before being implemented. In keeping with our message of unity, our group has had little difficulty reaching consensus.

Our relations with the Chicago Police Department and the Federal Reserve Police are positive (this was the second day the CPD has brought us coffee and hot chocolate) and will most likely improve as our Police Liaison Committee begins the project of establishing an open discourse with all those who have sworn to serve and protect. This particular outreach was inspired by the display of courtesy and understanding on the part of police during Night Four (A story publicized in The Chicagoist here: http://chicagoist.com/2011/09/27/police_try_to_remove_occupy_chicago.php#photo-1). We were informed that sleeping on the sidewalk is against the law but were given ample time to discuss our solution to the problem. Negotiations with police were friendly and productive. After deliberation in the General Assembly, the path of compromise was chosen over civil disobedience. As a result, occupiers are either sleeping in cars or organizing shifts and staying up all night. Though this tests our endurance, our excitement to get to know one another keeps us awake.

In individual conversations, police have expressed solidarity with the Occupy movement, as the corporatist system threatens their pensions and livelihood. We are hoping to further emphasize this commonality in conversations over the coming days and weeks and foster an unprecedented unity between protesters and police. We are the 99%.

Spirits are high and camaraderie is strong. In almost every regard, the Occupation grows exponentially each day. Come to Jackson and LaSalle to see for yourself. Do not wait for there to be thousands of us. Be there while there are still dozens. A group of loving and dedicated people await you, eager to hear your voice and welcome you to the global revolution against corporate tyranny.

Solidarity