Occupy Revisited

OccupySacramento March Number 2
by Mark Gonzales on Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 6:32pm

A few weeks ago, I took the plunge and marched with Occupy Sacramento. Today, I happened to march again. However, instead of just chanting "What does Democracy look like, this is what Democracy looks like" we chanted things like "What do we want? Brains! - Who's do we want? The City council!". The Zombie March was on and I had my voice ready.



To my surprise, we walked through the outdoor Downtown Plaza Mall. You name a mainstream department store, they're probably there. Macy's. Yep. JCPenney's. Yep. Pac Sun. Yep. And on and on. People who buy such clothing I'm sure aren't in-the-know about the issues are we are chanting about.



"Who are these chanting folks?"

"Well, the news say they're a bunch of hippies saying that want to Axe the rich or somethin'?"

"Oh--- look honey, these stilettos are half off!"

"Pumpkin, I told you only one pair today!"



We march through while our chanting rings through the pillars of commericialization. We make the message clear to even the children that are having fun in the playground area in the middle of the mall. Gosh, we have to get the young ones to start thinking critically. We round the corner and pause allowing the vibration of our voices echo.



Later, we march on toward the locations of the big banks. We stop at Wells Fargo to chat and hold our signs in the frame of windows speaking our message. Folks didn't seem to mind. I'm sure they have heard the same message before and now probably give the extra step to encourage all prospective clients to open up new accounts. We move passed the massive B of A building while chanting "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!"



Eventually, we step onto the steps of our lovely Capitol building. We keep our chants loud and clear. Suddenly, one of the marchers with the speakerphone comments how the police have not followed us. "Why?" Because we come here peacefully to assemble on "Our what? Our Capitol!!". We begin to continue our chants even though not many people have converged today and look at ourselves in glee- happy that we have chosen to step out of our own living rooms and family obligations to make a stand. We stand joyful to be among the few to recognize that forces beyond our individualistic decisions, there is much more to responsible for in the vastness of our society. The lone drum beats with our hearts. Some people yell. Some people stand calm and firm. We bask in our own glorified restlessness until the blue shirts come upon us.



Because we did not have a permit, we were violating the law. The law states that we cannot protest on the steps of the capitol building as an assembly. Rather, we must have a permit to do such an action even though the constitution states we have a right to peacefully assemble. Alas, the CHP officer spoke through her vehicle microphone "It is an unlawful to demonstrate in front of the capitol building without a permit. You will be arrested if you do not move to the sidewalk." Sticking to their word of a fruitful democracy, the organizers gave some options: "Raise your hand if you want us to leave.... Now raise your hand if you want to depart back to Caesar Chavez Park where we started"... most chose the later.



After the CHP and some of the organizers talked about how it was unconstitutional to allow us to exercise our right, we headed back to the park.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeHLBVG5yas



Peace starts with You.