Protest Kid and I got to march in a parade where the police weren't trying to arrest us! Yea!
It was a little odd, as I've gotten so used to ignoring what the police want, that when they tried to get us to move out of oncoming traffic I was a little slow. Didn't get run over, anyway, but it was interesting watching that cognitive dissonance thing happen. (The guy scooting around on roller blades directing traffic, however, I *totally* listened to. It was the green hat, it screamed authority. ;)
...anyway, Occupy Astoria LIC attended the St Pat's For All parade marching through Sunnyside today, and it was wonderful. ProtestKid got to hang out with his favorite Occupier(s), I got to reconnect and represent and share the gospel of the Yellow Balloon for Activist Safety with another family.
We were preaching to the choir in one sense-- the people watching were in a good mood, and except for the few people holding up "Stop Blaspheming" signs, they were interested in an inclusive event. But you never know how The Message will hold up outside your happy little activist community. (Who else got a flashback to Bob Ross there?)
There were a few blank faces-- but everyone loves a giant puppet and *so many* people grinned and gave us thumbs up. And at least two people shouted out "Occupy!" when they saw us. They were *happy* to see us.
Rumors of Occupy's death are greatly exaggerated. Woot!
So that all was awesome, but You Know Me... Besides my enthusiasm, I didn't have a lot to share. Parades are not a situation where tiny tents are effective, and we needed hands for holding signs, not scarfing pumpkin bread. What's a poor stifled Occupied Kitchen Annex to do?
Well, I hadn't brought tents or bread, but I *did* bring two bottles of water. In the end we didn't need either of them because we required a Starbucks toilet which entailed a Starbucks purchase... So yeah, two bottles of water, untouched. (Not that I'm complaining.)
But then after the march ProtestKid and I had our own personal after-party (the grownups were talking about going to a bar... *sigh*... not for another ten years) at McDonalds. The woman next to us at the counter ordered a bottled water but they didn't sell it.
She had a cute little kid.
Solidarity!
I offered her my water and I wouldn't let her pay me for it.
"I brought it to share," I said.
That's the nice thing about bringing the occupation out of Liberty Square. I can feed EVERYBODY! EVERYWHERE!
(er. one at a time. restrictions may apply. void where space and time prohibit it.)
All day, all week, occupy our street. With delicious revolution.
It was a little odd, as I've gotten so used to ignoring what the police want, that when they tried to get us to move out of oncoming traffic I was a little slow. Didn't get run over, anyway, but it was interesting watching that cognitive dissonance thing happen. (The guy scooting around on roller blades directing traffic, however, I *totally* listened to. It was the green hat, it screamed authority. ;)
...anyway, Occupy Astoria LIC attended the St Pat's For All parade marching through Sunnyside today, and it was wonderful. ProtestKid got to hang out with his favorite Occupier(s), I got to reconnect and represent and share the gospel of the Yellow Balloon for Activist Safety with another family.
We were preaching to the choir in one sense-- the people watching were in a good mood, and except for the few people holding up "Stop Blaspheming" signs, they were interested in an inclusive event. But you never know how The Message will hold up outside your happy little activist community. (Who else got a flashback to Bob Ross there?)
There were a few blank faces-- but everyone loves a giant puppet and *so many* people grinned and gave us thumbs up. And at least two people shouted out "Occupy!" when they saw us. They were *happy* to see us.
Rumors of Occupy's death are greatly exaggerated. Woot!
So that all was awesome, but You Know Me... Besides my enthusiasm, I didn't have a lot to share. Parades are not a situation where tiny tents are effective, and we needed hands for holding signs, not scarfing pumpkin bread. What's a poor stifled Occupied Kitchen Annex to do?
Well, I hadn't brought tents or bread, but I *did* bring two bottles of water. In the end we didn't need either of them because we required a Starbucks toilet which entailed a Starbucks purchase... So yeah, two bottles of water, untouched. (Not that I'm complaining.)
But then after the march ProtestKid and I had our own personal after-party (the grownups were talking about going to a bar... *sigh*... not for another ten years) at McDonalds. The woman next to us at the counter ordered a bottled water but they didn't sell it.
She had a cute little kid.
Solidarity!
I offered her my water and I wouldn't let her pay me for it.
"I brought it to share," I said.
That's the nice thing about bringing the occupation out of Liberty Square. I can feed EVERYBODY! EVERYWHERE!
(er. one at a time. restrictions may apply. void where space and time prohibit it.)
All day, all week, occupy our street. With delicious revolution.
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