So, After All That...

..and by ALL that I mean sitting in my auto mechanic's waiting room with no wireless for almost 10 hours between yesterday and today, with a truck I'm still not entirely sure is fixed, all I got was this lousy picture from outside.  Actually, I think it's kind of funny.  I always hated FedEx.

Occupy Halloween

We went down to Occupy Baltimore again last night as they were holding a Halloween candlelight vigil to support the cause of the 99%.  Click below for my entire slideshow.

Occupy Halloween - Unsolicited Drivel - Picasa Web Albums

A Second Visit to Occupy Baltimore

We went to Occupy Baltimore today. I forgot to take writing materials so I don’t have any notes, like I did for our New York and DC visits. I’ll do the best I can from memory and let the pictures tell the rest of the story

The protest is located in the Inner Harbor – you can look about a hundred yards away at the Constellation, an old-style sailing ship docked in the water.

It’s small, maybe about 30-50 people (New York started with a couple of dozen). Police have fenced it off with metal grates, but it’s still easy to get in and out of. Earlier in the day I read that the Baltimore Police have no plans to do anything about the protest, and we don’t actually see a police officer the whole time we are there. As we arrive, cars are driving by and honking support. One guy shouts “Ravens” – they’re having a game today and lots of people are wearing the team color - purple. About 20 tents are visible on one side.

There are two big signs which say “Donations” so we stop by one of them and hand over our bag of goodies (hot tea, coco, power bars – it’s what they said they wanted on their website occupybmore.org). The people are a mix of old and young, white and black. A few signs here and there. We walk by a sign-painting area, and also two young guys sitting in the library (a table with a bunch of books on it). Next to the library is a pole with suggestions tacked to it for the evening’s meeting (8 pm every day).

Overlooking the protest area are some of the bigger buildings in Baltimore. Bank of America (bailout recipient), M&T Bank (a local operation, who I think was not bailed out), PNC (also local, also not bailed out). I look up and around the square to see if I can see anyone standing on a deck and drinking champagne. Nope.

Since we live in Baltimore, we’ll be coming back with more supplies. As long as they are there, we will be.

Posted by: GMan with photos by Laurie B.

Click HERE for the rest of our slideshow.

My Visit to Occupy Baltimore - McKeldin Square

I received a plea via my personal Facebook page this morning for rain gear for the Occupy Baltimore movement and decided to head down to their camp with some tarps.

I park on the other side of the harbor as I am “one of the 99%” and can’t afford $20 for a garage that smells like urine.  As I walk to the demonstration I notice so many of the buildings circling Baltimore’s downtown are the “too big to fail” banks.  I used to work down there years ago and never really noticed that.  Strange how long-term unemployment can sharpen one’s powers of observation. 

The demonstrators have positioned themselves in the perfect place - the corner of Pratt and Light Streets in McKeldin Square in view of the big banks’ office windows.  I cringe at the thought that those bank employees may be laughing at them behind the tinted glass as those evil people did on Wall Street to the occupiers there.  

I had driven by them and honked at them on Thursday night and it seemed like a fairly small group.  I’m not sure if it was larger today.  Maybe 50 people? Even though it seemed a relatively small movement, the gonzo photographer in me ended up snapping over 70 pictures.  These people are very creative.  And creativity can often stem from frustration. This website was born out of frustration.

The set-up was much like it is in Zuccotti Park in New York – kitchen area, medical center, library, media center, and even a day care center.  It’s possible they were even more organized than New York. They also had a daily schedule and areas to post suggestions and requests.  If any of my former colleagues in advertising are reading this, they need graphic art services and printing. 

I’m directed to speak to their “media person.”  The gentleman approaches me and starts off the conversation by telling me of their strict no-tolerance policy for alcohol and drugs.  I assume he opened with that because of Baltimore’s reputation thanks to TV shows like “The Wire.”  He tells me he’s a civil liberties attorney and he’s there to make sure the protestors’ rights are protected.  Everyone is calm and collected, including the police, which is a relief if you’ve ever seen them on Youtube.  I ask the attorney if the media has been pestering him about having a clear message.  He tells me no, because they have a clear message.  He doesn’t tell me what it is though.  I tell him for me it’s about being unemployed for years and feeling that no one in the government cares, as they are too busy lining the pockets of corporate America.  He tells me Occupy York (PA) is forming now.  I ask about permits and he tells me they filed for an open-ended permit this morning.  The upcoming Baltimore Marathon also holds a permit for McKeldin Square for this Saturday, but was gracious enough to let them stay.  Ironically, the marathon is sponsored by several of the big financial institutions.

Occupy Baltimore is a show of solidarity for New York.  A video on their website also talks about Wells Fargo having a predatory lending field day here in town.  Last week we told you about how every billboard we saw in the Washington Metro was for Wells Fargo.  

It will be interesting to see how Occupy Baltimore develops and I know I’ll visit again with more supplies soon.  If you are local, you can check their website here for their needs.  

Baltimore’s certainly a city where the divide between the haves and have-nots seems like a canyon sometimes.  It’s really as simple as that.

Here is my entire slideshow below:

Occupy Baltimore - McKeldin Square

Headed Down to Occupy Baltimore Today

I've received a plea for rain gear, so I'm headed down to Occupy Baltimore as it's supposed to rain tonight.  I really hope these movements continue to gain steam as I am sooooooooooooooo tired of our government not giving a crap about anyone but the rich.  Did you know that 66% of the Senate and 41% of Congress are millionaires?  WTF?!?  That's just not right.

Catch you later.

L.B.