The View From Here: Zuccotti Park

By Alina Vrejoiu

(HN, October 14, 2011) - Where is Homer: the common day fighter of the destruction the corruption of a modern world whose odyssey was to reach his true homeland?

Ironically, the Occupy Wall Street Movement doesn’t have a modern day hero, but they do have a homeland.

Located at the foot of Ground Zero, a community of protesters has declared a small patch of park as their utopia amidst the clattering of the on-going construction of the Freedom Tower next to Wall Street.A protest sign evoking Tahrir Square in Cairo at Zuccotti Park in New York. Credit: M Bociurkiw/HUMNEWS

The message of the people in Zuccotti Park is that we have alienated ourselves from our community and the literal things in life by allowing the banks to automate us and use us.

Usury is against the law in some countries, but even after the multi-million dollar bail outs here in the United States, the banks are profiting and taking over our homes by foreclosing right here in the home of the free and the land of the brave.

Republican and Democratic political parties have been catering to the richest one percent of society, who have the capital to underwrite their costly political campaigns and neglected the other 99 percent of the population. Hence, "the 99 percent" is the main catch phrase of this protest movement.

The population in the park has become a space to think about the issues confronting not only the youth, but also multi generations.

During a long visit earlier this week, I was surprised to find so many people in their forties and fifties huddled next to black garbage bags holding makeshift signs. Unlike the Arab Spring, this revolution has one major difference; we already have a democracy in place.  This movement’s aim is to practice their democratic rights and to practice the first amendment right of freedom of speech.

However, the Occupy Wall Street crowd has clearly come about because of a larger global movement that we never thought would reach our shores.

Yesenia Barragan, a spokesperson for the movement, sees the occupation as a space to think about the issues. They even have an “Occupy Your Mind” table with information about how we can envision a better future.

Barragan states that, “The economic system is failing our people and we are here to re-envision our democracy”. Our democracy has obviously been tarnished by money and the politicians have had a deaf ear for far too long.

Electoral wins will be celebrated by someone who says that they won’t take a large donation - not someone who builds a large nest egg of private money.  Campaign finance reform should have been implemented a long time ago.  Politicians have ignored the major changes that globalization has produced over the years and it’s finally trickling down to them.  Too many people aren’t able to get a piece of the pie due to corporate greed. The American people have spoken out about how they want to tax the rich and end the wars not to mention protect Social Security.

Why wasn’t anyone listening to this the whole time?

We always think that it takes one person to make change happen, one person to guide the masses.

Although, Occupy Wall Street doesn’t have one specific leader leave it to New Yorkers to pull together a team of  “Coaching Visionaries”.

They are a coalition of certified professional coaches that have come together to join forces to assist in strengthening the voice of this growing global movement. They help people to discover their unique role in this process. The Visionaries have a short questionnaire that you can complete that helps you to explore your own individual role and to help empower you to see your gifts and strengths so you can find your purpose in their community.

In addition to this service, they also have a community doctor, a newspaper, a library, a kitchen, security, mail service, clerks, free clothes, legal advice and some spiritual healing.

They don’t rely on virtual communities but real ones here. They are a throw back to a time where people had face-to-face interaction. What will be next? No credit cards and paying in cash?  

Sadly, we have lost touch with not only the value of money, but we have lost touch with people. Credit cards have corrupted our idea of reality by allowing us to afford the unaffordable. Our religion was to go shopping on Sundays instead of connecting with what's important. Our personal and world debts have lead to a trashing of the global economy and it’s about time that we said 'we aren't going to take it anymore!'

Will a union of community and government ever come together? That remains to be seen. For now, Zuccotti Park is a metaphor for returning to nature as Ezra Pound expressed his Cantos.  Making money off money is not kosher.

Alina Vrejoiu is a faculty member of Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York and has taught international students for the last four years.