Occupy Minneapolis or Occupy Occupy?
Occupy Minneapolis? Peavey Plaza and Self Deception
2 o'clock in the morning, Saturday night. Minneapolis, North America
Minneapolis' Occupy movement started last year REAL strong. Since it has taken many forms, especially "OccupyHomesMN'. However to those not in the loop, it would appear the core of Minneapolis Occupy is at Peavey Plaza and this is problematic for the reasons I outline below.
I'm rolling on a bmx through downtown. A few days earlier I had stopped by "Occupy Minneapolis". I wanted to see that my first experience with this years incarnation of "Occupy Minneapolis" wasn't real. I was hoping I happened by on an off day.
When I first went to check out the so-called Occupy Minneapolis movement it was about 2 in the afternoon on a sunday. I didn't have any negative experiences per se but when I went around the camp looking for someone to philosophise all I really got in response was single syllable grunts. To be fair I suppose I also got some "not really"s and a few "no"s. I let a kid play my guitar for about 45-50 seconds and played a song for a woman who wanted to hear a little music. I made a few suggestions and proceeded a block away to serenade the corner of 11th and Nicollet Mall. Sorry, I forgot to mention we're talking about "Peavey Plaza" next to Orchestra Hall on Nicollet and 11th downtown. Peavey Plaza being rather unique in that it's below street level like an empty swimming pool with steps on every wall and fountain in the middle. Well it's bigger and cooler then that but the point is, if you're just walking by on the street you won't even see the "Occupy Minneapolis" camp.
So anyways, 2 o'clock in the morning. There are still lots of people heading home from work or from the clubs but then there's also a presence of what I could describe as destitution. A few random people appearantly only barely able to care for themselves in various states of mind and a lot of whooping and holllering coming out of what at night time is a very ominous pit next to Orchestra Hall. It occurs to me that alot of people would not be comfortable at all walking past this place at night.
It's bar close downtown on a Saturday night. I do what I do during guitar season. I play guitar. I sing songs about Occupy, what it does and doesn't mean, what kind of impact using the name and not knowing what it's about might have and etc. I also play a new number of mine about how Bobcats and Mountain Lions like the Blues.
There were plenty of creepy dudes poking there heads out of bushes and stuff to look at me but then this one dude pops up from the chasm emitting the drunken shouts and cackles. "Hey. That's kind of fuckin' annoying." He says to me. "Well why don't I just get the fuck out of your face then?" I ask him. He nods in acceptance of my logic. "Nice hair." He says to me. It's unclear to me whether he is aware I'm wearing a wig.
I'm getting on my bike. "Is this Occupy Minneapolis?" I ask him. "Yeah." He says. I dip out.
Final Thought
I support the "Occupy" movement that involves individuals' self sacrafice, teamwork, and forward thinking. This blog isn't about slamming the Occupy movement. What I'm saying is we gotta step up our efforts because if we don't check corporate control of our systems who is going to? It'd be hard to imagine the average Minneapolitain coming across "Occupy Minneapolis" such as it is in Peavey Plaza and walking away with any desire to involve themselves. But this is changing.
Tshisuaka Tshiakatumba
Agent, Twin Cities IndyMedia
