Occupy Wall Street
Filmmaker Andrew Jenks ("World of Jenks," "The Zen of Bobby V") produced a short film that explores Occupy Wall Street and the reasons behind so many taking to the streets of NYC. Check out Jenks' observances and his video after the jump.
I hear that a movement is starting in downtown Manhattan.
I think for a moment and grab a camera.
I think for a moment and grab a camera.
I leave the edit bay early, 6:00pm. I assume there may not be many people out tonight since it's rainy and cold.
I arrive. Zuccotti Park. Two blocks from Ground Zero. The hundreds have already arrived.
I immediately find myself speaking with an older gentleman. He's there because it's a great place to get free food (local restaurants that believe in the movement offer free meals all night). Then I bump into a young guy from the Bronx. He's calling this the next 'Arab Spring'. A big Texan, complete with cowboy hat, believes that this may even be the start to a liberal 'Tea Party'. I meet a beautiful young woman who has started a petition to clean the Hudson River's water pollution, only to watch her let loose with a dance, having a fun time with the others.
At times, I am not sure exactly what this all means.
But make no mistake, all of this feels very fresh.
And, impressively, this is fairly organized:
But make no mistake, all of this feels very fresh.
And, impressively, this is fairly organized:
On the eastern side of the Zuccotti Park, the General Assembly discusses the issues at hand: how to best organize their mission and goals. Every time somebody makes a statement, the crowd repeats it in unison. It's a powerful way of having a thorough conversation without interruption.
Imagine that every time you said something, hundreds of people chanted it with conviction? It's a rush.
For this reason, an hour talk takes four, but by 'occupiers' logic, it saves countless hours of people screaming and yelling - and not really listening. Leaders can also be voted off. Those decisions remain with the people.
After listening, really listening, I'm realizing that most participants of Occupy Wall Street are there for the same simple reason: they're sick of living in a country that is not taking care of its people.
Poverty, unemployment, healthcare, education.
But this movement is still very much in its infancy. And like any idea in its early stages, it's incredibly fragile. This could be another 1968, or it could be dead by next week.
Source:www.mtv.com
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