July 3, 2012
My TMV post 1 — about the Gathering:
A small number of Veterans for Peace at Independence Mall stood next to a tent on this broiling hot morning – the day before our country is to celebrate its Independence Day.
People from the Occupy National Gathering stood nearby in support of the veterans, who have chosen to continue their protest past the 11:00 a.m. deadline they’d negotiated with the Park Service.
Serious looking police officers of various kinds stood off to one side in the shade of the few trees silently watching everything. I heard that earlier they’d been wearing helmets and trying to get the small group of Veterans for Peace to move elsewhere, but that they’d decided to pull back. Maybe figuring it was too hot for a physical confrontation.
Also nearby were some characters observing everything. One couldn’t be sure who they really were. Small pods of conservatively dressed muscular healthy looking folks with badges. More on that in a following report.
The people I encountered – protesters and supporters – spoke about their beliefs and how they hoped America would change for the better with a lot of passion and concern about where we as a nation have gotten ourselves. It’s going to take me a little while to process it all. To get it right. For other posts that will follow.
My own coverage is limited by where I went. There were other larger Occupy gatherings at other locations, Convention Hall, Franklin Square, that I’d planned to check out, but I was unable to get to them.
OK, I admit it. I chickened out to avoid a bad case of sunburn. You try being a red head in the summer.
More to come anon. Including my talks with a blogger from St. Louis, a masked protester, and an Occupy organizer.