WHAT IS OCCUPY WALL STREET? That was my question. I have heard a little coverage of the movement, if that’s what it should be called, from the media. I really haven’t heard very much about it, though. Maybe I’m not listening or watching the right media, but I just haven’t heard much about. It just seems to get the occasional enigmatic mention from various news outlets, including my primary source: SIRIUS satellite radio station POTUS. I’ve heard Occupy Wall Street described by US Representative Eric Cantor as a “mob” that concerned him, calling it “pitting Americans against Americans.” Well that’s an interesting perspective from a Tea Party leader. I’ve heard President Obama say that it “expresses the frustration Americans feel,” about the current state of the country. I’ve heard the question posed that Occupy Wall Street is the beginning of a progressive version of the Tea Party. I’ve even heard Rush Limbaugh claim that Obama is “setting up riots” by secretly organizing Occupy Wall Street, and Rush went on to describe the protesters as “idiots” and “inept…tools.” Pot…kettle…black…I digress.

Bottom line, I was curios what is Occupy Wall Street. In a fortunate satiation of my curiosity, I was in New York City for business yesterday, so I decided to take my camera and see just what this Occupy Wall Street is. I was surprised at what I found. I want to consider this an amateur photo essay in which the pictures will mostly speak for themselves. Of course, I’ll have to add some commentary.

To start off, here was the schedule for the day:

Of course, drum circles were had:

There was frustration:

There were constitutional scholars:

There was religion:

There was a polite discussion of government errors:

Visual artistry:

Intensity:

Intelligent folks who are connected with recent Supreme Court decisions (I’m not joking):

Opportunities for outreach:

There was even a very intelligent manifesto:

I will copy this manifesto in its entirety in a separate post

Some were really tired from all the occupying:

In short, there were people. These were not the caricatures that are presented through the media. These were people who are passionately displeased with their individual situations and with the state of our country. Agree or disagree, these people are human and worth listening too.

We are the people. When did we become a country who dehumanizes and degrades other people who don’t share our viewpoint? Why do we have to denigrate and demonize others to legitimize ourselves? Perhaps, I’ll close with a picture that most summarizes my feelings about what these people may be feeling and why they are Occupying Wall Street: