Visit to the Revolution

I stopped by Liberty Square today to see how the Occupy Wall Street people were doing. The media all seem a bit amused by the protesters, emphasizing the earnest young vegan types and their lack of cohesive agenda. So I was pleasantly surprised to see a relatively diverse mix of people. There was an intelligent young woman seated at an information table encouraging people to sign a petition. There was a kitchen area, a library. Admittedly there was a drum circle and many young people tucked into sleeping bags. There were also people in suits and business attire who were clearly not journalists.

I am way too shy to photograph strangers on the street, which is why I am not a photojournalist. I photographed their feet instead.

These boots belong to Reverend Bill of the Church of Stop Shopping. He is one of my heroes. I would have voted for him when he ran for mayor, but then he got arrested at a G20 meeting in Pittsburgh and I realized that he was not actually suitable mayor material. I still love him and I would go to his Black Friday protest at Macy's except that I am usually recovering from Thanksgiving and cannot cope with going anywhere - no shopping, no protesting. We smiled at each other. I am also too shy to do the groupie thing with celebrities which is why I have never spoken to Willem Defoe despite having seen him on the street three times (I even saw him at the protest of the Iraq war). I liked the way Reverend Billy kind of shimmered around, chatting with people, listening to the earnest youth perched on his overturned megaphone.
 

One of the people in suits had his trousers tucked into these boots. He seemed like a lawyer, of the public defender variety.
 

The lawyer type was talking with someone from Reverend Billy's entourage, a man who wore a well cut suit, but had long hair and sunken eyes giving him the look of a roadie with a heavy metal band. I think the sandaled feet belong to Riley Waggaman who is sending dispatches to Wonkette. These are my celebrities; anti-capitalist reverends and political blog interns, no Susan Sarandan for me (I think I just missed her)

This was a real photojournalist, judging by the shoe and cuffed jeans I am guessing he was French.
 

Lest one think it was all public defenders and hippies...
 

Although there were plenty of hippies.
 

I love this woman's feet because they demonstrate a fashion faux-pas, she should really get those trousers hemmed.
 

At least she was protected from the mud unlike this fellow with his rope sandals.
 

This sneaker was on the foot of a cool gentleman with his hair in a wrap. It was really peaceful in the park. The noise seemed subdued, the air felt a little cooler. A grey haired man in a suit walked slowly through the gathering with a smile on his face. I really liked the energy there. The information lady tried to convince me to come back for a sleepover, but I do not think I am up for that. I did bring them apples though.
 

When I walked away back uptown, I saw the statue of Audrey Munson on top of the Municipal Building, holding her wreath of victory.