Salt Lake City supports Anti-Wall Street Movement

It's official - Occupy Salt Lake City

And the local news even made an announcement. I'm happy this is finally coming to my city. Been waiting. I'm definitely going to get involved! Stoked!
And this also makes it easier for people who want to be part of the movement, but either East Coast is too far, or West Coast is too far. Not exactly central... but closer for many states that don't have their own going yet. Can't wait to see this expand to all capitols.


SALT LAKE CITY -- For the last several weeks, the Occupy Wall Street movement has alternately been a cause for alarm and a cause celebre in the center of the nation's financial district. Now, a group in Utah intends to take up their mantle locally by taking up residence in Pioneer Park this Thursday.

"We are here to show support in this revolutionary movement against the corporate greed that forces families from their homes, elects politicians and enacts the laws that govern the people of this great country," said Skylar Hawk, who is helping to organize Occupy SLC.

Since last week, anywhere from 70 to 100 workers, activists and students have been meeting nightly at the Salt Lake Library amphitheater to plan for a long-term occupation in the center of downtown. They call themselves Occupy Salt Lake City. They are among dozens of groups around the country who intend to bring the scene in New York City to their own hometown.

"(Occupy Wall Street) is great and what they are doing is great, and we want to stand in solidarity," said Kane , another organizer, who wanted only his first name used.

A government is there to serve the people, not private interests. The people would like that restored.
–Kane
On Thursday, demonstrators will rally at the Capital and then march through downtown past several banks and the Federal building, and then on to Pioneer Park where they'll set up and intend to remain.

They seem to be planning accordingly. So far the group has committees dedicated to keeping people fed, keeping the peace, providing power and communications, and even a sanitation committee, among others.

They will stay "until the movement itself is recognized and respected world wide, especially in this country where it started," according to Hawk.

Organizers at planning meetings have said that as things progress, they intend to state more specific local demands.

"A government is there to serve the people, not private interests. The people would like that restored. And whatever legislature or laws need to be rewritten to allow that to happen must be addressed," said Kane.

Occupy Salt Lake City
Rally and March
Thursday, October 6 at 10 a.m.
Begins at Utah State Capitol
Ends at Pioneer Park
Demonstration will take place 24/7 indefinitely
Occupy SLC is also hoping to avoid the kinds of problems that have plagued the demonstrators on Wall Street, where over 700 were arrested after a march on the Brooklyn Bridge last week.

"We've kind of taken a stance to have a police liaison in contact, so that we are making them aware beforehand," said Alex Fabela. "They are part of the 99 percent too. They've suffered as much as the rest of us, and doing what they are doing, they are just doing their jobs as far as I am concerned."

The group maintains a website and a Facebook page, and says they encourage everyone, regardless of political leanings, to get involved.

"There's a lot of misconceptions about it being the left wing answer to the tea party movement, which is not the case at all," said Kane, who is also an Air Force veteran.

"It's more about the socioeconomic structure and addressing how it's been corrupted, and how the government is no longer serving the interests of the people."

Whether Occupy SLC will occupy the park for long depends on how the city and police respond, and whether all their planning works. All this remains to be seen.

This is what gets me, because Salt Lake "City", is a corporation. It is the industrial banking center of the U.S. (and that's from Wikipedia)..

If you do not believe me on it being, in fact, a huge corporation (making money off of the civilians). Check out your bills. Or thier website. Everything is copyright as "Salt Lake City Corporation".

There is a great documentary dealing with the corporatization of cities and states (California is just a huge district of many business sectors). I cannot remember the exact name, I will try and find a link to the video.

reply to post by CeeRZ


Like a fire, only takes a spark to start.

And it appears to be spreading. Lots of threads about offshoots from the Wall Street protests.

I have to ask, though, why topics dealing with this subject do not appear in the New Topic Firehose? Last time I'll mention that fact, but look for yourself.

Originally posted by VariableConstant
reply to post by CeeRZ

 

I have to ask, though, why topics dealing with this subject do not appear in the New Topic Firehose? Last time I'll mention that fact, but look for yourself.

Huh... You're right. Almost none of them are in the Firehose.... just too many maybe??? Weird.

Originally posted by EvanJP
This is what gets me, because Salt Lake "City", is a corporation. It is the industrial banking center of the U.S. (and that's from Wikipedia)..

If you do not believe me on it being, in fact, a huge corporation (making money off of the civilians). Check out your bills. Or thier website. Everything is copyright as "Salt Lake City Corporation".

There is a great documentary dealing with the corporatization of cities and states (California is just a huge district of many business sectors). I cannot remember the exact name, I will try and find a link to the video.

Honestly that doesn't surprise me. SLC is very very much a corporation run city. Everyone here knows we live in a bubble. And the city has barely even seen the economy crisis at all. In fact, I personally haven't been hit by the economy at all... and I'm a Massage Therapist. In fact, if anything... SLC is booming and we have seen a massive rise in large banking corporations and big business making the transition here just because of our economy.
The majority of people here are very oblivious to what goes on around the world, and honestly don't care.
I was honestly surprised to see this occupation coming here, just because every time I mentioned it to someone... no one even knew it existed. No one here cares about anything but the next LDS conference. Right now, that is the biggest news. Drives me nuts. The entire city is owned by the Mormon religion. Even the construction codes don't allow any building to be taller than the Joseph Smith Memorial Building... the tallest Mormon owned building in SLC. Huge properties are bought up and closed down for the "government". One of the biggest and most well known bars/apartments was shut down for a new government building that I can promise won't be built for at least another decade.

With that said though... there is a very rapidly growing community of people who actually care about what happens outside the bubble we have created for ourselves. I'm excited to see how many people show up for the SLC demonstration. I will take my camera when I get there tomorrow and post it. Hopefully it isn't an epic fail.

Wow... the Facebook group for OccupySLC is up to 7371 members... I'm actually surprised.
And even more surprised at some of the responses of people in SLC who think it's evil.

I hoinestly think all the "people" getting involved" without a unified message are going to bring on some mass police movement, but hey...go bang your drum...

From city to city, interview to interview. there is no message... "unless the message is ...were tired of it". Tired of what specifically? There is no message here. This does not appear as much of a movement as it does look like a mess, and it is funny how people think that going into a crowd of un-unified squatters will make a difference....Your enemy is a community organizer...right now you look like a bunch of schmucks.

I really hope people out there start getting it together....