After more than a week of camping, eating in shelters, listening to preacher after preacher criticize the poor for being poor we come to the first day of what has been played up by both sides to be the event of a life time.
The democratic National Convention has transformed Charlotte in many ways, whether that transformation was negative or positive though depends solely on your income level.
The city had said that it would not hide its poor, but action speak louder than words as campaigns of harassing the poor and homeless have become the norm of the past weeks with the ever increasing police presence.
While the rich walk around with impunity carrying many of the band items, not having a word said to them by the mired of police from various districts across the state and even the country, the poor are not so lucky.
“I can’t go anywhere I want to go in down town anymore, the assume the because you have a backpack and a pair of jeans your homeless and less than human,” said Barry McGee, 56, a retired sanitation worker.
“The city is trying to keep the poor out of the city, stopping and arresting people with back pack that look poor,” said Patrick McClellan, 21.
However, the Militarized Zone has made it difficult for the poor in other way as well.
“The red Zone makes it even harder for poor people on the north side of town to get to the south side, where all of the temp. jobs are because you have to walk through town and risk being harassed or spend a half hour or more walking out of your way when you have to be at the temp. service at 5 am sharp or you’re not getting any work for the day,” said McGee.
Even with all of this we have come to the first day of the anti-DNC protests. The first day of protest was not the sort that got down and dirty with the megalomaniacs and there sheeple minions, but one of powerful celebrations of life and revolution.
Teach ins were held throughout the day on everything revolutionary, from hip-hop and activism by Rebel Diaz, to a history of people’s movements by members of the Workers world folks.
“The 1% is the enemy of humanity and we need a global revolution to bring them down,” said Caleb Manain, The 1% owns and we create, it’s up to them how this happens, revolution isn’t about violence and bloodshed. If the 1% were to sit down and hand over world to those who it really belongs to, the people who created it could all go very peacefully or they can continue to violently oppress the people and we can defend ourselves.”
“Our country was built on the back of slavery, it wasn’t just one or two evil people but a whole economic system that continues to persist under a different name, said Eva Panjwani, “We live in a violent state it’s not violence to defend yourself and your community from violence.”
Many of our greatest leaders have advocated and/or spoken about peaceful revolution, but always with the disclaimer that if you try to oppress people that they must defend themselves.
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable,” John F. Kennedy.
In the evening a series of concerts by revolutionary artist from across the music board, such as Rebel Diaz, Ghetto Transcends Potential, Laila Nur and Gruppe 36.
Occupiers also took a park earlier in the week and were give permission by authorities after some negotiations to stay there through the DNC.
“Hopefully the celebrations and the peaceful behavior of protesters today will alleviate local fears of violence by protesters, pushed by DHS and main stream media to keep people away from the protests,” Said Danielle Finger.
