Despite the weekend’s unexpected (and unpleasant) wintry conditions, the occupation of Zuccotti Park continues. Over the last two weeks, the camp has become more organized, with tents replacing tarps, walkways marked in tape and signs announcing various services. Here are excerpts from our latest round of interviews with the protesters. (Read the first two installments.)
When did you get here?
I came up this morning. There was an Occupy in Allentown and I’ve been there for a while.
How’s work?
Currently I’m working for a temporary agency. I would be happy to do a lot more hours. I was a welder before.
There’s been a lot of talk about demands. What’s yours?
I’m trusting other people to make the demands. I guess I would say that when people express concerns they should be listened to.
How is President Obama doing?
I haven’t looked at the details of the legislation—in the last four years I haven’t read as much as I did before. There are decisions that he made that I wouldn’t have made: issues relating to the war, fiscal concerns.
How long are you planning to stay?
We’re definitely going back to Allentown today, but we might come back. I was trying to gauge from people here how important the Occupy movements in other cities are, or would it be better to have everyone here.
When did you get here?
I have been here for a week and change.
How’s work?
I was laid off. I was working as a concierge. I was replaced by cheaper labor: people who are undocumented and will work off the books for half the wage.
There’s been a lot of talk about demands. What’s yours?
I want to be able to have democracy back and no plutocracy. I want to have a cheesy American Dream. I don’t want a coup d’état, I just want my country back.
How is President Obama doing?
I think he should step up to the plate and do his job. He’s supposed to lead us and pull us out of economic suffering.
How long are you planning to stay?
You guys can bring us turkeys for Thanksgiving. There’ll be trees for Christmas. We’ll be here until the rubber bullets and tear gas.
When did you get here?
Almost the beginning. I try to come down as often as I can.
How’s work?
I’m one of the lucky ones; I got to retire with a pension and social security. I think the people who come behind me are worried they’ll never be able to retire.
There’s been a lot of talk about demands. What’s yours?
I’m sure people in financial institutions and government know what should be done without me telling them. I think this is a wonderful opportunity to give people something to make their lives easier. I’m not just talking about the middle class—there’s still a lot of poverty.
How is President Obama doing?
I hoped you wouldn’t ask. I know the Congress is partly the problem, but he started with a Democratic Congress and nothing very progressive happened.
How long are you planning to stay?
As long as the people are sleeping here.
When did you get here?
I’ve been here off and on the last ten days—two weeks maybe. I just come down everyday.
How’s work?
I’m an independent singer-songwriter. Things are good in my life. I’m statistically one of the poor, but I have a home, zero credit-card debt.
There’s been a lot of talk about demands. What’s yours?
If I was put in charge of the universe for one day—one practical thing—there’s an affront to reason and fairness that is the Bush tax cuts.
How is President Obama doing?
Poorly. I think he’s doing the best he can as a politician in the modern system. That’s not a compliment. A politician puts agenda and career first. A statesman puts country and principle first. By that definition Obama is a politician, not a statesman.
How long are you planning to stay?
An answer I’m sure you’re getting a lot is “as long as it takes.” Mine is, “I don’t know.” Anyone who says this is sustainable or will make a difference worth a damn is speaking from hope or they’re lying. The police could sweep this place tonight. I hope they don’t.
When did you get here?
I rode a freight train here. I spent twenty-two dollars over five days to get here. I walked fifty miles and screwed the government the whole way to inspire my brothers and sisters. This is my nineteenth day here.
How’s work?
I used to be a steel worker. I don’t want to pollute the environment anymore and dump lead into rivers and off buildings. I will never sandblast again. I drove a cab for four years, but it was barely enough to make rent.
There’s been a lot of talk about demands. What’s yours?
I demand that my brothers and sisters get together to create a general strike worldwide.
How is President Obama doing?
I don’t give a fuck about Republicans and Democrats. I think he’s a puppet for special-interest groups. Elections are distractions for the hearts and minds of people to take their focus away from what the bankers are doing. He’s a millionaire still trying to make more money.
How long are you planning to stay?
Until they think I’m a groundhog on February 2nd… Not sure. I’m a traveling man.
When did you get here?
This is my tenth, twentieth, one-hundreth time. I’ve been here almost every day since September.
How’s work?
I don’t work. It is hard because my passion is non-profit work, but when I volunteer, I can’t get the aid I need in return.
There’s been a lot of talk about demands. What’s yours?
I don’t have demands, but requests. I want to be able to go to school. Public assistance doesn’t pay for me to go to a four-year school, but most jobs require at least a Bachelor’s degree. All government aid is corrupt and it’s our money they’re misusing.
How is President Obama doing?
I don’t have a problem with Obama. For a first-term President, there’s a lot on his plate. The expectations are a little too high.
How long are you planning to stay?
Until I die. Until things change. I will live off the land. I won’t work at a corporate job that I hate.
When did you get here?
Eight days ago. Before that, I was at Occupy New Orleans, and before that at Occupy Austin. I figure how better to learn to be effective in Austin than by checking out what they’re doing in New York, at ground zero.
How’s work?
I take found objects and stuff people throw away, like old cell phones, and combine that with organic objects to make jewelry. I call it post-apocalyptic art.
There’s been a lot of talk about demands. What’s yours?
I don’t have demands. That’s not why I’m here. This is part of a larger movement that will evolve. Economic issues aren’t my No. 1 concern. This movement is about people learning how to live together.
How is President Obama doing?
I don’t know. I don’t watch the news. I quit watching the news fifteen years ago because the editing process is biased. The same people that own the corporations that write the news are involved with Congress.
How long are you planning to stay?
Two or three more weeks. Up here they organized for a few months beforehand, so they’re way farther into the movement than in Austin. I’m looking for possible paths Occupy Austin can go and trying to foresee obstacles.
Photographs by Ian Duncan
