Occupy Wall Street

Tablet, which seems to be where most of the work is focused these days, sent me to the Occupy Wall Street protests. Here is my dispatch, which discusses the ways in which the protests are an analogue of the Israeli ones this past summer.

“There’s a lot of love,” an unemployed Occupy Wall Street protester named Donna told me. On Monday evening and in the early morning hours Tuesday, I saw what she was talking about. The sound of drums and guitars gave the space the feeling of a carnival. A quick tour of the plaza revealed a surprising abundance of provisions: Anarchists with logistical acumen! There was more food than could be eaten, and no one knew from where it had come: deli sandwiches, Pop Tarts, apples, bananas, coffee, and bottles and bottles of Poland Spring. There was talk of donating the excess food to homeless shelters. Countless supplies had arrived via UPS and from strangers dropping off supplies throughout the day. There were tarps to sleep under and aluminum and cloth blankets for campers. A compost station had been set up for leftover food. Two protesters sat rolling cigarettes from mounds of tobacco, offering regular or mint. I was offered a free umbrella. A similar camaraderie pervaded the Tel Aviv protests this summer.