A familiar scene from the Big Apple reaches Southern Georgia. It’s called
“Occupy Valdosta.” More than 100 protesters take to the streets to fight
corporate greed and social injustice.
Chanting before banks, monuments and courthouses, the rally reached its summit at the Chamber of Commerce.
There the crowd cried two familiar words: ‘No Consolidation’.
In a demonstration designed to fight corporate greed and social inequality, the protest ultimately turned to the fate of the school systems and the children of Valdosta.
“My children go to city schools. I live in the county. I can’t vote. That’s not right,” said Susan Smith.
WCTV’s low estimate of 100 who chanted “no consolidation” on
the Chamber’s doorstep is several times
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Police encounter! @ Occupy Valdosta
We are the 99%,
Marching to Occupy Valdosta, Occupy Valdosta,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 October 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
OK, these words might:
Thanks to the Valdosta Police for being completely professional
and courteous throughout!
The occupy wall street movement that’s spreading around the country
arrived in south Georgia.
That’s her with the big camera in front of the palm tree,
come to see what democracy looks like.
More than 100 demonstrators marched through the streets
of Valdosta Friday.
They’re protesting issues from corporate greed to unemployment all the
way down to local issues including school consolidation.
There you have it: WALB links school consolidation to corporate greed.
How’s this for an ad linked to Martin Luther King Jr.?
Sam Allen says Vote No School Consolidation at the Martin Luther King Monument
Videos and pictures of Occupy Valdosta by John S. Quarterman
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange
Erin Hurley spoke for Occupy America to Bank of America.
It’s national Take Your Money Out of Bank of America Day.
Who got bailed out?
They did!
Who did it?
We did it!
All right!
[laughter]
They are the 1%; we are the 99!
Take your money out of Bank of America Day –Occupy Valdosta Part 1 of 2:
We are the 99%,
Marching to Occupy Valdosta, Occupy Valdosta,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 October 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Take your money out of Bank of America Day –Occupy Valdosta Part 2 of 2:
We are the 99%,
Marching to Occupy Valdosta, Occupy Valdosta,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 October 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Make the Industrial Authority be accounted —Tony Daniels at MLK Occupy Valdosta
We are the 99%,
Marching to Occupy Valdosta, Occupy Valdosta,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 October 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Mario Bartoletti stood up at the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument in Valdosta and said to Occupy Valdosta:
I’m just shy of 79
and I’ve been out here marching all the way today,
and I’ll tell you why.
When I was your age, we were marching for civil rights.
We made it.
Now we’re marching for another kind of rights,
and I guarantee we’re going to make it!
I want you to promise, when you’re my age,
you’re going to be leading a demonstration
for those who march for those kinds of rights.
Marching for rights —Mario Bartoletti @ MLK Monument Occupy Valdosta
We are the 99%,
Marching to Occupy Valdosta, Occupy Valdosta,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 October 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Tony Daniels and Freddie Richardson carry the Occupy Valdosta banner
They marched more than
three miles from Drexel Park to Bank of America, where they noted
BoA got bailed out and we got left out and recommended withdrawing
your money.
Then to MLK Park, where many people spoke on a variety of subjects
ranging from stand together, to make the Industrial Authority be accounted,
to vote No on School Consolidation on November 8th,
to if MLK was alive he would be here today,
to marching for rights for a lifetime,
to no private prison,
to tax the rich,
and and of course
come back here (MLK Park) tomorrow (Sat 15 Oct) at 11AM!
Then to the VDT (where the Assistant Managing Editor was surprised by a cheer) and the Chamber (where the President didn’t care for a thesaurus lesson); more on all those stops later.
Marching to Occupy Valdosta, 14 October 2011:
Drexel Park, Bank of America, MLK Park, VDT, Chamber of Commerce.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman and John S. Quarterman
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Videos are still uploading, so check back later.
I’ll also blog more about specific events along the way.
Chris Beckham’s Black Crow show,
WVGA 105.9, about 4PM, will have
Bobbi Anne Hancock,
Jim Parker,
John S. Quarterman,
and
Austin Batchelor Sullivan,
talking about
Occupy Valdosta
and related matters.
And everything is related.
We, the local citizens occupying Valdosta, urge you to assert your power.
Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; to nonviolently occupy
public space;
to create an open process to address the problems we face, and to generate
solutions accessible to everyone.
Both the
VDT
and the
Spectator
got the route backwards. Not their fault; although the route has been posted since last Saturday, it hasn’t been easy to find.
This is a peaceful nonviolent exercise in assembly for redress of grievances and celebration of community. Bring a sign or we’ll help you make one. Talking, chanting, singing, and music are encouraged. Stay on the sidewalk except in the parks; no littering; ask for help if you need water or assistance; feel free to discuss and agree or disagree, but please no name calling or the like.
A familiar scene from the Big Apple reaches Southern Georgia. It’s called “Occupy Valdosta.” More than 100 protesters take to the streets to fight corporate greed and social injustice.
There the crowd cried two familiar words: ‘No Consolidation’.
