Robinson'1'

Milly'Robinson'
March'6th,'2015'
Urban'Journalism'
Zuccotti'Park'Paper'
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Zuccotti'Park:'Reflecting'on'Occupy'Wall'Street'

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Walking'through'the'snowFcovered'Zuccotti'Park'in'early'March'2015,'it'is'

hard'to'imagine'the'large'slabs'of'bricks'and'lines'of'benches'were'once'home'to'

hundreds'during'Occupy'Wall'Street'in'2011.'Several'food'vendors'outline'the'park,'

which'is'further'outlined'by'crowded'sidewalks'and'busy'streets.'Pedestrians'go'

about'their'regular'routines,'with'no'indication'that'they'are'cognizant'of'what'the'

space'once'was.'But'that'is'the'fate'of'New'York'City:'it'is'constantly'evolving'and'

being'redefined,'and'the'meaning'of'a'space'alters'as'the'possessors'of'the'space'

change.'This'does'not'mean'that'the'meaning'is'lost—although'it'is'not'consciously'
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on'every'passerby’s'mind,'Zuccotti'Park'will'always'be'able'to'boast'being'where'the'

history'of'Occupy'Wall'Street'was'created.''

' “Walking'in'the'City”'by'Michel'de'Certeau'discusses'how'the'city'is'defined'

by'the'people'walking'through'it,'and'how'each'individual'“writes”'his'or'her'own'

text'of'the'city.'What'if'people'share'the'same'ideas,'and'therefore'write'the'same'

texts?'Can'the'individual'meaning'created'by'walking'expand'to'include'hundreds'of'

people'to'enhance'and'spread'that'meaning?'De'Certeau'writes:'

Linking'acts'and'footsteps,'opening'meanings'and'directions,'these'words'
operate'in'the'name'of'an'emptyingFout'and'wearingFaway'of'their'primary'
role.'They'become'liberated'spaces'that'can'be'occupied.'A'rich'
indetermination'gives'them,'by'means'of'a'semantic'rarefaction,'the'function'
of'articulating'a'second,'poetic'geography'on'top'of'the'geography'of'the'
literal,'forbidden'or'permitted'meaning.'(105)'
A'poetic'geography.'That'is'what'the'efforts'the'occupiers'of'Zuccotti'Park'obtained,'

a'poetic'geography.''The'voices'of'the'movement'resonate'with'the'concrete'of'the'

park,'granting'a'physical'space'semantic'value.'It'is'also'symbolic'that'the'

occupation'took'place'right'down'the'street'from'Wall'StreetF'the'center'of'

American'capitalism.'Wall'Street'workers'were'faced'with'a'sea'of'faces'directly'

opposed'to'their'practices'and'everything'they'represent—a'sea'of'faces'willing'to'

literally'live'on'concrete'in'efforts'to'dismantle'the'system'that'they'uphold.'

' One'of'the'most'vocal'critiques'of'Occupy'Wall'Street'was'the'movement’s'

lack'of'a'clear'set'of'demands.'Yes,'it'was'unclear'exactly'how'the'movement'would'

approach'addressing'income'inequality'in'America,'but'the'movement'was'clear'in'

articulating'the'injustices'that'they'wanted'to'fight'against.'Without'a'wellFdefined'
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set'of'demands,'it'is'also'difficult'to'distinguish'whether'the'movement’s'efforts'

were'“successful”'or'“unsuccessful.”''

I'will'argue,'without'hesitation,'one'of'the'movement’s'undeniable'huge'

successes:'Occupy'Wall'Street'brought'tremendously'relevant'and'troubling'issues'

into'the'spotlight.'It'didn’t'matter'if'one'was'fighting'for'or'against'the'movement’s'

claims,'it'mattered'that'the'fight'was'occurring'in'the'first'place.'Occupy'Wall'Street'

highlighted'structural'issues'that'impact'majority'of'Americans:'the'ever'widening'

socioFeconomic'gap'between'the'rich'and'the'poor,'the'tremendous'power'of'huge'

corporations,'the'lack'of'representation'in'government'of'marginalized'

communities.'These'are'serious'issues,'and'although'Occupy'Wall'Street'did'not'fix'

them,'it'was'able'to'bring'them'into'the'forefront'of'national'and'international'

conversation.'And'even'though'there'did'not'seem'to'be'a'distinct'direction'the'

movement'was'following,'the'ideas'were'relevant,'widespread'and'powerful.'As'this'

protestor'points'out,'you'can'try'to'physically'dismantle'the'people'trying'to'convey'

an'idea,'but'the'idea'itself'will'prevail.''

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For'most'Americans,'the'media'acted'as'a'window'into'the'happenings'of'the'

movement,'meaning'that'the'perspectives'and'biases'the'media'presented'were'

reflected'onto'the'audience.'Majority'of'major'media'outlets'did'not'seem'to'take'the'

Occupy'movement'seriously'until'reports'of'serious'police'misconduct'came'to'light'

after'the'first'weekend'major'protests.''

Live'footage'revealed'an'NYPD'officer'approaching'a'group'of'peacefully'

protesting'women'and'pepperFspraying'them'without'warning'or'any'valid'legal'

motivation.'Reports,'pictures'and'videos'showed'the'aggressive'arrests'of'hundreds'

of'protestors.'Tweets,'Facebook'posts'and'Tumblr'posts'quickly'circulated'

throughout'the'Internet'questioning'the'actions'of'the'police'and'the'protestors.''

The'Media'quickly'latched'onto'the'debate,'and'although'police'brutality'and'

misconduct'against'peaceful'protestors'is'a'certainly'important'issue'to'address,'it'

was'not'the'issue'the'Occupy'movement'was'fighting'against.'Regardless,'it'brought'

attention'to'the'movement,'even'though'it'was'on'the'actions'of'the'protestors'

opposed'to'the'voices'of'the'protestors.'Was'this'exposure'positive'or'negative'for'

the'movement?'Perhaps'it'took'away'from'the'focus'of'the'movement,'but'exposure'

is'exposure—now'Occupy'was'becoming'relevant'beyond'critiques'of'the'lack'of'

demands.'Even'if'someone'does'not'support'the'beliefs'behind'the'movement,'they'

may'also'not'support'police'oppression'and'enter'conversations'about'the'

movement'through'that'commonality.''

As'I'walk'through'Zuccotti'Park'over'three'years'after'Occupy'Wall'Street’s'

end,'it'is'nothing'like'the'lively,'energetic'space'I'witnessed'in'2011.'I'cannot'hear'

the'booming'of'the'drums,'or'see'masses'of'occupiers'discussing'their'next'protest,'
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or'browse'through'the'Occupy'library,'or'strike'up'a'conversation'with'a'stranger'

about'the'injustices'of'corporate'America.'But'the'space'will'always'have'a'“poetic'

geography”'about'it—it'will'never'just'be'a'park,'it'will'forever'be'home'to'the'

movement'that'brought'a'critical'and'necessary'dialogue'into'the'lives'of'countless'

Americans.'

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Works'Cited'

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Certeau,'Michel'De.,'and'Steven'Rendall.'"Walking'in'the'City."'The$Practice$of$

Everyday$Life.'Berkeley:'U'of'California,'1984.'N.'pag.'Print.'