occupy v. -pied, pying. 1. To take possession of and retain control over by force. 2. To fill up (space or time). 3. To live in. 4. To hold (e.g., an office). 5. To keep busy. –occupier n. (From the Old French “capere” meaning to take or seize, related to “capable.”)
- From Webster’s II New Riverside Desk Dictionary
What does it really mean to Occupy Wall Street? According to Webster’s first definition, occupying requires force. So what does it mean when #OWS claims to be a peaceful occupation? Is that even possible? Surely the instigators of the protest knew what it meant to call themselves “occupiers.” They must have intended to summon images of armies residing in foreign lands, with no end in sight. Do they themselves feel like an army?
(I'm quitting Bank of America next week)
Yet definitions #2, #3, #4, and #5 paint a different picture. The occupiers chose empty spaces and used their free time to live there. They need to act, to keep busy, to feel that they are exercising their rights, demanding attention from the powers that be. In their collective strength, they have gotten as close as most of them possibly can to holding office.
At Occupy Wall Street, they have no power supplies to run a microphone and amp, so they make do with what they have: people. They use a “human microphone,” defined by the Urban Dictionary as:
A tactic protesters can use to circumvent police bans on electronic amplification of speech. One person starts to speak to a large crowd. After a short sentence, everyone within hearing distance repeats whatever was said at the top of their lungs, allowing people outside of hearing distance to hear the speech.
The Human Microphone on Wall Street announced this speech:
“Mic Check.”
“MIC CHECK!!”
“The human microphone is slow and cumbersome”
“THE HUMAN MICROPHONE IS SLOW AND CUMBERSOME!!”
“but it really makes you think through”
“BUT IT REALLY MAKES YOU THINK THROUGH”
“what it is you want”
“WHAT IT IS YOU WANT!!”
“to say.”
“TO SAY!!”
I hope #OWS settles on something collective to say. My two favorite potential demands are (1) forgiveness of all loans held by any banks that got bailed out and (2) serious campaign finance reform, including the overturning of the Citizens United ruling. Short of making demands, I believe the great hope of the Occupy movement lies in individual action by people whose eyes are opened by #OWS’s grand gesture. I, for one, am leaving Bank of America this week.
What will happen next? “Occupy” comes from the Old French “capere,” meaning to take or seize. Its closest modern English relative is “capable.” My ninth-grade English teacher would imbue that with all kinds of meaning. It makes me wish we lived in a society where being capable wasn’t predicated on being willing to simply take what you want.
Be careful out there, cops and occupiers.
