That is
the question:
There are two things that strike you when you come upon the Occupy LA
encampment. The first is the sheer density of the tents: not a single
thatch of grass pokes through; the lawn is bursting with tents and spray
painted signs that carry slogans about everything from 99 percent to
Wall Street criminals to 9/11 conspiracy theories. The place is packed.
The second thing you’re likely to notice is the undeniable thick scent
of weed smoke in the air. This is a curious aroma, given that the
encampment is lodged between the California state courthouse, the
offices of the City Council and LAPD headquarters.
Nobody ever said these people were overburdened with common sense. Get this bit:
Because even by the time the General Assembly was ready to meet at 7:30
p.m., things were unraveling. A large group, made up almost entirely of
men, stood in a circle denouncing the General Assembly and their efforts
to "police" the camp, particularly regarding drinking or smoking weed.
Anyone who spoke in favor of a code of conduct was aggressively booed.
Adding to the morass were four different men looping in and out of the
circle, each armed with his own megaphone, shouting their own grievances
and rhetoric. When a runner from the General Assembly made the
announcement that they would begin the meeting, he was thunderously
shouted down, then someone yelled out “The GA is dead!” and the crowd
erupted in both celebration and shock: "We don’t want you or your
fucking procedure!" One male protester, in an army helmet and no shirt,
cried out as shoving matches erupted between several groups of men. The
young man who was leading the informal group yelled: "This is the
People’s Forum! There are no committees, there are no rules, everyone
gets to speak. Get in a circle! GET IN A CIRCLE!" A majority of the
crowd abided, although they were openly chastised when the circle took
on non-circle shapes.
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