I have never written anything in anticipation of it happening, but the beginning of this story as well as its end are a foregone conclusion. I make no bones about it; I am not in favor of the Occupy movement in Albany. As I am part of the 99%, I agree with some of the movements ideology which started with its beginnings in Zuccotti Park in NYC. While the basic roots of Occupy have filtered down to cities all over the country, the movement in Albany seems to be centered on its own needs to attract the attention of the media. In Occupy Albany’s blog yesterday, the body of the post centered on what they consider the “standing in solidarity” with your oppressed brethren. How many people do you expect to take the day off and stand with you in solidarity? Then, on the last line you have to state that your peaceful protest will continue on past the 11:00pm curfew. You know that the curfew is law, you know that the trucks will be there from all the local network affiliates, and you know that the police will be present. Those are three things that will inevitably lead to the sensationalism you are seeking. In your post you said that the movement has spent the last few months “engaged in horizontal democracy” (what is that anyway). Exactly what have you accomplished? Let’s see: you occupied Academy Park for months until the police were forced to throw you out, you managed to get dozens of your participants arrested, you wasted the time of Judge Keefe, you forced Mayor Jennings to take action he didn’t want to take after months of unrequired cooperation with you, and lastly you just show up knowing where the cameras are to just make noise. By the way. Why Lafayette Park? Is it because it is state owned and you know that unlike the Albany police, the State police will arrest you and that will get maximum media exposure? Or is because last year you trashed Academy Park so bad that the landscape hasn’t fully recovered? The real reason is that you want to show that you have no respect for the governor. In your television interviews, try putting in front of the camera someone who is old enough to drink. And by the way, try painting your message on umbrellas; it’s going to rain.
And that is “The Daily Take”