We. Are. The 99 Percent. (31 images)
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On September 17, 2011 roughly 1,000 protesters marched through the streets of New York City to Zuccotti Park in the Financial District under the banner of "Occupy Wall Street". That night an estimated 100 people slept in the private park and thus began the "occupation" of Wall Street.
The movement itself is leaderless, a mass of people who, while being directed by a rotating group of "facilitators", are mostly left to express themselves as they...
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The movement itself is leaderless, a mass of people who, while being directed by a rotating group of "facilitators", are mostly left to express themselves as they...
more »
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![Zack Cunnigham, 22. <br />
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"The most succinct way to put it [why I am here] is a virulent hate of capitalism. I think the system that we have is unsustainable and evil and desperately needs to be changed. We are finally starting to wake up and realize that we can't let our lives be run on greed, you know? It's just destroying us, it's destroying this planet, and maybe to get mushy about it it seems to me that we are starting to realize that instead of running our lives through greed we should run it with love for each other."](http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000eG3Il3d6i6c/t/200/I0000eG3Il3d6i6c.jpg)
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![Eduardo Diaz.<br />
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"I'm a construction worker coming to support Laborers Local 79, I'm coming to support everything here. Two years I haven't worked. I have a big family. [We need] more money for schools, for citizens, for workers, for old people. The country needs some change. More money for education is the first thing. America first."](http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000oakGpBWj1Rk/t/200/I0000oakGpBWj1Rk.jpg)
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![Isaac Wilder, 21. <br />
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"It was a specific technical thing [that brought me to the movement]. They used a certain set of language that I found really moving which was "horizontal mesh protest". I'm a computer researcher and my area of interest is horizontal mesh computer networks. So I saw that and I knew that it was meant to be, there is an incredible synergy there. I think that as soon as we learn to organize our computer networks on a peer to peer horizontal mesh basis we'll learn to organize our society that way. <br />
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I see it coming already [what will come from the protest]. It's a model of how to build a participatory direct democracy where everybody's voice is equal, where everybody gets their turn to speak, where we look out for each other. This, this right here this is the story. What we're doing for one another, with one another, is the story. It's not about interfacing with external forces, it's about building something here and we're building the world we want to live in. So what do I want to see come from this? I want to see [gesturing around] a free medical clinic, free network access for the people, food, a library, a general assembly where they can take part in the political process that governs their life. And I see it already so I'm pretty sanguine that something beautiful is going to come from this."](http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000V8Yl6gFL23k/t/200/I0000V8Yl6gFL23k.jpg)
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![Amanda Montgomery, 55. <br />
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"I'm here because I'm very tired of corporate interests controlling all the political discussion. Not being able to have a voice in government. Hopefully this will be the beginning of the rebirth of democracy in America. It's astounding how dumb the American public has become, it's frightening. People are beginning to talk and the discussion is being brought to the table now. <br />
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And I love that there are no demands. This movement is rejecting the ability of this government to make changes, to make any viable change. That's a strong message. I don't know how it would happen [to change the government without using the government]. I just know that there's nothing left to do but to try something from the grassroots up. All the cogs and all the gears produced nothing. It's just astounding, it's as if we're being run by psychotic people, it's crazy. It's madness. It's nice to come here and work in the kitchen, just to clean things up here in Liberty Park among people who are thinking of possible change for the future. The spirit here cannot be beat."](http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000TyUSUTwIoyU/t/200/I0000TyUSUTwIoyU.jpg)
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