Operation: Winter building, Chicago spring passed at the general assembly of Occupy Chicago Friday night, its second time though, giving the movement a way to survive the brutal Chicago winter while maintaining a presence in the city. Through community service and smaller, everyday direct actions (including but not limited to “defending homes that are being foreclosed, sit-ins, flyering, banner dropping, building parks, delivering supplies to the homeless”) Occupy Chicago plans to act instead of hold signs.
Will these actions win hearts and minds, casting the occupiers in a positive light, making them heroes of the working class?
It better. The actions that Occupy Chicago is going to take in order to physically and ideologically survive the winter is the best possible thing they could be doing. Not only does it ensure that they keep their name floating around the city, but also it makes it clear that their politics aren’t simply posturing and rhetoric. Instead, they will act for the 99%, making sure to back up their claims about wanting to fight wealth disparity.
The re-emergence in the spring, tentatively set for April 7, should draw crowds from around the country. Not only does it mean that Occupy Chicago is going to try to take the park once again, but it stands just one month before the G8 and NATO conferences. With Rahm Emanuel denying permits for protests in the spring, the spring emergence should set the tone for the political landscape of those events.
So, how effective will the Winter building and Chicago spring be? That’s up to the participation of the protesters. But politics aside, everyone should take time to focus on helping their fellow man. Shouldn’t we all try to build this winter?
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