153: Occupy Chapel Hill Going Strong

Occupy Chapel Hill warns the public that "if people don't wake up, we're all going to be in trouble."

Johanan Gaddy, 34, of Chapel Hill, N.C., gave this statement Tuesday morning, referencing the entire point of the Occupy movement.  Occupy Chapel Hill is a rally about "starting the conversation" and "educating ourselves so we can educate others," he said.

Occupy Chapel Hill officially began at 10:30 p.m. Saturday night and plans to go on indefinitely Gaddy said.  "We're going to stay until we see change," he said.  As of Tuesday morning, there were 10 people camping out in the Courthouse Square, the headquarters of Occupy Chapel Hill.

Every day at 6 p.m., Occupy Chapel Hill holds a General Assembly where the group works through its daily agenda.  This includes deciding how money is going to be spent, making major group decisions and letting voices he heard.  "Everyone's voice is equal," Peter Pendergrass, 22, another spokesperson for Occupy Chapel Hill, said Tuesday.

Gaddy stressed that although the members of the Occupy movements range from "anarchists to Tea Party members," the movement does have some rallying points.  One of the most important points, not being emphasized by the media, Pendergrass said, is the fact that Occupy Chapel Hill is an open movement.  It is not exclusive, elitist or extremist.  "We're not making incredible demands," he said, "We just don't want the system to be abused."

Pendergrass explained that "we are the 99 percent."  Approximately 43 percent of the country's wealth is controlled by 1 percent of the population.  That percentage of the population now has the ability to affect policy decisions and the government, through monetary donations.  This was one of many impetuses for the Occupy movements, including Occupy Chapel Hill.

The movement is starting to move out of cities and deal with issues on a state level.  On November 2, there will be a protest against Duke Energy's attempt to raise their rates by about 17 percent.  November 5, officially Bank Transfer Day, the Occupy movement will be urging the public to take their money out of corporate banks and put it into non-profit credit unions.  For more information, check out occupychapelhill.org or occupywallst.org.  

Occupy Chapel Hill has the simple goal to develop the community and make people more aware about the real issues, Gaddy said, "And we're not going to quit if it fails."