Occupied Tacoma

Tacoma: a very committed and passionate group is occupying the small park on the corner of South 21st and Pacific Avenue on behalf of at least 99% of you.  They are braving potential eviction by city and possibly state police (the space is DOT owned), not to mention the cold, and of course the sprinklers, but their conviction is solid.  They aren’t leaving until… well, that’s still coming together, as far as we can tell.  The group has some arguably valid beefs with the status quo, and, for the moment at least, the eye of the public.  The question on our mind is whether they can focus their energy to harness that attention. 

The current Occupy movement sweeping the nation makes some points that seem to resonate with many Americans, and expresses a genuine, widespread sense that certain groups and individuals need to be held accountable, through public shaming, if necessary.  But what actions or events would constitute a success for the movement?  How will the occupiers know when they’ve succeeded?  In the interest of a robust civic dialog, we’re looking forward to seeing the group move beyond protest to actionable proposals for change.