In New York City’s Union Square on Saturday thousands showed up to show support for the Presidential Candidate many feel to be the most rational choice. The people have had enough BS and now want to try the Other B.S.There was a staging area and people speaking wit a bullhorn but, I was unable to hear anything that was being said. People from all walks of life, ages, and colors came out in support for Bernie Sanders’ stand against the Big Banks.Many supporters made puppets and art work of their favorite candidate.This sign held by a Bernie Sanders supporter with a quote by Bernie Sanders. Banks should not be allowed to get Too Big To Fail or Jail
Snow Piles were good for something on Saturday, standing on to get some good shots of the crowd at the #MarchForBernie yesterday at Union Square NYC. This young boy was standing on the snow pile with meIt’s no secret anymore there is something seriously wrong in America. The people are Fed Up and are not taking it anymore. More people need to Rise Up!Marni Halasa, Elliott Crown and gang doing performance art at Union Square for the crowd of Bernie Sanders supporters at Union Square Park yesterday NYC before marching to Zuccotti park, the home of Occupy Wall Street demonstrations who were the ones to first bring light to many of the issues being addressed by Sanders.
WHY WE ARE MARCHING – 2016 America is a scary, uncertain place. Income and wealth inequality has hollowed out the middle class, leaving millions of Americans left out of the economic recovery. Young people are graduating college with massive levels of student debt and are unable to find adequate employment. Workers in many industries are earning starvation wages in one of the wealthiest nations on Earth. Women are having their abortion services eliminated in many areas of the country, as the attack on women’s health organizations such as Planned Parenthood continue to intensify. Black people are brutalized and murdered by police everyday, immigrants live in constant fear of their friends and family members being attacked or deported, Muslim-Americans are treated like second class citizens, and the poor are being pushed out of their communities due to rampant gentrification. Our political system is completely corrupt, choking on high-paid lobbyists, Super PACS, and dark money. We frequently elect politicians who fall to these pressures and fail to address our very serious issues. Meanwhile, prime-time debates have war and ISIS in the crosshairs,leaving a deafening silence where urgent dialogue and action on domestic issues is needed.Sometimes, It might seem easy or convenient to give up but in our darkest hours, we must remember this quote from Bernie Sanders: “All over this country we have a lot of bright, decent, good people. They’re saying, ‘You know what, this situation is hopeless. You can’t beat the Koch Brothers, you can’t beat the billionaires… you can’t win. I’m giving up.’ That is exactly what they want us to believe. And I beg of you, do not enter that world of despair. We can win this fight if we stand together.”Many people knock Socialism. As if we live under Capitalism when we don’t. We live under an OLIGARCHY. People are clearly not as afraid of living under an Oligarchy and a Prison system as they are to live under Socialism, something that’s much more human and how we’re meant to live. A System that works for ALL. Why should all people be forced to live under what some Wall Street bankers decide? Why shouldn’t other people get to choose another way to live? Why are we not living more like the indigenous people, closer to the earth and health?
Leaving Union Square for the march down to Zuccotti park, I spoke to a young man of Latin decent holding a sign reading LATINOS for BERNIE. He told me, Bernie nows the situation that’s happening in the world and the United States. We know we’re living in an Oligarchy form of government and that’s what we need to change in this country”.Leaving Union square park marching down Broadway a supporter for Bernie Sanders turns to the life size poster of Bernie and flashes a big smile!Many Americans feel that this is more representative flag of our country. And it is.Organizations who were involved in putting together the march for Bernie Sanders on Saturday include, Millennials For Bernie Sanders Community, The People For Bernie Sanders 2016 Political Organization, Brooklyn For Bernie Sanders Community, Latinos For Bernie Sanders, Labor For Bernie Sanders, Muslims for Bernie Sanders 2016, New York for Bernie Sanders 2016, Socialists For Bernie Sanders, African-Americans For Bernie Sanders, New York City for Bernie Sanders 2016 & Jews for BernieOver 2k people marched the permitted event from Union Square to Zuccotti park. Here a pic of the front of the march as they pass Astor Place on Broadway.Caleb Michael Files, one of the event Marshalls, posing with his tattoo of Bernie Sanders on his arm. When I asked him why he was involved in the march in support for Bernie Sanders he said, “Corporate America is the problem and Bernie is going to be the solution to fix the issues”. When I asked Caleb if he thought any politician can change things when they got in he replied, “Along with voting out Corporate Republicans in the house and the Senate he’ll be able to succeed in his policies. “Steven Martinez,, a familiar face at many of the Occupy Wall Street protests and events.“USE OUR TAXES TO PAY FOR HEALTH CARE, NOT MAINTAIN CORPORATE WELFARE”, The people mic checked responses with Caleb Michael Files during the march for Bernie Sanders down broadway yesterday from Union Sq to Zuccotti park.This guy had a hand puppet of Bernie Sanders “Am I winning the race yet? Bernie asked? I sure hope so Bernie!Run Bernie Run!The environment is a big issue that is being threatened by never ending wars that only create more people who naturally want to retaliate against the U.S. for killing millions of innocent civilians. The Weapons manufactures making a “Killing” in “profits” by taking the lives of innocent people in order to keep the charade of “terrorism” going. Corporations like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, #25 CACI International Global satellite communications equipment supports military intelligence. Arms sales: $2.3 billion Total profit: $107 million Employees: 13,100 people While CACI International doesn’t make weapons, they supply the U.S. Army with an information lifeline. The TROJAN satellite communication systems provide the Army with a global network of shared mission-critical intelligence. Source: SIPRI #20 Hewlett-Packard #20 Hewlett-Packard Arms sales: $2.6 billion Total profit: $8.7 billion Employees: 324,600 people They do more than office supplies and printers. Hewlett-Packard (HP) is the creator of the Navy Marine Corps Intranet which connects more than 700,000 military and civilian employee accounts, facilitating secure defense communications. It’s network size is second only to the Internet itself.Group of photo journalists,, Live Streamers waiting to cross Houston St yesterday as part of #MarchForBernie NYC from union Sq to Zuccotti park
Supporters for Bernie Sanders came out of buildings onto the fire escape and cheered with the marchers coming loudly down Broadway trying to get people exited about Bernie Sanders.
Health Care, another big issue among Bernie supporters. Health Care, Education and the Justice/prison system should not be For ProfitNYPD were docile for the permitted march keeping marchers back until the light was ready for crossing.Almost to Zuccotti park, birth place of Occupy Wall Street.Night falls as the Bernie Sanders supporters make their way to the Wall Street area passing the “Freedom” Tower at Ground Zero. Bernie and his supporters will make sure the building lives up to it’s name.Arrival at Zuccotti park the supporters for Bernie Sanders line up in front of the tall red sculpture there for photos while chanting, “This is what Democracy looks like and Black Lives Matter”.A Politician who is not for Sale, Bernie Sanders.Evan Presto and his Bernie BalloonsBernie ran and made it all the way from Union Square to Zuccotti park. With all of his support let’s hope he makes it to the White House to restore common sense and a system that works for All, not just Wall Street.“When we leave here today, we must remember”, the supporters chanted using the human mic, “How good it felt to march with our brothers and sisters. It’s not about Bernie Sanders, It’s about building a movement against Wall Street and the Billionaire class!” and the Crowd Cheered!!
Cat Watters is a journalist, blogger, videographer, photographer and radio host on Peoples Internet Radio. She is an expert at photographing, filming and editing footage of street protests, street actions, political rallies, and other events. Cat writes for Democracy Chronicles from Brooklyn, New York and you can tune in to her radio show at Peoples Internet Radio every Tuesday from 6 to 8pm EST.
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