by Karon Hamlet

"Occupy the Dream - Chicago; A Celebration of MLK Day"

A number of Chicago churches and organizations came together today to "Occupy the Dream" in Chicago at LaSalle and Jackson. Carrying signs that spoke to student debt, foreclosures, taxes and bail outs, people of various cultural backgrounds and ages took a stand particularly against Bank of America due to its leading foreclosure rate. Speakers of this peaceful protest evoked the memory of the beginning of Dr. Martin Luther King's economic equality movement, as they encouraged attendees to take action toward that dream.

They sang "We shall overcome today" instead of "one day", in an attempt to motivate the crowd to start to take their economic destiny into their own hands. This show of unity seemed to spark excitement especially amongst the young on lookers who carried signs and held crutches under their arms. The crutches symbolized the handicap burden and misfortune placed upon the poor and unemployed. As the orderly, peaceful protesters moved from the location Dr. King once occupied to outside the entrance of the Bank of America main office, they seemed determined to make their presence felt.

Although the bank offices were closed for the Martin Luther King holiday, perhaps, this will be the start of more purposeful protest to come. That is to say if Major Rahm Emmanuel doesn't succeed in what is said to be his quest to make "peaceful protests" against the law. The showing of unity and solidarity was not lost on mostly closed downtown offices, as vehicles that passed by expressed their support through honking horns, smiles and waves. One of the most memorable moments; Speaker, "Are we going to be beggars, crying about a broken system", the crowd resounded loudly "NO".