{"id":996,"date":"2009-10-01T14:31:03","date_gmt":"2009-10-01T12:31:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/?p=996"},"modified":"2015-04-10T15:55:06","modified_gmt":"2015-04-10T13:55:06","slug":"the-battle-for-pittsburgh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/the-battle-for-pittsburgh\/","title":{"rendered":"The battle for Pittsburgh"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I wonder where we go when we die,&#8221; <a title=\"Pittsburgh (Calvin and Hobbes)\" href=\"http:\/\/picayune.uclick.com\/comics\/ch\/1985\/ch851220.gif\" target=\"_blank\">Calvin<\/a>, the cartoon character, says to his friend Hobbes. Hobbes guesses: &#8220;Pittsburgh?&#8221; Calvin asks, &#8220;You mean if we&#8217;re good or if we&#8217;re bad?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-996 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit329.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit329-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Inside: the delegates\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-999\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit329-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit329-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit329.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-999'>\n\t\t\t\tInside: the delegates.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit441.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit441-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Outside: the people.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1000\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit441-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit441-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit441.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1000'>\n\t\t\t\tOutside: the people.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit431.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"201\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit431-300x201.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Between them: this.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1001\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit431-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit431-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit431.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1001'>\n\t\t\t\tBetween them: this.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>The emptiness of that medium-sized city during <a title=\"Pittsburgh Welcomes the World (Mike Pilewski)\" href=\"\/blog\/pittsburgh-welcomes-the-world\" target=\"_blank\">the G-20 conference last week<\/a> made me think I&#8217;d missed the <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7b830\">Rapture<\/span> or maybe the <a title=\"We're All Going to Die (Or Maybe Not) (Mike Pilewski)\" href=\"\/blog\/were-all-going-to-die-or-maybe-not\" target=\"_blank\">swine flu<\/a>. Imagine everyone gone, except for 6,000 well-armed police and military guarding the <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7bc17\">sealed<\/span> <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7c000\">perimeter<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-996 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit488.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"201\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit488-300x201.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Military precision.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-1002\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit488-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit488-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit488.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-1002'>\n\t\t\t\tMilitary precision.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit476.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit476-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Soldiers guard a bank.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-1003\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit476-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit476-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit476.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-1003'>\n\t\t\t\tSoldiers guard a bank.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit573.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"201\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit573-300x201.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Looking for droids?\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-1004\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit573-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit573-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit573.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-1004'>\n\t\t\t\tLooking for droids?\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Then the protesters enter the city \u2014 about 4,000 of them, nearly all in their early 20s \u2014 shouting <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7c3e7\">all manner of<\/span> left- and right-wing <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7c7cf\">slogans<\/span> to the 200 or so <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7cbb7\">onlookers<\/span> who have gathered.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-996 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit666.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"201\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit666-300x201.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"The G-20 Resistance.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-1005\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit666-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit666-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit666.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-1005'>\n\t\t\t\tThe G-20 Resistance.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit512.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit512-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"An anti-abortionist.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-1006\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit512-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit512-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit512.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-1006'>\n\t\t\t\tAn anti-abortionist.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit658.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit658-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Actual socialists.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-1007\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit658-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit658-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit658.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-1007'>\n\t\t\t\tActual socialists.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>The police, brought in from as far away as Arizona, begin marching in formation and showing off their <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7cf9f\">combat gear<\/span>. &#8220;The police are looking for a fight,&#8221; one man tells me. But so are a few of the protesters, who break the windows of a local bank.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-996 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit491.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"201\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit491-300x201.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Liberty Avenue.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-1008\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit491-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit491-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit491.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-1008'>\n\t\t\t\tLiberty Avenue.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit502.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit502-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Vocal Tibetans.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-1009\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit502-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit502-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit502.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-1009'>\n\t\t\t\tVocal Tibetans.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit824a.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit824a-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"The United Corporations.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-1010\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit824a-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit824a-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit824a.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-1010'>\n\t\t\t\tThe United Corporations.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>When it&#8217;s all over, everyone <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7d688\">lightens up<\/span>. The police put on smiles and pose for pictures with tourists. As one officer told me, &#8220;<span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7d770\">It worked out well.<\/span> Nobody got hurt on either side. There was free speech as well as safety.&#8221; But did they really have to close the whole city and spend nearly $20 million to defend it? Officer Henry of the US <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7db57\">Customs<\/span> and Border Patrol tells me yes \u2014 &#8220;because the president was here.&#8221; It was worth it, he says, because &#8220;we were ready.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-996 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit751a.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit751a-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Stopping genocide.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-1011\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit751a-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit751a-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit751a.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-1011'>\n\t\t\t\tStopping genocide.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit720.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit720-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Veterans speak out.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-1012\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit720-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit720-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit720.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-1012'>\n\t\t\t\tVeterans speak out.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit748a.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit748a-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Will work for food.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-1013\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit748a-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit748a-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit748a.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-1013'>\n\t\t\t\tWill work for food.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>&#8220;These are professional protesters. They go from one city to the next,&#8221; a local woman tells me <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7df3f\">disdainfully<\/span>. She means most of the organizers, some of whom have camped out next to her apartment building. I meet that group later: the Seeds of Peace Collective has come all the way from Montana to cook food for the protesters. At their picnic, I also meet Brian, a 30-year-old from Boston who saves up his money and his vacation days to come to such protests. He&#8217;s covered his face to hide his identity, but he&#8217;s happy to have someone to talk to. &#8220;Fascism hasn&#8217;t quite arrived in this country, but it&#8217;s slowly <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7e325\">creeping in<\/span>,&#8221; he says. &#8220;We have to try to stop it.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-6' class='gallery galleryid-996 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit758.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit758-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Ready for action.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-1014\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit758-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit758-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit758.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-1014'>\n\t\t\t\tReady for action.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit434.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit434-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"...until proven guilty.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-1015\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit434-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit434-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit434.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-1015'>\n\t\t\t\t&#8230;until proven guilty.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit631.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"201\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit631-300x201.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Where&#039;s our bailout?\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-1016\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit631-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit631-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit631.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-1016'>\n\t\t\t\tWhere&#8217;s our bailout?\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Next to us, a <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7e70e\">stylish<\/span> young girl in Nike tennis shoes is excited that a meeting of the Socialist Workers&#8217; Party is about to start. All are happy that the local media chose to <span id=\"tooltip5526a02d7eaf6\">cover<\/span> them, rather than the diplomats. They&#8217;d made their point, whatever point that might have been.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-7 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-7 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-7 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-7 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-7' class='gallery galleryid-996 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit485.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit485-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Protecting the arts.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-7-1017\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit485-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit485-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit485.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-7-1017'>\n\t\t\t\tProtecting the arts.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit581.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"201\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit581-300x201.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Is banking a crime?\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-7-1018\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit581-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit581-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit581.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-7-1018'>\n\t\t\t\tIs banking a crime?\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit831.jpg'><img width=\"300\" height=\"201\" src=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit831-300x201.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"A fashion statement.\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-7-1019\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit831-300x201.jpg 300w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit831-150x100.jpg 150w, http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pilewski-09pit831.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-7-1019'>\n\t\t\t\tA fashion statement.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Nathaniel, the young man in the last picture, sums up <a title=\"How Much Is Freedom Worth? (Mike Pilewski)\" href=\"\/blog\/how-much-is-freedom-worth\" target=\"_blank\">the irony<\/a> of it all. &#8220;Protesting in America is a fashion statement,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\" style=\"text-align:center;\">All photos \u00a9 Mike Pilewski.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I wonder where we go when we die,&#8221; Calvin, the cartoon character, says to his friend Hobbes. Hobbes guesses: &#8220;Pittsburgh?&#8221; Calvin asks, &#8220;You mean if we&#8217;re good or if we&#8217;re bad?&#8221; The emptiness of that medium-sized city during the G-20 conference last week made me think I&#8217;d missed the Rapture or maybe the swine flu. Imagine everyone gone, except for <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/the-battle-for-pittsburgh\/\">&#8230; >><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[75,162,29,146],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/996"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=996"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1023,"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/996\/revisions\/1023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/fascinating-america.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}