Rally leaves Statehouse, stomps past Russell House
Protestors' occupation of the Statehouse entered its third day Monday, and the "Occupy Columbia" movement's core contingent said they weren't moving.
Except, of course, when they did move, as a group of about 40 began marching through USC's campus at 2 p.m., passing by the Russell House and through the Horseshoe as they looped back to the Statehouse grounds.
"We got sold out; the banks got bailed out!" they yelled. "All day, all week, occupy Gervais Street!"
The march caught the attention of some area students, including first-year exercise science student Corey Randle, who walked alongside Abby Rawl and Caitlyn Brett, all who had been participating in a flash mob on Greene Street as a part of Lancome's "All Dolled Up" event and then decided to jump in the march.
"We'd heard about ["Occupy Wall Street"], and we were interested, but we didn't know much, so we just joined and asked, and now we're walking," Rawl said.
Even among those more active this weekend with the protests, the group's energy and attendance didn't appear to have subsided. About 50 total demonstrators were present at 3 p.m. Monday, still cheering with every passing honk and chanting to passersby with a renewed energy following their march.
The challenge, though, appears to be maintaining their momentum, as the group has plans to stake out the Statehouse for at least a week, according to Karen Smoak, one of the group's active participants. Occupy Columbia's plans beyond that point, however, are unclear.
"To some degree, we're making it up as we go along," Smoak said.
Jessica Smith of Columbia, who joined the demonstration when it began Saturday morning, spoke of the group's ability to perpetuate itself.
"The more people that have shown up, the more dedicated we've become, and the longer we're here, the more people show up," she said. "I think we're very dedicated and very excited about this movement."
Cammy Kennedy of Columbia had been spending 12 hours each day at the rally and had found energy in the other participants and in her frustration with the CEOs of major corporations.
"The enthusiasm of the other people has really rallied me," she said, adding, "My dad is a small business owner ... and he has been very sacrificial in terms of sacrificing his salary to ensure that he can keep his employees and not lay off as many people, and I just wish that more of the corporate CEOs would take that same responsibility."
Smoak, a USC broadcast journalism and mass communications graduate in 1979, also likened the recent uproar of frustration to a spark igniting a powder keg.
"I think for too long we've been the silent majority; we've been just taking it, but I think there's strength in numbers and the sheer will of the people," she said. "If you repress people long enough, they're going to act up, and they're going to act out."
Smoak and Smith both suggested the Arab Spring revolutions earlier this year as the spark for their protesting and for the Occupy Wall Street movement.
"I figure that if those people [in the Middle East] can die or risk dying for their cause, I can come out here and get blisters on my feet and sweat a little bit for our cause," Smoak said.