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Subscribe to RSSOccupy protesters have taken a wide array of approaches to further their power-to-the-people message — kumbaya-style public sit-ins, noisy protests at banks that are blamed for terrible economic conditions, and occasionally vandalism as witnessed in Oakland this weekend — either a tactic or an outcome, depending on your source.
But here’s a new one: In Seattle, Babylonia Aivaz — surrounded by loving friends and lavishly outfitted activists — married a building, in a ceremony Sunday that was documented by the Seattle PI.
"When I look at this building I see a community center, I see a community art space, I see a homeless shelter, I see free childcare, I don't see a building, I see a space that can address all the needs of our neighborhood,” Aivaz told KING 5 television.
In order to seal her commitment to the 107-year-old warehouse building — and protest the sweeping gentrification in the city—she donned white, declared her love, and uttered “I do.” A sign on the building, also promised “I DO,” at least until death do them apart — most likely this week, when the building is slated to be demolished to make way for a new apartment complex.
The action took on several issues at once. Aivaz was drawing attention to the building in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, which activists wanted to use as a community space. She argued that if a corporation could have personhood — then a building has enough “personhood” to get married. She also declared the building a woman, thus putting in a plug for gay marriage.
The crowd that gathered for the union of building and woman was largely festive, featuring bubbles, music and a vegan potluck, according to local coverage, but some bystanders objected to activists calling it a gay marriage, especially at a moment when the issue of same-sex marriage is under serious discussion in the state of Washington.
Johnny McCollum-Blair attended to protest the protest, told KOMO TV that calling the union a “gay marriage” was “irresponsible” because it could give ammunition to the Christian Right and politicians.
It “gives them a chance to say, ‘See, we told you — they’re going to want to marry everything if we give them the opportunity’,” he said, carrying a sign that read “Marriage is between 2 people.”
“It was definitely… thought provoking. Maybe it was too thought provoking,” said Joshua Farris, an Occupy Seattle activist who was familiar with the action. “This is our challenge every day. We need to think of ways to provoke people’s imaginations. At the same time has to be a message they can wrap their head around.”
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I wonder if the warehouse knows she's been seeing a few restaurants on the side. Oh well, he's older and won't last long. Maybe after he's buried she can take the death benefits and hook up with a gym.
Bela Ghostly,
She's busy attending flag burnings in Oakland, counting her hedge fund profits, and her multimillion dollar wine business that she made profits using illegal immigrants in her vineyards, not to mention her stock trading profits made from inside information on legislative actions. I noticed the use of the word "free" a lot that was quoted from protesters, yet nothing is free. What the government gives to someone had to be taken away from someone else. Oh yea, those evil corporations are the same ones that produce their cell-phones, lap tops, clothes, food, fuel, tents, cars, etc. I don't see a single one producing or growing any thing, just consuming. I am a teacher, served my country in the Marine Corps, pay my school loans, and pay taxes. I am the 49% and these Occupy wing-nuts are the 51% that pay nothing. They don't represent me. I wish they would go to N. Korea for one month and see how they like socialism.
LOL. I feel sad for the building... hitched to such an ugly- dumb bride. Oh well, we all have our cross to bear. now the building has its.
Is that the bride or the building?
Yeah ,but it does make more sense than allowing baby killing of all species by the organised crime syndicates called corporation,s to exist and continue thier mass slaughter
Horton,
Do you want to seem intelligent? Try using spell check before posting. Not that it will help considering what you wrote.
Yeah, I know what you would say,"g rammer and spilling si so ovverrated,!"
horten- get out of your tent and go home. stop trashing the place.
She should try marrying a job.
Is the one performing the wedding wearing a welding mask?
The bride has blush in heart shapes on her cheeks.
A vegan lesbian wedding to a building.
And occupiers wonder why they are not taken seriously.
The only statement this group has made is "look at me! look at me!"
I agree that there are plenty of very zealous Christians out there, but until you go to the Middle East and live around Islam, you have no concept of what radical really is. I've worked with men who were as friendly and tolerant as anyone else, but would turn and kill you if their religious leaders commanded it. I don't know very many Christians who would so the same for their religious leaders. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, and I don't think that's a positive trend. If you think I'm exaggerating about how radical the Imans are, and how willing their followers are to kill infantile, do a tour in Afghanistan or one of the other lovely spots where Islam is flourishing.
Anything to get media coverage. If they have money there are many other building the group can invest in. Wonder if she has to spousal support since the building can't support itself? This wasn't even worth media coveage.
Look at that wedding dress the building is wearing. Pretty snazzy. Yet quite elegant at the same time.
Okay it takes all types, I think the occupy movement had a good message and intentions in the beginning ,but like all social messages it's gotten lost in the media hype and the circus freaks being attracted to it,also the extreme groups trying to hitch a ride for the press coverage. But this it political action is just plain stupid and really turns people away from your cause,I like old building's also and think some of them could be updated and turned into something else,but this is the wrong way to go about it.
Big woman, for a big building.
but seriously, who names their kid "Babylonia"???
It's possible that is her given name - but I am leaning more towards her having changed/taken the name as a furtherance of her desire to be special/unique.
She consummated the marriage with a copper pipe that was "exposed" under a sink!
Yeah, this doesn't help to further discredit the intelligence of your cause -- not at all.
I feel sad for the building... hitched to such an ugly- dumb bride. Oh well, we all have our cross to bear. now the building has its.
Another OWS freak... and an ugly one at that has succeeded in getting the only 15 minutes of fame she will ever have in her life.
I can only imagine the pride she will take in the future when (and I seriously hope she DOESN'T reporduce) she shows her "offspring" the pictures and proudly procliams: "This is mommy making a complete idiot of herself for the entire world to see.... aren't you proud??"
People are taking Mitt romney's idea that corporations are people to heart and these are some of the consequences. But let's see them put a building injail for not paying taxes.
Isn't a woman supposed to take care of her significant other til death? B*tch, get up there and fix that roof!
A more effective tactic for the protest movement would have been pressuring the Seattle city council to designate a percentage of units in the new apartment complex as low income. I have to agree that this stunt is really silly and diminishes the message OWS is trying to convey.
That building robbed the craddle. And clearly she was just in it for the money. I bet she is so excited for that building to come down so she can collect.