Activism, Deliberation, and Networked Public Screens

[To the audience.] October 15, 2011, is the day that the Occupation went global. ² Protestors had been occupying Zucotti Park near Wall Street for nearly a month. What began in New York spread throughout the world, from New York to Rome, Seattle to London. While these large metropolises drew most of the media attention, cities all over the map find themselves occupied, including here, in Lincoln, Nebraska—a locale known for its staunch conservatism and tepid political temperament. Yet, even here the movement strikes a chord. ³ A crowd of protesters begins to gather before the State Capitol building, holding signs, beating drums, and starting to set up tents on the Centennial Mall. There is a palpable buzz. Is this the beginning of the revolution? Is this the moment social activists have been waiting for, where the 99% finally stand up and demand a truly equal society? ⁴