Occupy Buffalo

I wish I were there with you, Occupy Buffalo.

Buffalo's story may be an interesting mix of lost economic opportunity met by a stepped up civic response and determination which has cocooned the city preventing a plunge into economic despair like other steel belt northeastern cities. That pride and initiative may be the energy behind the city's occupy movement.

During the Clinton years when the country was experiencing a bit of an economic boom, Buffalo never boomed.  The only boom Buffalo ever had was the ice boom they put in the Niagara River to keep it free of large ice jams during the long frigid winters. The city of the "beautiful river" continued to stagger under inflationary high costs due to many factors. Topping the list was the loss of economic development and the high cost of doing business in New York State which deterred small business development.

The city, which has seen the loss of one of the nation's largest steel producers when steel production was "shipped" overseas and has grappled with the high cost of an aging infrastructure, seems to have held its own with a steady and even relatively low 7.3% unemployment rate. (low in comparison to other cities in the country)

The city can be proud of its strong and well educated grass roots peace and justice conscience, active and outspoken interfaith peace network, a Peace Center launched during the Vietnam war years and active Catholic peace and justice workers along with dedicated and passionate Catholic religious sisters who work for the poor, homeless, hungry, imprisoned - carrying the gospel into the inner city. 

The photos above are from several of the city's news outlets.