S.L. Occupiers still in banks' shadows

SALT LAKE CITY — Wanting to get a heads-up on the outlook for the New Year, I moseyed into Salt Lake's newest and, I might add, most affordable community: Occupy SLC.

I think someone with a sense of humor decided on the occupiers' current location. Their dozen or so tents are stuck like a displaced REI showroom in a corner of the Gallivan Center plaza, directly in the shadow of American finance.

To the north is the huge One Utah Center building with its commanding "Chase" sign on the top. Across the street is the new, gleaming-glass headquarters of Goldman Sachs. And to the south, close enough to reach out and touch, is the towering Wells Fargo Center, the second tallest structure in the state.

"I have many issues with Wells Fargo," says Seth Neily, the 31-year-old de facto community leader of Occupy SLC as he cranes his neck to look up at the 24-floor building. "But my biggest one right now is they block our sun."

He shakes his head.

"From noon to four," he says, "we get nothin'."

How's that for a metaphor? The movement that started because the bankers get to make (and break) all the rules can't see the sun because too many bankers are in the way.

Still, they persevere, although in a much scaled-down fashion as December turns into January and 2011 turns into 2012.

Since its relocation from Pioneer Park, the population of Occupy SLC has descended to anywhere from 12 to 14, depending on the temperature – and they're all men.

There are still women believers, I'm told, and they'll reportedly be back when there's more sun.

Anyway, the rent's right. Absolutely free, courtesy of the Freedom of Expression permit the city gave the occupiers along with the tiny plot of taxpayer-paid-for cement smack in the center of downtown.

Does all this bode well for the future? That's what I want to know.

Is any of this going to help?

I ask Seth, who is standing next to a hand-lettered poster that passes as Occupy City's welcome sign:

"We're still Here."

Well, he says, he sure hopes so.