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Wall Street Protesters Prepare for Winter Weather
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Wall Street protesters around the country who are vowing to stand their ground against the police and politicians are also digging in against a different kind of adversary: cold weather
Occupy protesters warm their hands while brewing coffee on a fire pit at their encampment across from the State House in Augusta, Maine. (By Robert F. Bukaty, AP) With the temperature dropping, they are stockpiling donated coats, blankets and scarves, trying to secure cots and military-grade tents, and getting survival tips from the homeless people who have joined their encampments.
"Everyone's been calling it our Valley Forge moment," said Michael McCarthy, a former Navy medic in Providence. "Everybody thought that George Washington couldn't possibly survive in the Northeast."
More than a month and a half into the movement, Occupy Wall Street activists from New York to Colorado have pledged to tough out the snow, sleet and cold as they protest economic inequality and what they call corporate greed.
But the dangers of staying outdoors in some of the country's harsher climes are already becoming apparent: In Denver, two protesters were hospitalized with hypothermia this week during a storm that brought several inches of snow.
The activists also know full well that the number of demonstrators is likely to drop as the weather gets colder.
Some movements are scouting locations indoors, including vacant buildings or other unused properties, possibly even foreclosed homes, though some question the wisdom of holding a protest outside the public eye.
Lighting campfires is probably out of the question in most places because of safety regulations.
Boston's Occupy movement, which has roughly 300 overnight participants and could face some of the most brutal weather of any city with a major encampment, has set up a winterization committee that will try to obtain super-insulated sleeping bags and other winter survival gear. Activists from the movement's flagship encampment, consisting of hundreds of people in New York City's Zuccotti Park, are sorting through packages arriving daily that include coats and jackets.
In Providence, where city officials are threatening to go to court to evict hundreds of campers from a park across from City Hall, a core group said it will remain through the winter months — if not there, somewhere else. Rhode Island's capital has an average low temperature in the 20s from December through February and recorded nearly 3½ feet of snow last year. Many of the more than 100 tents are not built to withstand harsh conditions.
Temperatures were expected to drop into the 30s across much of the Northeast by Friday morning, and forecasters said snow is possible in some places over the weekend. Boston got its first dusting late Thursday night.
In Denver, as protesters prepared for this week's snow, a few dozen sympathizers stopped by to drop off blankets, gloves, chili and hot chocolate. Police refused to let activists erect a tent. That left some sleeping on the wet ground, covered by snowy tarps.
"I welcome the challenge of this cold weather," said Dwayne Hudson, a landscaper who has been living at the Occupy Denver site for nearly two weeks. "This is like war. You know, soldiers do it when they occupy a place. I'm sure the mountains of Afghanistan get pretty cold."
But after the first snowfall, he admitted: "It's getting tough."
Eric Martin, who is on Occupy Boston's winterization committee, said the group had raised about $35,000, which could help buy winter supplies. Various ideas are being discussed to keep tents warm without using combustion-based heaters, which are forbidden. Another proposal: igloos.
"We're looking at ideas from military vets to survivalists, to the homeless community to indigenous peoples," Martin said.
Activists in Philadelphia are also researching sturdier, warmer structures that could replace the 300 to 400 tents set up on the concrete plaza surrounding City Hall.
Chris Goldstein of Riverside, N.J., owns one of the tents, though he sometimes sleeps at home. He learned the hard way during the first rainfall that the site has poor drainage: "I occupied a puddle." The self-employed writer and activist put pallets under the tent to lift it off the ground, and outfitted it with small carpets for insulation.
In the meantime, he and other activists have access to a Quaker community center two blocks away where they can shower and thaw out in common rooms.
In Chicago, where winters are famously bitter, protesters living in Grant Park are working to secure several indoor locations to get them through to spring. A church nearby is letting some demonstrators sleep overnight. Activists in Portland, Ore., likewise said that moving the protest inside is the only realistic option.
Patricia Phelan and her fiancee, Savanah Kite, have been camping in the Providence park in a $20 tent from Walmart. As temperatures dipped into the 40s in the morning this week and people could see their breath, they hadn't yet employed their hand warmers or a down comforter Phelan had in the car just in case.
Their plan is to add layers as necessary.
The trick will be keeping morale up, Phelan said, "and not letting the climate get to us."
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55 Comments so far
Show AllIt's going to be difficult if not impossible. Wall Streeters have central heat, buildings and hot meals. It may have to be seasonal. Let's be rational folks. The Egyptians didn't face this, and Washington wouldn't have put his troops through Valley Forge if he'd had a choice. The civil rights movement didn't ask their supporters to submit to arctic tempoeratures either.
I am not for risking peoples health on this. We can keep the movement alive online and regroup physically in the spring. Maybe they'll close the park in the spring, but consider this: Next spring is nearing the next election, candidates aren't going to be willing to close down popular movement.
Camping out isn't the only way we can be heard. We can make our views known everywhere we go. We can do it by what we buy and how we shop. We can stand up in our churches and work places. Winter is the time when you refine your graphic and written message. Release music art, posters, hit the media. Win the minds during the winter. But stay warm and alive to fight another day.
Perhaps some of the OWS participants are good hackers and can find out where the millions of empty houses owned by the banksters are located. They can move in to those houses for the winter.
If you are a member of a labor union tell your union leaders to stop sending money to the Democratic Party and redirect those funds to OWS to sustain the movement through the winter.
ray...I have been saying for years that no one should have a second home when there are homeless among us. There's a really nice summer house in Kinnebunkport - WALKERS POINT. It should be turned into housing for the poor. The owners are off in Texas. Do you think they would mind?
I have been out of touch with it for a good while, but in London at least into the mid-80's there was an active movement of squatters.
A particularly well organized group in Southwark had set up with a couple of phones, a makeshift table, and lists of addresses pinned up across the walls. In England, landholders have to go through a lengthy process to convict squatters, and the eviction has to be for individual squatters, not just anyone who happens to be on the premises. People facing eviction would notify the organization; then the organization would find some other persons facing eviction from another address, and volunteers would move the more intimate of personal effects between the residences in the wee hours before dawn so that when the bailiffs arrived to evict on the following morning, they found themselves trying to evict squatters who were not there and having to start the legal process anew.
At one point I was able to locate online scans of Crowbar, the xerox or mimeograph zine that Southwark Squatters had put out. I regret that I did not archive them myself, since I cannot now find them to send you a link. As well as being extremely interesting just as a read, with unlevel but occasionally excellent writing, they included helpful tips about breaking and entering, evading law enforcement, and DIY repair for the majority of their readers who had little to no experience with such things and did not wish to damage property.
I don't think that squatting in the States could be used the same way, as a reasonable option for long-term residence for the poor. The legal support is less, as I understand it, and law enforcement far more violent. Of course, Americans do squat vacant properties, but they do not anticipate being able to make extended use of these properties, so of course their use is quite different, and one has problems with the police on one hand and one's neighbors on the other. They do not call the water company because they do not wish to advertise or autograph their presence to face persecution, so the plumbing does not work and the abandoned properties rot with urine and faeces. By contrast, English squatters routinely fixed places up and even started gardens in the tiny spots of "defensible space" available to them in pre-Barrier Block London architecture, since they expected that they would stay for weeks at a minimum and possibly years if they picked the proper space.
In London, at least, most "proper space" was not privately owned, but had been picked up by the GLC, the Greater London Council, in part so as to keep property prices from falling brusquely to a level that underemployed workers in Thatcher's London could afford. They were far less quick and less brutal about evictions than were most private owners, though of course there were exceptions.
There must be somewhat similar things of considerable interest happening in Detroit at this time. I suspect someone there will have developed similar expertise more attuned to harsher American climes.
Meanwhile, I am a union member and will draft that letter, thank you very much.
It's going to be difficult but possible. Canvas and duck is what sopports snow. Ripstop dacron and polyester will loose their strength after 2 mo of direct sun and will not sopport snow. Army Surplus may be helpful, certainly more than WM. At 45 degrees, wind chill becomes a factor. Taking turns in the center of the group will become important. Keeping heads and feet warm will go a long way toward keeping everything warm. I used to deer hunt with a kerosene lantern under a 5 gal bucket that I sat on with a poncho. Know any Eskimos?
Also there is a device that looks like an oversized zippo lighter that you keep in a felt bag in your pocket. I used it on ski trips long ago. You remove the cover, fill the cottonlike substance with lighter fluid, light it and replace the cover (there is no flame). You put it back in the small felt bag and hold it in your hands or put it in your pocket. It stays quite warm for hours.
As to the time spent being exposed to the elements, I think OWS should start setting up a three shift operation. This would entail 8 hours for each person in a three person crew on duty. This way the overall group has staying power and someone is always there while the other two are recharging their batteries. Of course there would be some overlap and the one coming to relieve the other should be briefed on events that occurred recently so their is continuity of knowledge and awareness. Everyone being exposed 24/7 won't work for a long time period like a year or more. When PATCO was on strike back in 1981, those making a presence on the picket line rotated in shifts. They were able to stay out there for several months for purposes which were important but not as important and vital as OWS.
your ideas sound good to me, gardener. besides, when people meet indoors they will have more privacy. this movement is not going away and we dont need to camp out to prove it... the movement exists fundamentally in our minds. i'm all for camping through the winter in the warmer regions... but in the dead cold regions, i'm also not so sure how productive it is... spending energy fighting the cold, as opposed to spending energy building media and written messages and art, like you said...
BUT if people do insist on camping no matter what (which they probably will), I know a great technique from camping in freezing cold arizona: warm a large rock on a fire, wrap it in a towel and put it in your sleeping bag. keeps your feet warm allllll night! peace, love and occupy!!!!
Winter has not yet arrived in Wisconsin. Perhaps some of the NYC Occupiers would like to come to the more temperate climes of the Badger State to help collect signatures to recall Gov. Scott Walker? The signature collecting begins Nov. 15.
Lord have mercy. I know I've mentioned this more then a few times. Cheap walmart 3-season tents and tarps just won't hack it after the first snow fall. And passion and verve go only so far once your cold, wet and miserable. Everyone loves to comment about the politics and injustice, but no one likes to post about the logistics. OWS needs more Doers and pragmatists and less navel gazers if it wants to have any chance to succeed.....
3 season tents are OK if you rig up a vestibule out of a poly tarp.
most important thing is to GetOffTheGround -- 3 to 4 layers of cardboard under your bedding will do. add one of those Mylar foil blankets between the upper layers of cardboard and you will sleep nice and toasty.
that and switch to a high protien, high fat diet. drop the carbs.
LOL! I learned a similar trick using carpet padding w/mylar from a hunting guide.
Two words: Outfitter tent. Expensive, heavy and require at least 3-4 people to erect. For a reason; they stay up under snow.
Good to see at least SOMEONE else understands the logistics of cold weather camping.
Lend/donate RVs, campers, trailers etc.!
They'll just get ticketed and towed unless they find somewhere and someone willing to allow them to park. Not a whole lot of parking available for RVs in most downtown urban areas.
You get ticketed when they arrest you, too. That's part of civil disobedience. It'd be awfully hard to get tow trucks through the demonstrators or tow vehicles parked layered, tight and non symmetrical.
Also occupying federal buildings, banks, corps etc. Bring it home.
Well to quote Herman Cain : With winter coming, " OWS protesters need to go home and get a job ". Herman you are sooooo out of touch...don't you know that many of the OWS have no home to go to and cannot get a job! You could help out by donating some warm blankets and sleeping bags. But because you identify with Wall Street and the !% plutocracy you have sold out America, MLK and your race, just like Obama!
Refrigerator boxes are amazingly warm and low cost.
The only questions is, what do you do with the refrigerator? :-)
They can always come to Florida, everybody else does but that costs lots of money.
The media will say the movement has frozen when the few brave and healthy protestors keep it up.
But then comes spring and new energy.
"Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it."
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated."
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it. The event of yesterday was one of those kind of alarms which is just sufficient to rouse us to duty, without being of consequence enough to depress our fortitude. It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending, and whether we defeat the enemy in one battle, or by degrees, the consequences will be the same."
Perfect historical reference. Ironic, isn't it, that those words were part of the creation of a free society only for white males with property, and now they apply to the 99%. Thanks.
An email that is circulating around Wall Street:
"We are Wall Street. It's our job to make money. Whether it's a commodity, stock, bond, or some hypothetical piece of fake paper, it doesn't matter. We would trade baseball cards if it were profitable. I didn't hear America complaining when the market was roaring to 14,000 and everyone's 401k doubled every 3 years. Just like gambling, its not a problem until you lose. I've never heard of anyone going to Gamblers Anonymous because they won too much in Vegas.
Well now the market crapped out, and even though it has come back somewhat, the government and the average Joes are still looking for a scapegoat. God knows there has to be one for everything. Well, here we are.
Go ahead and continue to take us down, but you're only going to hurt yourselves. What's going to happen when we can't find jobs on the Street anymore? Guess what: We're going to take yours. We get up at 5am and work till 10pm or later. We're used to not getting up to pee when we have a position. We don't take an hour or more for a lunch break. We don't demand a union. We don't retire at 50 with a pension. We eat what we kill, and when the only thing left to eat is on your dinner plates, we'll eat that.
For years teachers and other unionized labor have had us fooled. We were too busy working to notice. Do you really think that we are incapable of teaching 3rd graders and doing landscaping? We're going to take your cushy jobs with tenure and 4 months off a year and whine just like you that we are so-o-o-o underpaid for building the youth of America. Say goodbye to your overtime and double time and a half. I'll be hitting grounders to the high school baseball team for $5k extra a summer, thank you very much.
So now that we're going to be making $85k a year without upside, Joe Mainstreet is going to have his revenge, right? Wrong! Guess what: we're going to stop buying the new 80k car, we aren't going to leave the 35 percent tip at our business dinners anymore. No more free rides on our backs. We're going to landscape our own back yards, wash our cars with a garden hose in our driveways. Our money was your money. You spent it. When our money dries up, so does yours.
The difference is, you lived off of it, we rejoiced in it. The Obama administration and the Democratic National Committee might get their way and knock us off the top of the pyramid, but it's really going to hurt like hell for them when our fat a**es land directly on the middle class of America and knock them to the bottom.
We aren't dinosaurs. We are smarter and more vicious than that, and we are going to survive. The question is, now that Obama and his administration are making Joe Mainstreet our food supply...will he? and will they?"
That part about Team Obama knocking banksters off the top of the pyramid is RICH !
Obama's regressive actions already knocked most of us clear off the pyramid to assure that banksters, their corporate cronies and the politicians they own occupy the whole pyramid.
The few of us who are still clinging to the lower part of the pyramid will soon be knocked off if OWS is not successful.
Wow, a new outbreak of Wall Street hypocrisy and stupidity that is uncompromisingly odious !
A kinda' Mark Twain quote.
Isn't that amazing? When I first read it I thought it was a spoof.
"we aren't going to leave the 35 percent tip at our business dinners anymore" - that's a joke right? Working people are better tippers than rich people.
You understand that I am re-posting an email that is making the rounds on Wall Street among the financial people, yes? I do believe it is serious, but it is not, of course, my words.
I knew it wasn't your words. Sorry if it looked like the scorn was for you.
First point, the Occupiers are not out to "destroy" Wall Street jobs. You would think this Wall Streeter might have a clue about the protesters' calls for greater accountability and simple justice. Has probably been too busy watching FOX News, or for that matter, other corporate media. Meanwhile, in the real world ...
There is a commentary by Manhattan investment adviser Josh Brown that SHOULD be circulating around Wall Street titled, "Dear Wall Street, this is why the people are angry" (http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/14/mm-dear-wall-street-this-why-the-people-are-angry/).
An excerpt: "The American taxpayer kicked in over a trillion dollars to help make all of this happen. But the banks didn't hold up their end of the bargain. The banks didn't seize this opportunity, this second chance to re-enter society as a constructive agent of commerce. Instead, they went back to business as usual. With $20 billion in bonuses paid during 2009. Another $20 billion in bonuses paid in 2010. And they did this with the profits they earned from zero percent interest rates that actually acted as a tax on the rest of the economy."
It's a little different than just the luck of the dice when the government bails out the bookies with the coin it shakes out of the "marks'" pockets, then covers their markers when their horse is scratched.
It's funny they use the predator metaphor, because after a predator eats all the prey, it dies.
These guys are going to take our jobs?
Skimming off financial transactions is not a transferable skill and I doubt any of them even know what end of a hammer hits the nail and which they can shove up their bideted ass. I'm sorry, but manicured nails and knowing what wine goes with Brie is not going to look good on a teacher's application. Silk suits don't even make good shop rags.
Though I am sure burning all their worthless stock certificates might keep them warm for an hour or so
Ted Rall has suggested Occupy move into places like legislative chambers, like the folks in Wisconsin last winter ...
It might also be nice to see churches come to the aid of Occupy for winter shelter. How about it, some of you churches out there??!
Sorry misplaced post.
Anyone with an ounce of understanding of logistics would have set the OWS movement for spring, not autumn.
You're assuming that one full warm season will be adequate. If not, then the cold must still be faced eventually ...
Excellent comment.
Too many naval gazers intent on arguing politics, updating their facebook page and beating on drums. Not enough pragmatic realists who understand the less "sexy" issues of logistics.
Amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics....
I've just got back from Copenhagen where I met up with the OccupyCph protesters. They tell me that the police today removed all their belongings - tents, equipment, everything. Last night, we took them pizza, which was very welcome but it seemed so little in relation to their needs. There are many of us, I'm sure, who would like to support this cause but can't stay overnight with them or occupy for long stretches. I also think that maybe it is down to the rest of us to take care of the logistics since we are perhaps better placed to do so. The question is, where do you start?
What I'd like to see is something like an "Adopt an Occupy" initiative, internet based with easy access to ways to help. I ran this past a couple of the people at a meeting at Cph on Wednesday and the consensus was that it certainly couldn't do any harm. With the winter coming, that could be even more true than they think.
I live less than three hours from OccupyDC (OccupyKStreet). A group of my friends filled my car with all sorts of things from toothpaste to sleeping bags, and we delivered them straight to McPherson Square. That's the best thing you can do, if that's possible. Usually you can look on the website for your closest Occupy and you'll find out what they need. In the case of OccupyDC, you can donate money too. If you can't deliver, send the money. They are very careful with how they are spending money.
One need is a place to take showers. In the case of OccupyDC, one union has offered a place. I know a church offers some space too but not sure for what purpose. Even individuals open their apartments. If you can do that, excellent.
If you belong to a union, some are donating, and they work with a specific Occupy to see what they need. Something too centralized will get, well, too centralized and sort of works against the spirit of Occupy. The less bureaucracy the better.
I went online today to find tents and sleeping bags. We could probably have them delivered by UPS straight to the Occupy site.
Now is the time to be especially generous. Our Occupiers are sacrificing much; whatever we do pales in comparison.
I like your style Sherry. We went to Costco this evening to buy a sleeping bag for OWS in response to their appeal. All sold out. Maybe that is a good sign. So we bought multivitamins and vitamin C instead. We live near enough so we go there frequently in person. Will try online for sleeping bags.
I like the idea of "adopting" someone from OWS. Adoption could be done by individuals or organizations. I wish OWS would provide some guidance as to who are their activists, regular workers and stalwarts, in particular those who do not have family or friends nearby. We would open up our apartment to them for "furloughs": with showers, home cooked meal, laundry and a warm bed for a night..
But am hesitant to make a blanket invitation, as there are a few unfortunate people at the encampment with problems that exceed our capacity to handle. Just being honest. On the other hand, there will be a small danger of kids going into unsavory environments. These are problems that I trust have simple, non-bureaucratic solutions that the OWS people can recommend. One is personal relationships and word of mouth. .
There's no such thing as coincidence. This is a planned, coordinated reaction by the real rulers, who are quite concerned about OWS, and are probing for a tactic to crush it. After all, this is how revolutions begin ...
Oh let the people do what they want. Indoors or out the OCCUPY movement will not end until a new MYTHOS is established.
If we are concerned about comfort, then why not consider spending the winter in jail.
Yours is not a new idea.searsponcho. Read "The Cop and the Anthem" by O'Henry. BTW, is your real name Barbara Bush?
Where are the organizers? Keeping warm In homes and hotels, right? Don't be a fool: OWS is OTPOR. Google" "ows otpor" and "the revolution business"
I did as you suggested, but I got something about Stop the Machine, not Occupy. They are not the same, not even close. You are right that Stop the Machine was organized by people who write books or make speeches or otherwise make money through their protest work. But, again, it's not the Occupy group. If you will go to http://occupydc.org/ you'll see a statement from OccupyDC to the media that makes the distinction.
Unfortunately, the movement (Occupy) and the event (Stop the Machine) showed up in DC at the same time. STM has started identifying itself as an Occupy group, but they were and are something quite different. I won't argue with you on that point, and I'm sorry that we've been led to believe OWS and STM are one and the same.
"Unfortunately, the movement (Occupy) and the event (Stop the Machine) showed up in DC at the same time"
Why is this "unfortunate?" Does one group have a monopoly on We are the 99%! That certainly isn't my understanding. And you are careful to point out that "they aren't one in the same." Is there something wrong with that? Are all OWS supporters supposed to be "the same?" Stop the Machine was organized long before OWS but it's all great, the more demonstrators the better!
Chris Hedges, Dr. Margaret Flowers, David Swanson, Ted Rall, The Yes Men, are just a few of many activists who signed on with STM. Yes, many of the organizers are writers. So what? There are layers, Drs., nurses, retired military officers, all with a commitment to end militarism and focus on human needs. Does that mean they have nothing to offer or that they aren't just as committed to the movement as anyone else? I suggest a stop to the divisiveness and instead take a deep breath and appreciate the variety of people who have come together in this historic call to stop the machine, occupy Wall Street.
--- Just call in "Wall"y Forge. ---
Whatever Occupiers decide to do, they are brave heroes. The 99% honor, respect. love and are inspired by them. They have empowered us and helped us realize that we are the ones we've been waiting for. The banal one percent may lie to and about us, harrass and coerce us, inflict bodily harm and destroy our property, but our strength and solidarity will withstand and move justice and democracy forward. Thank you Occupiers.
Spend the daytime there this winter and at night stay there in 2 hour shifts.
I would say move south for the winter but the Florida panhandle is quite chilly and windy today.........shockingly cold for this time of the year. BUT compared to NY or Boston it might feel pretty good.
Why call for charity? Why take up spaces that should be for those involuntarily camping out- the homeless?
A continued over-focus on the actual occupation part of the Occupations could kill this thing in several different ways.
I say, hold final in-person General Assemblies to hammer out the plans for a National General Assembly to take place -indoors, at one large location- sometime during the harshest time of Winter.
-the fact that this will be the year's final Assembly should allow relief on the part of city officials, while more importantly drawing an above average participation. Both of these should allow the year's Occupations to end with a "bang" media and movement-wise.
-Perhaps sizable marches, rallies, or entertainments could accompany this all.
-a "rolling retreat" would be the likely consequence of the decentralized nature of this movement. All to the good as this will draw out attention and maximise participation.
-a "retreat" to the net-based "stronghold" will allow for renewal and re-examination as the excess influence of those who can camp-out is moderated by greater participation from the majority of supporters.
-organization of such a National General Assembly (or whatever) - starting from local General Assemblies being for a change devoted to larger goals and purposes all the way to getting the Delegates home and getting the Re-Occupation going next Spring - will be an excellent test and excellent training for the movement.
- A National General Assembly itself would provide coherence while likely avoiding "unification".
- such a plan for Winter would allow the movement itself to take charge of the depiction of the movement for the bulk of the People. As this article shows, the "winter killed the movement" meme is already up and running. Countering with a "you'll see us again at the National General Assembly" message may kill this off.
Whether anything very much resembling the National General Assembly that is in my head actually is adopted doesn't really matter. All that really matters is that SOMETHING needs to be done and soon. Something better than talk of better camping gear.
The actual camp-out part of the Occupations isn't going to get through the Winter in most USAn cities. Even if some folks tough it out in some of the milder places. Such a "bottleneck" on participation will send the whole thing awry worse than the camp-out filter is already doing.
Comparisons to Valley Forge are ludicrous. At Valley Forge there were structures -both buildings and military discipline- that the Occupiers don't have, a necessity that the Occupiers don't have, and campfires that the Occupiers won't have.
A strategic "retreat" is a MUCH better idea.
I see lots of compelling reasons for it to include some kind of physical, nation-wide, "meet-up" a la National General Assembly, and no reasons why it shouldn't.
But just trying to "stick it out" is going to fail in more ways than one.