DECEMBER 3 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SATURDAY
Moderators: Karoline and Lance.
Shadow Moderator: Hae and Elena.
DECEMBER 3 GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Stackers: Michael and Shawn.
Time Keeper: Kathleen.
Sign Language Interpreter: Jacky.
Minutes Taker: Dennis de la Vega.
Body:
7:34 pm: [OUR 'PRINCIPLES OF SOLIDARITY'].
7:36 pm: [OUR 'STATEMENT OF NON-VIOLENCE'].
7:38 pm: [USING 'HAND SIGNALS'].
INTRODUCTION
7:41 pm, Elena: [GIVES PERSPECTIVE ON THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, CALLS FOR OUR 'SOLIDARITY CLAP', INTRODUCES OUR 15 MINUTE BREAKOUT GROUP DISCUSSIONS]. The questions are: What has been done? How do we respond constructively? How does privilege and inequality affect the treatment of our incarcerated comrades?
8:04 pm, Elena: [ANNOUNCES TO BREAKOUT GROUPS] Please return to the General Assembly for ‘Report Backs’.
REPORT BACKS FROM 'BREAKOUT GROUPS'
8:06 pm: We had a woman that wrote a letter... ...outlining the... ...showing no indifference to our police officers... ...we have an enormous... ...and we [must] publish the... ...and misconduct. We had one member who doesn't believe the police are of the 99%... ...While a few individual police will... ...the vast majority will not... ...they split Occupiers by race and put [them] with what seemed like long time hardened criminals... ...that the police were operating in illegality and...
8:10 pm, Scott: We are at 299, next time we will be at... and then 3000... ...everyone that was arrested should have filled out a form particularly if they were mistreated... ...The Inter-Faith Committee is extremely upset... ...by the abuse that we were subjected to...
8:12 pm, Braden: ...as a response to the eviction... ...to Occupy the mind... ...to send 1400 letters to... ...for their restraint. Some questions were raised as to hold accountability without force and humiliation... ...hold facilitation... ...and history of Occupation... ...to bring importance that those who were incarcerated and those who were not incarcerated are both equally important.
8:15 pm, Justin: ...individual did not resist but did not give consent... ...he held his hand like this [HANDS ON FACE CHEEKS]. He had officers put knees to his... ...to blood in his face... ...people to their First Amendment. Members of the press were sanctioned off. The press did not have free access. We need freedom of the press to these crackdowns... ...who were apprehended. Specifically Blacks, women and children were treated disproportionately.
8:17 pm, Elena: [CHANTS] The System's gotta Die! Hella hella Occupy! Evict us then you raid us! This Revolution’s gonna multiply!
COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS
8:19 pm, Lisa: tomorrow we will have training on proper protocol for interviews because... ...will be online... ...we do have a little technicality. He won't be able to tell us when it will be. If you'd like to be on, the email alerts, will be on OccupyLAMedia@live.com and by 12:30 I will email the text... ...so you can attend... ...tomorrow at 11 am a non-violent training for those who are gathering media information at Washington... ...Media who are broadcasting their own... ...we are gathering important documentation of history, but we want to ensure we are protecting your rights [so] it couldn't be used against you. Address: 828 West Washington, 11 to 12 noon.
8:25 pm, Jaimie, Medical Staff: ...if there are more volunteers to join Medical... ...if you are already in Medical or if you want to be in Medical please meet after the GA.
8:27 pm: The system has got to die! Hella hella Occupy! You raid us we multiply! Hella hella Occupy! [BIRTHDAY ANNOUNCEMENT]
8:27 pm, Karoline: WE now have pita and hummus and cookies.
8:28 pm, Education: Tomorrow on west steps from two o’clock we have a class called empowering education for all. The co-teacher is an eight year old activist and we encourage children to come.
8:29 pm, Steven, Resources Commitee: Tonight we had a meeting over by this little park by the LAPD. WE really like that park so tomorrow we decided to meet at the park by the Starbucks until six thirty… …Thoughts of a permanent space for us. We're probably going to get this on the agenda for Monday’s GA. [We] will present a slate [?of?] candidates for [?agent?] of process and signatories. Also have a contract to sign… ...Purchasing emergency blankets and sleeping bags for those without a place to stay.
8:31 pm, Lauren, Actions Committee: …first time addressing the GA. Organized teach-ins on November 5th and 6th. Organizing occupy congress. For those of you who think that, if you're trying to change the system, we should continue to work the system to increase... ...such as restoring the Glass-Steagall Act, the only way to do [that] is through Congress... …occupy congress to the action committee, I was accepted on Nov 15th. Taking action to the entire ...inneroccupy.org it is a clearing house for communication… …we are going through a process of ratifying the action... …Occupies need to go to the eighteen congressional areas between December 19th and 23rd... …see me at the Bottom Steps…
8:34 pm, Facilitations Committee: …meet two hours before GAs. Meet tomorrow at 1 pm, at sister cities… …Democracy, 101 training… …across the street on First and Main. Ruth needs video of any police brutality. Email fowlerruth@gmail.com(?)
8:37 pm, Chase Actions: We have two actions coming up. Retaking foreclosed homes, Occupy Wall Street is participating. We're going to go support by sleeping in their yards to hold their homes, second is on Monday on Banking Ordinance that would make Bank of America pay up to a million dollars... …space for people to sleep outdoors in Commerce Union Parking long 5288 Ferguson(?)
8:39 pm: [On] December 5th [we’ll be ] discussing the ‘Responsible Banking Ordinance’. [It will be in either room 110 [with the] possibility of changing the room if enough people come at 2 pm. Tuesday, Go to City Council meeting where [we’ll have a] discussion of Resolution[s] about ‘Corporate Activities in the Electoral Processes’, about corporate personhood. Meetings are on Thursdays and Saturdays at 6 pm at a pizza place, ‘Pit Fire Pizza’ upstairs. Helping people’s complaints against LAPD or other law enforcement like Sherriff Deputies who abused us on the bus. Public comment at city hall meetings... …Get on text list.
8:41: Labor committee: Supplementing action report with the location, Union Parking Lot... …consider Occupying to show solidarity… ...General strike of British labor from 1million to 2 million two days ago...
8:42 pm, Arresstee Committee: If you've been arrested... …fill this report out... …I have a number for you… …49 are still prisoners. WE NEED THEM OUT, they were tickets not arrested.
8:45, Flash Mob Committee: LETS BE LOUD SO WE CAN SHOW AND EDUCATE THE POPO AND THE PUBLIC TO SHOW WHAT A HORIZONTAL [?DIRECT PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY?] LOOKS LIKE. If you would like to be a part of a Flash Mob Occupation [we’ll be] meeting Sunday at 4 pm. Find Carol for details.
LGBT Committee: We shut Bank of America in West Hollywood today on Santa Monica Boulevard. Occupy the Hood, Sex worker Outreach Project, [D.C. Occupy at Freedom Plaza showed up. We are trying to create an… …a coalition in West Hollywood… …Church is 100 [?percent?] behind us. The meeting is on Saturday at 6 pm. Follow the Rainbow Flag.
8:48 pm, Man in One Percenter Attire: ...if you don't know who Luke Grudowski is... ...remind you... ...to be a slave... ...enslave the entire human race... ...the one percent...
8:51 pm, Steven, Resources Committee: a meeting started to float around on the ListServe... ...it was a meeting of about 30 people. There were a lot of formerly City Liaison Committee... ...Sergio and a bright young lady was there. They spoke up there, we listened... ...and have solidarity with these organizations... ...if anybody wants to come and keep this process…
AFFINITY GROUP ANNOUNCEMENTS
8:54 pm, Richard: I have an emergency announcement; if anybody who was arrested, wants to be interviewed [by KTLA], come with me.
8:56 pm, [UNKNOWN], Unifying Principles [NEW]: ... ...if you'd like to identify... ...any principles... ...please come to the Pit Fire Pizza place... ...please email me at immortalRobot@gmail.com.
8:58 pm, Get the Money Out of Politics: There is not one person, liberal, young, old... ...that is not... ...This group is a focused Think Tank, a working group that will... ...accomplish a monumental task. We will study... ...a working model... ...pleased to announce that we have seven people signed up right now. Please email if would like to study this issue, my email is: bornandraisedla@yahoo.com.
8:59 pm, [UNKNOWN]: ...even if it seems impossible to love those who oppress us. And so I have started a new Affinity Group to... ...of Martin Luther King, [Jr.,]... ...not just for the sake of the oppressed but [those]…
9:00 pm, [UNKNOWN], [??]: We meet Monday through Friday except Thursday on the West Steps at 6 pm. WeMail me at [??].
9:01 pm, Richard: ...I have some people at the Mainstream media who are interested in showing to the people what happened... ...showing the individual protesters who got arrested... ...anyone who has footage... ...they told him to get off the sidewalk. He had a bicycle... ...next time I need the police I will put a tent at Bank of America and know that 400 police will show up.
PROPOSALS
9:05 pm, Karoline: [EXPLAINS 'PROCESS'] We work upon a consensus at the GA meeting. WE DO NOT VOTE! We listen to your proposals and we take a Temperature Check if on the first Temperature Check and we see a lot of this [SHE MOTIONS HAND WAVING ACROSS THE FACE (I DON'T SEE IT)]. Then we go into [?Points of Clarity?]... ...[ELENA CONTINUES EXPLAINING THE PROCESS WE FOLLOW TO ENSURE DECISIONS ARE MADE COLLECTIVELY AND THAT EVERY VOICE IS HEARD]... ...we will follow the same Process every single time...
9:10 pm, Steven: 'The National Defense Authorization Act'... ...December 17th bring everybody you know to the La Brea Tar-pits... ...then march up... ...to the... ...and let the one percent know…
9:12 pm, Lance: [SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT]... Occupy Oakland is being raided.
Steven: 'The National Defense Authorization Act'; Occupy Los Angeles Rejects the National [?Act?]
9:13 pm, Patrick: That we ask President Obama Veto the NDAA... ...Demand [him] to... ...funds... ... the war in... ...The legislation includes provisions that destroy the Constitutional Right of Habeas Corpus.... ....to contest their imprisonment and... ...we reject this... ...the bill also contains sanctions against the Oil Industry... ...we are pre... ...to an attack. Additionally the bill... ...wars... ...and we oppose this in all legislation [?that enables?]...
19:15 pm, Karoline: We will now open the stacks for 'Questions of Clarity' on the proposal...
QUESTIONS OF CLARITY
9:18 pm, : Are there any legislative deadlines or other important dates to consider?
9:18 pm, Patrick: There is some urgency that we act soon... ...that we act before the law... ...before President Obama signs it... ...There are very little differences between the two bills....
9:20 pm: [TEMPERATURE CHECK AND SOME CONCERNS].
9:21 pm, : My concern is... ...that this will fund and allow martial law in the United States.
9:22 pm, Esteban: it names as a whole the Defense Authorization Bill... ...I believe the proposal is misleading. $662 Billion dollars... ...granted that defense spending in general is problematic...
9:23 pm, George: ...the section about sanctions against Iran and it seems any sanctions are a precursor to war and that the bill may be a precursor to war.
9:26 pm, [?Patrick?]: ...A series of Actions... ...this proposal addresses... ...the Constitutional right of Habeas Corpus... ...martial law... ...Habeas Corpus is... ...to challenge incarceration. If there isn't... ...of our forty nine friends, then you have Martial Law. The $662 Billion... ...is essentially an Internet rumor... ...posted in an email thread... ...it does address the fact that the Bill does fund the wars that we all oppose. Regarding... ...Iran sanctions... Sanctions just like this preceded the invasion of Iraq. The Corporatist rulers think they can [?get away with?]... I personally think.
9:29 pm: [CONSENSUS WAS REACHED]
9:12 pm, Karoline: The next one deals with the ‘National Defense Authorization Act'… …is different…
9:31 pm: On December 1, 2011, the Senate passed by a vote of ninety-three to seven the $662 Billion, ‘National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012’. In this Bill, Subtitle D, sections 1031 through section 1037 declares American soil a battlefield, giving the President and all future Chief Executives the authority to make US citizens subject to military apprehension and detainment ‘for life’ without access to a trial or attorney. This bill violate the (I) Posse-Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C. § 1385) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act], as it will allow federal military personnel to engage in domestic law enforcement. Written by John McCain and Carl Levin and passed by the Senate, this action is a clear threat to the safety and solidarity to any American Citizen. With a failing 9% approval rating, our government is making a fear based decision and is endangering the lives of millions of their protesters, students, teachers, local authorities, and any individual who falls under the title, “American Citizen”. We, now more than ever, need to act against this atrocious reaction.
9:42 pm, Elena: We will now open our stacks for thirty seconds, questions of clarity.
9:43 pm, Barry: ...using that document... ...could that word [?tyranny? or ?treason] be replaced?
9:43 pm, Patrick: With what word?
9:44 pm, Barry: "Attacks of the..."
9:45 pm, Patrick: Can we ask if there are any other papers being passed around?
9:46 pm, A Woman: Why can't we just do the Actions? ..because it’s the same thing.
9:46 pm, Patrick: ...just to state... ...and state that this is treason...
9:47 pm, Elena: We are now opening Stacks for 'Concerns'…
9:48 pm, Ivan: ...the language about 'Treason'... ...a failure of loyalty to a state that one owes loyalty to... ...a gross abuse of authority to... ...an official... ...I suggest... ...an assault of our individual rights... ...or aiding and abetting the mass robbery of the people of this country and the entire world.
9:50 pm, Jeremy: Treason has a very specific meaning... ...Article three, Section three it says: Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. If we use the word that everybody understands the meaning of...
9:52 pm, A Man: I support the brother’s connotation that the word 'Treason'... ...the other... ...that the word 'Terrorist'... ...[?allows the?] one percent to distort what we're about.
9:53 pm, A Man: I just want to say... ...about this being the definition of ‘Treason’ is spot on. Our government is putting us... ...[?on trial?] without [?due process?].
9:55 pm, A Mant: I cannot support this proposal because of the third clause because it undermines the solidarity of our movement... ...the first two clauses... ...this heinous... ...cuts us off at the knees... ...[?saying?] that we do not have faith in our [?own government?]... ...to move in our... ...cut off the first two clauses... ...take up the third... ...proposal.
9:57 pm, A Woman: I would like it to be available for rewording before we actually pass it.
9:58 pm, Patrick: [HE RESPONDS] ...I never in my life wanted to write this sentence... ...thinking of any other word... ...including 'mutiny'... ...there is no other thought that puts us in war... ...at this time cannot see any other phrasing. I am more than willing to...
10:01 pm, A Woman: if the wording...
10:02 pm, Barry: ...that one of the words... ...'Treason' be substituted... ...that that be included as a friendly amendment.
10:02 pm, Jeremy: I agree with Lila's... ...of constitutionally defining it... ...I believe that... ...legalized violence could be inserted in there as well... ...civil war because that is what the government wants... ...we can wait to see whether this bill goes through or not. That this President as already assassinated a citizen of the United States...
10:04 pm, Taylor: That the word 'Treason' be... ...with the word 'Malfeasance'... ...the abuse of power... ...publicly given.
10:06 pm, Patrick: [HE READS THE (?AMENDED?) THIRD ACTION/CLAUSE IN HIS PROPOSAL].
10:12 pm, Elena: The Proposer has agreed to exclude the ‘Third Action’ [in his proposal]...
10:14 pm: [CONSENSUS WAS REACHED ON THE FIRST TWO CLAUSES].
10: 16 pm, Barry: Lee Baca is going to ... and propose that we protest him... ...so that all of LAPD of they may have overlooked the age and the busses of the Sheriff... ...the killings of innocent people including officer involved shootings of Elli Pena. ...the Chicago moratorium at which 30,000 people were attacked and pepper sprayed... ...La Times reporter Ruben Salazar [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rub%C3%A9n_Salazar] was killed...Protest when LA Sheriff is honored as an honored speaker. Sunday 3 to 5 pm, at 343 Church Lane in Brentwood, the home of the upscale, ‘One Percenters’… …Sunday December 18th.
10: 19 pm, A Man: How does this... ...specifically address the concerns of the Occupy movement?
10:24 pm: [CONSENSUS WAS REACHED].
INDIVIDUAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
10:25 pm: [AN EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT]: I now know where the 49 people are. They are in County [jail]...
10:27 pm, Cheryl: ...and Anthony is in... ...and his bail is $10,000.
10: 29 pm, Magda: Can the money be sent in through WePay by pressing a button? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WePay]
10: 29 pm, Elena: Yes. KarolineHelena@gmail.com if you have collateral... ...or David at dashing@gmail.com
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