Hi All - I'm sad I haven't made it down to GAs the past few days - but tonight! 

I have no plans for TrespassLA http://trespassparade.org/ - I did email Sara there just to see if there was any possible connection - I'm not doing anything in particular for Trespass - they invited me but I wasn't so much ready to be 'another roadside attraction' these days I've just been doing a whole bunch too much lately and don't so much want to just look busy you know

In thinking about how to create a strong and lasting movement, and how to win over more followers, it seems there are at least three things it needs.

1) Credibilty

2) Represents common values

3) Has a sense of direction and purpose

Regarding #3, we need to be able to communicate to people how participating in this movement can accomplish the goals we seek. We need to articulate a "Theory of Change" that indicates we believe IF we take action(s) "X" this can lead to "Y" And also why we believe those actions can lead to Y. Example of a common theory of change "IF union workers go on strike THEN this will put pressure on management to comply with worker demands becaue of depleted resources (labor)".   I would recommend coming up with our Theory of Change, and ways to express it, to be a top agenda item.

Related to this, because at least one of our goals is the reduction of power and influence from mega-corporations and to alter their actions, we must look at what gives these corporations their power and enables these hamful actions to occur. And one is the participation of the citizens in the corporate economy. Therefore it seems a key component of the movement is taking action that will make people being wlling to sacrifice and not participate in the economy. This would indicate to the corporations that the movement is a real threat, because it will hurt them where it matters most, their pocketbook. And that the harmful actions they are engaging in will have real consequences, as it will cause people to withdraw from the economy. Therefore any discussion of expression should involve how do we communicate this idea of sacrifice and ways to not participate in the economy.

Any expression in this regard should have the following goals:

1) To motivate and encourage others

2) To inform people about ways they can not participate in the corporate economy, yet still have access to the things they need (food, clothing, entertainment, art, etc..)

3) To add credibility to the cause

4) Communicate our values

5) Communicate by how engaging in these actions, and the larger movement, it can reduce corproate power and influence,  alter their hamful actions, and achieve our larger goal.

How this plays out I don't exactly know. Maybe create a mock community garden, to show that there are ways to not participate in the corporate economy and still have sustenance (and its even better, as the food grown is healthy and tastes better). Also community gardens are great for building community, and are a symbol of community, which is a longing many have. And what partly drew me to the movement was your vision for inclusvity and building community. I want to make sure the general public sees that important and shared common value.

In fact I know someone who is involved in hydroponic community garden techology that is mobile. I'll see if we can use that technology. I'm not exactly sure how the logistics of all this would play out. But I think it could be a valuable asset to the cause.

We should  come up with other things that we can do though, that are powerful symbols that encourage people to sacrifice and not participate in the corporate economy, and specific ways of doing so.

Jeff

from a fellow writer artist activist and friend - I would put her name here but dunno how she feels about her name being all up on the forums

...

idea for name of artists bloc:

ART IS OCCUPATION

(multiple meanings intended -- thinking about art as a form of occupying spaces both public and otherwise, the art workers publication and the idea of art/work that temporary services put out a couple years back, the idea that political protest and occupation are forms of art and vice versa -- etc)

Just scanned throught the comments here since I last posted- great to see so many folks dialouging about expressive acts that can shift the balance of power!  Completely support the coonections to education and pedagogy also...

In the spirit of coming together and finding out what we can create in a context of shared goals, a group of us (artists/activists) who have been dialoguing outside this forum will be meeting at OCCUPY LA @ 12 NOON today at the Northeast corner of S Spring and E 1st Street...

join us and we'll get acquainted, make signs, and talk strategies, potential performative and creative actions.

here's what I posted on my FB page:

I will be participating in Anathemata's endurance reading from his great project, CREDIT.

AND- is there anyone on this forum from the LA vs WAR crew?  John Carr? Anyone at all?  http://www.vswar.org/

They've done some great organzing in the past...if anyone can connect to them lets get them involved!

Hope to see you at NOON today!!!

For the record, anti-fed rhetoric is more right-wing than anything else. Yeah, fed policies aren't the greatest. But the blame game against the fed is more or less designed pull heat away from Wall Street. For example, you'll often hear people say, "The Fed forced banks to use low interest rates." Of course, that's an absolute falsehood, but it's just the kind of nonsense that fuels the anti-fed movement.

Anyhow, this is the "expression" thread, so I wanted to share some picket slogans that may or may not be deemed useful:

Middle Class and Proud

Honk if You're In the 99%

Fannie and Freddie were Framed

There's no Security in Derivatives Securities

Securitization is Starvation

Privatized Gov't is Totalitarian Govt

Feel free to critique / ridicule / malign....

If something began to appear on the "streets" with statements along the lines of the above... do people think that would help or hinder?   Discuss...

I see 'Projector Content' is a recent agenda item. I posted an idea in this same forum (topic: Charlie Chaplin - Powerful Speech) that would involve projecting this beautiful speech from Chaplin. What do you think?