Another week will begin with events scheduled across the country, one of those here in California. This heads-up from Ray Lutz Occupy San Diego found at the top of the page. So let’s call it an “officially sanctioned” event, as official as these things can be, by encouraging Occupy Los Angeles protesters to get the word out and participate in this strike.
Portland appears to be the most volatile occupation with hundreds of protesters joining those facing eviction to cause a standoff overnight. The numbers caused the police chief to note that removal will require patience, which doesn’t seem to indicate that police will initiate violent attacks on protesters as they have in other cities. Here’s what it looked like:
In New York, Occupy Wall Street is talking about “bus loads” of new arrivals setting up an annex to Zuccotti Park. “There will be a new camp established,” organizer Bill Csapo, 57, said. The exact location has not been revealed.
Robert Steele on presentation of electoral reforms as presented to OWS. “One bird. Two wings. Same shit” referring to Reds and Blues:
There will be developments and announcements this week. Social workers will be arriving on the 19th to help out with the Skid Row denizens who have found safe haven here at City Hall. It should be remembered that Occupy Los Angeles has no mandate to serve the homeless. This location is not suitable for the distribution or preparation of food. Food distribution was never intended to become a part of the Occupation Movement, nor is it feasible to add our names to the long list of organizations and agencies that are funded, staffed and structured to serve that purpose. Occupy Los Angeles has no staff, no funding, no organizational structure, nor any mandate to duplicate the efforts of those who do.
On another subject, we saw twittering about the closure of an intersection which was not part of the Occupy Los Angeles agenda. The people who marched, then decided to affect the closure of intersections and interfere with traffic were not under the instructions, nor were their actions endorsed, by the majority of those affiliated with the organization such as it is.
There is room for debate on this subject, but the issue was not brought up for consideration by anyone involved with those temporary street closures. The marches that originate at City Hall can march anywhere they want, and when they arrive at their destination, they have the right to get arrested as well. But those who do not, those who only find out about these things after they occur, should not be considered “participants” in their activities once they leave by way of some undefined affiliation.
No one “represents” the occupation, nor do they have the authority to act as a spokesperson for people they have never consulted. The same goes for those who arbitrarily decide to engage in illegal acts without the endorsement or support of other “members” of larger group.
In case the text of the strike image above doesn't display properly on your browser, this is the text:
On Wednesday 11/09/11 UC Berkeley and other police unprovoked, began to beat students with batons, who were peacefully protesting and protecting several tents on a grass area connected to Sproul Hall, the Administration and Regent’s building at UC Berkeley. 3,000 students and individuals from the local campus, other universities, colleges and community stood facing police from 3 agencies dressed in riot gear and nonviolently reclaimed the steps of Sproul Hall. In an ensuing general assembly, a vote was cast in favor of a wide general strike to occur this coming Tuesday, November 15. Join us in our cry for justice against police brutality, and a call for the end of spiraling tuition and endless arbitrary budget cuts!
“We ask for investigative action, and support all concurrent efforts by Treasury and Justice to hold accountable those parties responsible for the massive losses incurred by their procedures and practices. Specifically those practices that used artificial valuation or false pretenses to profit from the losses they intended to incur on depositors or investors, those that entrusted their money with them or their institutions.”
1 Comment
Concerning Robert Steele Election Reform Proposal
Submitted by ultrarad on
So after viewing the video (which makes some very valid points but also some rather questionable assertions) I followed the link and found that in terms of the most significant piece of information, the proposed reform, there was no there there. The closest thing I could find was a loose and somewhat nebulous statement of ideas from the NYC GA, and a demand statement and a timeline which appear to be his.
I will quickly make my own assertions. He's right that fixing elections is central and that our opportunity is now. But elections can't be fixed without specifically changing the fact that they are at present money-driven. At least some of the NYC GA recommendations (which I can only surmise are the 2012 Electoral Reform Act he advocates, for lack of anything substantive at the link) would require amendments to the U.S. Constitution and likely also to state constitutions, which, whatever may be said for or against them, are unlikely to be passed before his stated February deadline. His strategy is at least misinformed if not dubious in that he argues that taking money out of politics is not relevant, and further asserts that if demands are not met, the recourse will be to "recall, impeach or hound" representatives out of office. This marks him as at least misinformed: there are no means of recall of congressional representatives, and impeachment is something done by Congress, not voters; as for hounding, perhaps he means persistent protest, perhaps he means something else...but it's far from clear that it would be effective.
This (as distinct from the NYC GA recs) seems more to be a red herring than a serious set of goals with a cogent strategy. And forgetting about the nexus of money and politics is seriously taking one's eyes off the ball.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Radical also means staying critical and not drinking anyone's kool-aid.
Pages