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National General Assembly 12/8/11 Minutes
Convened at 9pm, decided facilitation roles
Facilitation team break-away to discuss
Meantime – GA introduces itself w/ name, occupation, roles
Contact sign-up sheet
Occupy Boise is going to be on PBS national special, along with Oklahoma, san diego, possibly Oakland. Look for it!
19 occupations present, 24 total orgs (unions, schools, orgs)
Facilitation Process Discussion
Let’s go around in a circle, because of our numbers
2 topics
What’s phase 2?
Share successful stories, concerns, etc
How to keep our inner connections that we have started this week
Quick Announcement on Boston Raid
Lost TRO and injunction
Mayor said we’re evicting you at midnight
Currently mobilizing to get out of Dewey and throwing a dance party
Call mayor’s office! 617-635-4500
Solidarity – OWS, DC vehicles have headed to boston, along with bus of Bostonians back
Circle Discussion Begins
Innerconnection/solidarity concern: start thinking of ways that if we do try to have another occupation, we need to think of ways to get creative, get around, prevent suppression
Interconnected – we should decide on ONE website for intercoms
Question: should we consolidate the websites?
Overrun in camps: the public is okay with evictions
If people felt that truth, education, justice was being evicted, the public would answer with WAY MORE SUPPORT
Phase 2 therefore should be OCCUPYING MINDS AND SATURATING THE MESSAGE/OUTREACH
Let’s gain a new level of pertinence to the average Joe, so he CARES
Response: we can’t just “hashtag” and whatnot, we have to get boots on the ground
Put out information and education on problems, solutions
Ex: “did you know that ____?”
Generate codes for smartphones
Giant class divide of those with internet and those without!
Use diversity of tactics!
Sidenote – 2 officers walked over, 5 people walked over to confront. Maybe we should have just widened the circle to accommodate more humans?
Outreach! Low-hanging fruit is nice [unions, workers, etc] but go for business owners, middle management, farmers
We reach people ONE AT A TIME
How many people came down here sponsored by another group? SEIU, etc?
If we can keep in touch with those organizations and get them on board with systemic change instead of reforms w/in status qup
Direct comment – we had meeting with SEIU members today [notes are available online]
Labor/occupy issue – we should just say Occupy is Labor
Outreach – seattle ppl are canvassing small business owners, even if its just to post 99 poster in window
Flash dances! Keep moving money from banks to credit unions
Keep making this movement FUN!
Show the world we’re not just about economics, but also celebrate humanity and be subversive and fun with actions
Words are great, but we need deeds! Foreclosure help, labor/worker help
Co-ops, support local businesses and community
WORDS are not enough
Deeds: we should ACTIVELY HELP PEOPLE in our communities
Solidarity networks on home foreclosures
Phase 2 – have solid single source for info, demands, messaging so things don’t get muddled between the cities
democracy and capitalism are the best systems, when they’re operating correctly… which they’re not right now
Stop corruption by taking away the power of politicians
We’re living in the age of the internet, so a revolution isn’t necessary
INTERNET is the most powerful tool for change, complete political transparency
Demand: calling for complete political transparency online
Freedoms are escaping us and being taken away
Please don’t record my face, im just a random 99-er
Under the Patriot Act, there are 3 bullet points that would classify us as domestic terrorists… we fall under 2 of those bullet points
The same people clapping evictions and calling us vagrants are the same ones clapping away our freedom… I am NOT A TERRORIST
Point of clarification: we’re dealing w/ phase 2 and solidarity discussion
Let’s deal with solutions b/c we’re cold and have early flights tomorrow
More people would support the cause if they knew what was at stake
Let’s educate the public about the dangers we face under patriot act
Capitalism: fundamentally flawed! Based on competition, cyclical consumption, limitless growth model, profit model
The profit motive – we’re trying to reverse it to people over profits
We don’t have electric vehicles b/c they’re not competitive b/c they would last 80 years and make less money
IWW – “occupy your job”, uniting workers of the world
They see unions as same problems w/ owners and hierarchical model
Push for credit unions again
Biggest criticism: we’re not doing anything, just kids asking for handouts
I disagree! But I see more opportunities for uniting w/ cleaning up communities, canvassing neighborhoods, etc
Quick proposal: limit statements to 1 minute
Passed
Statements continued
The way to win hearts and minds is by having personal stories, doing media and wide outreach along with one-on-one and small group community discussions
tug their heartstrings and educate them
every GA should be taking notes and disseminating them!
Speaking to individuals as individuals
National general strike is a GREAT IDEA AND SPRING IS PERFECT TIME
Reach out to people in 50-70% income bracket to convince them that they are part of this movement too
[income] ppl that think they’re in the 1% but THEY’RE NOT
Ex: bumper sticker on Acura that says “im in 1% and proud of it”
Another occupier put that sticker on cars today! Hahaha
Engaging FAMILIES and rural communities, ppl we know personally
Lets engage more people b/c we’re labeled as city kids who aren’t doing anything
Guerilla tactics: always “we are 99”, let’s change it to YOU ARE 99 w/ link
Phase 2 issue: outreach and community - the focus is PEOPLE
Split Portland into 5 city parts and mobilized groups to go start neighborhood assemblies with complete autonomy
Pot lucks, GA’s, occupations, protests, etc
Education! Ppl really don’t know how they fit in to the 99
We have to let them know how to build their own activism
Every suggestion can be done in these neighborhood assemblies and will spread like bunny rabbits making love
Insert! Conference call! 503-477-3512 with shiva from Portland OR
Foreclosure issue can be local!
Workshops
Public support in witchita had to be radical! If we want the name of occupy to get in there, we have to lay it on heavily before unions take it
Radical ideas and creative solutions needed
Rule in roseburg OR – black Friday we did a FREE STORE, started amazing dialogue w/ ppl that normally don’t talk to us
Free potluck every Saturday, great things for rural places
Free education
2 points
Phase 2 – national coordinated movement soon to be global
Phone conferences are unwieldy – TEAM SPEAK THREE?FREE?
Contact list so we can keep talking
Organizing local communities. Neighborhoods, small businesses, and creating new businesses as cooperatives
Step up our own ID as ORGANIZERS – we create organizing handbooks, schools, create e-learning systems, reach into communities we’re already in and out into mmore rural populations
TRAVEL NETWORKS – face to face is by far the most powerful way to network and share ideas
Create contact points in each city and system for intaking travelers
99 has been excellent rallying cry, but also creates us vs. them mentality
Lets create a 100% strategy
Few ideas
Small business owner: help me advertise in your occupy newspaper
Occupy foreclosure auctions, mic-check them
99 includes labor unions, move on.org, and tea party DON’T EXCLUDE ANYONE
Laugh a lot and smile!
Move-On.org worker: we have 62,000 members in CT alone! We should somehow allow move on members to join with occupy and not make them feel unwelcome
Solidarity and attitude moving forward
Occupy can’t move forward if we cultivate an attitude of hubris to activists that have worked on issues for years
1% would like nothing more than for us to in-fight and not allow people in
Check our fellow occupiers
We cannot WATER DOWN our movement, but we also have to RADICALLY INCLUSIVE
Physical occupations are dying and I believe they are no longer necessary
Some places with no physical occupation are better b/c they don’t have to spend energy against police
We need to work within politics as well as shutting down streets
Campaign finance reform should be number 1
Economic action: strikes and boycotts!! Theres nothing they can do to stop these actions
Building positive alternatives such as worker-co-ops, this way we can bring democracy into our everyday lives
US Solidarity Economy Network
OCCUPY THE PORTS – attend and participate ALL NATIONAL CALLS TO ACTION
Initiative in OWS to do 1 month trip from NY to FL on bus that runs on recycled veggie oil
Template for sustainable vision
Don’t forget to breathe and smile from the inside out
LIBRARIES at occupations are most important facet
Educate to liberate
Screen printing guild in NY wants to send kits out across the globe
Great way to intro ppl to movement, open dialogue to new faces
Its FUN!
jgoldsmithgallery@gmail.com – personal email
Mobile occupation on veggie bus
Please contact us as we come down the east coast so we can build relationship before we get there
Acquiring and converting vehicles for FLEET of mobile occupations
Many many uses for mobile space
Positive, solution oriented, and inclusive
FORECLOSURES
Occupy, disrupt, and use legal means
Anti-fracking and coming together with proposals for ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Political climate is ripe for this idea
Statistic: 17% of ppl think they’re the 1%
How to reach the comfortable middle class life: point out NDAA and stifling our freedoms
Expand on COFFEE MEETINGS
GA’s can be intimidating
Let’s announce in local newspaper or craigs list for coffee shop meet and greet
Encampments: phase 2 makes them seem less important, BUT they’re important to continue and make them sustainable
Local gardens/farms,solar, etc
We can’t polarize the 99 and 1… we have to find common ground
Recycling bins
Home we’re occupying that has land to garden
Gradient energy, magnetic perpetual energy
International movement: we must also focus our attention on world
Armed forces letter – show how they can ID w/ 99
We need to do a lot more public speaking
High schools, public radio, alternative media
Direct actions on banks are great, let’s continue
UNITY UNITY UNITY w/ unions, move-on, pro-life, and even those that choose to “vote for the less bad candidate”
Vote but also DO EVERYTHING ELSE WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
Go big! National and international
BUT ALSO GO LOCAL [foreclosures]
Personal things
Move your money, organic local farms
TEACH INS
Issues are too complicated for signs and slogans
Intercommunications: deep outreach travelling community
Have contacts for every occupation
12/12 west coast port shutdown
occupyCAL-berkley
students floated tents up in the air, UFO[ccupations]
committee for ABSURD IDEAS
occupy transitional national council
ex: LIBYA – entity that other nations communicated to
IT team building FREEDOM TOWERS, portable WiFi towers
Ingenuity and inventiveness
Wiki to put info on
Class collaborationist talk between 99 and 1 – FUCK THE ONE PERCENT
Anti-capital
Take the fight to the doorstep!!
Nationwide movement – 51 days of RAGE
Massive statewide action DAY AFTER DAY
51st day MAY DAY NATIONWIDE
Change needs to come from within each of us
pedalpower@mit.edu – bike generators and marine cell tent
No taxes on april 15th!
Occupy National Parks
National website for us to stay connected
This revolution can be won ONLINE with videos
Poetry, calls to action, or why you occupy
National website hub
Mass marches – stop designated place and ENGAGE the bystanders, enter store, restaurants, etc
Chanting content – stats, etc
Move away from mass consumerism
You can build whatever society you want
STOP PATRONIZING CORPORATIONS
More boycotts
Craigslist website where everyone can post needs, gifts, resources
Thanks for everyone for coming out to 2nd national GA!
Passing around contact list
We’ll send contacts to all of us
Building solidarity within the movement
Idea of American Spring – take over DC permanently until we get policy that is awesome
DIY culture – if something needs doing, DO IT
Boston – midnight raid
We’re here to HAVE OUR FUCKING VOICES HEARD
WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED
we need backups for everything
GOOGLE VOICE
Spread the word like wildfire so we don’t let this dissapate.
Move to amend! “occupy the courts”
Teach ins all day, discussions with NLG, ACLU
Lets all get on board
1/20/11
Push to oust incumbents next year
Expose NDAA
Congress approval is 9%, yet 83% of ppl would support their incumbents
Supporting lesser of two evils is terrible idea
Kick them ALL OUT, take out the trash in 2012
Two points
Be the movement, we shouldn’t need anyone to tell you to stay connected
Keep the camps alive b/c I had a place to stay when I came to DC
Occupy housing – contact local historic district, working in concert
Strategy tactics workgroup
Do public introduction/discussion like we did with the union today
Reach out to grassroots, schools, orgs, and communities
They don’t know what its about b/c the only info they get is MSM
Meeting today occupying the unions – organizingforpower.org
occupy political parties already started, get involved
we have to keep the ppl in the parks alive during this winter
we need a better strategy to feed ppl…. 300 people a day with one cook???
Talk to churches, chaplains… they almost ALL support occupy
Boston has revolved disengaged occupiers is with MENTOR PROGRAM
Teach each other 1 on 1 for 30 minutes something, anything
Wonderful article in THE NATION on occupyboston, ‘hard times at occupy boston’
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