Occupy Everywhere - Sept 17th - Day of Rage Against Wall Street and what it stands for!

[Albert Doyle]

Typically, the Orwellian Reagan Republican definition of "trickle down" involves the top 1% enriching themselves at the expense of everyone else. So anything the Republicans say usually results in the opposite. Trickle down becomes trickle up. And the protesters get jackbooted.


These people are playing dumb and trying to practice a return to this while pretending everything is normal and the protesters have a shameless lack of respect for park camping laws.

[Peter Lemkin]

Typically, the Orwellian Reagan Republican definition of "trickle down" involves the top 1% enriching themselves at the expense of everyone else. So anything the Republicans say usually results in the opposite. Trickle down becomes trickle up. And the protesters get jackbooted.



These people are playing dumb and trying to practice a return to this while pretending everything is normal and the protesters have a shameless lack of respect for park camping laws.

More and more the only way out seems increasingly to be a neo-French Revolution [replace guillitine with trial and imprisonment] to replace the neo-feudalism of today. Anything less, will leave the Bastards in control; and they'd repeal any minor changes conceded. [i.e. Paradigm Shift and Regiem Change is the ONLY 'fix'] hock:

We've had decades...nay centuries of 'park rules' and petty misdemeanors uses to thwart any challenge to the treasonous and treachery felonies of the Uberklass; theft from the poor; slavery [even when disguised]; wars for profit; empires; two sets of rules of law [none for them; harsh for us]; lack of democracy; death and destruction of humans and Nature; greed over need; hate instead of love and compassion/altruism. BASTA! {DHE, CIA and FBI please update my file [even my parents had FBI files...for knowing 'democratic socialists' and others who questioned the status quo in their day - and for my Uncle, Raphael Lemkin, who wrote the Genocide Convention at the UN] My FIOAs on myself have been denied as existing - something I know is not true!} Those now who are afraid to stand up and fight are passively complicit in the crimes and genocides. In a few months such non-action will be active complicity, IMHO.

[Magda Hassan]

[Peter Lemkin]

The following was approved by consensus by the General As*sembly of Occupy D.C. on November 30, 2011.

* * *

We have been captives of corrupt economic and political systems for far too long. The concentration of wealth and the purchase of political power stifle the voices of the in*creasingly disenfranchised 99 percent. Corporate domi*nance subverts democracy, intentionally sows division, de*stroys the environment, obstructs the just and equitable pursuit of happiness, and violates the rights and dignity of all life.


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Occupy D.C. is an open community of diverse individuals, facing different forms of oppression and impacted by eco*nomic exploitation to differing degrees, but united by a shared vision of equality for the common good. The harsh economic conditions that have plagued the poor, working class, and communities of color for generations have begun to affect the previously financially secure. This acute aware*ness of our common fate has united us in our struggle for a better future. We recognize that inequality and injustice systemically affect every aspect of our society: our communi*ties, homes, and hearts. To build the world we envision, we commit ourselves to overcoming our personal biases so we can successfully challenge systems of oppression in solidar*ity.

We are peaceably assembled at McPherson Square, practic*ing direct democracy on the doorstep of K Street, the epi*center of destructive corporate and governmental relation*ships. Recognizing that the term occupy' is associated with exploitation, violence, and imperialism, we are reclaiming it to mean the peaceful liberation of public space. In this dis*enfranchised city, we are insisting that our economic and political systems serve the people's interests. Now is the time to advance and complete the struggles of the many who came before us.


We are assembled because…
It is absurd that the 1 percent has taken 40 per*cent of the nation's wealth through exploiting labor, outsourcing jobs, and manipulating the tax code to their benefit through special capital tax rates and loopholes. The system is rigged in their favor, yet they cry foul when anyone even dares to question their relentless class warfare.
Candidates in our electoral system require huge sums of money to be competitive. These contributions from multinational corporations and wealthy individuals destroy responsive representative governance. A system of backroom deals, kickbacks, bribes, and dirty politics overrides the will of the people. The rotation of decision makers between the public and private sectors culti*vates a network of public officials, lobbyists, and execu*tives whose aligned interests do not serve the American people.
The entrenched two-party system overlooks pub*lic interests by pursuing narrow political goals. This climate encourages candidates to polarize voters for in*dividual power and personal gain. Citizens' meaningful input has been compromised by gerrymandering, voter disenfranchisement, and unresponsive politicians. Resi*dents of Washington, D.C., continue to lack autonomy and legislative representation.
The 1 percent benefits from economic, political, and legal structures that oppress communities long targeted by displacement, denial of sovereignty, slav*ery, and other injustices. These persecuted but resilient communities continue to suffer through generations of disproportionately higher rates of unemployment, poverty, criminalization, and homelessness. Facets of the 1 percent campaign to blame these groups for these problems while obstructing healing and restoration.
Those with power have divided us from working in solidarity by perpetuating historical prejudices and dis*crimination based on perceived race, religion, immi*grant or indigenous status, income, age, gender, gen*der identity, sexual orientation, and disability, among other things. These divisions have inhibited our ability to work in solidarity, though today we recognize the power of uniting as the 99 percent.
Financial institutions gambled with our savings, homes, and economy. They collapsed the financial sys*tem and needed the public to bail them out of their fail*ures yet deny any responsibility and continue to fight oversight. Corporations loot from those whose labor cre*ates society's prosperity, while the government allows them to privatize profits and socialize risk.
Corporate interests threaten life on Earth by ex*tracting and burning fossil fuels and resisting the neces*sary transition to renewable energy. Their drilling, min*ing, clear-cutting, overfishing, and factory farming de*stroys the land, jeopardizes our food and water, and poi*sons the soil with near impunity. They privilege pol*luters over people by subsidizing fossil fuels, blocking in*vestments in clean energy and efficient transportation, and hiding environmental destruction from public over*sight.
Private corporations, with the government's sup*port, use common resources and infrastructure for short-term personal profit, while stifling efforts to invest in public goods.
The U.S. government engages in drawn-out, costly conflicts abroad. Numerous acts of conquest have been, and continue to be, pursued to control resources, overthrow foreign governments, and install subservient regimes. These wars destroy the lives of innocent civil*ians and American soldiers, many of whom suffer ad*verse effects throughout life. These operations are a blank check to divert money from domestic priorities.
Government authorities cultivate a culture of fear to invade our privacy, limit assembly, restrict speech, and deny due process. They have failed in their duty to protect our rights. Exacerbated by profiteering inter*ests, the criminal justice system has unfairly targeted underprivileged communities and outspoken groups for prosecution rather than protection.
Corporatized culture warps our perception of real*ity. It cheapens and mocks the beauty of human thought and experience while promoting excessive mate*rialism as the path to happiness. The corporate news media furthers the interests of the very wealthy, dis*torts and disregards the truth, and confines our imagi*nation of what is possible for ourselves and society.
Leaders are trading our access to basic needs in exchange for handouts to the ultra-wealthy. Our rights to healthcare, education, food, water, and housing are sacrificed to profit-driven market forces. They are at*tacking unemployment insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, creating an uncertain future for us all.*

A better world is possible.

To all people,

We, the Washington D.C. General Assembly occupying K Street in McPherson Square, urge you to assert your power.

Exercise your right to peaceably assemble and reclaim the commons. Re-conceive ways to build a democratic, just, and sustainable world.

To all who value democracy, we encourage you to collabo*rate and share available resources.

Join your voice with ours and let it amplify until the heart of the movement booms with our chorus of solidarity.

*These grievances are not all inclusive.

[Peter Lemkin]

The Boston Occupy Camp was destroyed at 5am EST today. Nothing remains. All destroyed in compressor garbage trucks. Press were moved away, so they could not see destruction nor arrests. Many arrests, number not confirmed yet. Even one legal observer from NLG and one medic [who had been given police permission to be there] were arrested. Three who used a nearby metro station to pee were arrested for that. This is what a Police State looks like! N.B. Two of the coordinating persons within DHS on the shutting down of Occupy are both from the Boston PD. I'll post video of all this soon. The number of agent provocateurs on the chat alongside the livestreamed videos was more intense and in greater numbers than I have ever seen - and I've seen many!

[Albert Doyle]

There's no reason to be apologetic with these Homeland fascists. They've already committed outrageous offenses against the Constitution for which the founding fathers would have put them to death. The sad truth here is the ever increasing right-wing corporate fascist power in America doesn't align with Constitutional democracy, so that has to be weakened by ever increasing fascist rule as you see here. There's no such thing as cruel and unusual anymore. The $5000 fines are illegal and are being used to wrongfully deny a just cause by means of abuse of authority. The responsibility for civil order only extends to keeping parks clear. Running a valid democacy, that's negotiable at the end of a stream of pepper spray and jackboots.


You have your 15 minutes of freedom, now back to the brave new mills* (*The Republican definition of 'mills' where they don't have to provide any actual mills - just the punishment for not going back to them).

[Peter Lemkin]

There's no reason to be apologetic with these Homeland fascists. They've already committed outrageous offenses against the Constitution for which the founding fathers would have put them to death. The sad truth here is the ever increasing right-wing corporate fascist power in America doesn't align with Constitutional democracy, so that has to be weakened by ever increasing fascist rule as you see here. There's no such thing as cruel and unusual anymore. The $5000 fines are illegal and are being used to wrongfully deny a just cause by means of abuse of authority. The responsibility for civil order only extends to keeping parks clear. Running a valid democacy, that's negotiable at the end of a stream of pepper spray and jackboots.


You have your 15 minutes of freedom, now back to the brave new mills* (*The Republican definition of 'mills' where they don't have to provide any actual mills - just the punishment for not going back to them).

How about the bail for some...up to $50,000 for doing nothing but standing up for our rights and against illegality at the high levels. Few can put up that bail. They are just trying to punish Occupy people to 'never try that again'...or else! There are soon to be thousands of jury trials soon - all over the country on all this.... Sadly, many judges [but not all] are owned by the 1%....should be interesting. The worst case I know of was the young guy who the police knocked all of his front teeth out and broke his skull. They also charged him with two felony counts of assaulting a police officer because in a scuffle during arrest he knocked off a policeman's cap. Welcome to the Fourth Reich....may ve see your papers are in order?

[Peter Lemkin]

The Occupy movement's evictions and conflicts with police go on; Wednesday night, over 100 tents were removed from Occupy SF and 70 arrests made. On Thursday, 38 people laid down in the rain on K Street in Washington, D.C. lobbyist avenue to protest money in government.

But the main action right now has moved indoors, specifically to courtrooms, as Occupiers plead free-assembly cases in attempts to legally restrain police and cities from evicting their encampments.

occupy
The outcome could make noticeable difference in America's landscape, both literally and figuratively.

On one end of the spectrum, defeats for Occupy could mean continual police crackdowns in every major city in America until protesters either give up in defeat or imprisonment which could either end the movement or force it to become more creative in its tactics in its fight against a system that's built to increasingly expand the gulf between the rich and poor.

On the other, victory could create constitutionally protected encampments dotting city parks on the national map for months or even years should occupying be held as a protected right under the First Amendment's guarantee of the right to assemble in protest.

Internally, the nascent movement have been debating the legal challenges, wondering if the movement should engage with a system they see as corrupt; the outcome of those discussions and the rulings from various courts will shape how willing this diverse and often rag-tag collective is to compromise and negotiate with the nation's government agencies.

When the word came that police were evicting protestors from Zuccotti Park home to the original Occupy Wall Street protest, legal friends of the Occupy movement went to courts in various cities to make sure a surprise eviction wouldn't happen to other encampments. Most notably Occupy Boston got a restraining order that barred the city from moving in on them until today, when Judge Frances McIntyre ruled against the Occupy's request for an injunction, and vacated their protective restraining order.

Boston wasn't alone today.

[Albert Doyle]

"I think it came out real well," he said, adding that he was pleased that so many of the protestors chose to leave the camp after the city's warning on Thursday. "From Day One, I was sympathetic to the movement because they had issues working people cared about."

So, how does your arresting them work for that?


The way it needs to work is the cops and those corrupted powers they represent need to be the ones eating the excuses, not the other way around.


Time to make that happen...

[Peter Lemkin]

We the People vs. Wall Street
The YES! Magazine editors are planning a new issue focused on practical ways to counter the power of corporations and Wall Street. Can you help?
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by Sarah van Gelder
posted Dec 02, 2011

We started planning an issue on corporate power last summer. At the time, many were coming to see that solutions to nearly every concernfrom climate change to mass foreclosures, from the health care crisis to joblessnessare stymied by the outsized power of corporations. But what could ordinary people do when faced with gigantic corporations and government officials who all too often act at their behest?

Then Occupy Wall Street erupted, and everything changed. The movement named the issue with a clarity that resonated with millions: The 1% are laying claim to the wealth of our world while impoverishing everyone else. The 1% are treating our government as a wholly owned subsidiary. And they're defrauding investors, draining retirement funds, evading taxes, and driving people from their homes with impunity. While thousands of occupiers are arrested for peacefully assembling and millions of people of color are channeled into the criminal justice system, Wall Street executives responsible for the 2008 crash have yet to be prosecuted for their crimes.

The Occupy movement makes the issue clear and shows that the 99% are prepared to take a stand. But what can be done?

This Changes Everything Book Cover (Straight)
Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement

Get the new book from the staff of YES!

Is it possible to take on the power of Wall Street and the 1%? If so, how do we do it? A majority of people in the United States agree that corporations have too much power. But we live in a world where corporate lobbyists dominate Congress and our president appoints his top economic advisors straight from Wall Street.

The spring issue of YES! will look for the practical ways to resist corporate power. We'll look at successes in keeping corporations from controlling our elections, our media, and our health care system, and at strategies to reverse the legal fiction of "corporate personhood." And we'll explore how we can have a "rule of law" that applies to big corporations and Wall Street firms, just like it applies to the rest of us.

Here's where you come in. The Occupy movement has created a new renaissance in the evolution of powerful nonviolent direct action. What are your favorite tactics?

Perhaps it's the Cleveland group that occupied the yard of a single mother who was about to be evicted. Or maybe it's pitching a tent in the lobby of a Bank of America branch, or singing through an eviction hearing, creating enough disruption that the hearing and the foreclosure were postponed.

Email your stories to outreach[at]yesmagazine.org

Please send us your stories of the tactics you've used or that you've witnessed. Upload your videos on YouTube and email us the link, along with a brief description about what happened. Or email photos (just a few, please!) and a descriptionor just your storyto outreach[at]yesmagazine.org. And finally, share this article with others who speaking up, acting out, or simply supporting the work of the 99% from the sidelines.

We'd like to post your ideas on our website, and some of them could become part of next issue of YES!