OCCUPY WALL STREET

[greeneyedgrrl]

thanks AtLast. i've seen this in my local occupy movement as well... it seems to be a widespread issue, which doesn't surprise me since the spaces are public. they've been talking (here) about establishing a permanent space here indoors... where people don't have to camp out, but can participate in organizing and demonstrating. i see issues with occupying houses... i know of local anarchist groups that have already been doing this in sf and berkely (in my experience they are mostly spoiled rich white kids) and i think that the occupy movement would need to distance themselves from these groups to have any credibility and be very discerning in choosing their targets
...and i think it's important to remember that the housing crisis is only part of the issue. it's so much more complicated than that... it's about big companies not being accountable in many situations (gambling with tax payer dollars, owning and controlling the food supply even as we subsidize it), regulations that don't benefit the people or the planet, but allow corporations to do as they please, the dollar being the biggest motivation in our economic system at the expense of all else. there need to be fundamental changes, and i don't think that blaming the big banks is going to get us there, i think that puts us in the victim stance and keeps us stuck. i'm not really sure what i the next steps should be, but i think that there needs to be a shift in thinking before we can get there. imho.

[SoNotHer]

The General Assembly is held on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 6pm in Oscar Grant Plaza.

Veterans March Against Police Brutality

Friday November 11

4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

14th & BROADWAY, OSCAR GRANT PLAZA, Amphitheater

As part of Veterans Day, veterans will be leading a march against police brutality on November 11th, 2011 in Oakland. We will start with a press conference and rally with an update and statement from Scott Olsen at Oscar Grant Plaza starting at 4pm.

We welcome all veterans of the 99% to lead the way and all supporters to join us as we march the streets. We march not only for injured veterans Scott Olsen, Kayvan Sabeghi and Doug Connor, but for all those who have been killed or injured as a result of police brutality.

Kayvan Sabeghi and Doug Connor were injured on November 3, 2011 while being detained near Oscar Grant Plaza. Kayvan was severely beaten and suffered a lacerated spleen and internal bleeding. He was abused and denied medical treatment. For hours, Kayvan waited in a holding cell in severe pain before receiving medical attention. Doug is an ex-army flight nurse who was attempting to help injured protesters in jail when he was then put in additional handcuffs that were so tight on his wrists that his hands turned blue and were numb. He was left in those handcuffs for several hours until he was released.

Numerous injuries have been incurred at the hands of the police in our communities. This is unacceptable. We strongly believe that the 99% should be free to exercise our constitutionally guaranteed right of free speech and peaceful assembly without fear of harm.

Oakland citizens have long been on the receiving end of police violence. The most recent victims have been military veterans who served their country in foreign wars, only to be seriously injured at home as they exercised the freedoms they served to protect.

While it has been the recent injurious of three of our military brothers that has catalyzed us, we stand against violence and brutality toward ANY of our people- veteran, civilian or otherwise.

As military members, we put our lives on the line in the name of protecting our country and its citizens (including the police). We take our oath to protect and defend the Constitution very seriously and while we may have departed the military, we never disavowed our commitment.

We will return to the streets this Veterans Day to remember our brothers and sisters who have served to protect the freedoms that the Oakland Police Department and the Alameda County Sheriffs have decided do not exist. We join the people of Oakland in affirmation of our Constitution, our right to peacefully assemble and to do so without fear of violence from those sworn to protect and serve.

[SoNotHer]

http://www.bravenewfoundation.org/whoarethe1percent/

Who are the 1%? We Film. You Decide.

Inequality has ballooned over the last three decades as some of the wealthiest Americans have enriched themselves at the expense of everyone else. Who are the worst offenders?

You tell us. We'll compile your suggestions and hold a vote to decide which ones Brave New Foundation will expose. We have just two criteria: they have to be in the wealthiest 1%, meaning a net worth of over $9 million, and they have to be using their wealth and power to keep down the other 99%. The rest is up to you. Have at it:

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by greeneyedgrrl

thanks AtLast. i've seen this in my local occupy movement as well... it seems to be a widespread issue, which doesn't surprise me since the spaces are public. they've been talking (here) about establishing a permanent space here indoors... where people don't have to camp out, but can participate in organizing and demonstrating. i see issues with occupying houses... i know of local anarchist groups that have already been doing this in sf and berkely (in my experience they are mostly spoiled rich white kids) and i think that the occupy movement would need to distance themselves from these groups to have any credibility and be very discerning in choosing their targets
...and i think it's important to remember that the housing crisis is only part of the issue. it's so much more complicated than that... it's about big companies not being accountable in many situations (gambling with tax payer dollars, owning and controlling the food supply even as we subsidize it), regulations that don't benefit the people or the planet, but allow corporations to do as they please, the dollar being the biggest motivation in our economic system at the expense of all else. there need to be fundamental changes, and i don't think that blaming the big banks is going to get us there, i think that puts us in the victim stance and keeps us stuck. i'm not really sure what i the next steps should be, but i think that there needs to be a shift in thinking before we can get there. imho.

Oh, yes, complex! Something I remember quite clearly from "back in the day" and standing up by demonstrating was just how important it was to have media coverage be accurate. When the media just shows the folks that are not really invested in OWS and are just there to hang out and shit disturb, tghe public will turn against the movement and get behind actions to remove people and even not care about how police do this.

It just seems to me that there are county fairgrounds that could be utilized in ways that would benefit everyone and stop some of the local business owners complaints. Also, inviting these business owners into movement dialogue and compromising with them could build a stronger coalition that actually speaks to more of all of the 98/99%. We are business people, students, nurses, teachers, sales clerks, waiters, and even physicians and other professionals. The 98/99% is huge and covers so much!

Something I keep thinking about is that are a lot of people that agree with what the movement is trying to do, yet, just don't like what is going on in the encampments. I had a neighbor the other day say, "Hey, I'm a working man and when I camp, I pay campground fees and don't crap on sidewalks." He is a nice guy really (except I didn't like the working man- women work too) and did go through a year of being laid off- he gets what is happening to the working and middle class and doesn't like it, but also gets pissed off with some of what is going on- or what the media puts out there as representation of the Occupy camps.n he and his wife want to see their kids go to college and worry about the costs and if they will even get a job afterwards.

I do remember back in the 60's & 70's the very same things happening. And the spoiled rich kids out there just partying and flipping off authority do not help! Not then, not today. People will react negatively to seeing their municipality coffers spending $ on clean up and extra personnel when cities and counties are dealing with deficits.

Many bridges that need to be woven together in compromise- colaition building that represents us all.

[AtLast]

Ugh- on the local news (not the Faux News affiliate station), there was a report that the man that shot the other man and killed him was living in the Oakland camp. But, I haven't heard or read anything that really confirms this. I hope this is not true. Although, these kinds of things always become part of the "stories" around social movements.

On another note, the mayor of Richmond, CA attended an OWS rally yesterday. However, she was criticised too- because she went to that instead of the Veteran's Dat related re-opening of the Red Oak Victory ship in Point Richmond. But, there were city council members there. She can't be in two places at once. I thought this was unfair because the council split up members to be at different events and that seemed logical to me.

Ugh- the media management is key with this stiff. channel 2 here in the Bay Area will always do a negative spin on anything "liberal" because it is a Fox affiliate, but, the station I was watching does not belong to Fox. The report about the shooter in Oakland just seemed pointed and I think there needed to be some kind of confirmation about his being involved with OWS. Plus, there just are people camping out that are not really OWS people. Just as some of the Occupy Cal folks are not students there or anywhere.

Sometimes I think it would be good to do a spot on the fact that there are "professional" and life long protesters that will show up at any demonstration no matter the cause. It happens and there is always something made of this that discredits a movement/cause. maybe just getting out in front of this is a good idea. Make the separation from the people that are really part of a movement and working to resolve issues.

[ruffryder]

So we don't know if the shooting in Oakland was involved with the Occupy movement or if law enforcement did it?

What do you all think about occupying the media? Do you think they help or hinder the OWS movement? Has anyone seen ads on tv or heard any on the radios for or against OWS.. besides maybe politicians or the news addressing it ?

[Toughy]

The cops did not shoot this guy............ffs

One of the suspects (according to the local TV news I watched) has spent a couple of nights at Occupy Oakland encampment. The local news I watched has never said he was part of OO.......just that he slept there a few times.

[Heart]

Massive Women's Action at Occupy Wall Street, Nov 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women:

http://www.af3irm.org/2011/11/wall-s...n-dismantle-it

http://occupypatriarchy.org/2011/11/...n-november-25/

[SoNotHer]

The 10 Lowest Paying Jobs In America: BLS

The Huffington Post First Posted: 11/8/11 02:54 PM ET Updated: 11/8/11

What do fast food cooks, amusement park employees and farm workers have in common? They are among the lowest paying jobs in America today.

The mean hourly wage for all U.S. workers was $21.35 in 2010, but workers that get paid the least have seen their mean wages get dangerously close to minimum wage levels, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics. The data examined wages for workers in 22 major occupational groups and almost 800 detailed occupations, and found that fast food cooks made $8.91 per hour on average, only cents more than the highest state minimum wage of $8.67 in Washington state.

Those working in the restaurant and service industries account for many of the occupations with the lowest wages, including hosts and hostesses, as well as dishwashers. The low wages may not be surprising as eateries look to make due with fewer customers; a recent survey from the U.S. Census found that nearly half of Americans said they didn't dine out from fall 2009 to fall 2010.

But it's not just restaurant workers that are suffering. Americans' income growth has fallen off drastically in the last decade, a trend that only accelerated in the wake of the recession. Personal disposable income dropped by around 4 percent between the spring of 2008 and the second quarter of this year, Christian Science Monitor reports. Likewise, median household income fell $6,298 from 2000 to 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Currently, median household income is at its lowest since 1999.

While nation's median income has fallen, the wealthiest Americans have seen huge boosts in the amount of money they're taking home, boosting income inequality and making income mobility increasingly difficult. From 2002 to 2007, two of every three dollars of income growth went to the top 1 percent of Americans, The Atlantic reports. Now the 400 richest Americans have more wealth than half of all Americans combined.

The wage decline has hit all workers including those with college degrees. College graduates have seen their starting wages drop by nearly a full dollar over the past 10 years.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...e=4_Shampooers

[Cin]