Why I Support Occupy Wall Street

In recent weeks, a number of people from divergent backgrounds have asked me why I support the Occupy Wall Street movement.  I've drafted this post to more fully respond to this important question.
Here I replicate the question as it was posed to me by a friend in response to a recent blog post.  Please feel free to add additional comments or questions at the base of this piece - and thank you for reading.

I've been following you, Joe. I am glad to see you so passionate and inspired.

I must admit, however, that I am confused by OWS. What is the goal?

I've tried reading the "official" websites of the movement, but they are riddled with contradictions and the horribly politically inefficient idea of the "people's assembly", which is probably a good reason why the movement is amorphous and cannot seem to make up its mind.

What do you support?

Dear Friend,

Good to hear from you, and thank you for reading my blog.  You bring up important questions and I am glad to offer my opinion on this sometimes confounding movement that is OWS.  My following thoughts have been developed over the last seven weeks of interaction with Occupy. 

As an aside let me say that in my opinion most mainstream media coverage of OWS in general has been misleading at best and actively deceptive at worst.  I often feel that there are parallel narratives being told that are at great odds with one another: one by the likes of NBC, CNN, and major syndicates; the other through social media, YouTube, the blogosphere, and a compendium of largely independent news sites.  This discrepancy has not served the public when it comes to understanding the Occupy movement. 

Frustration with a perceived lack of clear goals, or an apparent inability to “make up its mind”, as you say, have been criticisms levied at Occupy pretty much since the beginning.  These are fair assessments that have given rise to intense debates on the subject, not only in the mainstream press, but within General Assemblies and among activists too.

I won’t pretend to have a definitive answer.  I do, however, have my own thoughts on the topic.  Below I provide links to a range of viewpoints that have impacted my thinking in regards to this question.  Each moves me in a particular way and I recommend following them all if you have the time:

• Charlie Rose interviews Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman and veteran journalist Chris Hedges of Truthdig on October 24 here.  A fantastic interview and well worth the watch to better understand the Occupy Movement as a whole, but you can key up to 11:10 for a discussion regarding the issue of demands.

• Slavoj Zizek weighs in with The Guardian UK here

• Glenn Greenwald discusses co-option of OWS at Salon.  About mid article he gets into demands.

• Underlying issues for young people discussed by Ted Rall

• Charles M. Blow of the NYT   

• Robert Jensen via Al Jazeera on November 9^th

• Finally, an October 10th article by Chris Hedges, less about demands but a great read in understanding the workings of the OWS encampments

Personally, I believe that not reducing the Occupy movement to a list of demands is a great strength, as such specifics would play directly into the waiting clutches of co-option and dis-creditation by mainstream political organizations and the PR machine. 

For all the talk about demands, however, I think the major issues are actually pretty obvious.  As the popular chant goes “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!” – to the tune of $700 billion, while home foreclosures continue at a rapid pace. There’ve been no trials, no prison sentences, and no accountability for executives or companies who caused the speculative crash in 2008. The super rich pay less in taxes as a percentage of their income than you or I, and the wealthiest 400 Americans control more wealth than the bottom half of the country – over 150 million people.  According to recent figures from the Labor Department and other agencies, there are four unemployed Americans per available job.  Nearly 50 million Americans lack health insurance. Congress’ approval ratings rank at their lowest since measurements began, and constituents are feeling that their elected representatives no longer serve public interests, but rather those of money-laden lobbyists.  There is a growing awareness that since the 1970s the flow of national wealth has systematically increased towards the richest Americans.  And proposed “solutions” to the resulting deficits our nation now face only include tax hikes and austerity measures, as all the while Medicare and Social Security – the last great bastions of the New Deal – are primed for the chopping block.

There’s enough right here to get a lot of people into the streets.  Whatever specific issues bring individuals to demonstrations or General Assembly meetings, I get the sense from my conversations that many people are not interested in piecemeal reform.  I think systemic change is now on the horizon.

A great protest sign I heard about from Seattle read: “We’re not disorganized, America just has too many issues.”

The average Americans may not be able to give an academic-quality report regarding the whats and the whys of their reasoning, but they get the main point, namely: the rich are getting richer and the rest of us are getting screwed. The American Dream is dying, and this country is no longer what it used to be. 

You are right; messages from Occupy might sometimes be contradictory and seem inefficient.  Heck, depending on where you get your news, the whole movement may well look more like a Ringling Brothers circus act than a profound social transformation.  One of my previous blog posts is titled “Don’t judge this book by its cover”, and this is a message I’ve been repeating to many who seek to better understand the Occupy movement.  It’s the form of the movement that matters most, not the appearance.  

However unseemly it may have looked to wary outsiders, the occupy encampment was in fact a powerful new societal model in the making.  Despite all the controversy, both external and internal, the camps provided a great number of services at no cost: food for all, shelter from the elements, a safe(r) place to be, libraries, basic medical clinics, security details, media relation centers, information booths, and a full daily schedule of community events, among other services.  Perhaps the greatest achievement was – and continues to be - the General Assembly, an open and inclusive daily democratic forum that serves as the official decision-making body for respective Occupy groups.  The meetings take a long time, sure, but they are fiercely democratic – and if you have something to say, you’re guaranteed to be heard.  Even our elected legislature can’t promise that much!

It is important to realize that the catch-all term “Occupy” is in fact more of an umbrella description referring to a series of diverse and often distinct groups.  For example, while educated and dedicated activists may have initiated the occupied encampments, these spaces quickly became a haven for society’s neediest: the homeless and the mentally ill.  A lot of people were turned off by the sight of camps built of tarps, tents, cardboard, sharpie markers, duct tape, straw bales and wooden pallets.  Instances of drug use, overdose, petty theft and crime – all social problems that plague the most vulnerable among us – grabbed the lion’s share of attention from mainstream media.

But consider a few additional facts rarely given airtime:  At its height, Occupy Portland’s encampment held 300-400 people.  The majority of inhabitants were chronically homeless.  The camp kitchen served over 1600 individuals per meal, and by some estimates was feeding over half of Portland’s homeless population at any given time.  Local psychiatric hospitals were using the space as a drop point for discharged patients with nowhere else to go.  This means that prior to violent eviction by police, the Occupy movement was providing basic services not only for its politically-minded members and guests, but for the city’s neediest citizens as well – services that city, state, and federal governments have quite apparently failed to provide on an effective scale. 

All this afforded solely with donations and volunteer labor. 

The really amazing fact is that despite the overwhelming burdens placed on the physical camps, Occupy activists continued to create a revolutionary, people-powered grassroots social movement basically from scratch.  Major actions, demonstrations, and events have been planned and executed effectively since day one, with this same scenario played out in multiple major cities simultaneously – all without any central ruling authority.  Difficulties and communication hiccups have been an integral part of the process, and a great many lessons are being learned every day.  But considering both the massive scale and short time frame of the movement thus far, it seems quite remarkable that so much has been accomplished to this point.

Consider the substantial successes realized since Zucotti Park was first occupied just ten weeks ago:

The national discourse now includes issues of wealth inequality and the falling standards of living in the United States.  Bank of America and other major national banks backed off on their $5 per month debit account fees.  Over a million people have switched their financial accounts to credit unions in the last month, moving $4.5 billion in assets.  Oakland shut down the 5^th largest port in the US as part of the country’s first general strike since 1946.  A White House decision expected to approve the Keystone XL pipeline in December has been delayed until after the 2012 elections.  All major Occupy encampments have been systematically and violently removed in a coordinated series of raids involving Homeland Security and the FBI - a testament, I think, to the fact that Occupy is hitting a nerve with some very important people.  Rather than engage the roots of chronic social maladies, governments across the country have chosen, in effect, to “shoot the messenger” and shove the problems back under the rug (or, more accurately, back under the bridges).  And now there are dozens of viral YouTube videos of riot police pepper spraying peaceful demonstrators.

This movement continues to unfold.  History is being written everyday.  I think there is a natural human response in times of unrest to want to know what’s going to happen, to be sure of outcomes.  At this point, however, no one knows for sure where this will take us.  Anyone who claims as much would be a liar.  The unknown is unsettling, for sure.  But the same forces that unseat old systems make possible the creation of new ones – and such prospects can be exciting and inspiring indeed!  In many ways, where this movement goes is up to us.  We have an opportunity – and a responsibility - to determine the direction of our collective future.  The outcomes are by no means guaranteed.  But Occupy has created a vast new space to begin conversations about real and lasting change.

It is my opinion that Occupy as a movement is only just getting started.  We are in a phase of collectively raising our awareness of the workings of a System – political, social, economic - that does not serve the vast majority of citizens.  Many people are realizing that they are not alone, and waking up to the fact that when we stand up together, we can make big things happen.  Occupy is helping to define the elements of society that require change.

The truly exciting part will come, I think, as the movement congeals, connects, and begins to actively consider alternative solutions.  We have already seen what the State has to offer us: tear gas, riot police, and mass arrests.  There aren’t any real solutions on the table.  The current system works just fine for the power elite.

Personally, I’m looking forward to the coming conversations about new ways of organizing our money systems.  I want to talk about sustainable alternatives to a fossil-fuel based economy that is destroying our natural environment.  I’m interested in a movement to amend the Constitution to guarantee our basic rights to education, employment, health care, housing, food, and political representation.  I’d like to see changes in the electoral process, an end to corporate personhood, and a complete rethink of campaign financing.  We need major adjustments to the tax code that will redistribute the wealth we all help create.  I want an end to America’s wars… both overt and covert. 

Many of these dialogs are already taking place, and have been in the works long before OWS came along.  Occupy has simply added new momentum.

Where these conversations go now is up to us.

It’s a good start.  But we have a long road ahead, and I think right now is a time to reflect, organize, educate, reach out to form new bonds and associations, and begin to collectively decide where to go next.  This is the work happening now.

To answer the question, “What do you support?”

I support the foundational messages of Occupy.   

If there is hope for our future, our children’s future, and our planet’s future, it lies in Us – reconciling our differences, joining together, and thinking big in order to change unhealthy social, political, and economic systems while moving forward as one.  I’m going to do everything I can to make this dream a reality. 

"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."

-          R. Buckminster Fuller

November 13 Changed My Life a Little Bit, Forever.

Late Saturday night was a turning point for Occupy Portland.  Though history has yet to be written and it is still far too early to really understand the true significance of recent events, I already know for sure that I will never forget the early hours of November 13th.

Citing "safety, health, and crime problems", Portland Mayor Sam Adams gave protesters until 12:01 a.m. Sunday to clear the park.

I arrived at the Occupy encampment at 12:05 a.m. with intent to witness the night's events. I'd heard that a contingent of local clergy was going to bear witness from the adjacent sidewalks, and somehow that knowing emboldened me to head downtown myself. Expecting maybe a small crowd and a few die-hard protesters to make a last stand, I timed my arrival to coincide with the ending of an afternoon and evening of rallying events at Occupy Portland. 

What I found instead was far beyond anything I would have ever expected. 

Depending on the source, there were between five and ten thousand people jammed into the two city blocks that encompass Chapman and Lownsdale Squares.  By my own estimate, I'd estimate at least 8,000 people were present at the height of the action.  It took me twenty minutes to wind my way a block and a half through the densely populated festive-like atmosphere.  It took equally as long to finally close my gaping mouth: I just kept repeating "I can't believe this. I can't believe this. Where did all these people come from?" 

The place was packed.  Moreover, it was packed with amazing people. Smiling, talking, exuberant, wonderful human beings.  The crowd was excited, and I entered into a number of conversations during the first several hours. We were literally shoulder to shoulder, so conversation wasn't difficult. 

I spoke with bright-eyed students from PSU.  I spoke with a pair of newcomers trying to understand more about the Occupy movement.  I spent time with two inspiring sixty-something women recently back from a cross-country train trip to Washington, DC, where they had been among thousands of others arrested in front of the white house for their nonviolent protest of tar sands extraction and the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

Then, at about 2:30 a.m., police made their first big move since my arrival.  I was standing in the SE corner of Lownsdale Square just adjacent to Main Street.  A continuous line of riot police stretched nearly two solid blocks up Third Avenue.  It was at 3rd and Main that the five mounted officers used their horses to make a run at the lines of peaceful demonstrators linked arm in arm, three to four rows deep. The mounted police repeatedly urged and kicked and pushed their horses into the brave and defiant human chain below.

As this chaotic and unpredictable scene began, an energy rose up from the crowd that I will never in my life forget.  A cacophony of shouts, a unified desperation of imploring voices, and a series of heart-stricken chants rocked the squares.  Rounds of "Peaceful Protest!" and "Shame, Shame!", rose up amid a powerful emotional backlash to the police attack on the nonviolent demonstrations.  Officers made multiple attempts to break the line of demonstrators, advancing direct charges with their horses, turning them around, spooking them, and stomping sideways, all in attempts to force protesters to break ranks so the battalions of riot troopers behind could enter the masses and commence with what I can only imagine would have been carnage.  It was a terrifying scene and a desperate moment.



But the line didn't break.  The line did not break.  For the rest of my life I will wonder that it did not break, for I saw with my own eyes the sheer power and size of those horses, and the force with which they were thrust into the tapestry of human flesh.  I can only stand in awe at the brave souls who withheld the attack and did not break rank.  Later I heard stories from several individuals from those lines who spoke of demonstrators whose toes and feet had been crushed by the heavy hooves of the equine assaults, of terror and pain as the horses were so bravely pushed back.

I would like to point out at this point that later on Sunday the Associated Press released an account the night's events.  One key sentence stands out among the rest: 

"Police numbers shifted throughout the night, but they showed no signs of moving against the protesters."

Also later Sunday, newscasters with Portland's major affiliates would note the admirable commitment to peaceful tactics from both sides throughout the night.  Video montages would show no footage of the horse assaults.  But I was there, and I know what I saw.  For some reason, the above video from the Oregonian seems to be the only evidence that the horses were, in fact, used against protesters, and that police were not nonviolent.

Following this aggressive action, literally hundreds of demonstrators streamed into the intersection of 3rd and Main - folks who thus far had obeyed official orders to remain on the sidewalk - and in turn commenced the truly remarkable - and peaceful - measured "push" of the police line a full block south up 3rd to Madison; where the line was held for the next 3 hours.

Ray Whitehouse/ The Oregonian

Thus commenced a period of relative calm. Several lines of demonstrators formed successive arm-linked chains in a face-to-face standoff with riot police at Madison.  From accounts I heard later, many in front line were women, some young, and some quite elderly.  There were also amazing conversations that took place across the line during those long hours. One man apparently placed a stone at the foot of each officer in the ranks and then said the words "I love you".   To each one all the way down the line.  I cannot confirm this as I did not witness myself, but I've now heard from three sources among the demonstrators that several officers wept.

Jamie Francis/ The Oregonian

The action began again at 5:00 a.m.  Twice it appeared that police were going to move in on demonstrators; once at five and again at 6:30.  We knew activity was close when an armored truck with mounted speakers pulled up behind the line of riot officers and made announcements, presumably dispersal warnings.  I never could make out the words.  I will do my best to relate what I remember from that period, though events here may not be strictly chronological.  Many things happened quickly, and I'll do my best to paint a coherent picture. 

By five a.m. there remained at least 500 to 600 demonstrators, a core group that did not appear to be thinning.  Among these could be counted roughly four groups.  The first held the police line, as previously described.  The second stood en mass protecting the SE entrance to Chapman Square.  I was on the sidewalk with this group.  The third group was comprised of witnesses occupying surrounding sidewalks on both 3rd and Madison. 

The fourth group was a crowd favorite.  The now infamous "PDX bike swarm" was a rag-tag assembly of several dozen cyclists who circled the three occupied blocks all night long.  Like valent electrons around a nucleus, our homegrown "bike brigade" went round and round and round... for hours and hours.  They were a tremendous boost, especially as fears of an assault mounted in the early hours Sunday.  Each time the tension would escalate and I was sure the canisters of tear gas would come flying in, our perennially circling critical mass of cyclists would come around the block again and help ease the vibe.  At each lap the crowd cheered as if the bikers were Olympians in the final stretch of a long race:  "Go Bikes!! Yeah Bikes!!!" Thank you, bikes!  They were our cavalry.

Through those tense final hours, our lively and dedicated crowd sang and chanted with all its might.  We knew the gas and batons might come any minute, and I think we sang as much to allay our own fears as to rally our spirits.  The best chant of the night, and possibly of my entire life, went as follows:

"You're sexy, you're cute, take off your riot suite!" 

Six hundred voices, shouting in unison at the top of their lungs in the wee hours of the morning.  What group in their right mind chants such a thing to fully-clad riot officers threatening imminent destruction?! That's right, Portland protesters!  As a side note, two nights later, with over 30,000 people watching the violent dismantling of Zucotti Park via livestream, I heard the same chant arise at the police line among the brave souls of Occupy Wall Street.  How's that for the power of social media?  I love my generation.

At around 6 a.m. the police ordered all demonstrators to vacate the intersection at 3rd and Madison, ostensibly because we were "blocking traffic".  Quickly the group complied, and hundreds of people flooded the sidewalks and spilled into Chapman Square.  Our movement left only the lines of riot police on Madison street, themselves blocking traffic.  Chants of  "Now it's your turn", and "We moved, so can you" erupted spontaneously.

Then the bike swarm circled by again, this time up a now-cleared 3rd avenue.  The stoplight turned red as they approached the intersection with Madison.  The bikes stopped for the traffic signal.  With a phalanx of riot police on one side and a park full of protesters on the other, the bikes just waited patiently in their middle lane for the green light, with not a vehicle in sight.  As boisterous cheers erupted from the sidewalk, the light turned green, and off they pedaled.  I will never forget the sight.

Soon after came the another warning from the armored police vehicle.  In the tense and silent moments that followed, one of the Occupy organizers gave a very moving mic-checked speech to the officers as we anticipated their assault.  Though I do not quote her word for word, following is my best recollection of the message she conveyed (via mic-check through the crowd, only adding to its impact):

"To those of you holding the line against the police, you are aware of the risks you are taking and of the potential outcomes of your actions.  We want you to know that we love you and that we stand behind you 100%.  And to the officers facing them, we want you to know that we do not only protest tonight for our own rights and the rights of our children.  We also fight for your rights, and for those of your children also.  If at any time you feel that you would like to put down your weapons and cross the line that those in charge tell you that you must not cross, I want you to know that we will welcome you with open arms."

Our crowd erupted with cheers and applause, and I saw tears streaming down shadow-lit faces; the emotion was palpable.

The police PA system came on again, but much of our crowd could not properly hear the words.  An organizer, using the entire crowd for a mic-check, informed the police that we could not hear their sound system.  She asked if they would agree to use the "people's mic" in order to communicate with us.  With no immediate response, crowd chants began anew.  Then someone rushed up to the original organizer to inform her that the police had attempted to engage the people's mic, but that our crowd chants had drown out their attempt.  She quickly quieted the crowd and addressed the police again, saying "We understand that you tried to contact us. However, we could not hear you.  We apologize and will be quiet so you can try again".

There was dead silence for a long fifteen seconds as the crowd of hundreds waited for an answer, no small feat.  But there was no response.  At this point it was becoming clear there was some confusion among the police and that we needed to take action to avoid conflict.  By grace and good fortune, a wonderful woman across the street, observing the action with dozens of others from the sidewalk, had the brilliant idea to mic check with us the following message (also not word-for-word):

"Now that it is 6:30 a.m. and dawn is upon us, I think it is safe to declare victory for demonstrators in preserving our park! (Met by many cheers)  I would like to show appreciation for all demonstrators involved peacefully tonight (more cheers).  Finally, let's all give a big warm round of applause for the outstanding service of the Portland Police Department!"

The crowd went absolutely wild for a full 30 seconds.  We cheered for the police with all our might.  An unbelievable scene, even in my memory, but it happened as sure as day.  We applauded the riot cops like none other.

At that time the bike brigade came around again, this time down Madison, and stopped at a red light on 3rd.  It was at this point that the police line must have received orders to stand down, for they suddenly broke rank and walked back onto the sidewalk.  As if on cue, the traffic signal flashed green and our beloved bike cavalry charged through the intersection and past the melting front line of the riot police.  The video below captures that moment:



I cannot describe the instant and euphoric jubilation that erupted in the SE corner of Chapman Square.  To the day I die I will never forget those next magical moments.  Strangers turned to one another and embraced truly and lovingly with strong hugs and warm smiles.  Small groups came together to chatter excitedly, discussing the events that had just unfolded.  No one could believe we'd actually won.

We had held the park.

As those packed on the sidewalk slowly, excitedly, made their way back into camp, some formed what I can only describe as an impromptu "victory tunnel": two people, facing each other, raised their arms and held hands, making a space between them under which people could pass.  A line of maybe 20 pairs formed instantly, and the hundreds on the sidewalk made their joyous march through the "victory tunnel" and into the park; singing, dancing, cheering their way home.

And then somehow there were Voodoo donuts for everyone, offered up in 5 gallon buckets.  Stunned, elated, exhausted, I ate a donut and was happy.  Prior to Sunday night I had by no means planned on getting arrested, and I know from follow up conversations that many others did not intend to, either.  But that night, somehow, as if by a strange and wonderful force, I found myself standing in front of Chapman Square with hundreds of dedicated souls- and we were together.  We knew we were going to hold our park.  One young man spoke for us all as he said to me, "I'm sick of this. I'm not going to take it anymore.  They're not getting our Park tonight!"

No matter that later that morning hundreds of fully armed riot officers swarmed our camps to "clean up", forcing the homeless out of their tents and into the streets.  No matter that Mayor Adams, barely two hours before such action, had given a press conference in which he spoke against the use of surprise force in the clearing of encampments.  No matter that when word spread of the increasing riot police presence and hundreds reassembled in the parks, that they were beaten and pushed out as the squares were fenced off from the public as the parks were "temporarily closed"... No matter.

The brave souls of Portland who stood together in Solidarity at 3rd and Madison on Saturday night are now my brothers and sisters forever, and I will fight with them, peacefully, nonviolently, using the weapons of humor and love, logic and truth - until we need fight no more.  We forged a bond that night, a bond like I cannot describe.  It was infectious, it was powerful, and it will only grow.  It was a realization, at the soul level, that We are ONE.  We are each other, and we can do anything to which we collectively put our minds - and our hearts .  I now know the meaning of Solidarity, because I felt it in my chest that night.

Solidarity is Love, pure and simple.

And you can't beat that with tear gas, mounted horse patrols, or an army or baton-wielding riot cops.

Bring it, 1%.  You've picked a fight with the most powerful force in the Universe, and your battles have only just begun.

Jamie Francis/ The Oregonian

A wealth of imagery via The Oregonian of late Saturday night and early Sunday morning here
Stunning photographs of the Sunday eviction and ensuing police violence here

Don't Shoot the Messenger! - A Call to Action for OccupyPDX

Dear Friends,

As you have probably heard by now, Mayor Sam Adams and Portland Police have threatened to evict the Occupy Portland encampment beginning tonight at 12:01 AM.

I would like to relate some important information, as well as encourage you to support the Occupy Movement in one of the ways listed below.

I'll start with Actions:

1.) Please call/ email any of the phone numbers/ email addresses below to ask that the police not be used to clear the camp tonight, and to voice support for real and lasting solutions to city-wide issues of homelessness, mental health treatment, wealth inequality, and joblessness in Portland.  Our messages DO make a difference, and they make a difference right now:

Mayor Sam Adams: (503) 823-4120
Samadams@portlandoregon.gov

City of Portland General Line: (503) 823-4000

Portland Police Non-Emergency Line: (503) 823-3333   (A 24-hr number)

Amanda Fritz, City Commissioner:  (503) 823-3008
amanda@portlandoregon.gov 

Dan Saltzman, City Commissioner:  (503) 823-4151
dan@portlandoregon.gov  

Nick Fish, City Commissioner:  (503) 823-3589
Nick@portlandoregon.gov

2.)  If you're in Portland, come down to the Occupy site for festivities, music, rallies, a potluck, and demonstrations to support our right to peacefully assemble.
        A full description and schedule of Events HERE. 

3.)  If you can't make it in person, please consider following events by watching livestream coverage - people-powered media, broadcasting live around the world:  http://occupystreams.org/item/occupy-portland

4.)  Keep up to date with information and announcements on Occupy Portland's website

5.)  Please forward this information widely and encourage your friends to make their voices heard tonight, too!

Additional Information and a Personal Reflection on Occupy Portland

On Thursday morning, Portland mayor Sam Adams announced notice of the eviction, citing drug use, violence, and general lawlessness as reasons for clearing out camp.  Over the last week, and especially in the last several days, mainstream media have hammered these negative points over and over again, with hardly a balance to the reporting.  The focus has inordinately gone towards a very few negative acts by disturbed individuals, whom to my knowledge had not been identified with nor recognized as part of the the Occupy movement.  While violence of any kind is reprehensible, the vast majority of occupants and activists are dedicated to and maintain strict resolve for nonviolent tactics. The General Assembly repeatedly reaffirms Occupy Portland's commitment to nonviolence.

I personally have spent a good deal of time at the Occupy camp.  I have attended several General Assembly meetings per week since the occupation began on October 6th.  I was present on Thursday night, when a group of 200-300 citizens voted on measures to peacefully and creatively preserve the People's right to assembly in both Chapman and Lownsdale Square, site of Occupy Portland. 

From my experience, I can say this:  There are a lot of homeless people living in the Occupy camp.  In fact, I would guess that the majority of the camp consists of chronically homeless and transient folks.  It did not begin this way, as activists seemed to make up a much larger presence in the first weeks.

The Creative Economy

"The idea was inspired by an urban legend -- ​that Picasso had lunch with Nelson Rockefeller at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York City. When it came time to pay the rather expensive bill, Picasso suggested that he could pay for lunch by drawing something on the bill and signing it, which would turn the bill itself into something much more valuable than the lunch".

-Excerpt from Creating Wealth: Growing Local Economies with Local Currencies by Gwendolyn Hallsmith and Bernard Liataer

See full text article for more on art-supporting alternative currencies for cities and local communities.

A Role for Religion?

Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson discusses the contributions he believes faith-based communities may make to the unfolding Occupy movement.  Robinson currently serves with the Diocese of New Hampshire and is widely known for being the first openly gay, non-celibate bishop of a major Christian denomination.



Please see the accompanying article at ThinkProgress.org

It might sound funny, but as I watch this video I can't help but think of the popular rally cry often heard at demonstrations: "The People United Can Never Be Defeated!"

This is a powerful statement, and one I believe to be very true.  The inverse of this chant, however, might well be summed up by the common phrase, "Divide and Conquer".

If we can agree that the first slogan, as an outcome, is infinitely more desirable than the second, then the real work quickly centers around the question:"So how do we unite the People?"

One of the hallmarks of the Occupy movement thus far has been its resistance to co-option by outside/ pre-existing organizations, whether political, social, or religious.  Robinson seems to respect this pattern.

I think if we can focus on those values we hold in common - justice, transparency, equality, democracy... among many others - we will have a much better chance at achieving unity across a broad spectrum.  Our other option is to continue the same old game that is a standard tool of the ruling class: call attention to our differences, draw lines, divide, divide, divide...  Catholics vs Born Again Christians vs Atheists, rural vs urban, elderly vs youth, educated vs uneducated.  And so on.  We've tried that model for a long time, and I believe it's time to make some changes. 

Labor unions have already begun taking steps to ally with Occupiers, potentially bringing large numbers of supporters onboard.  If existing organizations can respect and abide by the practices of Occupy - and if Occupy can maintain flexibility - I believe faith communities in America may prove to be as yet-untapped reservoirs of strength in the fight for the soul of our country.

For Oakland - Part II

I understand that by this point much has been written about the police raid in Oakland on October 25th, including subsequent battles with protesters later that day.  Many people have seen video and images, and heard testimony about the day's events.  And the reaction continues to unfold.  Even as I write, Oakland gears up for a General Strike on Nov. 2nd - the likes of which our country hasn't seen since 1946!

With respect to all that's been said, I still feel the need to return to events as they unfolded on October 25.  With the barrage of media that has engulfed me this week - thanks, in no small part - to the revolution in social media, I have struggled to put words to those concerns taking shape deep within.  Sometimes the root feelings need time to bubble up to the surface.

This is not meant to be an uplifting post.  I believe strongly in optimism, maintaining positivity, and looking forward.  But there is also a place for protest.  While it doesn't bring solutions on its own, protest calls out and defines that which is unhealthy, that which festers.  It allows the community to take stock of its injuries, call out wrongdoing, and define the goals that can inform collective action.  So here we go.

October 25, 2011 - Oakland, CA

The police looked like soldiers.  Their helmets and armor and dark weapons gleaned against the drab cityscape behind. In the decade since 9/11, how many new tools of violence have been acquired in our "war on terror?"

The uniforms used to be blue.  In a decade, they've come closer to black.  Black is the color of SWAT.  Black is the trademark of Special Forces.  Black means dark business is at hand.
 
I do not deny, in this time, that there is a place for special units within police departments.  Highly trained, highly professional officers intended for very specific purposes:  High-stakes hostage situations.  Truly dangerous criminals possessing superior weaponry.  The point here being that professionals know when to use force, and, more importantly, when not to use force. 

October 25th was not the time nor place for force.  As many as 500 officers from 15 municipalities in Northern California descended into Oakland.  Many were sheriff's deputies, not highly trained professionals.  Chances are good that Olsen, a Marine, had more training than the officer who shot him.

The point I'm making here is that military forces are not meant to be used against civilian populations (unless by act of Congress).  The Posse Comitatus Act and a Defense Department directive make this clear.  But since 9/11, our police forces have become much more militarized.  Federal and State spending through Homeland Security to arm local police has exploded in the last decade, with $75 Billion a year spent on "domestic security"...  To fight the terrorists, of course.

But Occupy Oakland is NOT a terrorist organization.  And the Oakland PD is NOT a military force.

Occupy is made up of concerned US citizens exercising their First Amendment rights to Free Speech and Assembly, explained in detail below.  The OPD is a domestic police force, not trained nor intended for use in the manner we all witnessed on October 25. 

Which brings us to the issue of the First Amendment.

"Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances". full text

Quote all the city ordinances you like, but no one can reasonably argue that the camp at Occupy Oakland was anything but a peaceful assembly, exercising it's right to free speech, in petition of the government for a redress of grievances.  City curfews, cleanliness issues, and other such ordinances - I do believe they take a back seat to The United States Constitution.

The issue for We The People, then, is really about a series of choices.  What do we want, what will we tolerate, and what will we change?

First, are we going to allow our police forces, our officers of the peace, to continue their path towards ever-increasing militarization?  What kind of role do we wish our officers to play in this society? 

Second, is it possible that we might imagine new solutions to social problems that do not include state violence?  Professional mediators, State counselors, a re-imagining of the term "Peace Officer", perhaps?  Rapid-response dispute resolution, emergency people's assemblies, democratic participation - I know these ideas sound far-fetched, but look at the present reality! 

Thus far our State only seems to speak in the language of riot shields, rubber bullets, tear gas, and terror.  These are methods of social control, not conduits of democracy or community.

Maybe it's time we arm the State with tools we actually want it to use.  Let's have a conversation.

Pictures from Oakland Tribune:

Oscar Grant Plaza, post-raid

Police, or military?

 Following images courtesy of the NYTimes

"Non-lethal" bean-bag round

Impact on back of demonstrator  from "non-lethal" projectile

Video of OPD using flash-grendade on occupiers attempting to assist Olsen:


Video of Marine Veteran Scott Olson wounded.  BE ADVISED: video contains graphic content, strong imagery and strong language:


Good video montage of events over the two days

An informative continuation of ideas presented in this post: click here

An essay on the role of police, and of the "police" in our minds here
 
A short history by The Guardian documenting police violence in Oakland  here

More on Marine Veteran Scott Olsen, in an article by John Nichols, here 

Stephen Colbert on Scott Olsen here


Following image courtesy of Occupy Oakland

The People reclaim Oscar Grant Plaza on Wednesday night, October 26, 2011

Michael Moore's Halloween Visit to Occupy Portland

Filmmaker and activist Michael Moore gave an enthusiastic speech  to a crowd of several hundred at Occupy Portland this afternoon (Oct 31st).  He spoke for about 20 minutes to much applause and several rounds of crowd chants.

This was my first time to see Mr. Moore in person.  I was introduced to his work during my very first semester at community college by a sociology professor who showed  Moore's first film, Roger and Me (1989).  An English teacher had us read Stupid White Men about the same time.  Moore opened my eyes to the fact that the then-Bush white house was full of folks with strong ties to Halliburton, defense contractors, wall street, and the like.  His work made an impression, and I suppose it was only fitting to listen to his message today - speaking out against corruption, standing up for the poor, and supporting Occupiers working for real democracy.

He noted that Portland is definitely the largest Occupy site he's visited among the many sites around the country.  "This is friggin' awesome!!", he exclaimed, after praising protesters for braving rain and cold weather. 

He took time to pay homage to Marine Veteran Scott Olsen of Oakland, CA, critically wounded by police on Oct 25th.  Moore also spoke about social inequality and lack of opportunity in the United States, citing multiple statistics and figures.  In all, a morale-boosting visit by a man who knows a thing or two about standing up and speaking the truth.  I nabbed a few good shots during his speech:

Media blitz!

Notice the vampire in the background...  ;)  There was to be a "Zombie March" today, but that was halted by agents before it even left the Park... apparently the Dept. of Homeland Security didn't warm to potential herds of the undead clamoring outside the Bank of America?? :)  ~  Zombies for justice!

Click here for the transcript of a fabulous interview with MMoore on Hard Knock Radio from Occupy Oakland

Full video of the event thanks to Willamette Week:

Michael Moore speaks to Occupy Portland from wweek.vimeo on Vimeo.