What a difference numbers makes.

That’s a powerful video of a powerful protest that the Oregonian posted.

GO PORTLAND! Tears of joy in my eyes.

What a great crowd.

Another effort by a Democratic big-city mayor to shut down an occupation. I quote this excellent comment written on an MSNBC thread by one AC Robertson:

“Oakland is hardly alone when it comes to Democratic mayors ordering mass arrests of Occupiers for exercising their First Amendment rights. In fact, aside from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg – a Republican turned independent – most of the mayors involved have been Democrats. Boston’s Mayor Tom Menino had 141 people arrested on October 11. Under Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, roughly 300 Occupy supporters have been arrested in a series of attempts to set up a stable base camp. In Atlanta, 52 protesters were arrested on October 26 under orders of Mayor Kasim Reed, who said the “last straw” came when a man carrying an AK-47 joined the demonstrators. But the man was rejected by the Occupiers, and what he did was legal under Georgia law. Besides, no Tea Party demonstration was ever shut down because someone there was carrying an assault weapon.”

“The weekend after Olsen was shot in Oakland, 27 Occupiers were arrested in Portland under Mayor Sam Adams, and 25 were arrested in Denver, under Mayor Michael Hancock. The Denver arrests were particularly violent as police in riot gear attacked peaceful demonstrators with tear gas and pepper spray pellets. Dozens more have been arrested in Des Moines, St Louis, Cincinnati, Seattle, Sacramento, and San Francisco – all with Democratic mayors.”

Clearly, this is a synchronized effort by the Democratic mayors to end the occupations, using any trouble within an Occupy (even if unrelated to the occupation itself) to shut it down.

Sadly, I have to report that Occupy Madison is self-destructing as we speak. It is a long story, but it comes down to this in its briefest form:

A few people have anointed themselves kings/queens and while they pretent to follow all the OWS procedures and hand signals, these are only used to silence anyone that has a different opinion/perspective.

There has been a day group on site that has done all the heavy lifting and work. There is a night group (dominated by a handful) that thinks they can just order eveyone around.

There are committees that are impossible to get involved with that meet off-site.

Until Wed, it was not even possible to find out when important committees meet. Even today, you can’t get involved with outreach or media committees in any meaningful way.

The GAs are fully a sham because some are allowed to interject anything they want at any time (if they promote ideas consistent with the co-opters) and everyone else has to follow very strict points of order.

And if a GA decision goes the other way? These self-proclaimed “leaders” just pack the GA the next day to over-ride group consensus.

They have even stooped so low as to bringing in outside interest groups that have no involvement with OM and give them an open-ended, unrestricted platform to lie and even threaten to fully-undermine Occupy Madison if consensus is not overturned (most would not believe what happened this week).

It is so sad and disgusting to watch Occupy Madison because some claim OWS was inspired by OM.

As I write this, most of those that were heavily involved with site work to-date have given up in despair. The “movement” shrinks each week.

A few people have stood in front of the parade, proclaimed everyone else must do what they are told, and that this somehow represents “solidarity”.

Isn’t it delicious?

As the lawyer in this long, but informative and entertaining video said during his teach-in for OccupyChicago said (paraphrasing), “What the police are doing is NOT law enforcement; it’s low intensity warfare.”

Don’t know what happened, but this was meant as a reply to caleb36 @ 4

Thanks for clarification – I was confused.

Most I talk to proclaim that the situation I outline above is “human nature” and we can’t expect different.

I accept that, in our noisy and divided culture, this appears to be the norm. I am not ready to proclaim that every human being and culture in the world would be based on self-will-run-riot.

But perhaps it is so – however, occupy movements in other cities are not collapsing on themselves.

I only share because I want to see these issues resolved in Madison. I am not trying to judge. I don’t want to see us fail.

Do you know of others who feel as you do? Can you convene a group to create a shift? To create relationships where you know you can count on each other and begin to right that ship in the water. Maybe a potluck and facilitated meeting giving people time to socialize and talk informally and also facilitated time to discuss observations, feelings and solutions. Perhaps a group of activists who are truly focused for the long term on creating an equitable system to nurture our lives.

There is also this (not much help in your grief over what you report from Madison, but still): It is generally heartening to see that what is corrupted is not robust. If the reverse were true, then #Occupy would be more of the same-ol’ same-ol’.

I heard that these people who took th reins are part of Gov. Walker’s campaign staff. Someone should look into it. This is so bad.

I also heard that the Atlanta police are the ones that have made sure to put TB-infected homeless people in close proximity to Occupy Atlanta ,e,bers, and we are seeing TB infections because of that.

Consider creating an equitable, transparent Occupy as practice for creating a just society in general. Whatever we learn in the immediate struggle will empower us for the larger changes to come.

False rumors.

Mayor Adams has a long history of of the most inept and counterproductive actions that I could not believe, for a moment, anything he says about OP.

Portland is not NY, or SF or even Seattle. We do have a history of a more accepting population. But also, some of the actions by government, such as Vortex I in the early 70′s were an attempt to defuse actions being planned by the Vietnam protestors by throwing a rock festival. There is an eerie feeling of similarity here with OP, not because the City is throwing a festival, but that it has taken the dimensions of some sort of impromptu festival.

Occupy Providence? That’s a new one. They are the providers I use and the recent heavy-handedness of the medical profession to force certain tests (expensive ones at that) is bewildering. I thought my body is my responsibility!

Where is it being staged?

Uh oh! Your link took me to “This page doesn’t exist.”

The occupations have demonstrated that Democrats will use force to protect the privilege of the economic elites. Your natural right to free speech ends when a Democratic mayor says it ends. They will use force to oppose and shut down anyone who becomes too disruptive (or just an annoyance) to the people who run the country.

EOE. Applies equally to Republican mayors.

Thanks. I’ll try again – yep the thread engine is doing weird stuff to the embedded link again. Here it is, naked:

http://occupyatlanta.org/2011/11/10/no-health-alert-at-occupy-atlanta-hq/

Sorry about the bad like, still:

http://occupyatlanta.org/2011/11/10/no-health-alert-at-occupy-atlanta-hq/

The banality of chemical warfare in Denver:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdfsmvvkrW4&feature=youtu.be

Just another reason to abandon the Dim Party. As if Obama, our “Democrat” POTUS was not enough of a reason to leave them in the trash bin of history. Time for an option to the totally corrupt and criminal major parties.

I haven’t heard that – from what I see, wouldn’t be surprised.

Believe it or not, this small group over-rode a decision to protest a 163 million dollar give-away to one of walker’s biggest financial backers.

And we were told that cuz the would be a few temp union jobs in a non-union hotel, it demanded our support.

You know, solidarity.

I will have to start asking about this – haven’t heard what you said while I was on site (and I ma their almost daily).

YOu don’t know what I have done, so don’t proclaim I haven’t been helpful.

I refuse to do more now, however, until a certain clique lets go.

Many others are doing the same.

This is a small town, most that see what is happening will never come back. Why do you want to blame the messenger?

chill, man.

That’s probably true, but I doubt many people at FDL support or vote for Republicans, and the occupations have demonstrated nothing new about Republicans. What’s new, for me, is that I no longer see the advantage of voting for Democrats, even as a lesser evil. The occupations have shown that the Democrats are beyond corrupt – they are hostile opponents to a free speech and economic justice movement that is so temperate, its signature tactic is setting up tents and sleeping outdoors in public parks.

It is hard for me to see how OWS can hold out for more than another month in the face of sustained low-intensity aggression by municipal authorities rationalized by ‘health concerns.’ The kind of mass sit-ins we saw in Egypt and Tunisia succeeded because they were truly massive, not to mention situated in a national capital, and thus too big to shut down without using military force. This is not the case here. The OWS has changed the field of discourse, and that’s a huge thing. The next step is changing actual politics, and it is not clear how sit-ins an achieve that.

You’ve misread me. I’ll blame myself for not being clear, I guess – ‘though I’m not sure how you got that out of what I wrote.

I was not making any comment at all on your actions (you’re right, I have no idea what they were, and I have no reason to assume anything negative!)

I was just making the general observation that what is not good is not permanent. As a sort of existential reassurance.

Thanks for clarifying – I get repeatedly attacked on site and in some online communities for trying to quietly say “the emperor has no clothes”.

It doesn’t work here, so, since this is all a protest anyhow, I have to become more engaged in this dialog than I would like – very disappointing.

Your general observation is correct, but please consider – Madison WI is not large enough to support this movement if it is running good people out up front.

There is a crisis here and I talk about it because I want it resolved. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

The answer is easy and sitting in front of our faces if we look at history.

WE NEED ECONOMIC BOYCOTTS.

None of this yet compares to the level of conflict at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. But the look and feel. . . there are familiar parallels.

Nope – you are not here, have no idea what is going on, and evidently have nothing to contribute.

CHILL will accomplish nothing. Anything less than a robust dialog about change and action is just the left’s version of atrios’ hypocritical “101st Keyboarding Brigade”.

Here’s a concept fer ya:

How about instead of telling everyone to be quiet we actually talk about problems even when we disagree on the solution?

The National Conference of Democratic Mayors’ contact information at http://democraticmayors.org/contact includes no email address.

Here’s what there is:

Virginia Mayer National Conference of Democratic Mayors

1660 L Street, NW
Suite 501
Washington, DC 20036

Phone: 202.969.1695 (“This mailbox is full and cannot accept any messages”)
Fax: 202.659.5234

Guess they’re not really eager to hear from us.

Your post was very clear, and you made a good point. I see many helpful suggestions that badgerbadger seems unwilling to follow. Perhaps another would be that if he could put together a diary on the subject, there might be input from various quarters that would be helpful.

At the risk of incurring another beating about the head and shoulders… coordinating effective economic boycotts in a society so steeped in consumerism is like herding cats.

You are evidencing a propensity to fly off the handle at the least provocation. Not a good followup on your claims about Occupy Madison. I now really want to hear from others at that site.

Thanks for that link, Petro. We had been forced off to the sidelines by police in full riot gear and so could not see what was happening in the Park. We could hear shouts and a constant drum beat, which stuttered, then grew still.

We met the woman who is speaking at the beginning of the video. We were hovering at the side of the Park, by the police lines, when we saw her run sobbing out of the darkness in the center of the Park. We went up to comfort her and she said that a DPD officer had hit her with his baton, with no verbal warning. She is a small woman, physically.

I think she was not so much hurt in her body as assaulted by the realization that she, a middle-class, white, educated woman had just been assaulted by a policeman – one sworn to serve and protect her.

We – the educated, middle-class – had probably better get used to it.

Very good point.

Uppity people! What do they expect? Elect officials, then go home and don’t bother them. (rright!)

Agreed. The thing with Egypt is the mass presence was only for about 2 weeks and when the primary goal was achieved – Mubarek gone – the crowds disbanded. Physical occupation seems critical in many Occupy protesters minds, but why anyone thought that could go on forever is unclear to me.

As we saw recently in Ohio, when thousands of people work together toward a stated end, they can sometimes turn back the tide and achieve something. They did so without occupying anything, and amidst an onslaught of negative ads and subtle efforts to divide and conquer. Maybe that victory wasn’t structural or fundamental enough for the occupy folks, but if the strategy is all or nothing, you have a high probability of nothing. People have to sense some movement forward to avoid discouragement and despair. Hopefully the former occupiers can pivot and come up with creative ways to continue fighting the fight.

Agreed. We can’t trust the Democrats any more than we can trust the Republicans. I’m glad you’ve become strong in your knowledge of that.

It looked to me like he was acknowledging your very real grief and also making an existential comment. I hope this helps.

That’s a great idea. OccMich is not the only occupation struggling with these issues and it could be a great learning place for all of us.

On Edit: I meant that the Diary is a great idea.

The breakdown in trust is partially responsible for the rise of the Third Reich, if my memory serves me right. Obama fits the picture for the USA in the way Hitler did for Germany. Charismatic and promising to lead the country back to basic rights. Instead, starts another war. We even have the drift towards fascism.

Eerie, no?

This is going to be the Valley Forge winter of the Occupy movement. Supplies, support, and solidarity within the occupiers are vital to its survival.
And the survival of the OM is vital to providing a relevant voice for our hope of becoming a far more Just and Decent nation..

I’ve been saying for a long time now, starting with Bush II, that they’re using Hitler’s playbook. It can and is happening here, much to my horror. I couldn’t have imagined that a mere 10 or 15 years ago.

How about instead of telling everyone to be quiet we actually talk about problems even when we disagree on the solution?

I curious to know what you thought of the suggestions I made earlier in the thread about how you might begin to turn the problems you perceive around.

Here in Albany, NY we have a Democratic mayor. The park, Lafayette Park, where the protestors are camping is half owned by the city and half owned by the State (don’t ask me why). If Occupiers stay on the City side, the major, police chief, and DA have all said they will not make any arrests. BUT are “esteemed” Democratic governor (Cuomo) said that if they cross the City/State line they will be arrested. So they crossed and yesterday they were arrested. So here’s an example of a Democratic mayor and DA being peaceful and cooperative (our Fire Chief even went to the park and gave advice on how to safely run the generators ) and our Democrat-in-Name-Only governor booting them out. Go figure.

I as well. The look of horror on the faces of friends and others that I would dare use Hitler together with (take your pick: Bushes, Clintons etc) tells it all.

Are they horrified that it’s happening and they weren’t previously aware of it or are they horrified because they think you are being too extreme?

Count me in on that perception. I lost a good friend when I told her in October of 2001 that Bush and the neocons would use 9/11 as the excuse to create the police state they have always wanted anyway. Sad but not surprising to see how willing the Dems have been to climb aboard the fascist bandwagon, but they clearly have.

Exactly. Explain to me again how the concepts of unitary executive and enemy combatant don’t indicate blossoming fascism.

Horrified at me! But that’s changing as especially the truth is leaking out about the water issues.

BTW, here’s a recent video on that issue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs31wBub4H4

I well remember my response to the political implications of 9-11, after the tragedy unfolding subsided a bit:

“We are so screwed!”

The reason the Occupy movement will “go on forever” is that for the citizens involved, there is no other solution than restoration of democratic principles. Whatever adjustments are made by those on the front lines, the comparison is to Valley Forge, and no aspersions need be cast. This is American history in the making.

You cannot compare what happened in Egypt to what happens here with respect to historic precedent, since in each country the elements of protest and the abuses being protested against are vastly different. In Egypt, people died in that square having been attacked by Mubarek’s mob. That galvanized the movement because everyone now was in a life or death struggle, and they still are. The confrontation there was with the army, and that is still the confrontation there.

The comparison to make is with the effects of repression in general, the societal need for change that takes up the mantra: if not now, when? We all know that the planet depends on this, future generations depend on this. In every country there is that underlying, pressing need. Restoration now, or never.

Egypt did not face the conditions the protestors here and now are facing, which are climate related to the extent of sapping strength and patience. Each separate branch of the movement here (well, maybe not Hawaii) has really pressing concerns for physical survival – far different from Egypt or any country in the Middle East for that matter.

It being Sunday, as St. Paul says in Galatians:

“… the whole law is fulfilled in one saying, ” you shall love your neighbor as yourself. ” But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another.”

The harshness of the response or nonresponse from the various city ‘fathers’ around the good ol’ USA is a teaching moment. The coordinated onslaught which is attempting to destroy this public demonstration of citizenship, will come back to bite the perpetrators, I am sure of that.

Just remember Valley Forge!

Great minds think alike!

Gotcha.

IMVHO, it was the summer debt ceiling crapfest that paved the way for #occupy. Once the D’s in government began to recommend slashing the social safety net during such dire economic times, voters lost patience with simply voting. I did.

Ack and ack! I wasn’t aware of the issue with the water.

You express so well some of the jumbled thoughts that have been simmering in my mind. Thanks, juliania!

In Egypt, the needs of the protesters were much more clear…get rid of Mubarak, create a working democracy, stop police detaining and torturing.

Here, we are famously democratic. We have to fight the perception that our democracy *already* works. And we aren’t being detained and tortured for protest, so the dynamic is significantly less urgent. Do we want O gone, or do we want O to represent our interests?

And @Eclair #61 – that is a pretty good summation. It calls up tactics to the forefront.

And specifically as regards Denver, the Authorities may have won the night – but can they really stop the Movement?

I don’t think so. For instance, the DPD will have to actually start operating during daylight at the street actions to tamp Movement Activity down, and do they think they can really get away with that?

Citizen rage would just EXPLODE!

After all, the DPD forgot that even though it was dark around here, it was only 6:30 PM, and TONS of passersby saw the overwhelming police force at essentially dinnertime.

Plus, the Authority mindset of “We applied force. Problem over. Won and done.” is just not going to work for them anymore.

So really – how can the City of Denver react in the near future besides some more dramatic escalation – which really won’t work to tamp the Movement?

Precisely. As I have said from the beginning – in answer to queries in various forums on how does this thing “grow” – we can always count on the obtuse blundering of the “authorities” to keep throwing fertilizer on it.

Ever since the first September Pepper-Spray Incident, they have not disappointed me in the slightest.

OWS will never go away. Some sites may not make it for much longer but I think a lot of them will hang on. It is imperative that NY stay open and fully functional. They are the core and very important.

To Eclair@#61:

Much more thanks to you, Eclair! It only gels for me because I am not actively involved, which is a far greater accomplishment, but passively absorbing the energies of the moment from a distance. All of the actions are so inspiring, and folks on the front lines need to know that all of our lives are being affected by their generous sacrifices. I read the diaries of those who go to all the various Occupies, and I am reminded of the vitality of the Egyptian protestors who felt they were truly part of something hugely important – ‘heaven touches earth’ is how my pastor used to describe it; and if you prefer a philosophical take, getting in touch with the ultimate realities.

We tend to forget how truly good and brave our young people have the potential to be. They are so living up to their potential in this time. Blessings on them all, and prayers for their safety – all!

As I recall, in Wisconsin, the state capital building was occupied for weeks. And speaking of recalls, Scott Walker is going down!

That would be a great thing. Might restore my faith that good things do happen.

Yes, thank you yellowsnapdragon, that is a good point. But I see that memory or credo about democracy as something positive, because once you realize that what we currently have is not that – and I believe the facts demonstrate most of Americans HAVE realized that – what we purpose is to restore the values we thought we had. That is why most Americans support the Occupies – they do! Because there are echoes of universal yearnings in American heritage being stirred in all hearts.

Oakland eviction notice #4 from this morning.
http://sfbayview.com/2011/whose-streets-oakland’s-shadow-government-presses-city-hall-to-end-the-occupation/

Oops. Oak eviction notice #4.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/266284/demand-to-cease-notice-13nov11-final.pdf

Thank you for posting that link – i had no idea such a corporate take over was even thought of. How horrifying, esp here in Mass with the Quabbin Resevoir system.

Corporations own our water supply all over the country. Control the water, you control the culture.

“And we aren’t being detained and tortured for protest”, unless your name happens to be Bradley Manning.

One place I keep getting stuck is where we will find enough honest people to staff the government at all levels, and then assuming that, how to prevent relapsing over time.

That would make a great diary.

The roundup of the media coverage of Occupy Wall Street movements in the South is now in yesterday’s liveblog.

It is the job of the facilitators to make sure that the consensus is not co-opted by shutting off debate. When that is not happening or when the facilitators are pushing their own agenda, consensus collapses. And when it does, so does the group. Broadening the group of facilitators and insisting that task force group meeting not be off site are two checks on this. This does not please those wishing to push the envelope, but it is a check factional networking.

What you describe are people who go through the motions but are not themselves committed to getting a consensus but want to use the group to push an agenda.

The attempt to simultaneously co-opt Occupy Oakland and shut it down involves an amazing amount of behind-the-scenes maneuvering, including these emails from Mayor Quan’s husband to Quan’s Block by Block Organizing Network. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/11/12/mayor-quan%E2%80%99s-husband-offers-ideas-for-occupy-oakland-resolution/

We also have rogue OO “leaders” going to closed meetings and negotiating with city and business officials without prior approval or knowledge of the GA. And people on the OO boards are posting about where you can buy gas masks, because everyone anticipates that tonight’s the night, now that four eviction notices have been received. The last one included threat of arrest not just for remaining at Oscar Grant Plaza, but for remaining in any City park or property after 10 PM.

So, to summarize: all hell is breaking loose.

The massive sit-ins we saw in Tunisia and Egypt were at the end of the process. The Occupy Wall Street movement is the beginning. (Sign: The Beginning is Near)

Why are the good people giving up? And who are the folks who are packing the general assembly?

Isn’t that one of the grievances that the Occupy Wall Street movement is protesting? That the 99% never are given the opportunity to communicate the complexity of their ideas, opinions, and grievances. But the 1% can pick up the phone and get immediate access through someone’s personal cell phone.

The D’s slashing the safety net was part of the realization, but the R’s refusing the deal that they’ve wanted for so long was the other. The system is fundamentally broken because the political culture is fundamentally broken.

I think that the 2012 elections are pretty much irrelevant to the future of the country until the political culture changes. And there were two assaults on the problems with the political culture this past week. Michele Bachmann got mic-checked in Charleston SC (an on the USS Yorktown) and Eric Cantor got mic-checked at Rice University in Houston.

The locations that survive will reconstruct the locations that collapse from a failure of authentic consensus.

That is the sort of long conversation that prevents Occupy Wall Street from coming up with a program out of a box. And we will not start having that conversation until there are a broader range of people involved in the Occupy Wall Street movement. And that is what the attempts at co-option and suppression are trying to prevent.

Instead of giving up why not form a new group? One that they feel isn’t co opted. It seems that if that were to occur that eventually the majority would prevail.

OccupyTulsa Occupy Tulsa
Tonight at 11pm #OccupyTulsa stands. Meet us at 6th and main street. Expect us. #occupypdx #ows #oo #occupycal #occupysf
1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Juan Cole, TruthDig: Protest Planet: How a Neoliberal Shell Game Created an Age of Activism

That should be a next step for the occupy movement imo. A mass occupation that is impossible to ignore and whose numbers would make it difficult for them to control. However I do think the local movements are a great get know your neighbor movement and have been helpful in revealing exactly how we have more of a one party system then most realized.

Organizing and then Action must be the next steps.

Donald Wilson Bush, Washington Post LTE: Main Street supports Occupy Wall Street (Occupy Staunton VA)

Organizing is the tough part.

But it has already started….the GA’s are the preliminary nuclei, they will be spreading outward, regardless what happens in Portland (right now the cops are kettling people and escalating the tensions.) I was there until about 3 am this morning, and am just now getting my day going. It was a remarkable evening of non-violence and messaging. Even the corporate media could not spin it differently

Video: Eric Cantor Mic Checked at Rice University (Nov. 12, 2011)

Tri-Met just announced shutdown of the Max lines going in and out of the OP site.

It is hard to tell but I want to correct myself, it does not seem the cops are kettling people.

Now the buses are shut down to that site as well.

From what I’ve seen liveblogging many Occupy movement locations, these things all have to happen at the same time.

Self-organization – by far the most important things that have to be in place are a facilitation committee of more than a couple of people, a technology committee that gets livestreaming capability quickly, outreach to organizations that might be part of a coalition of support and broaden participation, and whatever physical logistics are needed. All of these have to be going before doing confrontational action (and marching down Main Street with signs is not particularly confrontational as long as you stay on the sidewalk).

Outreach to those likely to grow numbers and depth quickly – labor, veterans, foreclosures, the homeless, various local issues such as Walmart opposition or utility rate hikes have earned local Occupy local cred that pays off when coming up against authorities. Bank Transfer Day was a massively successful boost to the cred of the locations that aligned with it. The more the people from these groups were involved in the joint planning and in the discussions in the general assembly, the stronger the local group was.

Technology – groups that use Twitter, Facebook, and livestream chats effectively have people participating from home who will come out at critical times. It documents activities and provides transparency that comes in handy when detractors lie about what went on at a general assembly. The YouTube record of the Occupy Atlanta general assembly’s handling of Rep. John Lewis allowed Occupy Atlanta to avoid being sidelined as anti-black. That incident is still Google-bombed by those who want to shut down Occupy Atlanta. In fact Google is becoming somewhat useless because of the Google-bombing going on.

Transparency – this is a big internal debate within every general assembly. Keeping the process transparent while not telegraphing direct actions to those who would disrupt them. It goes beyond how much to livestream. For there are infiltrators and provocateurs at almost every general assembly and trolls of every public Facebook page and Twitter stream. Those that handle it well get public support. Some locations are doing alternative media — an “Occupy” radio station, for example, that by attracting a more continuous audience can allow for news reports from the local movement.

Organic, nonviolent action – By organic, I mean the way that Occupy Atlanta converted the presence of the homeless in Troy Davis (Woodruff) Park into a sort of continuing direct action, the tuition hikes into a way of involving Georgia State University and Georgia Tech students, and the plea during open mic by a lady who was about to be foreclosed on into an occupation event in the suburbs. These are not cookie-cutter causes but grow out of the local situation. And nonviolent, meticulously well-executed disciplined non-violence in the face of the entire military capability of the local police departments. And multiple sources of documentation that the nonviolence in fact was what took place. And extensive training in passive resistance, civil disobedience, exposure of infiltrators, and isolation of provocateurs and nitwits. The fact that this works is why police seek to evict camps in the wee hours of the morning and have the city shut off the street and park lighting. And plant stories of violence in the media.

Replication – this is a point that is often missed. There are people who come to an occupation seeking to learn how to do it where they are. The logic of the movement is from larger cities to lesser cities and to neighborhoods. That requires trained facilitators, people experienced with livestreaming technology and the use of social networking, people who can handle logistics and finances, people who can recruit additional legal resources for the National Lawyers Guild. So that they can quickly call forth the movement in their locations and focus it on action.

“Organizing” has become a top-down sort of word. It now has the connotation of “I have the answers, and I just need you to promote it and mobilize the actions of your personal network.” For a lot of people, that is a turn-off. They’ve been down that road too many times. What self-organization of general assemblies does, when it happens, is begin a long-term conversation that analyzes the issues finds new insights, creates common ground among people who have diverse opinions but sense a nation and world in crisis, and map out innovative actions.

Which brings me to what I think the next steps are.

Patience and persistence.

OWSAtlanta Occupy Atlanta
We r looking for a schoolbus or other large vehicle.If anyone wants to lend, donate,or sell one cheap please email action@occupyatlanta.org
46 minutes ago

Here’s something that should be SOP:

OccupyRichmond Occupy Richmond, VA
Work Gruops have been asked to set up Google groups to facilitate communication #occupyrva #OWS #occupyeverywhere
44 minutes ago

It doesn’t have to be Google, but it should allow for asynchronous discussion and coordination of stuff that if exposed would bore folks to tears. Don’t let the fact that it is login-controlled lull you into thinking that it’s not being watched.

OccupyHouston Occupy Houston
Police are stealing #Occupuppy and messing with Miguel because he has no id… stay tuned
46 minutes ago

OccupySavannah Occupy Savannah
#OccupySavannah was dealt a huge blow today. One of our Occupiers was found murdered at 7am this morning. RIP Jon. You will be missed. #OWS
46 minutes ago

OccupyHouston Occupy Houston
#Occupuppy safe, Miguel safe. Just got a ticket.
28 minutes ago

Occupy Atlanta and Occupy Gwinnett Actions
Posted on November 13, 2011 by SaraA

Occupy Atlanta Spends the Night on the Central Ave. Ledge in Solidarity With the Homeless

Capitol Police are planning to evict the people who have been sleeping on the ledge that backs up to Georgia Plaza Park at Central Ave. between MLK and Mitchell St. They have come there for years seeking the warmth that rises up from the vents, but now they are under threat of being forcibly removed with no alternative provision. Occupy Atlanta anticipates that this removal will happen between 5:30 and 6:30 am. We will be occupying that space with them in solidarity and so that we will be present if the eviction occurs.

Occupy Gwinnett and Occupy Atlanta Take On Fannie Mae

Tomorrow (November 14) at 2 pm, Occupy Gwinnett and Occupy Atlanta will be on the doorstep of the Fannie Mae regional offices at 950 East Paces Ferry Rd. We will be conducting a press conference which Tawanna Rorey will attend.

KOIN: Live Video: Police confront final Occupy protesters

Occupy Portland livestream

LS – KOIN
Guy in khakis, a white helmet, and gas mask at front of demonstrators walking between demonstrators and riot cops. Provocateur?

LS – Occupy Portland

They are at Main and 5th

KGW livestream

At Occupy Portland

Mary – you’re exactly making my point. Wisconsinites did occupy the statehouse for weeks, but not anymore. They weren’t going to let that go on forever just like they won’t allow permanent encampments. I understand that now they won’t even let people bring cell phone cameras into the WI statehouse (even though you can bring in guns!).

So then the question becomes, now what? The summer recall elections gave people something to work toward, and though not all were successful, it was a good first step. And while I’m iffy on the Walker recall just because the Democrats haven’t identified a sure-fire candidate, that could also energize people to work toward that goal.

I realize people on this website think there is no difference between democrats and republicans, but do you think your state – or Ohio, Florida or Maine – would have had the same anti-labor, anti-voting, anti-civil-liberties legislation proposed if the 2010 elections had turned out differently? I don’t.

LS – Occupy Portland

Police report 10-12 arrests so far. Taken away in Tri-Met buses.

LS – Occupy Portland
The occupiers have strung a banner across the street.

Now chanting “The general assembly’s right here. The general assembly’s right here.”

LS – Occupy Portland

Debate whether to move elsewhere for GA or hold GA on Main Street.

This is very interesting – in terms of logistics for the riot cops to try and clear. At least to me, compared to clearing Denver yesterday.

Here’s Portland Map of right in the area of the occupiers:

Here’s the one for Denver:

So my point is there were less Occupiers in DEN, where the cops had a way bigger field of movement. The opposite in both ways is true for PDX.

And they just git a tent back up.

LS – Occupy Portland

Officially occupying Main Street. “Occupy. Occupy”

LS – KGW

Police have tear gas cannisters ready. The police are not going to let folks block a city street.

LS – KGW

They have these dueling megaphones now.

Gack, I can’t take KGW any more.

LS – Occupy Portland

There are a number of police who do not have their badge numbers readable.

LS – Occupy Portland

The general assembly is going right now.

I would hope the belief in equity and a society that benefits more than the top 1% does go on forever…I’m just saying the physical occupation won’t. And what I still don’t understand is why that is the only way to achieve change, or more precisely, how exactly that achieves change. Do you think in a year if a hundred people are camped out in a park with signs that anyone will still pay attention? They’ll just walk by them, just like they walk by homeless people with signs. Even the author of these occupy updates said in one post that they have to figure out how to avoid having OWS just become a tourist attraction.

But if those hundred people are out helping implement specific strategies to move toward that fairer society (e.g. “move your money day”-type events) and coming up with other strategies that are more than just visual, that would seem to have a greater impact.

What are your strategies?

LS – Occupy Portland

Portland PD just handed out small cannisters of pepper spray to the front line.

LS – Occupy Portland

General assembly still discussing whether to move to another location. As, usual the livestream is down to their last 10 minute of battery.

LS – Occupy Portland

Police pushing forward on the crowd right now. They have rubber bullet and beanbag guns.

I agree. Now, we have gathered successfully! Next is where we get into messaging, and the best way to do that is with creative, perhaps at time irreverent, non-violent targeted actions that incorporate and address many elements of our society negatively affected by the greed and vampirism of the mega-rich.

I am out of here, but look forward to more of these conversations with you all soon.

Contrary to the LS report, the police have not moved forward. But there is a white truck with two large speakers facing down the street in the LS picture.

LS – Occupy Portland

No audio.

You know despite whatever happens with these attempted evictions, the next several Thursdays and weekends will get more interconnected with political events – here’s why:

- This Friday the 18th the CR for US Fed funding runs out. There will probably be the usual cutting attempts for the next band-aid. The Occupies get more fuel as more austerity will try to be inflicted.

- Wednesday the 23rd is the due date for legislation from the Supercommittee with more and improved austerity legislation; Thursday following is Thanksgiving! (yipes)

That’s some hellatious fule to the fire – and the House is currently scheduled to gavel out of session on December 8th.

Occupy Portland UStream

A counter-demonstrator tried to provoke the crowd but was isolated and sent on his way.

The Portland PD have brought in Salem PD and Vancouver (WA) PD police.

Re Occupy Portland, OR:

Another LS up with audio here at http://www.livestream.com/occupyptown

PDXbot Tim Clark
#ows #occupypdx #occupyportland we are not violent when we offer to feed the police voodoo doughnuts
14 minutes ago

VooDoo Donuts is a local business that makes speciality donuts and hosts weddings.

LS – Occupy Portland
General Assembly decided to move from Main Street. Now opening a stack for where to move to and when. Will take 15 minutes for that discussion.

LS – Occupy Portland
Someone from the front line reopened consideration of the consensus.

There was a double mic and another consensus taken — still division. Trying to talk the front line back from confrontation.

LS – Occupy Portland

Now trying to consider where to relocate to. Four places: Pioneer Square, PSU Park lots, Waterfront Park, Washington High School

Deciding where to move, not where to reoccupy

LS – Occupy Portland

We just found out that PSU is welcoming us. There are already 30 people at Pioneer Square.

Bear those in mind in your decision.

My suggested strategies mirror several of the things you saw last Tuesday on election night. In Maine, the legislature tried to take away same day voter registration. The people organized, got an initiative on the ballot, and won. Same thing happened in Ohio with the anti-collective bargaining legislation. In Arizona people recalled a very reactionary legislator whose agenda there seemed unstoppable just a year or so ago. I see those examples as positive signs that average people still do have some power to change things.

LS – Occupy Portland

Decision between Pioneer Plaza or PSU.

Portland PD is reading notice of eviction.

LS – Occupy Portland

Police are not retreating they are clearing to use tear gas. The police announcement stampeded the decision, people voting with their feet now.

Re Chapel Hill, NC:

Newyorkist Newyorkist
Holy crap chk that out: RT @WilbotOsterman: Cops empty out Occupy Chapel Hill w assault rifles like it’s Baghdad… twitpic.com/7dzs9d
58 minutes ago

“Police arrest Chapel Hill ‘Occupy’ protesters” | NewsObserver.Com | Nov. 13, 2011

I agree with all you said. I do think, however, that something was needed to jump start the movement. Something that people would not only notice but would understand. Huge numbers of people are sadly uninformed and we know that the media will not inform. People need to get angry enough to call their representatives at every level – most don’t do that now.
I believe that most citizens don’t even understand that they have the right to stand up at a meeting and give their congress person a real going over.

LS – Occupy Portland

Folks have split into two groups one going to Pioneer Plaza and another challenging police.

NYT says some Occupy groups are moving to college campuses. I think that’s a really good idea.

Replay of Denver. Two different tactical situations – I bet it does NOT play out the same.

These blueprints the Municipal forces are using just won’t stand the test ultimately – IMO.

LS – Occupy Portland

Marching on Pioneer Square. Struggle will be to keep the nitwits on the sidewalks.

LS – Occupy Portland

Police escorting protesters to Pioneer Square. There are folks left behind who want to be arrested.

EdVeracity Ed Veracity
Is the government of our country hypocritical? US lambasts other countries that put down protesters while doing the same to #OWS Americans.
21 minutes ago

LS – Occupy Portland

Lot of bystanders remaining at 4th and Main. Police are changing how they are positioned.

Duh. Hypocritical? The USG?

LS – Occupy Portland

Traffic moving once again at Main and 4th. Cars going around protesters.

I would add to your prerequisites, identifying legal assistance ahead of time.

It is very useful to have the National Lawyers Guild or other legal people there. On a march, it is comforting to see those lime green hats on the side taking notes. They can be there to brief ahead of time and then represent anyone who is arrested. Legal assistance can also be there to negotiate with city officials or file motions to counteract the more egregious civil liberties violations (see for example the motion to dismiss the Brooklyn Bridge arrests.)

LS – Occupy Portland

It seems that the confrontation was avoided. For now.

Definitely. Thanks. A working legal team cannot be cobbled together on the fly like Occupy Mobile had to do.

miaaculpa miaaculpa
Police circling the group after they complied w/police order to move. #Occupyportland trying to figure out what is going on. #OWS
10 minutes ago

miaaculpa
miaaculpa miaaculpa
@PortlandPolice tells media that given thousands who were at #Occupyportland, w only 50 arrested & 1 officer injured they consider success.
12 minutes ago

Brad Johnson, ThinkProgress: Wielding Assault Rifles, Police Arrest Chapel Hill Occupiers Of Building Left Derelict By Developer

Occupy Portland UStream

LS – Occupy Portland

Things have cooled out since the general assembly moved to Pioneer Square. They are conducting a general assembly to decide next steps. Likely to be long and drawn out. The framing is that they have moved there but are not occupying it.

OccupyTulsa Occupy Tulsa
Tonight, we stand. 10pm. 6th and main street. Come join us. #ows
13 minutes ago

4 places to watch the Occupy Portland, OR emergency General Assembly:

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/damaskportland

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/collinpmiller

http://www.livestream.com/occupyptown

Ghostpickles poems
breaking: Portland police block off public park to erect a fence around public park to keep the public out of public park. #OccupyPDX #opdx
2 hours ago

Kevin Murphy
KevMurphy Kevin Murphy
Sick of these PDX newscasters fishing for violence and then sounding disappointed when there isn’t any. #occupypdx
27 minutes ago

Weirdness at Occupy Denver

I knew that the open mic session Saturday at Occupy Denver was kinda weird. I didn’t know how weird. A couple of 1% puppets dancing.

Reckon the guy in khakis, a white plastic helmet, and a gas mask was an employee of one of the corporate media outlets?

That was that whole “Jim & Pam at the Hobo Camp” tweet yesterday. I didn’t bother, cause I thought it was one of those known, omnipresent things.

OccupyNashville Occupy Nashville
On Monday November 14th, Occupy Nashville will be holding a “human auction” in front of CCA headquarters in… fb.me/17QtK4Pqs

39 minutes ago

OCCUPYNC77 OCCUPYNC
Sgt Simpson Says PortlandPD has been spying on #OPDX + FB and Twitter stalking
17 minutes ago

Who would have imagined?

Occupy Your Block, Nov. 20 @ 4 PM

OCCUPY TULSA ANNOUNCES IT’S INTENTIONS TO STAY IN SOLIDARITY SQUARE!

That is awesome, given the large number of people already involved.

ReTweet, Facebook, blog and email it! Send out carrier pigeons if that’s what you’ve got!

Dennis Maley, Bradenton Times: Boots on the Ground at Zuccotti Park

A local newspaper staffer goes to see for himself.

Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt, Chapel Hill: Mayor’s Message Following Nov. 13 Arrests in Chapel Hill

I can’t get a video link to this yet:

RebeccaEldred Rebecca Eldred
President Obama discusses Occupy Portland on CNN NEWS.
9 minutes ago

If someone has that, please jump in.

Occupy Tulsa UStream

OccupyTulsa Occupy Tulsa
Stream goes back up in ten minutes.
5 minutes ago

LS – Occupy Tulsa is streaming.

LS – Occupy Tulsa will be back on around 10:45 CT

American Friends Service Committee/Atlanta: SAVE THE ROREY HOME!!!

Is that *real*?

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Livestream is streaming.

Have gotten volunteers for night security.

Yes it is. No doubt the Chapel Hill PD will have some ‘splaining to do to the city council. See Kevin’s coverage in the liveblog.

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Preparing banner for Occupy Oakland by printing purple handprints.

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Anyone planning on making a stand on the green, come on up.

Media has left.

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Police are arriving

“Tell me what democracy looks like…” “Whose park…”

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Police reading the ordinance

Police putting up crime scene tape.

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Reading the general assembly response to the city council determination

It is deplorable the way Portland’s elected officials and associated administration feels absolutely no responsibility to address the social issues of our community as we the citizens have put them in City Hall to do.

Watch: Occupy Portland live stream

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Thirty to forty policemen lined up.

Solidarity from Hiroshima

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Arrests are beginning.

“We all live in a military state…” to tune of Yellow Submarine

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Solidarity from Winston-Salem NC – 1200 viewers

“The whole world is watching”

Arresting a veteran. “You are arresting a hero.”

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Have arrested four people so far.

Shame. Shame. They grabbed a guy and dragged him across the grass. Then carried him out with four cops. Another occupier who went limp got pressed into the grass as well.

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Solidarity from St. Louis and Birmingham

“We are the 99%. You are the 99%”

Occupiers reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

LS – Occupy Tulsa

“Freedom does not have a curfew. Liberty does not have business hours.”

Reminding the TPD of the layoffs and benefit cuts.

Another veteran being led away.

LS – Occupy Tulsa

We’ll be back tomorrow. Same occupy time. Same occupy place.

We thank you for standing on the mayor’s lawn on our behalf.

We appreciate you for coming out and doing your job.

We are peaceful. We are nonviolent. And we will continue to occupy.

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Massive police presence on the grass they are arresting people to protect.

Would you do me favor, would you (TPD) pick the flag up off the ground.

What are you going to tell your children about what you did tonight? (to TPD)

LS – Occupy Tulsa

Police have taken those arrested off in a van labeled “prisoner transport”

Occupy El Paso curfew is 1am MT

Night folks

Thank you TarheelDem and niters!

Re Portland, OR (I’ve amended how the eAddress appears so it can’t be bot-scraped by eSpammers):

RT_America RT America
Protesters defend #OccupyPortland from the police ow.ly/7skSk #ows Courtesy @SteveSchwindt
7 minutes ago

OccupyOregon #OCCUPYOREGON
Please submit any eyewitness accounts of @PortlandPolice brutality to press [AT} occupy portland [DOT} org #opdx #OccupyPortland
19 minute ago

Thank you to the 39 NLG attorneys, legal observers and all associated folks providing the assist to #Occupy Portland. You rawk right along with the non-violent demonstrators!

Oakland to be raided tonight.
http://www.baycitizen.org/occupy-movement/story/sources-occupy-raid-imminent/

Lots of people in the bars and OCCUPYPORTLAND very well represented.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lypO8pt_8NQ

LS – Occupy Oakland

Riot cops facing off.

LS – Occupy Oakland

Riot cops do not have badge numbers and do not have agency identification visible.

LS – Occupy Oakland

A group of occupiers sitting in a circle surrounded by candles. Permanent occupiers willing to be arrested?

Protesters walking in circle chanting.

It’s 6am. Cops are moving in.

LS – Occupy Oakland

Helicopter overhead.

Protester is occupying a tree.

Livecam checking on the interfaith community.

LS – Occupy Oakland

The folks in the circle of candles are the interfaith community people. They are being arrested right now.

LS – Occupy Oakland

Walking the arrestees down to (Livecam opinion) 14th and Clay.

Today’s live blog (I’ve already got things up to date on Occupy Oakland)

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/11/14/live-blog-for-occupy-movement-day-58-massive-police-operation-unfolds-against-occupy-oakland/#

LS – Occupy Oakland

Streaming al Jazeera’s live coverage while laptop being charged or swapped.