April 7th Postmortem
X X
| Did you help plan A7? Did you step in on the day or days leading up to it to help pull the action off? Were you a participant? Are you working on an upcoming project for Occupy Chicago? Do you like ketchup? If you answered yes to any of those questions* please join the April 7th working group on Sunday April 15th at 5pm at 500 W. Cermak for a postmortem on the days events. We'd like to know what went well? What could have gone better? How can we learn from the days events to improve our upcoming days of action in May? With Love, Matt *except the ketchup question, we don't care how you feel about ketchup (although some of us do find it to be disgusting). __________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
danielle villarreal
X X
| I am not opposed, in fact I'm in favor of post meeting drinking and food............as long as there is no ketchup involved. With Love, Matt |
__________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Wed, 4/11/12, danielle villarreal <danielle....@gmail.com> wrote: |
X X
| Just a reminder : |
Did you help plan A7? Did you step in on the day or days leading up to it to help pull the action off? Were you a participant? Are you working on an upcoming project for Occupy Chicago? Do you like ketchup? If you answered yes to any of those questions* please join the April 7th working group on Sunday April 15th at 5pm at 500 W. Cermak for a postmortem on the days events. We'd like to know what went well? What could have gone better? How can we learn from the days events to improve our upcoming days of action in May? With Love, Matt *except the ketchup question, we don't care how you feel about ketchup (although some of us do find it to be disgusting). |
| With Love, Matt |
__________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Wed, 4/11/12, X X <moccu...@yahoo.com> wrote: |
|
Michael Ehrenreich
Have you given any thought to moving the April 7th wrap up meeting to the Woodland Health Clinic occupation?
Babur B
I second to that Mike
Nate
I was just going to email that same suggestion. Also add the Lisa Fithian post mortem to the list.
Lucas Vereline
No matter where, I won't be able to go at this point. But it would be a shame if we don't use every tool available to build momentum for this occupation. Incidentally guys, we have a successful, meaningful occupation happening *right now*!
I've given matt my a7 feedback already. My corner pretty much ran itself, which means ir was well organized. So props to the working group. I didn't get to see anything else really.
-lucas
Matt from the mental health mvmt says we are welcome to have our mtg at woodlawn
Sent from my U.S. Cellular Android device
James
#OccupyOakland GA just voted to shut down Golden Gate Bridge on #MayDay. Prediction: Bridge will close due to mass gathering of cops.
Can we do something awesome for May 1? It's MayDay. While all other occupations are having major actions and general strikes which actually cripple the 1% and hit them where it hurts, I hear we are having another march. I found this out at the action for transit workers a couple weeks ago when I passed out a May 1 flyer out to a woman and said "Come out May 1st. General strike." she said "I'm part of labor committee and planning this. There is no general strike." I was devastated.
I haven't been part of the planning so I don't know exactly what we have planned but from what I heard so far it's not anything like other occupations are doing. It's kind of sad. I'm sad there is no general strike. I thought that was the whole intention. That and immigration and workers rights. At the GA when we first talked about May 1st, and voted on names for it, I suggested MayDay under the assumption it was something huge and the other name suggested was "A day without the 99%" which led me to believe that meant a general strike- no work, no school, nothing. A day without us.
I know we are working with unions and maybe they can't strike, or dont want to. I know we need their numbers. But I feel and others Ive talked to feel like we should be in solidarity with other occupations and call for general strike. At least action equally as big as shutting down the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE like Occupy Oakland.
If we do have a huge action planned that I don't know about I apologize. If not can we talk about this?
James
Ben Clifford
There will be a general strike but according to Andy in labor outreach there is no specific target, I say freight lines or Michigan ave (something that will effect commerce.. thus general strike) anyone else have any ideas?
Rachael P
So what do we do? Simply doing a rally-cattle march-rally thing isn't really our style, and can be boring and dis empowering. I see two options, and we can do both if we want:
1) Use this as the amazing outreach opportunity it is. Instead of marching as a contingent, we line the route and weave thru the crowd,passing out fliers for ChiSpring . . . thousands of flyers
2) While all the cops are busy at the march, we plan an action which according to the Chi Principles should be a respectful distance and time from this march. So, we could have something in another part of downtown or in a neighborhood right when their action is ending
Rach
Rachael Perrotta
773.653.5073
plus...@gmail.com
Twitter: @plussone
Occupy Chicago Press Relations
773.417.6491
pr...@occupychi.org
Facebook.com/PressComm
Twitter: @OCPress
James
the proletary
planning the march. OC voted on putting out the call to reach out and
form a coalition of which we are the driving force. If we are acting
in a coalition with other organizations we should invest in attending
as we have invested in initiated and planning. Most large actions are
done in coalitions and that means that the organizations involved act
together. So we should act in this and do so with gusto. In doing
this I would propose we also not line the route as that sounds like we
are standing apart from the march. However I think Rachael is totally
right about the potential for outreach esp. with building our NATO
actions. I propose that we need to have a meeting a week or two
before May 1 to make sure we have this planned out. We should make
sure that everyone has hordes of fliers, sign up sheets, and are amply
prepared to talk up why protesting NATO/G8 is important. Do people
think that the weekend of 4/20 is too early. Perhaps someone from the
MayDay organizing efforts should take point on this.
solidarity,
b
OccupyChicago LaborOutreach
Kelvin Ho
it might not be a bad idea to call an action spokescouncil
specifically for actions surrounding Mayday outside of the
march-perhaps sometime next week so that groups can start to organize
their own actions in preparation? Social Media,press, visual media
people can attend to get an idea of what's going down too.
How does Sat. Apr 21 5-7pm sound? We can send out a call for groups to
start organizing their actions before then.
-Kelvin
Ben Clifford
I love this idea, I want to see something more planned, especially given May days history in Chicago, this is where the haymarket riots occurred (thus may day existing) and I feel we have an obligation since we will be the center of everything in May with NATO.
James
Kelvin Ho
X X
| I like this idea of a larger discussion although I don't know if a spokes council would be the proper format for the initial discussion. In regards to May 1st though, I think people should keep in mind that we aren't in Oakland or NYC and our sitiuation is entirely different. We have the summit coming here at the end of May and creating an arrestable action before than doesn't necessarily make the most sense. I do think its important that we do something exciting and unqiue on top of the march but I do think we should be keeping in mind what we have to deal with at the end of the month, which no other city had to consider in their planning of may 1. |
With Love, Matt __________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Mon, 4/16/12, Kelvin Ho <hoke...@gmail.com> wrote: |
James
| By Peter and Paul and other members of Hella503 The Portland Action Lab's Feb 29th march to “Shut Down the Corporations!” (F29) was picked up by over 70 cities, making waves across the country. Here in Portland, roughly 1,000 people responded and showed up in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, to march through downtown streets for over three hours in the cold rain. F29 reinforced that the best lessons of the last three months, our unapologetic defiance of established institutions - the courts, political parties, the police, and even trade unions and nonprofits - has been our greatest strength. This defiance has rallied thousands to our side in a manner that the past fifteen years of protests, marches, and symbolic actions have largely failed to do. What F29 has also made clear is that our actions need to continue to push forward our collective sense of possibility and strength in order to maintain momentum in the movement. Occupy Portland issued a statement underscoring that their goal in F29 was to create “a peaceful and informative day of positive action and discourse with fellow Portlanders.” |  |
Is the role of conscious revolutionaries really to ”educate” people? If it were so easy, if people just needed to be informed of the corruption, the brutality, and the alienation that capitalism creates in their lives, then why are we still in the streets, hundreds of years after the inception of the modern capitalist sociopolitical system? It is arguable that the problem for most folks is not their lack of awareness of the injustice, and the failings of our system to meet basic human needs, but rather their feelings of impotence and powerlessness in the face of it. It is this sense of despair that must be countered through action.
The moments of bravest defiance have been the moments that best define Occupy in the minds of millions - and the moments in which hundreds and thousands of previously “apolitical” people have swelled the ranks of the movement. This should not be forgotten. The militancy of comrades in Oakland, Portland, Seattle, and elsewhere - the willingness to take risks, to shatter the myths and limits of “peaceful protest,” and “messaging,” and a flexibility in tactics are what have made Occupy's best moments possible.
Our biggest victories: the Nov 6th march, which turned out 2,000 people in solidarity with the Oakland General Strike; the Nov 13th defense of the camp eviction; Nov 17th action against the banks; organizing in solidarity with Longview; and the D12 Port Shutdown, all succeeded due to two things: significant public support wedded with militancy. The combination of illegality, significant disruption of business as usual, and tactical flexibility - up to and including physically defending marches and gatherings from police attacks and pushing riot police off of streets - demonstrated a new range of possibilities and ignited inspiration and momentum in the movement.
In all of these instances, either the public debate, or the replaying of the event itself across the day's news feeds, extended an invitation to the public at large to engage in action that went beyond the stale standard of being paraded around the city, symbolically shaming and wagging fingers at this or that bad entity. Rather than being reassured by leaders with megaphones that what they are doing is changing things, people saw firsthand the potential for power they held together.
Over the past few months, a relatively small group of organizers have rapidly advanced their own sense of militancy. Whereas just four months ago, the debates were whether or not we could take the streets (for fear of police, delaying buses or cars, or being “too confrontational” and alienating potential supporters), now the debates center on more nuanced questions. It’s a testament to the ability of everyday people to rapidly assimilate collective experiences into meaningful political conclusions that in a mere four months, the questions of how to break through police lines, push police off streets, and defend actions from police assaults have begun to find answers in practice and be picked up by increasing numbers of people, opening new possibilities for the question of “Where do we Occupy next?”
Of course, this learning curve has not been without friction. The night before F29, a communiqué was released by a group referring to itself as “Some of Those Responsible.” In the piece, “Some of Those Responsible” identified as anticapitalists, and took responsibility for smashing out windows and ATMs at the US Bank on SE Main and César Chávez Blvd. They explained their motivations as symbolically targeting (one of the) institutions responsible for the imbalance of global wealth distribution, as well as for banks’ roles in the financial crisis and in environmental degradation. “We also did this to remind Occupy to keep its horizons open,” they continue. “Parades through the city may be able to accomplish this task on occasion, but at the end of the day there's really no replacement for a few dozen folks in masks with rocks.” (http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2012/02/414143.shtml)
The next morning, before the day’s actions could even begin, the Occupy Portland PR team responded by immediately distancing the organizers of the march from the autonomous action: “At 11:30 last night...a non-Occupy Portland group expressed that their action was done in solidarity with Occupy Portland. As Occupy Portland has clearly stated in every mention of F29 Shut Down The Corporations, this event will be peaceful. Property destruction through autonomous action by individuals or groups has never been advocated for or supported by Occupy Portland....We hope that fellow Portlanders recognize that though our actions today will be disruptive yet peaceful as we create awareness to shut down ALEC.”
(http://occupyportland.org/2012/02/29/in-response-to-autonomous-property-...)
The response from the Occupy Portland PR team implies a number of assumptions regarding messaging, how to leverage power, and Occupy's appeal. While the statement from “Some of Those Responsible” suggested that multiple forms of action should be open for consideration and left on the table, the PR team assumed a need for Occupy to distance itself from property destruction, placing value instead upon being “peaceful” and “informative.”
Did F29, in juxtaposition to the actions of ”Some of those Responsible,” actually “create awareness to shut down ALEC” with the result that “when we succeed we will have changed the course of history in our political system by helping restore the legitimate voice of all of the American people, not just the 1%” any more than the bold night time raid on a few bank windows in SE Portland did? This raises the question of whether we really believe that people are drawn to a movement for a ”peaceful and informative day of positive action and discourse with fellow Portlanders.” We suggest that, thanks to this disavowal of the kinds of tactics demonstrated by the autonomous action, the experience of F29 for its participants and onlookers lacked the transformative energy that it could have generated. While it succeeded in making many symbolic points, it failed to send its participants away with an expanded sense of possibility and power.
Two Actions: Same Tactics, Different Results-
What was different between N17 and F29?
Following the eviction of the camp on Nov 13th, N17 was preceded by days of skirmishes between protesters and police, all dominating the news cycle, with photos of police violence and attacks in Portland even making the New York Times. What loomed in the background of N17 was the experience of the well over 5,000 people who only four days before had come down, pushed police off of the streets, and successfully defended their encampment, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxbowRmzetY) only to have police come sweep and close it the next morning. Nov 17th began with a largely scripted series of symbolic, pre-negotiated arrests on one of Portland's bridges. Chief of Police Mike Reese acknowledged in interviews at the time that they had no problem negotiating the arrest of anyone who wanted to sit down on the bridge and be arrested. N17 took on significance once the action went “off script,” and hundreds of people, having seen the latest in a series of conflicts with police unfold on news screens, flooded into downtown to confront the police. Even by Police Chief Reese's admission, it was not the symbolic arrests, either at banks, or on the bridges, that gave N17 its resonance and power. It was the spontaneous expression of popular force and defiance that arose as a response to the actions of the police during the eviction and for days after.
In contrast, F29 stayed largely on script. Aside from the exemplary actions of small organized groups with large banners and rest of the crowd, who rallied behind them to push aside police cordons (police lines were broken through three times), little else happened. Media coverage was limited; we marched for 4 hours, passed numerous targets, and went home. ALEC was not impacted. American capitalism did not collapse. But who expected these things to occur?
More importantly, unlike on Nov 17th, the event ended on time and did not spur any continuing actions or sense of possibility. Had the crowd not done such a good job dealing with police menacing that day, the entirety of the event would have been a retreat for the movement. Numerous nonprofits and leftist groups have been holding safe, peaceful marches around many of the same issues that “Occupy the Corporations” was attempting to raise, yet they have rarely succeeded in capturing the attention of the general public or inspiring to action masses of those not already ideologically committed to their agendas.
Debating Militancy and the Black Bloc
In addition to the success of breaking through police lines and defending the march from police provocation and attack, the widespread support for black bloc tactics, despite the denunciation of the prior night's actions by some leadership, was noteworthy. Organized groupings formed a bloc at the front of the march, using reinforced hard banners. They maintained discipline in their ranks, repeatedly breaking through police lines, and refusing to be kettled, quarantined to the sidewalk, or to allow police to dictate the direction of the march. These tactics were successful, and won many at the march over to the type of tactics that were widely disparaged earlier. This was a success that we should build on.
It may be worth debating whether or not the actions of “Some of Those Responsible” helped or hindered the movement. However, denouncing their actions as somehow less legitimate than those sanctioned by larger organizations is a blow to constructive solidarity. It also offers little in the way of rejuvenation to a movement already growing stale.
This movement needs thousands of experiments - who knows what its next form will take? It is not likely to be encampments again, but we won’t know its new form until it arises, and it’s likely to do so from places people least expect. Regardless of its end result, the actions of “Some of Those Responsible” are exemplary for a number of reasons:
1. They expanded the sphere of what is possible - they have demonstrated that people can engage in small attacks on private property and get away with it.
2. The actors assumed responsibility for their actions - there was very little risk of injury, arrest, or consequences being assigned to nonparticipants in the action.
3. It appears that “Some of those Responsible” actually responded to criticisms from some in Occupy, who had suggested that they had previously exposed marches and groupings who did not want to accept such risk to dangerous situations; they changed their behavior by planning and carrying out their own action.
4. “Some of Those Responsible” demonstrated that the police and institutions like Bank of America are not all seeing and all knowing.
Message Does Matter
The tremendous amount of organizing that went into F29 should have served to take the movement to the next level, politically, tactically, and strategically. Success of this nature would have involved a clearer articulation of the action’s goals, as well as a stronger understanding of its political potential. One of the goals of F29 was to disrupt business as usual. To a degree, we succeeded at this. The march was unpermitted, and we went where we wanted, even when police blocked us and attempted to stop us. Anyone who was downtown at the time and saw the march understood that the movement is still strong in Portland.
On the other hand, the politics of F29 were largely reformist, and the tactics scripted and tame. Targeting corporations is only targeting one expression of the underlying system of capitalism. Many of the day’s chants were anti-corporate, not anti-capitalist. This masks the underlying problems and tensions of the capitalist system as it molds every corner of society. Corporations are not the root of the problem; at most, they are a symptom of something much broader and more pervasive.
Not explicitly naming capitalism was a missed opportunity to identify the underlying causes of our social problems and develop a common understanding of how to fix them. In the future we need to talk about capitalism and to work this into our materials, chants and talking points. We need more creativity and militancy in our choice of tactics. And we need to develop a long-term strategy. What overall purpose did this march serve?
The day was billed as “Shut Down the Corporations,” and three corporate offices were targeted during the march. At two of the three, the primary tactic was to shame them. Unfortunately, we will not shame Verizon out of existence. There were rumors that affinity groups had formed and were intending to lock-down and obstruct various corporate offices, but very little planned civil disobedience occurred. This would have inspired people, but unfortunately it only happened once, and even then it was well out of view on the 34th floor of the Wells Fargo building. The prank resignation from ALEC in front of Blue Cross/Blue Shield was well done and showed the type of creativity that was otherwise lacking.
Another goal of F29 was to empower people. In addition to proving that people don’t need to apply for a permit to hold a march, we also showed that the movement can defend against police attack, and we demonstrated how to stay together, and how to march on our own terms. All of this is important and inspiring. People that came to the march looking to express their frustration at the workings of the system may have been satisfied with their experience. But then again, chanting in front of corporate offices may not have lived up to many people’s expectations. Not seeing more direct confrontation with the rulers may have also left people wanting more. More importantly, did people have an experience of their own potential collective strength? If they didn't, no amount of reassurances from leaders on megaphones that they are doing something great will convince them to return.
Conclusion
Despite being denounced by pacifists in Occupy, the more militant and confrontational actions of those who organize black blocs, militant extra-legal marches and night actions have been more effective in raising the social costs and in garnering publicity for the movement. 80 people marched on Feb 6th against police brutality and ended up getting more media coverage than the 1,000 who marched on Feb 29th. In part this was because things got broken. What if the destruction that happened that night had been more thoughtful? What if it was a corporate office that got smashed up, rather than Genoa restaurant and a BMW? A small march would have still gotten more media because the media loves property destruction, but the message would have been less controversial and more clear.
At the same time, night actions and black blocs have small numbers of participants, while what we need are thousands of people in the streets utilizing creative and militant tactics. The night of the eviction, after a week of publicized threats and vacillation from much of the official face of Occupy, 5,000 people stood up to the riot police, took back over Main Street and refused to give it back, despite police using horses and nightsticks to try and clear the crowd. One of the most inspiring images of that night is the line of riot police retreating in the advance of thousands of people in the streets. Small night actions lack this level of participation in direct action. We need to discuss how we can create actions that help move people from being spectators to being participants, and that will involve thousands of people.
We are not calling for small, adventurist actions. We shouldn’t fetishize breaking windows. Rather, we are calling for a reevaluation of the tactics and strategy of the broad social movement we are working to develop. We think we need to be both more creative and more militant in our thinking. We need to see “Some of Those Responsible” and Occupy Portland as being the spectrum of the movement. We need to bridge the militancy of those engaging in night actions and organizing militant, extralegal marches, and black blocs with those working actively to create a broad social movement, involving thousands and eventually millions of people in the ongoing work of fundamentally remaking society. We need to broaden the scope of participation in militancy.
The types of empowering actions we are calling for, which need to be generalized throughout the movement, are those that increase people’s senses of power and possibility. Successfully defending a march from police attack, pushing back retreating lines of riot police, pushing through police lines: these are the types of experiences that people want to come back for. The next time we get 1,000 people in the streets, let’s have it be more effective in moving us toward the development of a revolutionary movement. Let’s have actions that people walk away from feeling empowered and inspired and worked up for the next! Let’s create a movement that draws people into the long-haul project of creating a new society - not through lectures or parades, but through moments of the experience of the possibility of true freedom!
http://www.anarchistnews.org/content/reflections-f29-0
Something to think about if we plan to inspire and draw in new people.
Ben Clifford
Agreed, an arrestable action would not be the best, but numbers and a taste of large demonstrations may hype up activists on the fence and spark media attention leading up to NATO boosting those numbers.
Kelvin Ho
Kelvin Ho
Kelvin Ho
Kelvin Ho
one week for whatever affinity groups in or out of occupy to plan
actions and then bring them to a larger spokescouncil. Unfortunately
we only have 2 weeks left..
Ben Clifford
Two Weeks schmoo Weeks, were Fucking occupy, we can do something amazing in two Weeks lol
Kelvin Ho
constantly think in terms of a binary Occupy Chicago vs. the rest of
the world. That is, we give off the impression that if you want to
plan actions in solidarity with ochi you have to go to to Direct
action meetings when you really don't need to. Within ochi we can plan
2,3, or multiple events stemming from different affinity groups.
Groups outside of ochi can do the same. We can then all come to the
spokecouncil and make sure it all fits in together.
On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 5:11 PM, Philip DeVon <philip...@gmail.com> wrote:
> This is the problem: why are we talking about giving OTHER GROUPS time to
> plan OTHER ACTIONS? Why are we not planning OUR OWN ACTION that we encourage
> OTHER GROUPS to join?
>
> Are we not yet tired of riding coattails? Is marching with a bunch of union
> locals one more time going to push us over the top? We don't need the unions
> to 'endorse' anything. We need to just do it.
>
> What I don't understand is this: what is the meat of these labor group
> meetings and mayday planning sessions? If we march from point A to point B
> what else is there to plan? Outreach? Marketing? Logistics?
>
> I don't know (because I haven't been to MAYDAY planning meeting) but I can't
> help but wonder, what is being discussed if not a viable direct action? Are
> we just discussing what's the most scenic route to Daley Plaza?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 5:04 PM, Ben Clifford <benclif...@gmail.com>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Philip J. DeVon
> #OChi Social Media Committee
> www.occupychi.org
>
> Click HERE to follow me on Twitter!
>
>
James
Kelvin Ho
jacqueline spreadbury
I really like the idea of having another action other then the march on May Day!
We can definitely pull something off in two weeks time, but if we wait until Saturday to have the first meeting and then not confirm any action until the Saturday after, that doesn't leave much time at all for promoting it, working out details, and making/getting anything we might need to pull this action off. I think that if we want to make something happen (which I do!) we should meet as soon as feasibly possible and start brainstorming/planning ASAP. Why not Wednesday before/after GA?
Also, what is the difference between a meeting/working group, and a spokes council. I guess I don't know what you mean by a spokes council.
-Jackie
Ben Clifford
We should discuss at the meeting Wednesday. That would be before Saturday...
James
Oakland is shutting down the Golden Gate Bridge for fucks sake. NY calling for General Strike. Chicago, taking a walk downtown shouting. Per the usual.
I never said we have to do an arrestable action. I said we should do a more creative action than a march. Where is our creativity?
New York is a WONDERFUL example of innovation and creativity. They moved to union square and have been raided almost every night. They don't march, they have eviction theatre and barricade burlesque. They sleep outside despite the raids and police brutality.
We keep saying Chicago isn't NY or Oakland. How aren't we besides our numbers? In order to get those numbers we need to switch up our tactics because we aren't getting any bigger.
Most of the time why we can't do half the stuff we want to is because we dont have enough people. Numbers is always the reason. What are we doing then to eliminate that problem? We have identified it. But we aren't talking solutions. I feel outreach is Occupy Chicago biggest downfall and We have a month to fix it. What are we gonna do?
It should be a group effort. Outreach needs to be all of our concern. Committees can't function cuz not enough members. Actions can't happen cuz not enough people. Can't have 24-7 presence at ANY location cuz not enough people. Can't challenge the police cuz not enough people. Can't walk in the streets cuz not enough people. Can't call for General Strike cuz w/o the unions, we dont have enough people.
I feel our 1% priority for the rest of the spring and this summer should be outreach. Propaganda, college outreach, flyering, graffitti, face to face, radio, billboards, stickers, everything. We must step it up. All of us myself included. We keep telling people that they have power let's show them what to do with it.
We are creatives. We are intelligent. We are Chicago. We are legion. Expect us.
James
Benjamin Burton
Can't OC call for a General Strike from our followers so they can join the march, and then do something else as well? Just have everyone take the day off and join up.
-Ben
Kelvin Ho
session and we can meet up Saturday to coordinate again?
Michael Herbert
I think O.C. could benefit from starting to think about building campaigns. I a weekly or biweekly 45min. or so orientation on basic campaign principles, and general strategy planning, directly after which would be a series of half-hour or so spokes council meetings for different campaigns (environment sustainability, economic justice, prison rights, immigration rights, etc.)
The spokes at each campaign meetings would be representatives of committees that already exist in O.C. (direct action, press, social media, etc.) to coordinate a strategy toward some long term goals as a larger diverse group.
I think something like this would help O.C. find some focus and set/achieve some S.M.A.R.T. goals that work toward our vision of a world that prioritizes things like community, justice, and sustainability over private profit (or whatever vision is defined by this process.)
I also think it would be a good way for people to come, get oriented, and plugged into an issue that is important to them, in a way that engages their strengths and interests, and instantly start rubbing elbows with other comrades - all in a matter of hours.
I'd be happy to contribute to these campaign orientations if people are into something like this.
Thoughts?
-Mike
From: Kelvin Ho <hoke...@gmail.com>
To: oc_s...@googlegroups.com
Cc: X X <moccu...@yahoo.com>; "oc_ou...@googlegroups.com" <oc_ou...@googlegroups.com>; "oc_soci...@googlegroups.com" <oc_soci...@googlegroups.com>; "oc_dire...@googlegroups.com" <oc_dire...@googlegroups.com>; "secretaria...@googlegroups.com" <secretaria...@googlegroups.com>; "socia...@occupychi.org" <socia...@occupychi.org>; "direct...@occupychi.org" <direct...@occupychi.org>; "le...@occupychi.org" <le...@occupychi.org>; "ar...@occupychi.org" <ar...@occupychi.org>; "dona...@occupychi.org" <dona...@occupychi.org>; "rese...@occupychi.org" <rese...@occupychi.org>; "coordi...@occupychi.org" <coordi...@occupychi.org>; "conf...@occupychi.org" <conf...@occupychi.org>; "hou...@occupychi.org" <hou...@occupychi.org>; "outr...@occupychi.org" <outr...@occupychi.org>; "secre...@occupychi.org" <secre...@occupychi.org>
Sent: Mon, April 16, 2012 5:20:08 PM
Subject: Re: [OC_Outreach] Re: [OC_SM] Re: May 1st
Kelvin Ho
and sm and press will publicize it. we never voted on the woodlawn
occupation either.
James
James
Ben Clifford
I say let's call the general strike, but that's just the nations frustration saying that. so Wednesday its being discussed?
James
danielle villarreal
-Danielle
Hooked Oncraigslist
Rachael P
Kieran
From: James <james...@gmail.com>
To: Kelvin Ho <hoke...@gmail.com>
Cc: "oc_s...@googlegroups.com" <oc_s...@googlegroups.com>; "oc_soci...@googlegroups.com" <oc_soci...@googlegroups.com>; "oc_dire...@googlegroups.com" <oc_dire...@googlegroups.com>; "secretaria...@googlegroups.com" <secretaria...@googlegroups.com>; "socia...@occupychi.org" <socia...@occupychi.org>; "direct...@occupychi.org" <direct...@occupychi.org>; "le...@occupychi.org" <le...@occupychi.org>; "ar...@occupychi.org" <ar...@occupychi.org>; "dona...@occupychi.org" <dona...@occupychi.org>; "rese...@occupychi.org" <rese...@occupychi.org>; "coordi...@occupychi.org" <coordi...@occupychi.org>; "conf...@occupychi.org" <conf...@occupychi.org>; "hou...@occupychi.org" <hou...@occupychi.org>; "outr...@occupychi.org" <outr...@occupychi.org>; "secre...@occupychi.org" <secre...@occupychi.org>
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 4:55 PM
Subject: [OC_Research] Re: [OC_SM] Re: May 1st
Rachael P
"How do you feel about a general strike Chicagoland? Would you participate? Do you think it's effective? All views welcome."
People in tweeting back, add your views :)
James
James
Rachael P
Adbusters put their call out. Some of us started agitating to put out our own call and take the day back. I put forth the proposal for the call and theme, and we were working on the language in GA. Then we got word that the labor and immigrant rights groups, who traditionally do a big march on that day, wanted to organize for it together and do their own call. This was a big deal, because MayDay marches have been dwindling since 2006 when I believe there were 600,000 in the streets - a de-facto general strike.
The OChi Labor Comm and Occupy el Barrio helped facilitate the organization of a big coalition that is now planning the march.
OccupyChicago LaborOutreach
X X
| I was just told by Crystal that there is a May 1st meeting open to everyone tomorrow at 6:30 at Cermak. So if your interested in talking about May Day and whats already been planned that sounds like the place to be. |
With Love, Matt __________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Mon, 4/16/12, OccupyChicago LaborOutreach <union.taskfo...@gmail.com> wrote: |
X X
As everyone knows, there is an ongoing occupation outside of the
Woodlawn Mental Health Clinic. Not everyone knows why :) They are
demanding that that the city:
This occupation is a part of an going campaign, led by patients from all 12 clinics facing closure, to defend Chicago mental health clinics from closure and privatization, which Mayor 1% is pushing for. The Mental Health Movement has been organizing around this issue, using a diversity of tactics including writing letters, meeting with politicians and health boards, taking direct actions, occupying their own clinic and now occupying a lot outside of the clinic. This is their last resort. Two of the patients who
used to be served by Woodlawn have already been admitted to the
psychiatric ward because they could no longer get the help they needed
in their neighborhood. Money being taken away from clinics while Chicago corporations
get tax cuts is directly related to our main issues, that's one reason
we are in solidarity with the actions the Mental Health Movement is
taking. Many people who participate in Occupy Chi are also consumers of
mental health care; for them, this is a personal fight. Please come down
and show support for this cause, which is a part of our larger struggle
against the 1%. For more info directly from the mouths of Woodlawn's patients, check out their press releases at: http://www.facebook.com/PressCOMM/notes Also be on the look out for teach-ins popping up at the occupation later this week. There will also be a citywide GA taking place there on Thursday at 7pm featuring all of our local occupations. |
X X
| It has been discovered and proven that last nights eviction was illegal. Tents are being erected at clinic as I type. Please come down and show your support for our sisters and brothers in Woodlawn. |
With Love, Matt __________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Mon, 4/16/12, X X <moccu...@yahoo.com> wrote: |
|
Benjamin Burton
-Ben
MC Carter
Michael Ehrenreich
X X
| Rachel and Tom from Occupy RP have been arrested and are being taken to 71st and cottage grove. |
With Love, Matt __________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Tue, 4/17/12, Michael Ehrenreich <miken...@gmail.com> wrote: |
X X
| media has been contacted. |
With Love, Matt __________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Tue, 4/17/12, MC Carter <mccart...@gmail.com> wrote: |
Blaise Sewell
B
X X
| I am working till 9 in Wicker Park. If anyone is heading down there around that time and can swoop me please shoot me a direct email. |
With Love, Matt __________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Tue, 4/17/12, Blaise Sewell <blaise...@gmail.com> wrote: |
Lucas Vereline
Any update on the situation?
Anyone coming through downtown around 6 with a free spot?
X X
| People are canvassing the neighborhood and holding down at Woodlawn health clinic. We will be doing jail support at 71 and cottage grove. |
With Love, Matt __________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Tue, 4/17/12, Lucas Vereline <lpver...@gmail.com> wrote: |
James
X X
| The meeting was on the 17th. |
With Love, Matt __________________________________________________________________________________ "You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire, once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher" ________________________________________________________________________________ "Your reputation as a putz certainly precedes you."David Krzesinski |
| --- On Wed, 4/18/12, James <james...@gmail.com> wrote: |
James
Anyone we contact to get minutes or an update about what happened?
Labor group? You out there?
Natalie W
Spencer Thayer
Cordially in your face-
but still cordially,
Spencer "Thunderball" Thayer!