ENOUGH!: The #US Government is trying to ruin the internet

Ok so there is this individual on twitter who has a blogger account as well and I read her blog for juicy piece of info from time to time. Here is one of her more recent blogs about SOPA and how it is affecting us as Americans. Check out the blog and let's have a discussion... or just use it as food for thought.

ENOUGH!: The #US Government is trying to ruin the internet: WTF is #SOPA ? aka The American Government trying to ruin the internet Graphics taken from http://www.americancensorsh...

Something to address the issue of The Port of Oakland not being able to "afford" the strikes.

Boots Riley

Regarding the full page ad that the Port Of Oakland took out to write a letter against the December 12th West Coast Port Shutdown.

The Port Of Oakland does NOT represent the workers at the port.
They represent the corporations.
The Port Of Oakland are the ones whom the workers battle with over pay and benefits.

When The Port Of Oakland says: "We cannot afford to be shutdown again", the "we" they are referring to are international shipping companies, like SSA, half-owned by Goldman Sachs.


If the 1% can't afford shutdowns like this, we're on to something.

The 1% co-ordinated nationwide brutal attacks on the Occupy Wall Street movement. We are taking the battle to them.

This is in solidarity with Longshoremen in Longview, WA, who are battling against the international grain exporter, EGT, who is using union-busting tactics against the workers.

Longshoremen will not lose pay with the blockade. We will create a "safety issue" by being there. The arbitrator will rule it unsafe for workers, since this is an action not "officially" sanctioned by ILWU. Therefore, the longshoremen will go home with pay.

This is also in solidarity with the underpaid, largely immigrant truck drivers, whose fight for higher wages and benefits have been thwarted by Goldman Sachs.

The big bosses will always tell you that it's against your own best interest to fight them. Don't believe the hype.

West Coast Port Shut Down! 12/12/11

Ok so the time has come again! I am so incredibly happy that Occupy has decided to shut down the port. It was so successful last time that it has been organized on a larger scale!

According to http://westcoastportshutdown.org/ "We're shutting down these ports because of the union busting and attacks on the working class by the 1%: the firing of Port truckers organizing at SSA terminals in LA; the attempt to rupture ILWU union jurisdiction in Longview, WA by EGT.  EGT includes Bunge LTD, a company which reported 2.5 billion dollars in profit last year and has economically devastated poor people in Argentina and Brazil. SSA is responsible for inhumane working conditions and gross exploitation of port truckers and is owned by Goldman Sachs.

EGT and Goldman Sachs is Wallstreet on the Waterfront" stated Barucha Peller of the West Coast Port Blockade Assembly of Occupy Oakland.   

"We are also striking back against the nationally' coordinated attack on the Occupy movement. In response to the police violence and camp evictions against the Occupy movement- This is our coordinated response against the 1%. On December 12th we will show are collective power through pinpointed economic blockade of the 1%."

If you are interested in meeting

to help organize. There are meetings

being held every GA day at 5pm. 

At Frank Ogawa Plaza

(a.k.a Oscar Grant Plaza)

14th & Broadway D.Twn Oakland

Diversity of Tactics - Surprise?! Nope!

Ok so many of you had to know that this article was bound to pop up on this blog eventually, so lets get right into it. First of all, I think there is too much focus on the diversity of tactics. I think that people need to realize that as the 99% there is not going to be just one tactic that appeases the entire group, so the first thing to know is that the movement can't afford to let this be the dividing strategy and should not allow it to be.

I am reminded about a resolution to exercise good judgement when deciding when to employ black bloc protesting, and how it did not pass in a very well attended general assembly. People that were there did understand that there were some who wanted to protest peacefully, however, there are some who may not feel the same. Instead of automatically jumping to the conclusion that they are wrong, I think to myself about how I know how it feels to be angry enough to want to break some things or to set something on fire. Then I wonder if anything happened to those individuals who broke windows and set things on fire to motivate them to want to make that type of statement. Once reaching this thought, another possibility could have been that the people that did these things weren't even black bloc protesters, that they could have been some teenagers (or pretty immature adults) acting out in a sea of people. the very last thought that enters my head, is are these individuals strategically doing these things to bring negative attention to the movement?

I bring all of the questions out of my head and put them on my blog because I don't know the answer to them first off, but also I would like some people who have probably never been down to an Occupy encampment or event to consider another possibility aside from the ones that the major corporate media networks give you. Consider the possibility that what you are seeing and/or hearing is not always accurate, or that it may have a particular spin on it. I mean after all, it doesn't make sense to spread awareness to the people about a movement that wants to shut down the same corporations that run and/or sponsor the news stations. Lastly, think about the fact that each alternative reason provided in the above paragraph is equally possible.

The next situation I think of was on Black Friday/Buy Nothing Day in SF. We were in front of the apple store and there was an incident with this gentleman (Buy Nothing Day Occupy SF) where he was very upset that the Occupy SF Movement had decided to Occupy and shut down the Apple Store in the financial district. Now, after a bunch of bad noise, someone finally got down to what his problem was, and it wasn't that he didn't support Occupy, he just didn't agree with the tactics. Now while I think it is great that he knew enough about Occupy to have developed that opinion, I often times hear people complain about the direction in which the Occupy movement is heading AFTER turning down invitations to visit a general assembly and make their voices be heard. I try to be patient with people, but it's difficult when trying to convince people to do something that helps them. How do you convince people to come to GA and have their voice heard? To participate in the process? This problem is already occurring as we see it in our current political system, at some point people need to get up out of their homes and come visit their community!

After all the talk about how he followed the movement, he still broke past and went into the Apple Store to buy some things. Which raises another interesting point. While everyone is complaining about corporate greed, we walk the streets like zombies to come put ourselves into debt. It was crazy to see how people could just tune out the protesters; but in this society we really are well adjusted to injustice and we do things like allow people to die from a heart attack on the floor of a store and step over him to continue shopping. Man Dies in Target while shopping - other shoppers ignore him How much are we programmed to do things that go against what or who we desire to be? At what point and time did we start believing that money is love and that militarizing the police is more important than educating our youth? At what point do more Americans get outraged at the injustice that is going on every day? At what point is enough truly enough?

I know that I have written this a little late, but as the 99% we don't have a whole bunch of money so it's not too late to start making that money work for you just a little more. Stop supporting big businesses and corporate greed when you could be more self sufficient and support your community. I know it takes a little more effort, but when you're willing to camp out to make sure you get an ipad 2 for a little cheaper for you daughter, I'm sure you can at least visit an Occupy General Assembly to see if maybe, just maybe this can be a way to provide a better world for those same family members. I'm saying all of this and not focusing all the way on the diversity of tactics because as a very diverse 99% I think it's foolish to not expect that there would be some clash about how people want to get things done. The frustrating part is that most people that really need to be at the GA would rather wait until they bump into an Occupy Day of Action and complain rather than be a part of the planning process to ensure their viewpoint is reflected as well.

Long story short: stop yelling at your tv, at the protests, and your politicians (well maybe keep it up with them). Come down to a GA near you and get involved. Make sure that issues that need to be paid attention to are being paid attention to. Voice your opinion and write a resolution to maybe plan your own action at the GA. Be a part of the solution and let's go ahead and have ourselves a revolution!

BLACK FRIDAY - OHLONE LAND - EMERYVILLE PHOTOS!

Ohlone Land & Black Friday

Today was officially Buy Nothing Day in Emeryville on Shellmound at the Bay Street Mall. Most people either do not know, or have chosen to ignore the fact that the Ikea as well as the Bay Street Mall were built on Ohlone burial land. This is a disturbing fact because I couldn't imagine the burial site of my loved ones being trampled on my eager consumers wanting to fund the very companies that desecrated the land. If more people would take the time out to really consider this from another perspective, I don't think this area would be so busy with shoppers. I think that this would be a good place to mention that some of the protesting was successful because there were a couple cars that I saw merge out of the turning lane to enter the shopping center while honking their horns in support. Thinking back on this now, I am happy that some people were attracted and intrigued enough by the spectacle of people and what they were saying to make a conscious decision to not support this shopping center.

Although I have not attended any of the previous Buy Nothing protests that have been held since the opening of this shopping center, I was told by several people there that this was a larger turnout than usual. I think that is because this particular Buy Nothing Day was endorsed by both Occupy Oakland and Occupy SF. Seeing that the Occupy Movement supports this as well shows that this movement is about community and reaching out to all of those who have experienced oppression, including but not limited to our indigenous brothers and sisters. Furthermore, I tried to go back and find articles about the bodies that were being found as IKEA was being built and I have to pay to access them. For those of you who do not understand the "money does not equal speech" argument check this out. You have to have money to access information and/or to put information out. Pay to check out the article here

I know that there are people out there who are still cynics but realize how you can make your money work for you. Don't spend the money where the company is more concerned about profit over people. Mom and Pop stores hire people too, but they can only afford to hire so many people when they have to compete with large corporations that can afford to have lower prices. Naturally the lower prices attract shoppers, but at what cost really? What happens when those small business can no longer stay afloat? Even though every major mall is not built on a sacred burial ground, shopping at these establishments still hurt the community because it empowers them. Being a consumer nation, we can create a shift but we have to be a conscious people and hold our government, corporations and ourselves accountable.