As a 99%’er, I feel that Occupy Oakland is losing the plot. The latest call to action posted states “Long live the Oakland commune.” This movement shouldn’t be about wasting time, energy, and resources battling its oppressors by fighting to set up a symbolic encampment in Frank Ogawa or Oscar Grant plaza (whichever you prefer) or even a new public location. Citizens and activists do not need to hold a physical space in order for OO to exist. If they take the plaza, they do not take the movement. OO needs to align more with Occupy Wall Street to understand that this is the conclusion that OWS is coming to. This movement is in danger of not going the distance and flaming out if it wastes energy on non-necessary things – which is exactly what THEY want.
Also, in keeping with the idea of getting focused and not wasting energy – the people’s mic really only needs to be used to facilitate communication. Since OO is allowed to assemble with public address systems, the people’s mic should be used only when necessary. Just think about how much more OWS could accomplish in addition to the great things they already have if they didn’t have the giant energy vacuum of the people’s mic to contend with.
We are now in phase two. OO should focus on one thing, simply – the money. Get the money out of politics and in the hands of the working class. Look at the big picture. Does it do the movement any good that it costs us, the taxpaying 99%, millions of dollars in overtime for police to beat down their fellow 99%? We can put the responsibility on Quan and co. when she overbooks hundreds of cops at $1000 a day to play the reoccupy game, but ultimately it costs and hurts US. Let them rack up the overtime when it is necessary – during direct actions on those that are intent on keeping the status quo.
I fear that the public is getting alienated by what it is starting to see as a fringe element. We can’t allow OO to be trivialized and marginalized. If we are, by big media, the public, etc. – we lose. This movement needs numbers AND legs. It needs to change the minds of those that are on the fence waiting to jump in or those that are with us to STAY in. There is a long road ahead, we need everyone we can get. Oakland has gotta continue to stay in and lead the game.
OO is now in danger of boxing itself into an ideological cul de sac. If it is content to represent only the most radical and divisive among us, it could be argued that it services only the elitist and exclusionary. We need to be truly progressive, proactive, and forward-thinking.
Look at what Portland is doing: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf/2011/11/occupy_portland_no_end_in_sigh.html
Look at what Seattle is doing:
http://occupyseattle.org/blog/2011-11-17/occupy-super-committee-national-week-action
Amongst many others…
We need to start dialoguing with those in power – locally and nationally. The argument that petitioning government is futile because they’ve ignored us in the past is a cop-out. We must hold them accountable to pass the laws that we the 99% want passed and/or get our reps. in office. I urge you all to read this article and see the sweeping political reforms that were accomplished recently in Canada:
We need to take inspiration and example from this massive victory of change. We need the same kind of reform to happen here. This is the issue of our time, economic justice – akin to the civil rights movement and women’s suffrage movements of earlier times. Will we be content to say yeah we got a few riots in, had some disruptions, stuck it to the man, but ultimately didn’t achieve any lasting constructive change?
Will this become a movement or just a tantrum?
Occupy has lost several people’s support within the apartment community I belong to.
Myself and others agree with the ideology but disagree with location.
The area is no longer safe for children to play by themselves. We need guards and police officers posted around our building. People are trying to sneak in behind other residents to get away from the cold and rain.
Despite the majority being peaceful there are splinters that stick to the movement that are violent and content to vandalize steal or assault people. You’ve brought these people right next to our homes.
I disagree with Occupy Oakland.
I agree with many of the points but that is perhaps because I see political activity to be more effective than on the ground capacity building probably because the latter is not really my thing. Though I am glad that everyone has their own passion. Anyways just wondering if you all were still meeting on Tuesday? It is something I would be interested in getting involved in.
@ amanda I’ll be there on the 29th.
@ the optimist You have lots of good ideas and energy, and I would encourage you to please bring it to committees and meetings. Peppering your statement with phrases like “you should” “we need” “OO should focus” “the people’s mic really only needs to be used” etc. makes it sound like your best contribution would be to come in and start telling people what to do. This is not a top-down movement. We hash things out in meetings that are taxing and long, sitting on wet cold concrete after dark. It’s difficult, but were working it out with a minimum of tantrums.
You are clearly a very intelligent person and I’m sure you’re really trying to help. Maybe you’ve even been in meetings, I don’t know. If so please stick with us and implement the changes you want to see. If not please donate as you can, come to some assemblies and committees, and get involved. It’s a fantastic learning experience.
Myles
theoptimist, you seem to be well meaning, but when you frame it as if OO is wrong for somehow forcing the city/state to spend millions of “taxpayer money” on cops you are way off the mark. Are we forcing them to send out two helicopters to hover over peaceful general assemblies too? Also, no one in OO is against getting involved in politics, we ARE politics, but only a few are like you and want to start looking for candidates, making specific demands of legislators, etc. We are ALREADY dialoguing with those in power, we are just not compromising with them. To make our position stronger, we don’t need to be finding spokespeople, we need to be expanding our base, and this means way more outreach than I have seen happen. Getting involved in electoral politics now would be the ultimate energy drain. We cannot compete on that terrain – it is set up against us, in case you haven’t noticed.
That being said, there is nothing stopping you and Amanda and anyone else from forming a political action committee inspired by the occupy movement and formulating demands and targeting elected leaders. You may not get sanction from the GA to formally represent OO, but there is nothing stopping you from pointing to OO and the other occupations as proof that the people are demanding action on economic and social justice.
Keep in mind though that that scale and energy of a movement is not dependent on representation but on people. In the 1930s, millions of people were involved in occupying relief offices, physically reversing evictions, forming mutual aid organizations where people survived with no cash, and even collectively looting supermarkets, stealing coal and other fuel, etc. This is the kind of activity the government responded to, this is what gave weight to the lobbyists and letter-writers and “people’s parties” that formed to make specific demands of the government. SO before we start making PACs etc we should ask ourselves if we are really doing enough to expand the movement on the ground.
I completely agree. I am starting a group to discuss Occupying Political Action, and I would love you to come and bring your lovely imput. I believe there are concrete steps that Occupy Oakland can be taking to bring about real and lasting change in our community. I feel that I am not alone in wanting Occupy Oakland to come up with goals and to take steps to realize these them. I think that it has become necessary to engage local political groups, the media, for-profit, and non-profit entities so that we may have our collective grievances addressed.
This is purely a discussion group! We would not work autonomously from Occupy Oakland. Instead we would work together to propose ideas in order to guide Occupy Oakland towards becoming more politically engaged with the world that exists outside of the GA bubble.
The topics that I will have prepared, but that we no means have to follow, are: What specific demands do Occupy movements around the World share in common? How are Occupy movements successfully working with-in the law to meet these demands, and how can their demands/strategies be adapted for the specific needs of the Occupy Oakland? As a framework for this discussion I have chosen the Declaration of the Occupation of New York City, the first official release of demands from Occupy Wall Street. I have done so because it is fitting to honor the city in which this all began. Also, as demands go, these are pretty bad-ass.
I would like to meet Tuesdays @730PM at Le Bateau Ivre located on the corner of Telegraph and Carleton, across from Andronico’s 2629 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, California.http://www.lebateauivre.net/
I’m the blond with the tiny laptop.
Amanda