Occupy Movement Preparing For Next Phase

Aerianne · Feb 12, 2012

Occupy Movement Regroups, Preparing for Its Next Phase

Far from dissipating, groups around the country say they are preparing for a new phase of larger marches and strikes this spring that they hope will rebuild momentum and cast an even brighter glare on inequality and corporate greed.
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The movement is putting down roots in many cities. Activists in Chicago and Des Moines have rented offices, a significant change for groups accustomed to holding open-air assemblies or huddling in tents in bad weather.

On any night in New York City, which remains a hub of the movement, a dozen working groups on issues like “food justice” and “arts and culture” meet in a Wall Street atrium, and “general assemblies” have formed in 14 neighborhoods. Around the country, small demonstrations — often focused on banks and ending foreclosure evictions — take place almost daily.
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If the movement has not produced public leaders, some visible faces have emerged.

“I’m finally going to make it to the dentist next week,” said Dorli Rainey, a Seattle activist. “I’ve had to cancel so many times. It’s overwhelming.”

Ms. Rainey, who is 85 and was pepper-sprayed by the police in November, has been fully booked for months. On a recent Thursday, she joined 10 people in Olympia, Wash., who were supporting a State Senate resolution to remove American soldiers from Afghanistan. She led a rally near Pike Place Market against steam incinerators, which the protesters complain release pollution in the downtown area. In March, she plans to join Occupy leaders in Washington for events that are still being planned.

“People have different goals,” Ms. Rainey said. “Mine is, we’ve got to build a movement that will replace the type of government we have now.”

Jumping on a proposal from Portland, Ore., groups in 34 cities have agreed to “a day of nonviolent direct action” on Feb. 29 against corporations accused of working against the public interest. Then on May 1, they will try to persuade thousands of Americans who share their belief that the system is rigged against the poor and the middle class to skip work and school, in what they are calling “a general strike” — or “a day without the 99 percent.”

“Inspiring more people to get angry and involved is the top priority,” said Bill Dobbs, a member of the press committee of Occupy Wall Street and a veteran of the Act Up campaign for people with H.I.V. and AIDS. He added that people could “take action on whatever issue is important to them, whether economic justice, the environment or peace.”
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Without question, the unfurling of sleeping bags by a few dozen people near Wall Street on Sept. 17 struck a national chord. “In three months, this movement succeeded in shifting political discourse more than labor had been able to accomplish with years of lobbying and electoral campaigns,” said Robert Master, the Northeast political director for the Communications Workers of America, which represents more than half a million telecommunications workers.
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So far, home foreclosures are the most consistent target. Groups in Minneapolis are currently camped in homes facing foreclosure. In Atlanta, they take credit for using this method to save the house of an Iraq war veteran, pressing the bank to offer her refinancing after it had already set a date for eviction.

In Providence, R.I., protesters made a deal with the city, agreeing to abandon their camp peacefully this month in return for the city’s opening of a new day center for the homeless.

But many in the movement appear to be pinning their biggest hopes on the nationwide protests planned for the spring and summer. To foster personal ties, Occupy Wall Street veterans, mainly from New York, embarked on a five-week bus tour of a dozen Northeast cities to exchange ideas on protest goals and methods and to hold training sessions with other Occupy groups.

“Without the camps, we’re in a bit of a lull,” Austin Guest, 31, said in New York. He is one of the many younger men and women who have given over their lives to Occupy, often sleeping on sofas and scraping by with donated food or part-time jobs. The actions planned for the spring “will be more substantial and a much greater threat,” he said.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/u...-for-the-next-phase.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&hp

BlueLightRain · Feb 12, 2012

Glad to see they are still coming up with fresh ideas. Unfortunately, the only way I won't be going to work on may 1st is if I have the day off.

Meliai · Feb 12, 2012

yeah, people should be careful about skipping out on work.

After all, the occupy movement is fueled by people who are unable to find jobs.

If you have a job, you should probably hold onto it. The thing is, there are 100 people in line for your position. My work would not hesitate to fire me if I didn't go simply out of protest. They would be able to fill my position the same day.

I don't think thats really important to the overall movement though, I just wanted to point that out. I am really excited to see what happens this spring.

PsychonautMIA · Feb 12, 2012

Occupy Chicago in May, Operation Black March. Project Mayhem, need i go on?

MellowViper · Feb 13, 2012

PsychonautMIA said:

Occupy Chicago in May, Operation Black March. Project Mayhem, need i go on?
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I'm def gonna boycott the mainstream media in march.

MellowViper · Feb 13, 2012

Meliai said:

If you have a job, you should probably hold onto it. The thing is, there are 100 people in line for your position. My work would not hesitate to fire me if I didn't go simply out of protest. They would be able to fill my position the same day.
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In the old days, if there was a general strike, people would line up outside and beat up and threaten scabs that tried to take their jobs. We've gotten way too soft today.

Aerianne · Feb 13, 2012

Occupy Wall Street is leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants.
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http://www.occupywallst.org/

wisp · Feb 14, 2012

Glad to see things are moving along , maybe they should occupy the U.N. bldg , that would be making a global statement .

Aerianne · Feb 14, 2012

wisp said:

Glad to see things are moving along , maybe they should occupy the U.N. bldg , that would be making a global statement .
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Actually, the U. N. is "Occupy Friendly".
http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=440449&f=633

KewlJosh536 · Feb 15, 2012

The movement is getting attention thats why the police are using arcane laws to silence the people. if you get arrested DON'T let the police do iris photos under the guise of getting out of jail faster

BlueLightRain · Feb 18, 2012

The police in Traverse city are supportive of our Occupy movement. I guess we got really lucky.

sexybbw4u · Feb 26, 2012

We need to get out and vote in November, and show those a__holes in congress who's the boss...

Chibicthulhu · Feb 28, 2012

MellowViper said:

In the old days, if there was a general strike, people would line up outside and beat up and threaten scabs that tried to take their jobs. We've gotten way too soft today.
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non-violence is a double edged sword that only harms those deserving of it... violence is a double edge sword that harms all...

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