JUST WHAT IS THE “OCCUPY” MOVEMENT?
My view is that it is representative of the anger ,of all but a few, over the economic loss in the country. The protestors may be young, poor and have the time to protest. The movement is the displaced middle class and represents a huge dominant voting block.
IT IS NOT THE CAMP
You cannot gauge the numbers of the Occupy movement by the number of campers. You cannot identify the basic core values of the movement by the talking heads that appear before you at camp or on the front line protest.
THE CAMP IS SMALL THE MOVEMENT IS LARGE
Those that do not understand, not care or oppose the Occupy Movement will try to measure the movement by small camps or the prattle of some of the children protesting. When in fact hundreds of thousands self identiy with the movement and at any event with a little effort young and old adults with emense widom and insight can be found.
CAMPERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE
The Occupiers have been active in the community providing for the homeless, food drives and general concern for others in the community.
ORIGINAL ACTIVISTS BECAME CAMP SUPPORTERS
Flint has seen the exit from the camps and the front line protests those that began this effort on line. They are still there but it is not as cold in their spot. They busy them selves with internet squabbles and on occasion focus on awareness-raising and specific actions. The campers have the same squabbles but its nose to nose.
THIS MOVEMENT IS JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD AND THERE HAS BEEN A FLURRY OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL ORGANIZATION.
This is the beginning of a movement it is messy. You have young and old people in a confined space and different agendas. On occasion the dialogue is intense.
My view.
1.OCCUPY IS AN EVOLVING PROCESS. IT IS A LEADERLESS ORGANIZATION
2.THERE ARE DISAGREEMENTS BUT NO FRACTIONALIZING?
3. THERE ARE NO MEASURING STICKS
4.THERE APEARS TO BE A SPLIT BETWEEN THE CAMPERS AND THE REGULAR PEOPLE IN THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT. Just like any family there are differences. Oppose them and they join together.
5. IT IS DIFFICULT TO STAY ON MISSION.Each person comse with different community needs they would like top solve. The Occupy Movement could become spread too thin.
As long as the Movement organizes a sustained focused protest it will remain viable.We should keep our personal community/political agenda from consuming the scarce resources that comprise the Occupy Movement.
By Terry Bankert
NOTES.....
.NOTES......
NOTES
IT IS NOT THE CAMP
If you were to try to gauge the scale of the Ann Arbor Occupy movement by the small camp at Liberty Plaza or even by attending a few of the the first local group’s general assemblies, you would probably come away with an immensely inaccurate picture.[A]
THE CAMP IS SMALL THE MOVEMENT IS LARGE
First of all, although people seem to find it easy to belittle the small physical camp and hold it up as a symbol of the extent of the local activity, those would be the first two misperceptions. [A]
CAMPERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE
Though very small in number, the few dedicated campers that have maintained a presence don’t just sit in their tents, they have been extremely active in assisting with the impending homeless crisis in Ann Arbor, staging a small but successful benefit just last week at Hathaway’s Hideaway.[A]
ORIGIONAL ACTIVISTS BECAME CAMP SUPPORTERS
And secondly, the vast majority of local Occupy activists decided early on that although a local presence is important, a better use of resources would be to support other camps, and instead focus on awareness-raising and specific actions.[A]
THIS MOVEMENT IS JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD AND THERE HAS BEEN A FLURRY OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL ORGANIZATION.
In the flurry of assemblies, committee meetings, and on-line dialogue that has taken place, one thing has become clear, and that is that with a movement like this, it takes a while for things to become clear![A]
IT IS HARD TO PICTURE THE NUMBER OF PEOP[LE INVOLVED.
A truly accurate estimate of the number of people that have continued to take part in local activities is difficult to arrive at, simply because there are so many things going on. In any case, having attended a wide variety of assemblies and events, we would say a safe number would be perhaps 200-300 people.[A]
OCCUPY IS AN EVOLVING PROCESS. IT IS A LEADERLESS ORGANIZATION
But those are just the more regular faces. The fact is that the organizing of groups like this is a continually evolving process, and in the case of Ann Arbor, a process that may have moved more slowly as individuals make the decision to either commit to the original NYCGA process, or adapt the method to better suit specific needs, or in some cases, eschew this method altogether.[A]
THERE ARE DISAGREEMENTS BUT NO FRACTIONALIZING?
The amazing thing is that so far – in spite of some disagreements about specific organizational methods – there has been no serious “factionalizing”. [A]
MEASURING STICKS
You will see a surprisingly broad spectrum of people at each group’s meeting, and the same faces taking part in different groups. And you will repeatedly hear the terms “solidarity” and “autonomy” used side by side, as the groups make it clear that the essence of the movement is taking constructive action as one sees fit, and seeking consensus and support whenever it seems appropriate.[A]
THERE APEARS TO BE A SPLIT BETWEEN THE CAMPERS AND THE REGULAR P[EOPL IN THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT
Because of the rapid evolution of local organizing, we’ll soon be taking this site – OccupyAnnArbor.org – in a radically different direction, seeking to bridge the gap between full-time activists and “regular people” who want to get involved. [A]
CONTACT
If you have ideas and interest but haven’t found a fit, learn more HERE or contact us. In the meantime, below is a quick roundup of the local groups that have been shaping up. Let us know if we missed anyone!
DO NOT MEASURE THE MOVEMENT BY THE NUMBER OF CAMPERS
Is it time for occupiers to employ some new strategies? We think so, that’s why we’ve assembled a list of about 400 Occupy groups nationwide, and are hoping to start an action group to enable people who don’t have time for lengthy OWS-style assemblies to get on board. [A]
It seems logical that better networking and the inclusion of people who can’t or don’t want to “occupy” are some next logical steps. [A]
A few years ago, progressives failed to cash in on a goldmine of strategic information when Frank Luntz’s GOP Playbook was released into the wild. The document was chock full of language and strategy behind the neo-con agenda, and progressives missed an incredible opportunity by spending more time being aghast at its existence than putting the information to work. [A]
Well, the Occupy Movement is being handed similar treasures, with both of America’s political parties AND major corporations and think tanks regularly revealing their hand. Yesterday, MSNBC made public the sales pitch of a major lobby firm to the American Bankers Association, a pitch which outlined their offer to undermine the Occupy Movement to help defeat Democrats in 2012. [A]
Two of the memo’s authors previously worked for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and assembled the document for lobby firm Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford. While the ABA declined the $850,000 plan(PDF), it contained a surprising level of detail about how banks might go about undermining Occupy activities. [A]
Also this weekend, the San Francisco Bay Guardian had a piece about howPERF (Police Executive Research Forum) had coordinated calls with mayors across the US, and without too much work, you can find the document Managing Major Events: Best Practices from the Field (PDF) right on PERF’s website.[A]
On the other hand, the Occupy movement has the incredible advantage of being intentionally non-partisan, decentralized, and unified by principles rather than soundbites. And although it’s easy to spot even extreme left individuals at actual events, some of the movements’ most numerous, intelligent, and resourceful supporters – who are all over the political/ideological spectrum – are still waiting to take part.[A]
[A]
http://occupyannarbor.org/
[B]
http://www.facebook.com/occupyannarbor
LISTS
Official websites for the movement:
https://occupywallst.org/
http://occupytogether.org/
http://occupytogether.org/events/midwest/occupy-lansing/
Existing Facebook Groups/Events:
-Occupy Wall Street
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyWallSt
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144937025580428
-Occupy Together:
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyTogethe
r
-Occupy Lansing/Michigan:
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=196360057103242
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyMichigan
-Nationwide Carpool (Michigan specific link):
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyMichigan
*A quick and simple explanation of our current economic crisis:
http://youtu.be/JTzMqm2TwgE
*Live streaming and videos of the event:
http://nycga.cc/resources/global-revolution-tv/
[C]
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Detroit/21854306154075
1
[D]
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Lansing/283950514956506?sk=wall
[E]
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Southeast-Michigan/140333112731122?sk=wall
[F]
Occupy4All is a merry band of roving peaceniks based in Ann Arbor. We stand in solidarity with occupations across Michigan, working in various capacities to foster autonomous, consensus-based relations built on interdependence and mutual assistance. We are a needs-based action group whose aim is to sustain and expand the vision of the Occupy movement in Michigan, as well as across the country.
Wordpress: OccupyForAll.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OccupyForAll
Twitter: twitter.com/occupy4all
Tumblr: occupy4all.tumblr.com
E-mail: occupyforall@gmail.com
[G]
http://www.facebook.com/OccupyMichigan?sk=wall
[H]
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Jackson-MI/293370404026038?sk=wall
[I]
http://www.facebook.com/OccupyTheUP?sk=wall
[J]
http://www.facebook.com/studentsoccupyannarbor?sk=wall
end
Sphere: Related Content
My view is that it is representative of the anger ,of all but a few, over the economic loss in the country. The protestors may be young, poor and have the time to protest. The movement is the displaced middle class and represents a huge dominant voting block.
IT IS NOT THE CAMP
You cannot gauge the numbers of the Occupy movement by the number of campers. You cannot identify the basic core values of the movement by the talking heads that appear before you at camp or on the front line protest.
THE CAMP IS SMALL THE MOVEMENT IS LARGE
Those that do not understand, not care or oppose the Occupy Movement will try to measure the movement by small camps or the prattle of some of the children protesting. When in fact hundreds of thousands self identiy with the movement and at any event with a little effort young and old adults with emense widom and insight can be found.
CAMPERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE
The Occupiers have been active in the community providing for the homeless, food drives and general concern for others in the community.
ORIGINAL ACTIVISTS BECAME CAMP SUPPORTERS
Flint has seen the exit from the camps and the front line protests those that began this effort on line. They are still there but it is not as cold in their spot. They busy them selves with internet squabbles and on occasion focus on awareness-raising and specific actions. The campers have the same squabbles but its nose to nose.
THIS MOVEMENT IS JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD AND THERE HAS BEEN A FLURRY OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL ORGANIZATION.
This is the beginning of a movement it is messy. You have young and old people in a confined space and different agendas. On occasion the dialogue is intense.
My view.
1.OCCUPY IS AN EVOLVING PROCESS. IT IS A LEADERLESS ORGANIZATION
2.THERE ARE DISAGREEMENTS BUT NO FRACTIONALIZING?
3. THERE ARE NO MEASURING STICKS
4.THERE APEARS TO BE A SPLIT BETWEEN THE CAMPERS AND THE REGULAR PEOPLE IN THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT. Just like any family there are differences. Oppose them and they join together.
5. IT IS DIFFICULT TO STAY ON MISSION.Each person comse with different community needs they would like top solve. The Occupy Movement could become spread too thin.
As long as the Movement organizes a sustained focused protest it will remain viable.We should keep our personal community/political agenda from consuming the scarce resources that comprise the Occupy Movement.
By Terry Bankert
NOTES.....
.NOTES......
NOTES
IT IS NOT THE CAMP
If you were to try to gauge the scale of the Ann Arbor Occupy movement by the small camp at Liberty Plaza or even by attending a few of the the first local group’s general assemblies, you would probably come away with an immensely inaccurate picture.[A]
THE CAMP IS SMALL THE MOVEMENT IS LARGE
First of all, although people seem to find it easy to belittle the small physical camp and hold it up as a symbol of the extent of the local activity, those would be the first two misperceptions. [A]
CAMPERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE
Though very small in number, the few dedicated campers that have maintained a presence don’t just sit in their tents, they have been extremely active in assisting with the impending homeless crisis in Ann Arbor, staging a small but successful benefit just last week at Hathaway’s Hideaway.[A]
ORIGIONAL ACTIVISTS BECAME CAMP SUPPORTERS
And secondly, the vast majority of local Occupy activists decided early on that although a local presence is important, a better use of resources would be to support other camps, and instead focus on awareness-raising and specific actions.[A]
THIS MOVEMENT IS JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD AND THERE HAS BEEN A FLURRY OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL ORGANIZATION.
In the flurry of assemblies, committee meetings, and on-line dialogue that has taken place, one thing has become clear, and that is that with a movement like this, it takes a while for things to become clear![A]
IT IS HARD TO PICTURE THE NUMBER OF PEOP[LE INVOLVED.
A truly accurate estimate of the number of people that have continued to take part in local activities is difficult to arrive at, simply because there are so many things going on. In any case, having attended a wide variety of assemblies and events, we would say a safe number would be perhaps 200-300 people.[A]
OCCUPY IS AN EVOLVING PROCESS. IT IS A LEADERLESS ORGANIZATION
But those are just the more regular faces. The fact is that the organizing of groups like this is a continually evolving process, and in the case of Ann Arbor, a process that may have moved more slowly as individuals make the decision to either commit to the original NYCGA process, or adapt the method to better suit specific needs, or in some cases, eschew this method altogether.[A]
THERE ARE DISAGREEMENTS BUT NO FRACTIONALIZING?
The amazing thing is that so far – in spite of some disagreements about specific organizational methods – there has been no serious “factionalizing”. [A]
MEASURING STICKS
You will see a surprisingly broad spectrum of people at each group’s meeting, and the same faces taking part in different groups. And you will repeatedly hear the terms “solidarity” and “autonomy” used side by side, as the groups make it clear that the essence of the movement is taking constructive action as one sees fit, and seeking consensus and support whenever it seems appropriate.[A]
THERE APEARS TO BE A SPLIT BETWEEN THE CAMPERS AND THE REGULAR P[EOPL IN THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT
Because of the rapid evolution of local organizing, we’ll soon be taking this site – OccupyAnnArbor.org – in a radically different direction, seeking to bridge the gap between full-time activists and “regular people” who want to get involved. [A]
CONTACT
If you have ideas and interest but haven’t found a fit, learn more HERE or contact us. In the meantime, below is a quick roundup of the local groups that have been shaping up. Let us know if we missed anyone!
DO NOT MEASURE THE MOVEMENT BY THE NUMBER OF CAMPERS
Is it time for occupiers to employ some new strategies? We think so, that’s why we’ve assembled a list of about 400 Occupy groups nationwide, and are hoping to start an action group to enable people who don’t have time for lengthy OWS-style assemblies to get on board. [A]
It seems logical that better networking and the inclusion of people who can’t or don’t want to “occupy” are some next logical steps. [A]
A few years ago, progressives failed to cash in on a goldmine of strategic information when Frank Luntz’s GOP Playbook was released into the wild. The document was chock full of language and strategy behind the neo-con agenda, and progressives missed an incredible opportunity by spending more time being aghast at its existence than putting the information to work. [A]
Well, the Occupy Movement is being handed similar treasures, with both of America’s political parties AND major corporations and think tanks regularly revealing their hand. Yesterday, MSNBC made public the sales pitch of a major lobby firm to the American Bankers Association, a pitch which outlined their offer to undermine the Occupy Movement to help defeat Democrats in 2012. [A]
Two of the memo’s authors previously worked for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and assembled the document for lobby firm Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford. While the ABA declined the $850,000 plan(PDF), it contained a surprising level of detail about how banks might go about undermining Occupy activities. [A]
Also this weekend, the San Francisco Bay Guardian had a piece about howPERF (Police Executive Research Forum) had coordinated calls with mayors across the US, and without too much work, you can find the document Managing Major Events: Best Practices from the Field (PDF) right on PERF’s website.[A]
On the other hand, the Occupy movement has the incredible advantage of being intentionally non-partisan, decentralized, and unified by principles rather than soundbites. And although it’s easy to spot even extreme left individuals at actual events, some of the movements’ most numerous, intelligent, and resourceful supporters – who are all over the political/ideological spectrum – are still waiting to take part.[A]
[A]
http://occupyannarbor.org/
[B]
http://www.facebook.com/occupyannarbor
LISTS
Official websites for the movement:
https://occupywallst.org/
http://occupytogether.org/
http://occupytogether.org/events/midwest/occupy-lansing/
Existing Facebook Groups/Events:
-Occupy Wall Street
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyWallSt
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144937025580428
-Occupy Together:
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyTogethe
r
-Occupy Lansing/Michigan:
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=196360057103242
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyMichigan
-Nationwide Carpool (Michigan specific link):
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyMichigan
*A quick and simple explanation of our current economic crisis:
http://youtu.be/JTzMqm2TwgE
*Live streaming and videos of the event:
http://nycga.cc/resources/global-revolution-tv/
[C]
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Detroit/21854306154075
1
[D]
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Lansing/283950514956506?sk=wall
[E]
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Southeast-Michigan/140333112731122?sk=wall
[F]
Occupy4All is a merry band of roving peaceniks based in Ann Arbor. We stand in solidarity with occupations across Michigan, working in various capacities to foster autonomous, consensus-based relations built on interdependence and mutual assistance. We are a needs-based action group whose aim is to sustain and expand the vision of the Occupy movement in Michigan, as well as across the country.
Wordpress: OccupyForAll.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OccupyForAll
Twitter: twitter.com/occupy4all
Tumblr: occupy4all.tumblr.com
E-mail: occupyforall@gmail.com
[G]
http://www.facebook.com/OccupyMichigan?sk=wall
[H]
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Jackson-MI/293370404026038?sk=wall
[I]
http://www.facebook.com/OccupyTheUP?sk=wall
[J]
http://www.facebook.com/studentsoccupyannarbor?sk=wall
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