With Occupy Seattle settled in at Seattle Central, here’s a simple reminder that the camp is there. You can follow the http://occupyseattle.org/ site to keep track of General Assembly updates if you’re interested in what the group is working on next and to get a sense of day to day issues. In the latest GA notes, you’ll learn that there is concern about the ongoing cost of the chemical toilets, some campers considering an effort to make the camp more wheelchair friendly, a “Anti-Fascist” workgroup has been created and this Saturday is a significant event for the effort — Bank Transfer Day. The Occupiers are also interested in Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s visit to Seattle on Wednesday. Neighbors will also appreciate that the General Assembly raised the need to help make sure camp newcomers are familiar with the Occupy Seattle SCCC Good Neighbor Statement.
We’re checking in with organizers to see if we can learn more about the camp’s logistical needs for any Capitol Hill neighbors who would like to get involved in, if nothing more, being good neighbors.
Thanks to @zenaccc for the picture.
For
OS will refrain from tagging or the defacement of land or structures at SCCC.
I move that we substitute
OS will refrain from tagging or the defacement of land or structures.
(does Roberts’ Rules apply here?)
Seeing as there is a 6 foot tall red and yellow ‘99%’ sprayed on the south wall of the Odd Fellows building, your suggestion seems to be moot.
What is the objective of these folks? I mean, I know the objective of the OWS folks. I am not talking about them. Occupy Seattle, what is your purpose? You have formed an “anti-fascist workgroup,” so what? I think most of the citizenry is anti-fascist. What do you plan to accomplish by forming said work group? What do you plan to accomplish by setting up camp on Capitol Hill? More specifically, what does setting up camp at SCCC mean to you? Do you think that setting up camp at this one community college in the Seattle Community College District will force colleges and universities nationwide to lower tuition rates? Why not a state school like UW, or a private and bloated school like SU? How long do you plan on staying? Will you move on? Why not petition to get a commune site somewhere? Vacant lots are abound.
Basically, why do you exist as a group? Again, I know what OWS is all about, and what they have been doing -on Wall Street- or otherwise -in New York-. If you are attempting an experiment at forming your own society, that’s cool, but you might want to think of finding your own place then. If you are still on the actual topic of the top 1% controlling the 99%, then why aren’t you camped out at corporate headquarters, etc? If you are around to proclaim that you hate bigots, then join the club. You are preaching to the choir.
Just a wonderin’
Fight local merchants? Good good message.
I think the group has been taken over by the less politically inclined. It sure seems like they’re setting up a camping club and not a protest. Take it for what it’s worth, by the guy who started the following thread said that most of the moderates are not there.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Seattle/comments/luzfr/three_nazis_k
@oiseau
i agree. the contingent at sccc seem like they are trying to establishing a mini camping nation on campus there. from what i understood, the camping was just a place to sleep overnight before they went back to westlake park to protest. maybe they are but it doesn’t seem that way from what i’ve been reading and have seen of their encampment.
of course that leads to another argument; if you aren’t sleeping at the protest site, why do you need to camp? why not just go home for the night and go back to westlake in the morning? i don’t think i ever heard an answer to that the numerous times i posted that in various blog comments.
I walked through today really came away un-impressed after talking to some of the supporters hanging signed in the grass. Sure looked like a grateful dead parking lot to me – sort of fun to bum around in – but a world changing movement? come on
I have not been down to the camp yet but did these douches really paint a giant “99%” on the side of Oddfellows?! If so, time to move on
Plus, the smell of weed and beer are prevalent, so who within the organization is working to ensure that alcohol and drugs are kept of SCCC premises?
It’s gonna get very cold and rainy starting tomorrow, I’ll be interested in seeing what Camp Central looks like after 6 straight days of rain and temps in the 30s.
Good point. There has never been any weed at SCCC before this happened.
I’d like to use my Freedom of Speech to state that these people are morons. How are they taking a stand against income and wealth inequality by sleeping on the lawn of a community college that also hosts a farmer’s market? If anything, they endanger what little credibility the Occupy movement has. I encourage them to change their name to something that more accurately describes their goal.
I was living in Portland in ’02 and ’03 when the anti-war movement revved up in the months leading up to the Iraq invasion. I remember thinking about how incredibly naive those people were, knowing full well that the government had been planning a hostile takeover of the entire middle east for many many years (still in-process) and that there was nothing a bunch of hippies in a drum circle in Portland Oregon was going to do to stop their agenda. In the end, the invasion happened and all of those kids became completely disenfranchised by the realization that they had no voice. All they managed to accomplish was having their photos added to the 3-ring binders that the Portland police were publicly compiling of “known dissenters”.
This is no different. Eventually they will go away and as they look back, they will realize that it was a complete waste of time and that their voice doesn’t matter. Sad, but we have long since moved passed the point where “For the people, by the people” is even remotely true. Welcome to the machine.
Der m,
Get a clue. Five giant banking chains just dropped plans to charge account fees. Ding, ding, mass movement of customer anger. Ding, ding.
You are cynical and lack history. Mass movements have suceeded over and over – think India, and the British Empire.
OS is an out post among now thousands of sites – and growing around the world. THAT is important, macro not micro.
Oh great…just what we need on Capitol Hill…more graffiti.
Zeebleoop: I think your question is very valid. If OS are really interested in protesting/demonstrating…at Westlake…there is no obvious need for them to camp out at another location…exactly what is the purpose of that, other than to piss off at least half of neighborhood residents?
Weave,
I can dig it. Your right.
It would be nice if this protest were the beginning of something larger but I remain skeptical. I’ve been to Westlake Park twice to hear the speeches etc. and I seriously doubt the general public is going to agree with the far left rhetoric I heard there including chants of “F*** the police” and calls for the end of capitalism to be replaced by a marxist state.
The real problem at the root of it all is the corruption of our government officials with bribes which are disguised as campaign contributions.
The solution is an involved citizenry, but that takes real time and effort which means putting down the bongos and I-phones, stop screaming at the police and start addressing your concerns to liberal heroes like Mike McGinn, Jim McDermott, Patty Murray and of course the Chosen One. Tell them to stop accepting contributions over $100.00 and only from private citizens.
But that wouldn’t be as much fun as a nonstop party living rent free in a tent with free dinner served nightly.
And all these conclusions are in place after one month?
Change the WHOLE system in one month? Or, it is not worth the effort of these other people, not you, cause you are just, well, just playing I know how, you don’t.
Democrats are introducing a bill to amend the constitution to stop corporate funding. Think mass anger helped a little?
Give em some time, I suspect this will evolve over years into a third party, but, not over night.
And lefties have been important in Seattle since the timber wars and many killed and the General Strike, which is famed. It is OK, we do not fear the Red Tide.
I agree with a lot of wakeup’s post. The initial talking point of the Occupy protests seems to be getting consumed by this “tear down the whole system” mentality.
Looking at the “tweets” from some of the more prolific Seattle occupiers seems to show that the group is fracturing.
Also, I wouldn’t consider the “f the police” people to be far left. They are the left’s tea party. Nut jobs that will never help anything positive be accomplished.
Sadly, Weave, my poor friend, you are misinterpreting the causes that have actually produced the effects (for example the Bank of America $5 step back). To simply state that Bank of America changed their policy directly because of Occupy Whatever influences is a stretch at best. It is simply a stupid policy that was reversed due to backlash by the consumers, paralleling what’s been happening over at Netflix. Nice try though. In merely responding to M’s post with the petulancy of a naive armchair hipster historian you chose to completely ignore the fact that what he said, well, is true. I appreciate your idealism but it unfortunately crosses the border into complete naivety. The system does chew you up and all you have to do is walk over to SCCC and see that the Occupy Seattle “movement” is in dire straits. Hopefully they find some leadership and direction, I really do. Unfortunately as long as people such as yourself continue to promote your cause in such a sophomoric manner, well, good luck.
Yawn. Once again Weave is reaching for the stars when he/she should be reaching for a reality check. Anyone walking past or thru SCCC can plainly see that there are a lot of people “occupying” the area during the day when supposedly they would be protesting in Westlake. And it’s not like they are exactly promoting the cause while they are there. Most of the people were sitting around and yes, I know the tiredness of the stereotype, but most of them are just hanging out, smoking, drumming, and apparently graffitiing the buildings of their hosts. Grab a good cup of coffee, Weave, there are plenty of shops around here. You are sleepwalking through your thought process, repeating tired and naive points.