February 12, 2012 General Assembly Notes

A Publication of the OSC Media Group

Inspirational min: We had a nice group of people help to prep the garden at the Occupied home-in-foreclosure.

Urgent News/ Announcements

* FTP (F the Police) March went well in Oakland
* For Valentines Day there are I
* Strike March 1st for USCS
* San Diego actions FTP March as well
* Huge strike in India on 28th
* Occupy Sacramento representative here!

Working Groups

Legal: Warrants issued for the 75 River St. action. – Various court dates. Also Gary Johnson has a new hearing for lodging on the 17th.
Garden Party: Worked today and will meet again next week on Sunday. Also meetings on Wed. at 8pm
Media: Would like OSC working groups to submit meetings and events to the website to be calendared. Meeting after GA today.
Arts: Feb. 17th art party at the Resource Center for Non-Violence. Bring supplies to make crafts, paint etc. Show on April 6th – ? for Occupy Santa Cruz art!
Direct Action: Wed. Wells Fargo Action, 3 pm at Wells Fargo 74 River St. Also on Feb. 27th there is the Occupy the Food Supply National event. March 11th march also happening! Meetings Monday 6 pm Courthouse
Foreclosure: Getting flyers together. Would like some people to show up for the Board of Supervisiors Meeting on Tuesday.
Treasury: Do fundraising, Gasland event coming up this Thursday, contact Roxanne for chance to help/ bake.
Food: Thank you India Joze, Tues!
Reach In, Reach Out/ Meditation: Meet 7:45 PM Tues @ India Joze. Working on flash – mob meditation.
Defendants: Forum or defense list for those accused / charged w/ 75 River related charges.
Strategy: Meeting Sunday Noon, Courthouse. Solutions needed. Opinion of reporter that local issues are overshadowing important National issues.

*Agenda Items*

Strategy: We need viable solutions to come out of our meetings. It is hard when the Anarchist element in OSC doesn’t want to work with Institutions but how are we supposed to get anything done that being the case? Ed feels we have to deal with the current structure in order to produce real change. Some solutions are voted down at GA.
Stack
1) GA meetings are an Institution? Wasn’t this invented by an Anarchist?
2) Getting the $ out of politics should be/ is our focus.
3) $ Out of politics is good but how? We could collectively vote out some of the same- faced politicians to send a message.
4) No candidate should be able to spend more money than her/his opponent.
5) 1% and the 99% are effective slogans. We need to change the tax code. The income tax base should change as should the property tax laws.
6) StarHawk helped to develop this model and said that you have to take into account the full spectrum of your group. In our group we have decided some of the ideas are not realistic or don’t sound good. We have to be real. Educating people is a powerful tool.
7) There is a philosophical discussion on this. I was an Anarchist before it was even really named!
8 ) The Anarchists are important, willing to do things that I am not, like Marines of Occupy. Green Party has a great candidate named Laura Wells I like.
9) Small issues like Graeber V Hedges – we need to focus. Why are we here? National issues need attention.
10) Three word phrase? (Note takers note: Um, We R 99% )
11) Occupy Wall Street is why we are here.
12) Local issues energize and engage the local population, so I disagree with Ed on this. I think we are making a difference.

Occupy the Food Supply

Action agreed upon for 27th Feb. – 99% of the Food Supply Global Action.

http://takingbackourfoodsystem.org/

Stack
1) Garden day – boycott any non-local foods that day?
2) Comment Missed
3) We need outreach – after GA make a list of contacts for this event. Maybe seed blast or community garden?
4) Local farmers may want to help.
5) Attend Garden group, Direct Action and Outreach working groups to find out more.
6) Anti- GMO group Terra
7) Whole foods has started selling Monsanto products as well as genetically modified food despite their fresh foods claim.

75 RIVER Discussion / Solidarity

We need some strategy regarding the BS warrants that the DA is leveling against members of OSC.
Stack
1) We should all act as if we are accused and have a buddy system to go to court in groups. Show solidarity!
2) Free legal help (such as National Lawyers Guild) and female lawyer helping D.
3) Community and legal issue to scare the activists. Felonies are serious, this is an unprecidented legal attack on an Occupy by the Santa Cruz Police Dept. and the DA’s Office. Our Constitutional rights are being violated. Chilling effect on media and activists. 647E tickets and warrants = BS.

4) Rights being violated in all Occupies. Group TAKE BACK SANTA CRUZ (a conservative pro 1% group) has been pressuring local government to take action Against Occupy Santa Cruz. (Aw, the City found a friend)
5) Don’t look for your name because they may just randomly charge you. We need to attend the Sups meetings.
6) Felony charges hurt people and I think it was bad.
7) I am charged w/ 2 felonies and 2 mis. This is a horrible situation. I was not even in the bank, yet am charged falsely after arrest.
8 ) Maybe a hunger strike or something else to call National attention to this problem? Maybe ACLU?
9) Random felony charges can be leveled at any time you protest because that is our country. We need to stand up for those people to have right to shelter etc.
10) We should show up at hearings. They are trying to divide and conquer. If you plead to lesser charges they make you stay away from protest actions.
11) Meet tomorrow at Mission house, 3 pm to discuss.

Facilitators

Tuesday: Tom
Thursday: George
Sat: Casey
Sun: Gabby

Wells Fargo Action

Proposed Action for Wed 15th – 3 PM at 74 River – to show them who the Real criminals are: Wells Fargo- who is making America homeless, speculating our future away etc.

Vote: YES!

Read more at Occupy Santa Cruz