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Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Author: Raine    Date: 10/17/2011 14:28:52

This morning I came across a really good article about the Occupy movement and what demands to make and if they should be made at all.
“We absolutely need demands,” said Shawn Redden, 35, an earnest history teacher in the group. “Like Frederick Douglass said, ‘Power concedes nothing without a demand.’ ”

The influence and staying power of Occupy Wall Street are undeniable: similar movements have sprouted around the world, as the original group enters its fifth week in the financial district. Yet a frequent criticism of the protesters has been the absence of specific policy demands.
As many of you know, I have been asking this. I'm afraid I am starting to sound like a broken record. It's never been the why for me. It's been the how -- and to a lesser extent, the what. In New York it appears there is a forming consensus developing:
In New York, the demands committee held a two-hour open forum last Monday, coming up with two major categories: jobs for all and civil rights. The team will continue to meet twice a week to develop a list of specific proposals, which it will then discuss with protesters and eventually take to the General Assembly, a nightly gathering of the hundreds of protesters in the park.
BobR and I went to the Occupy DC site on Friday night after the days events/marches/assemblies were over. We saw a small team of people in a circle discussing issues and decided to take a listen. They were debating and voting on the issue whether of not to take it up with the General Assembly on a vote about garbage removal. I'm not going to judge Occupy DC site for a few moments we witnessed, but it does seem to be the case here as in NYC that small groups discuss and vote on whether or not to take the issue to the larger General Assemblies where things are either endorsed or rejected.

Perhaps there is a shift in the way things are getting done from the early weeks of this movement. It appears that Wall Street is becoming the center of operations and smaller sites are taking their cues from them. All good moves in my opinion. I still believe that movements of social change need leaders.

That said, it appears that members of the Occupy LA movement have found a way to possibly create wonderful change on a local basis. Rose Gudiel - a homeowner in LA - was on the verge of losing her house after the death of her brothers and salary reduction due to state furloughs. She fought back, and things were looking terribly bleak.
When the five-day notice for eviction notice was posted in September, the family announced they would not leave voluntarily. They rallied loyal neighbors and friends who set up an encampment in her yard. A steady stream of advocates and volunteers brought in supplies and food, and TV crews showed up.

On Oct. 1, just days after the eviction deadline, thousands of protesters started gathering outside Los Angeles City Hall to launch the “Occupy LA” protest — the local version of the “Occupy Wall Street” protest in New York City. Gudiel thought her story would play well with the protesters and made an appeal at one of the gatherings' first daily “general assembly” meetings. A few days after the group took up her cause, she received very good news:Fanny Mae canceled the eviction notice and offered the Gudiels a loan modification that could enable them keep their home.

Why? Fannie Mae and loan servicer OneWest won’t discuss the case. But nonprofit advocates say a series of bold protests — with reinforcements from the “Occupy Wall Street” movement — and a spate of media interest put Rose in the limelight and forced the banks’ to back down.
This is what change can look like. It can happen nationally and globally and - at the same time - locally.

This movement can lend support to local groups that have long been doing work to help those that need help in this nation. I truly would like to see more of this action. It's sad that this is what has to happen for people like Rose to find security in insecure times. It is uplifting to see people reach out to help. Martin Luther King Jr wrote in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

I am of the belief that each city's Occupy version should develop strategies that will serve the best interests of there location. I hope that they can all come together to come up with a way to present a larger platform, and then implement it. That won't happen until there is an acknowledgment that leadership must happen. It's when there is no strong leadership, things fall apart. I don't want to see that happen.

This is going to take a long time, I acknowledge that. I hope Occupy is ready for it as well. Like the civil rights movement of the 50-and 60's, too many people are depending on things to change. The work was never really finished, it was always meant to continue. I was reminded of this while watching the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication ceremony yesterday. I was reminded by Bernice King, Martin Luther King III, Ralph Abernathy, John Lewis, Reverend Lowery and Jesse Jackson. I was reminded by Reverend Sharpton, Diane Carroll and Cicely Tyson. I was reminded by a young lady named Amandla Stenberg
The girl recalled learning about the civil rights movement in school and named four young girls killed in a 1963 church bombing in Birmingham, Ala.

"As Dr. King said at their funeral, `They didn't live long lives, but they lived meaningful lives,'" Amandla said. "I plan to live a meaningful life, too."
There are reminders everywhere. Learning from history is not enough; using that knowledge to change the future is needed. Progress takes time, patience, and love in the face of obstruction, fear, and hate.

... nearly 50 years after the March on Washington, our work, Dr. King's work, is not yet complete. We gather here at a moment of great challenge and great change. In the first decade of this new century, we have been tested by war and by tragedy; by an economic crisis and its aftermath that has left millions out of work, and poverty on the rise, and millions more just struggling to get by. Indeed, even before this crisis struck, we had endured a decade of rising inequality and stagnant wages. In too many troubled neighborhoods across the country, the conditions of our poorest citizens appear little changed from what existed 50 years ago -- neighborhoods with underfunded schools and broken-down slums, inadequate health care, constant violence, neighborhoods in which too many young people grow up with little hope and few prospects for the future.

Our work is not done. And so on this day, in which we celebrate a man and a movement that did so much for this country, let us draw strength from those earlier struggles. First and foremost, let us remember that change has never been quick. Change has never been simple, or without controversy. Change depends on persistence. Change requires determination. It took a full decade before the moral guidance of Brown v. Board of Education was translated into the enforcement measures of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, but those 10 long years did not lead Dr. King to give up. He kept on pushing, he kept on speaking, he kept on marching until change finally came.

President Barack Obama, October 16 2011, speaking at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication ceremony.


I am going to paraphrase something Dr. King said in that Letter from a Birmingham jail:
Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.

You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes. It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city's white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative.
Strike thru mine. That letter was written April 16, 1963. The struggle never stopped, it has only been re-ignited.


and
Raine
 

64 comments (Latest Comment: 10/18/2011 01:54:44 by livingonli)
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Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 12:45:40
Morning

So how did your visit to Occupy DC go? I've very curious about what they're doing

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 12:57:16
Howdy all.

Comment by trojanrabbit on 10/17/2011 13:04:12


Had a bit of a scare yesterday. My wife has been having problems with her back over the last week and the pain moved into her hip and leg. Ended up taking her to the doctor yesterday and they gave her some pain meds and a blood test. Just as we got home, they called and said one of the indicators in the blood test suggested a blood clot, so off to the emergency room we went.

After an ultrasound and a (more accurate) blood test, there was no blood clot. They suggested my wife see the surgeon that did her kneecap removal surgery many years ago as that might be contributing to her back problems. Got home sometime this morning.....

I don't think I'm awake. I forgot my badge to get into work (fortunately once normal hours begin everyone gets full access). I'm supposed to attend a meeting with the higher ups to discuss our new chamber and I can't keep my eyes open.

Can we ban open-wheel racing?

Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 13:14:00
Quote by trojanrabbit:


Had a bit of a scare yesterday. My wife has been having problems with her back over the last week and the pain moved into her hip and leg. Ended up taking her to the doctor yesterday and they gave her some pain meds and a blood test. Just as we got home, they called and said one of the indicators in the blood test suggested a blood clot, so off to the emergency room we went.

After an ultrasound and a (more accurate) blood test, there was no blood clot. They suggested my wife see the surgeon that did her kneecap removal surgery many years ago as that might be contributing to her back problems. Got home sometime this morning.....

I don't think I'm awake. I forgot my badge to get into work (fortunately once normal hours begin everyone gets full access). I'm supposed to attend a meeting with the higher ups to discuss our new chamber and I can't keep my eyes open.

Can we ban open-wheel racing?
I saw you post from last night this morning, Rabbit. I am so happy it was not a clot.

I hope that she is able to get better soon.


Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 13:19:36
Oh wow! I hope Ms. Rabbit is feeling better soon!

Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 13:20:18
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning

So how did your visit to Occupy DC go? I've very curious about what they're doing
We went to both sites -- it was around 7 ish, and at McPherson square we got a chance to listen in on one of the Assemblies. I don't think it was a general assembly meeting because they were debating and voting on the issue whether of not to take it up with the General Assembly on a vote about garbage removal.

Really.

Other than that it was quite and peaceful and people were milling about. I'm not going to judge the entire DC site for a few moments we witnessed, but it was weird that they were debating on whether to take a vote to debate and take a vote. There were a lot of tents, and it was very relaxed.

Over at Freedom Plaza it seemed a lot more of an older crowd, and they had a mini concert going on. Lots of tents on the east end. Both sites had kitchens and First aid tents.




Comment by trojanrabbit on 10/17/2011 13:20:44
Quote by Raine:
Quote by trojanrabbit:


Had a bit of a scare yesterday. My wife has been having problems with her back over the last week and the pain moved into her hip and leg. Ended up taking her to the doctor yesterday and they gave her some pain meds and a blood test. Just as we got home, they called and said one of the indicators in the blood test suggested a blood clot, so off to the emergency room we went.

After an ultrasound and a (more accurate) blood test, there was no blood clot. They suggested my wife see the surgeon that did her kneecap removal surgery many years ago as that might be contributing to her back problems. Got home sometime this morning.....

I don't think I'm awake. I forgot my badge to get into work (fortunately once normal hours begin everyone gets full access). I'm supposed to attend a meeting with the higher ups to discuss our new chamber and I can't keep my eyes open.

Can we ban open-wheel racing?
I saw you post from last night this morning, Rabbit. I am so happy it was not a clot.

I hope that she is able to get better soon.


Thanks.

Of course, the reason that the first test gave a false positive it because it's a "cheaper" test. Therefore less accurate. Therefore causing more expensive testing later. Not to mention having a wife flipping out (her mother died of a blood clot).

Need to keep impressing on her that she doesn't have to let things go on any more with the health plan I have. Should have seen a doctor last week instead of letting it come to a head on the weekend.

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 13:30:22
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning

So how did your visit to Occupy DC go? I've very curious about what they're doing
We went to both sites -- it was around 7 ish, and at McPherson square we got a chance to listen in on one of the Assemblies. I don't think it was a general assembly meeting because they were debating and voting on the issue whether of not to take it up with the General Assembly on a vote about garbage removal.

Really.

Other than that it was quite and peaceful and people were milling about. I'm not going to judge the entire DC site for a few moments we witnessed, but it was weird that they were debating on whether to take a vote to debate and take a vote. There were a lot of tents, and it was very relaxed.

Over at Freedom Plaza it seemed a lot more of an older crowd, and they had a mini concert going on. Lots of tents on the east end. Both sites had kitchens and First aid tents.





Hey, trash removal is always a hot issue no matter where you are and what you do. Besides, to me it sounds like all the groups are making a point of trying to keep things clean.

Sounds like it was a interesting time. Were their a lot of people or just tourists?

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 13:31:30
okay - has anyone else heard that this dumb 999 plan was lifted from SimCity?

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 13:39:49
I wonder if Cain's code name would be Crazy Bread?

Comment by TriSec on 10/17/2011 13:43:06
Morning, folks.

I think my situation would improve considerably if the sun were to suddenly nova, but I digress.







Comment by TriSec on 10/17/2011 13:43:35
Quote by wickedpam:
okay - has anyone else heard that this dumb 999 plan was lifted from SimCity?


I heard that. Why not, everything else the Republicans do is imaginary.




Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 13:46:45
Quote by trojanrabbit:


Had a bit of a scare yesterday. My wife has been having problems with her back over the last week and the pain moved into her hip and leg. Ended up taking her to the doctor yesterday and they gave her some pain meds and a blood test. Just as we got home, they called and said one of the indicators in the blood test suggested a blood clot, so off to the emergency room we went.

After an ultrasound and a (more accurate) blood test, there was no blood clot. They suggested my wife see the surgeon that did her kneecap removal surgery many years ago as that might be contributing to her back problems. Got home sometime this morning.....

I don't think I'm awake. I forgot my badge to get into work (fortunately once normal hours begin everyone gets full access). I'm supposed to attend a meeting with the higher ups to discuss our new chamber and I can't keep my eyes open.

Can we ban open-wheel racing?



Yoinks! Healing vibes to Mrs. Rabbit.

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 13:47:03
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by wickedpam:
okay - has anyone else heard that this dumb 999 plan was lifted from SimCity?


I heard that. Why not, everything else the Republicans do is imaginary.





My first thought when I heard that was - it only works cause those of us SimCity or Sims diehards know the cheat codes to get more money then we need

Comment by trojanrabbit on 10/17/2011 13:47:58
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by wickedpam:
okay - has anyone else heard that this dumb 999 plan was lifted from SimCity?


I heard that. Why not, everything else the Republicans do is imaginary.



And that if you use that 999 plan, the city always goes bankrupt.

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 13:50:36
Hey Mala was the field dressing the zombie to see if the kid had been eatern was a little much?

Comment by Scoopster on 10/17/2011 13:52:07
Mornin' all & Happy Mondee!

Grrrr.. someone took the coffee pot home to clean it this weekend and didn't bring it back!

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 13:52:33
Quote by trojanrabbit:
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by wickedpam:
okay - has anyone else heard that this dumb 999 plan was lifted from SimCity?


I heard that. Why not, everything else the Republicans do is imaginary.



And that if you use that 999 plan, the city always goes bankrupt.



learned that after the first time I played it

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 13:54:00
Quote by Mondobubba:
Hey Mala was the field dressing the zombie to see if the kid had been eatern was a little much?


Yes, that was completely gross on a sound level!

But where the hell did the kid go?!


Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 13:57:36
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Hey Mala was the field dressing the zombie to see if the kid had been eatern was a little much?


Yes, that was completely gross on a sound level!

But where the hell did the kid go?!


I don't know. And why were the zombies just sitting in the church?

The show needs an Emmy for sound design for the wet, meaty crunches of the zombies heads alone.

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 14:01:55
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Hey Mala was the field dressing the zombie to see if the kid had been eatern was a little much?


Yes, that was completely gross on a sound level!

But where the hell did the kid go?!


I don't know. And why were the zombies just sitting in the church?

The show needs an Emmy for sound design for the wet, meaty crunches of the zombies heads alone.



yeah, that was a little crunchy too XD

It was weird about the church thing, plus I'm surprised there are animals still alive

oh and Andrea telling off Dale - I felt so bad for him

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 14:06:53
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Hey Mala was the field dressing the zombie to see if the kid had been eatern was a little much?


Yes, that was completely gross on a sound level!

But where the hell did the kid go?!


I don't know. And why were the zombies just sitting in the church?

The show needs an Emmy for sound design for the wet, meaty crunches of the zombies heads alone.



yeah, that was a little crunchy too XD

It was weird about the church thing, plus I'm surprised there are animals still alive

oh and Andrea telling off Dale - I felt so bad for him



I so wanted a zombie deer, but alas, no.

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 14:10:35
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Hey Mala was the field dressing the zombie to see if the kid had been eatern was a little much?


Yes, that was completely gross on a sound level!

But where the hell did the kid go?!


I don't know. And why were the zombies just sitting in the church?

The show needs an Emmy for sound design for the wet, meaty crunches of the zombies heads alone.



yeah, that was a little crunchy too XD

It was weird about the church thing, plus I'm surprised there are animals still alive

oh and Andrea telling off Dale - I felt so bad for him



I so wanted a zombie deer, but alas, no.



I was completely expecting the stag to come at them

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 14:11:51
We've driven the blog into a zombie hoard it seems

http://blog.findthebestcarprice.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/zombie-bus.jpg


Comment by BobR on 10/17/2011 14:14:51
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by wickedpam:
okay - has anyone else heard that this dumb 999 plan was lifted from SimCity?


I heard that. Why not, everything else the Republicans do is imaginary.

Put that up there with Reagan's SciFi Star Wars program.

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 14:15:44
Quote by wickedpam:
We've driven the blog into a zombie hoard it seems

http://blog.findthebestcarprice.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/zombie-bus.jpg



And there is nothing wrong with that!

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 14:19:07
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
We've driven the blog into a zombie hoard it seems

http://blog.findthebestcarprice.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/zombie-bus.jpg



And there is nothing wrong with that!



Oh and I have passed along the information of Zombie Survival to one of my friends this weekend

Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 14:19:53
Quote by BobR:
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by wickedpam:
okay - has anyone else heard that this dumb 999 plan was lifted from SimCity?


I heard that. Why not, everything else the Republicans do is imaginary.

Put that up there with Reagan's SciFi Star Wars program.



and they say Liberals live in a fantasy world

Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 14:35:47
I knew this would turn into a zombie ditch when I mentioned "teeth" :P


Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 14:37:22
Quote by Raine:
I knew this would turn into a zombie ditch when I mentioned "teeth" :P



You could have mentioned "brains" and it would have happened faster!

Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 14:40:44
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
I knew this would turn into a zombie ditch when I mentioned "teeth" :P



You could have mentioned "brains" and it would have happened faster!
I myself was a zombie and couldn't find a damn brain to write with earlier.


Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 14:49:40
Blog is posted.

Comment by TriSec on 10/17/2011 14:55:34
Hey, Saugus got a shout-out on Friday's TRMS!!!


Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 15:07:25
Posted blog killed the blog?

Comment by TriSec on 10/17/2011 15:14:50
Zombies got 'em.



Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 15:16:03
Quote by TriSec:
Zombies got 'em.

well that is sad.

maybe someone else will read it.


Comment by wickedpam on 10/17/2011 15:18:02
Quote by Raine:
Quote by TriSec:
Zombies got 'em.

well that is sad.

maybe someone else will read it.





Comment by TriSec on 10/17/2011 15:58:41

We're going to want to keep an eye on China.


MANILA, Philippines—About 3,000 U.S. and Filipino marines started two weeks of annual military drills in the Philippines on Monday that will include a hostile beach assault exercise near the disputed Spratly Islands.

U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Nick Eisenbeiser said the Oct. 17-28 maneuvers would focus on honing their joint capability to ensure regional security and were not aimed at China or any country as an imaginary target.

"They shouldn't get worried," Eisenbeiser told The Associated Press, when asked if the exercises were aimed at China, whose growing naval power has set off concerns in the region. "We're assisting the Chinese in ensuring that their region is peaceful."

The exercises would ensure that U.S. and Philippine forces could jointly respond to "anything that arises," he said.

The United States irked Beijing last year by asserting that Washington had a national security interest in the peaceful resolution of the disputes over the Spratly Islands.

The potentially oil-rich islands are located in the South China Sea, between Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia, and straddle some of the world's busiest sea lanes.


Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 16:09:50
Quote by TriSec:

We're going to want to keep an eye on China.


MANILA, Philippines—About 3,000 U.S. and Filipino marines started two weeks of annual military drills in the Philippines on Monday that will include a hostile beach assault exercise near the disputed Spratly Islands.

U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Nick Eisenbeiser said the Oct. 17-28 maneuvers would focus on honing their joint capability to ensure regional security and were not aimed at China or any country as an imaginary target.

"They shouldn't get worried," Eisenbeiser told The Associated Press, when asked if the exercises were aimed at China, whose growing naval power has set off concerns in the region. "We're assisting the Chinese in ensuring that their region is peaceful."

The exercises would ensure that U.S. and Philippine forces could jointly respond to "anything that arises," he said.

The United States irked Beijing last year by asserting that Washington had a national security interest in the peaceful resolution of the disputes over the Spratly Islands.

The potentially oil-rich islands are located in the South China Sea, between Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia, and straddle some of the world's busiest sea lanes.



Holy Qumoy & Matsu (Look it up) Batman!

Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 16:20:05


Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 16:20:59
Comment by livingonli on 10/17/2011 17:24:57
Good day folks. I was putzing around and went to bed later than planned and then I slept through my alarm. That's when you know you are pooped.

Healing vibes for Mrs. Rabbit.

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 17:36:16
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Raine:
Herman Cain channels John Lennon



Is it horrific? I can watch it at work.

Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 17:54:08
Quote by Mondobubba:

Is it horrific? I can watch it at work.
It's HILARIOUS. Worth a look when you get home.


Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 18:10:35
Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 19:03:49
zOMG....


"Magen, tell me something you put in your mouth but don't swallow." Before the question left "Family Feud" host Steve Harvey's lips, he knew he had stumbled into sticky territory.




Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 19:19:59
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:

Is it horrific? I can watch it at work.
It's HILARIOUS. Worth a look when you get home.



Will do!

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/17/2011 19:20:34
Quote by Raine:
zOMG....


"Magen, tell me something you put in your mouth but don't swallow." Before the question left "Family Feud" host Steve Harvey's lips, he knew he had stumbled into sticky territory.





This one too.


Comment by Raine on 10/17/2011 19:22:33
Quote by Mondobubba:
This one too.
Well you have something to look forward to when you get home!