It's been a while. If you don't remember me, I used to make travel videos and write editorials frequently for archinect, and buried in the school blog archives for SCIArc is my wonderful little blog.
As of late - and for better or worse given the events here in Oakland over the past week - I have become a dedicated activist with Occupy Oakland for the past three months, and yes, i have been tear gassed, flash bang grenaded, and nearly batoned and nearly shot with paint filled bean bag rounds, most recently this past Saturday (Good times! Carry a bandana soaked in lemon juice, yo!)
During my time with Occupy Oakland, i began to draw vignettes and landscapes of the occupation both as a form of therapy and to record my time there. Over time, my fellow activists became aware of my drawings, and constantly demanded that i print them. So i did, and people loved them, including a half dozen cops who may have bought them for no other reason than to dust them for prints. (So it goes with things in Oakland).
I have seen the best and the worst of this movement: bewildering incidents of police brutality and persistent harassment of the indigent, a 71 year old woman have her home loan renegotiated two days before her eviction, a man shot and murdered only twenty feet from me, a 1000 meals fed every day 24 hours a day while the commune at Oakland city hall existed (Oscar Grant Plaza), and a sunset over the Port of Oakland during the first General Strike in the US since 1946. I've hugged more crackheads than i ever thought i would meet in a dozen lifetimes, and now consider many of the bottom 1% to be true acquaintances, some of them drug dealers and gang members who converted into activists because of the family they have been offered by the Oakland Commune of Occupy Oakland.
Myself? I have never been one to volunteer in the community, never one to refer to myself as an activist about anything. But things have changed. I actively volunteer upwards of 20 - 30 hours a week with organizations involved with food justice, income discrimination and foreclosure prevention (A drought of unemployment also helps this time commitment). In my time as an activist with OO, i have gotten a 71 year old woman's home loan renegotiated to an affordable rate, turned a dilapidated foreclosed home into a food outreach center for West Oakland (since shut down), had the overdraft fees of three complete strangers refunded, and am beginning to work in concert with other OO activists to begin a food co-op truck. The volunteer work includes work with Just Cause (Causa Justa), Meals on Wheels, and the Berkeley Student Food Collective.
Funny enough, the list of stories of actual things positive goes on and on.
I have never felt so powerful. So capable of revolting towards a life worth living.
Income, however, is scarce to non-existent. Which leads me to the humble request of all of you, my friends and comrades, here at the end of this primrose path of a post: selling prints of my artworks from Occupy Oakland is my sole source of income right now, and things have been getting tighter and tighter as i prepare for an art show up here of these drawings for which i can't even afford the frames. That being said, these drawings are fucking awesome, i promise, and i urge you to consider buying/donating for one (or all!) by visiting my WePay site. They are cheap, and i guarantee they make fine addition to every homefront.
In return, i promise i will keep up this fight for the better (There's also a plan in the works to submit a parklet project from Occupy Oakland to the Venice Biennale).
I love you all, i miss you all, and encourage you to please forward this post to your friends. Everything helps.
Hugs and Fists!
Marlin Watson, (recently occasional) Archinect contributor and editor
Vandalism, breaking and entering, flag burning, I'll pass, but thanks.
Feb 1, 12 4:02 pm ·
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Seems dangerous to me. When the secret police start cracking down, it probably won't be a good idea leaving an electronic trail linking one's self to the resistance movement. That could get you locked up, Guantanamo style, yo!
Keep drawing (beautifully caught moments), but keep writing, too! There's an audience for your thoughts—maybe not one instantly ready and open-minded, but do it for the records. There will never be enough first hand accounts.
Thanks for the post. Beautiful to see signs of humanity emerging out of the general lethargy...
Will look forward to seeing your work in Spontaneous Interventions. You've already captured the spirit of the exhibition.
Did you happen to sketch when you all broke into city hall, and vandalized a century old model of the building, or when you destroyed a youngsters art exhibit? Great work...spray painting walls, and stealing flags, and stuff...real classy. I'm sure those actions will really change the world...you are now criminals too. nice job...douche!
Taliesin, are you proud of yourself when you accuse people of doing things about which you have no knowledge whether they were actually involved or not? And do you feel even more proud of yourself when you do so anonymously, while those you're accusing aren't afraid to reveal their identity?
I am proud not to be associated with such selfish criminal behavior. I am proud not to be endorsing such. I mentioned some of the items earlier...he only addressed the flag burning, so leads me to believe that indeed this person is somehow an approving part of the other actions. They are idiots for wanting to exposed their identity, not brave. This person is part of Occupy Oakland for some time, as stated....I am not making that up. This is a an overall insignifcant site that I check out from time to time for kicks....no need to use my name..who the fuck cares who I am....just like I have no care for who you are, Donna.
"selfish criminal behavior" like when the banks got rich destroying the economy and the lives of millions. I don't agree with the vandalism, but at least acknowledge who the real criminals are here. Unfortunatly that kind of thing happens in huge crowds, it is spontanious and foolish, but the banksters actions were greedy and calculated. How many of them are in jail?
I am a product of what happened....lost my high paying job at a respected firm. I lived it. But, the actions we have seem by groups like OO do no good, and do nothing to be taken seriously. They are like a childs temper tantrum, and are pretty much an embarassment. And most attendees are just along for the vandalism ride, just more of the same idiots who think they are entitled. You think emptying trash cans in a lobby, etc...is "taking a stand"?....People are laughing at you....lots and lots of people, and those who arent laughing, pity you....oh, and there are a handful who applaude you....weak.
Taliesin, there is a lot more coming our of Occupy than vandalism. Yes that exists, as it does any time any group gets together - I'm in the SUPER BOWL city right now and if you don't think sports fans can gleefully trash public infrastructure you're not paying attention.
And sorry but really? Taking in pride in something you won't admit publicly to being part of? "They are idiots for wanting to exposed their identity, not brave." Really? This is such a statement of fear. I'm old enough to be totally over anonymity as any kind of cover. If you believe something say it without regret. If you're too scared to say it publicly than maybe you shouldn't say it at all.
I also find it ironic, TaliesinAGG, that you named yourself after (and thus hide behind) one of the most famous rebels and prideful people on the planet. FLW stood for something and both suffered for and benefitted from it. I'm ignoring the troll now.
oh, the name calling that goes on with liberals! Donna, you attack for no other reason than to push down a perspectives you don't understand: why someone criticizing another for their poor choices. Granted, independants and libertarians sound like parents sometimes because they are trying to teach good reasoning skills. It's no secret that science has shown that there are brain differences between liberals and conservatives. Liberals are more emotional, conservatives more literal. just sayin'
Feb 2, 12 9:13 am ·
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Sorry for the lack of clarity. I meant that buying them would be dangerous. In the American police state, it's safe to assume that anybody selling such items has already accepted their grim fate. For the rest of us (even those who might be sympathetic) it's just foolish to make such transactions via electronic (i.e., traceable) means. Cash is king. I just cannot imagine many Americans buying these items over the internet. You might have more success with foreigners, however, and it is a big world so, like, good luck.
Funny - in a sad and pathetic way - how the same people who shit on OWS shit on people who productively try everything they can to eke out a living ...
It's no secret that science has shown that there are brain differences between liberals and conservatives. Liberals are more emotional, conservatives more literal. just sayin'
I thought conservatives don't believe in science. If by emotional you mean empathetic, and if by literal you mean simple minded, I would agree. More emotional, are you crazy? Who's the group that screams at gays for being gay, and supports wars with the wrong country because of "Freedom Freedom yeaaaahhhh.. get them a-rabs.. get em".... John Boehner sheds a tear....
It's no secret that science has shown that there are brain differences between liberals and conservatives. Liberals are more emotional, conservatives more literal. just sayin'
First, I think the idea of 'liberal' v. 'conservative' is probably different in London. Second, this would suggest 'conservatives' are reacting out of fear, and that 'conservatives' are actually more emotional than 'liberals.' Good job Osl8ing. Your statement is a little mixed up, but perhaps that's to be expected from a 'conservative.'
The good work that occupy might be doing takes several steps back by the damage, urine stenched street corners they occupy, and overall disrespect and entitled behavior. Wrong or right that is how I feel....now...I have work to do, hope you get the results you are going for.
...nevermind the overall disrespect and entitled behavior of bankers and "captains of industry" trashing entire neighborhoods (Detroit for instance). But most of these trashed, foreclosed neighborhoods are in the suburbs, the "entitled" would otherwise be spared the muss if it weren't for the occupiers bringing it to the man to face up.
It really does come down to: "location, location, location."
some thoughts: well, there is a faction of Occupy that are anarchists, and the extreme end of that faction believes that things must be destroyed in order to be rebuilt from the very beginning. I don't necessarily support this idea, but i do support the right of anarchists to be anarchists. after all, what am i gonna do, tell em what to do? They're anarchists...
the press coverage says "they broke in to city hall and they burned the flag and they knocked over the model. same press says a person tried to stop them, a person tried to stop them from tipping over the model...there should be no distinction between those actions that are autonomous and those that represent the group. All decisions the singular act of one person, even if its deciding to act in solidarity with another person.
What happened saturday in oakland was a complete disaster, a PR failure of epic proportions. what remaining support Occupy had from the broader community has completely evaporated. Me, im part of the do-gooders. destruction at the meager level of window breaking achieves nothing.
also, Occupy Oakland is radical in that all of the problems OWS represent are HERE, at the local level. Thus, OO has been operating inside the model of local autonomy, local action (seriously, having moved up her e a year ago from LA, this place has a LOT of problems.)
segueing off the LA thing, and the OO local thing, i noticed a LOT of black blockers frontlining the march that i had never, ever seen before. where were they from? Well, judging by conversations overheard, and this splendid photo on the front page of the SF Chronicle, it's not hard to guess where they came from in order to "fuck shit up":
notice his hand gesture. They all did that. Need help?This upset all us up here. But hey, they are anarchists, right?
Flag burner: seriously, ive seen that guy a lot. that is literally all he does. ever. As far as breaking in to city hall, there were as many people trying to stop them as there were breaking in. So who then is really the representative of a representativeless movement. I guess the press decided for themselves.
Bless you all. If i wasn't an active albeit rare these days editor, i never would have solicited the prints here. so there is some truth to the idea that this pander post doesn't belong on this site. If you feel that way, hope you enjoyed my SCIArc blog, my Archinect Travels videos and my features.
hugs and fists and we'll talk again soon. glad those of you that like the prints like the prints. most if not all of the money earned aids my efforts in the movement. talk soon!
"I am a product of what happened....lost my high paying job at a respected firm. I lived it. But, the actions we have seem by groups like OO do no good," And OSF as well
Same here, and I spent 15 months re-working my portfolio, taking classes, working for free , doing what it takes - and then at long last getting temp jobs, and now I have been working for 21 months sens being tossed out of my great "gig in the sky architecture job" OSF and OO can demonstrate, and I support that - but don't cause any violence - cos it makes a case for a republican victory - after the last OO OH OH, Bill O-Riled up said it was over for Occupy
replies on my own behalf: As we say in the movement, "i am an autonomous voice, and speak for no one but myself and myself only": @zenakis, Im sorry to say i don't look to Bill O'Rieley for wisdom or prophecy, and i stand behind the idea that the violence in Oakland is a reciprocal downward spiral and begins and escalates with police over-reaction.
On Saturday, the police fired bean bags and flash bangers into the crowd before i witnessed any response from the Blockers. 22 Occupy Cal (UC Berkeley) kids - who were non violent - were arrested and detained after being kettled into the courtyard of the YMCA building, and many of them have lamented about being beaten while in custody in jail. i pay lip service to the words 'beaten by cops', but i know that prior to witnessing it as systemic, it seemed brief and incidental. No worries, right? No, this is your idling Homeland Security dollaz in action.
Nevermind that my opinion on Obama has changed for the worse since voting for him (even though he's done some amazing things that mainstream media sleeps on), my opinion is that Romney is as likely to become our president as Kerry was.
@BenC: that's the LA - Los Angeles - hand sign a la the Dodgers logo, which is where most of the Black Block on Saturday were from. Shouts to the Occupy Edmonton faction that i met last Saturday who flew out to the left coast to tour occupy sites on the way home.
many in Occupy Oakland assert that OO began with the murder in 2009 of Oscar Grant. I agree. I'm too tired to post a good link. consider cut 'n' pasting Oscar Grant into the Google engine.
"When the poet stands at nadir the world must indeed be upside-down. If the poet can no longer speak for society, but only for himself, then we are at the last ditch.”— Excerpt from, The Time of the Assassins, a study of Rimbaud, by Henry Miller
There is no reality-based argument denying this: The present system, as defined by the neoliberal economic order, is as destructive to the balance of nature as it is to the individual, both body and psyche. One's body grows obese while Arctic ice and wetlands shrink. Biodiversity decreases as psyches are commodified by ever-proliferating, corporatist/consumer state banality.
@frac: we are hardly at the point where the last person standing on the hilltop is a poet. That being said, individuals must act and if that individual's actions resonate, then others will follow and hopefully act on their own in solidarity with that person. "Do what you will", "every idea should become an action". One of my favorite signs was, "if you want change, don't wait for permission." In address of your second paragraph, I couldn't agree more.
Sebastian Junger, in his book, War, chronicles the lives of men stationed at a far flung outpost in Afghanistan. He mentions a common incident, when a teenager can earn five bucks by holing up behind a rock and raining a few AK-47 rounds down on the outpost. No one ever gets hit, no one dies as a result, but the actions of one individual can keep an entire company prone, stuck, and unable to act for hours, even days. This is an interesting analogy. Often in the Occupy movement, lip service is paid to the idea of "power in numbers", but modern times has demonstrated over and over that one individual, with tactical reasoning, can enact a considerable amount of change in ways that thousands may not be capable of.
In address of your second paragraph, Frac, certainly i couldn't agree more.
The city council for Berkeley, CA, voted unanimously last week to consider pulling the plug on their 350 million dollar account with Wells Fargo. Maybe not quite a home run, but certainly that's a one-out triple for Occupy.
@amandine, luckily OO has a good number of citizen journalists roaming the streets, not the least of which is Ustreamer celeb OakFoSHo, and cartoon journalst Susie Cagle, who last month wrote a succinct assessment of Occupy Oakland in which she talks with a member of FRAC, Oakland's "Foreclosure Research Action Committee" (@frac, it's hard to look at your screen name and not think of this apt acronym). Indeed, the members of FRAC refer to their practice of occupying foreclosed homes and fighting for homeowners in preforeclosure as 'fracking', a humorous reclamation of the original term.
A splendid quote from Ken Kesey, author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, during a recent interview on NPR: "the themes of all my books are about how the small can overcome the large with treachery, creativity and humor." Oakland has its share of humor-driven activists, such as Aquapy, whose members are occupying Lake Merritt, the picturesque body of water in heart of Oakland, with a raft they lovingly have called the S.S. Don't Let the Banks Punk You Out. The committee responsible goes by the acronym, I.M.O.N.A.B.O.A.T., which cheekily stands for "independent members organizing nationally against bosses all the time". if the tactic of 'treachery' equates to 'violence', humor is a necessary counterpart of Kesey's three strategy for enacting change.
when the Interfaith umbrella 'canopy' (Occupy Oakland's Unitarian 'church') was cited and threatened with confiscation and arrest for being an 'illegal structure', a call went out on twitter to show up at the plaza with umbrellas. Literally, within minutes, a flash mob showed up and did a mary poppins dance number and overwhelmed the police. They would later take their performance into the lobby of city hall.
I.M.O.N.A.B.O.A.T.? S.S. Don't Let the Banks Punk You Out? Mary Poppins Umbrella flash mobs to protest police? C'mon, people, that's funny.
This was a fun post to write. file under #the power of one and #the strength of humor.
Hello From Occupy Oakland! (explosions!)
Hello everyone!
It's been a while. If you don't remember me, I used to make travel videos and write editorials frequently for archinect, and buried in the school blog archives for SCIArc is my wonderful little blog.
As of late - and for better or worse given the events here in Oakland over the past week - I have become a dedicated activist with Occupy Oakland for the past three months, and yes, i have been tear gassed, flash bang grenaded, and nearly batoned and nearly shot with paint filled bean bag rounds, most recently this past Saturday (Good times! Carry a bandana soaked in lemon juice, yo!)
During my time with Occupy Oakland, i began to draw vignettes and landscapes of the occupation both as a form of therapy and to record my time there. Over time, my fellow activists became aware of my drawings, and constantly demanded that i print them. So i did, and people loved them, including a half dozen cops who may have bought them for no other reason than to dust them for prints. (So it goes with things in Oakland).
I have seen the best and the worst of this movement: bewildering incidents of police brutality and persistent harassment of the indigent, a 71 year old woman have her home loan renegotiated two days before her eviction, a man shot and murdered only twenty feet from me, a 1000 meals fed every day 24 hours a day while the commune at Oakland city hall existed (Oscar Grant Plaza), and a sunset over the Port of Oakland during the first General Strike in the US since 1946. I've hugged more crackheads than i ever thought i would meet in a dozen lifetimes, and now consider many of the bottom 1% to be true acquaintances, some of them drug dealers and gang members who converted into activists because of the family they have been offered by the Oakland Commune of Occupy Oakland.
Myself? I have never been one to volunteer in the community, never one to refer to myself as an activist about anything. But things have changed. I actively volunteer upwards of 20 - 30 hours a week with organizations involved with food justice, income discrimination and foreclosure prevention (A drought of unemployment also helps this time commitment). In my time as an activist with OO, i have gotten a 71 year old woman's home loan renegotiated to an affordable rate, turned a dilapidated foreclosed home into a food outreach center for West Oakland (since shut down), had the overdraft fees of three complete strangers refunded, and am beginning to work in concert with other OO activists to begin a food co-op truck. The volunteer work includes work with Just Cause (Causa Justa), Meals on Wheels, and the Berkeley Student Food Collective.
Funny enough, the list of stories of actual things positive goes on and on.
I have never felt so powerful. So capable of revolting towards a life worth living.
Income, however, is scarce to non-existent. Which leads me to the humble request of all of you, my friends and comrades, here at the end of this primrose path of a post: selling prints of my artworks from Occupy Oakland is my sole source of income right now, and things have been getting tighter and tighter as i prepare for an art show up here of these drawings for which i can't even afford the frames. That being said, these drawings are fucking awesome, i promise, and i urge you to consider buying/donating for one (or all!) by visiting my WePay site. They are cheap, and i guarantee they make fine addition to every homefront.
In return, i promise i will keep up this fight for the better (There's also a plan in the works to submit a parklet project from Occupy Oakland to the Venice Biennale).
I love you all, i miss you all, and encourage you to please forward this post to your friends. Everything helps.
Hugs and Fists!
Marlin Watson, (recently occasional) Archinect contributor and editor
Vandalism, breaking and entering, flag burning, I'll pass, but thanks.
Seems dangerous to me. When the secret police start cracking down, it probably won't be a good idea leaving an electronic trail linking one's self to the resistance movement. That could get you locked up, Guantanamo style, yo!
flag burning: one wierdo, thats his thing. paper trail, cops already know me.
Keep drawing (beautifully caught moments), but keep writing, too! There's an audience for your thoughts—maybe not one instantly ready and open-minded, but do it for the records. There will never be enough first hand accounts.
Thanks for the post. Beautiful to see signs of humanity emerging out of the general lethargy...
Will look forward to seeing your work in Spontaneous Interventions. You've already captured the spirit of the exhibition.
Marlin, I support what you're doing, I'm very pleased that you are finding fulfillment in the work, and I'll be buying a print.
Did you happen to sketch when you all broke into city hall, and vandalized a century old model of the building, or when you destroyed a youngsters art exhibit? Great work...spray painting walls, and stealing flags, and stuff...real classy. I'm sure those actions will really change the world...you are now criminals too. nice job...douche!
http://oakland.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=78
how proud you must be.
Why the sudden influx of rightwing archinecters? Frac is that you with multiple aliases?
Taliesin, are you proud of yourself when you accuse people of doing things about which you have no knowledge whether they were actually involved or not? And do you feel even more proud of yourself when you do so anonymously, while those you're accusing aren't afraid to reveal their identity?
I am proud not to be associated with such selfish criminal behavior. I am proud not to be endorsing such. I mentioned some of the items earlier...he only addressed the flag burning, so leads me to believe that indeed this person is somehow an approving part of the other actions. They are idiots for wanting to exposed their identity, not brave. This person is part of Occupy Oakland for some time, as stated....I am not making that up. This is a an overall insignifcant site that I check out from time to time for kicks....no need to use my name..who the fuck cares who I am....just like I have no care for who you are, Donna.
being proud to not be associated with something is the lowest form of pride
wow....in this context, that profound statement makes no sense. Thanks for the laugh....I needed a good laugh.
your welcome.
"selfish criminal behavior" like when the banks got rich destroying the economy and the lives of millions. I don't agree with the vandalism, but at least acknowledge who the real criminals are here. Unfortunatly that kind of thing happens in huge crowds, it is spontanious and foolish, but the banksters actions were greedy and calculated. How many of them are in jail?
I am a product of what happened....lost my high paying job at a respected firm. I lived it. But, the actions we have seem by groups like OO do no good, and do nothing to be taken seriously. They are like a childs temper tantrum, and are pretty much an embarassment. And most attendees are just along for the vandalism ride, just more of the same idiots who think they are entitled. You think emptying trash cans in a lobby, etc...is "taking a stand"?....People are laughing at you....lots and lots of people, and those who arent laughing, pity you....oh, and there are a handful who applaude you....weak.
Marlin. Don't mind the T.AGG troll. Many thanks for your significant effort and for keeping us updated.
Taliesin, there is a lot more coming our of Occupy than vandalism. Yes that exists, as it does any time any group gets together - I'm in the SUPER BOWL city right now and if you don't think sports fans can gleefully trash public infrastructure you're not paying attention.
And sorry but really? Taking in pride in something you won't admit publicly to being part of? "They are idiots for wanting to exposed their identity, not brave." Really? This is such a statement of fear. I'm old enough to be totally over anonymity as any kind of cover. If you believe something say it without regret. If you're too scared to say it publicly than maybe you shouldn't say it at all.
I also find it ironic, TaliesinAGG, that you named yourself after (and thus hide behind) one of the most famous rebels and prideful people on the planet. FLW stood for something and both suffered for and benefitted from it. I'm ignoring the troll now.
oh, the name calling that goes on with liberals! Donna, you attack for no other reason than to push down a perspectives you don't understand: why someone criticizing another for their poor choices. Granted, independants and libertarians sound like parents sometimes because they are trying to teach good reasoning skills. It's no secret that science has shown that there are brain differences between liberals and conservatives. Liberals are more emotional, conservatives more literal. just sayin'
Sorry for the lack of clarity. I meant that buying them would be dangerous. In the American police state, it's safe to assume that anybody selling such items has already accepted their grim fate. For the rest of us (even those who might be sympathetic) it's just foolish to make such transactions via electronic (i.e., traceable) means. Cash is king. I just cannot imagine many Americans buying these items over the internet. You might have more success with foreigners, however, and it is a big world so, like, good luck.
Land of the free, home of the brave, yo!
Well done Marlin, many of us appreciate what you and the Occupy movement are doing up there and the sacrifices you are making.
Funny - in a sad and pathetic way - how the same people who shit on OWS shit on people who productively try everything they can to eke out a living ...
It's no secret that science has shown that there are brain differences between liberals and conservatives. Liberals are more emotional, conservatives more literal. just sayin'
I thought conservatives don't believe in science. If by emotional you mean empathetic, and if by literal you mean simple minded, I would agree. More emotional, are you crazy? Who's the group that screams at gays for being gay, and supports wars with the wrong country because of "Freedom Freedom yeaaaahhhh.. get them a-rabs.. get em".... John Boehner sheds a tear....
I'll trade you (2) two wacky sacks and a pack of spirits for the print with the tree. kthxbye
I'm afraid to even google "wacky sack", yo!
It's no secret that science has shown that there are brain differences between liberals and conservatives. Liberals are more emotional, conservatives more literal. just sayin'
I did not know this, so I googled it:
In the study, led by Ryota Kanai of the University College London, people who identified themselves as liberals generally had a larger anterior cingulate cortex — a comma-shaped region near the front of the brain that is involved in decision-making. By contrast, those who identified as conservatives had larger amygdalas — almond-shaped structures that are linked with emotional learning and the processing of fear.
First, I think the idea of 'liberal' v. 'conservative' is probably different in London. Second, this would suggest 'conservatives' are reacting out of fear, and that 'conservatives' are actually more emotional than 'liberals.' Good job Osl8ing. Your statement is a little mixed up, but perhaps that's to be expected from a 'conservative.'
The good work that occupy might be doing takes several steps back by the damage, urine stenched street corners they occupy, and overall disrespect and entitled behavior. Wrong or right that is how I feel....now...I have work to do, hope you get the results you are going for.
urine on a street corner, errrrrrrr.
poison in the ground water from fracking, eh.
...nevermind the overall disrespect and entitled behavior of bankers and "captains of industry" trashing entire neighborhoods (Detroit for instance). But most of these trashed, foreclosed neighborhoods are in the suburbs, the "entitled" would otherwise be spared the muss if it weren't for the occupiers bringing it to the man to face up.
It really does come down to: "location, location, location."
Nice debate.
Well done Marlin, I'll be ordering one
wow. that didn't take long.
some thoughts: well, there is a faction of Occupy that are anarchists, and the extreme end of that faction believes that things must be destroyed in order to be rebuilt from the very beginning. I don't necessarily support this idea, but i do support the right of anarchists to be anarchists. after all, what am i gonna do, tell em what to do? They're anarchists...
the press coverage says "they broke in to city hall and they burned the flag and they knocked over the model. same press says a person tried to stop them, a person tried to stop them from tipping over the model...there should be no distinction between those actions that are autonomous and those that represent the group. All decisions the singular act of one person, even if its deciding to act in solidarity with another person.
What happened saturday in oakland was a complete disaster, a PR failure of epic proportions. what remaining support Occupy had from the broader community has completely evaporated. Me, im part of the do-gooders. destruction at the meager level of window breaking achieves nothing.
also, Occupy Oakland is radical in that all of the problems OWS represent are HERE, at the local level. Thus, OO has been operating inside the model of local autonomy, local action (seriously, having moved up her e a year ago from LA, this place has a LOT of problems.)
segueing off the LA thing, and the OO local thing, i noticed a LOT of black blockers frontlining the march that i had never, ever seen before. where were they from? Well, judging by conversations overheard, and this splendid photo on the front page of the SF Chronicle, it's not hard to guess where they came from in order to "fuck shit up":
notice his hand gesture. They all did that. Need help?
This upset all us up here. But hey, they are anarchists, right?
Flag burner: seriously, ive seen that guy a lot. that is literally all he does. ever. As far as breaking in to city hall, there were as many people trying to stop them as there were breaking in. So who then is really the representative of a representativeless movement. I guess the press decided for themselves.
Bless you all. If i wasn't an active albeit rare these days editor, i never would have solicited the prints here. so there is some truth to the idea that this pander post doesn't belong on this site. If you feel that way, hope you enjoyed my SCIArc blog, my Archinect Travels videos and my features.
hugs and fists and we'll talk again soon. glad those of you that like the prints like the prints. most if not all of the money earned aids my efforts in the movement. talk soon!
Thanks Marlin for the clarification and some explanations. It is clear you, personally (and some others) are trying to do good things.
Sure, I'll be the one to ask: Whats the hand gesture? Us Canucks don't understand all of your Amurricuh-nisms.
"I am a product of what happened....lost my high paying job at a respected firm. I lived it. But, the actions we have seem by groups like OO do no good," And OSF as well
Same here, and I spent 15 months re-working my portfolio, taking classes, working for free , doing what it takes - and then at long last getting temp jobs, and now I have been working for 21 months sens being tossed out of my great "gig in the sky architecture job" OSF and OO can demonstrate, and I support that - but don't cause any violence - cos it makes a case for a republican victory - after the last OO OH OH, Bill O-Riled up said it was over for Occupy
http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/index.html#/v/1424222923001/is-the-occupy-movement-running-out-of-steam/?playlist_id=86923
President Romney? It's our choice 10months from now, and it could be game over.
replies on my own behalf: As we say in the movement, "i am an autonomous voice, and speak for no one but myself and myself only": @zenakis, Im sorry to say i don't look to Bill O'Rieley for wisdom or prophecy, and i stand behind the idea that the violence in Oakland is a reciprocal downward spiral and begins and escalates with police over-reaction.
On Saturday, the police fired bean bags and flash bangers into the crowd before i witnessed any response from the Blockers. 22 Occupy Cal (UC Berkeley) kids - who were non violent - were arrested and detained after being kettled into the courtyard of the YMCA building, and many of them have lamented about being beaten while in custody in jail. i pay lip service to the words 'beaten by cops', but i know that prior to witnessing it as systemic, it seemed brief and incidental. No worries, right? No, this is your idling Homeland Security dollaz in action.
Nevermind that my opinion on Obama has changed for the worse since voting for him (even though he's done some amazing things that mainstream media sleeps on), my opinion is that Romney is as likely to become our president as Kerry was.
@BenC: that's the LA - Los Angeles - hand sign a la the Dodgers logo, which is where most of the Black Block on Saturday were from. Shouts to the Occupy Edmonton faction that i met last Saturday who flew out to the left coast to tour occupy sites on the way home.
many in Occupy Oakland assert that OO began with the murder in 2009 of Oscar Grant. I agree. I'm too tired to post a good link. consider cut 'n' pasting Oscar Grant into the Google engine.
hugs n fists
"When the poet stands at nadir the world must indeed be upside-down. If the poet can no longer speak for society, but only for himself, then we are at the last ditch.”— Excerpt from, The Time of the Assassins, a study of Rimbaud, by Henry Miller
There is no reality-based argument denying this: The present system, as defined by the neoliberal economic order, is as destructive to the balance of nature as it is to the individual, both body and psyche. One's body grows obese while Arctic ice and wetlands shrink. Biodiversity decreases as psyches are commodified by ever-proliferating, corporatist/consumer state banality.
@frac: we are hardly at the point where the last person standing on the hilltop is a poet. That being said, individuals must act and if that individual's actions resonate, then others will follow and hopefully act on their own in solidarity with that person. "Do what you will", "every idea should become an action". One of my favorite signs was, "if you want change, don't wait for permission." In address of your second paragraph, I couldn't agree more.
Sebastian Junger, in his book, War, chronicles the lives of men stationed at a far flung outpost in Afghanistan. He mentions a common incident, when a teenager can earn five bucks by holing up behind a rock and raining a few AK-47 rounds down on the outpost. No one ever gets hit, no one dies as a result, but the actions of one individual can keep an entire company prone, stuck, and unable to act for hours, even days. This is an interesting analogy. Often in the Occupy movement, lip service is paid to the idea of "power in numbers", but modern times has demonstrated over and over that one individual, with tactical reasoning, can enact a considerable amount of change in ways that thousands may not be capable of.
In address of your second paragraph, Frac, certainly i couldn't agree more.
The city council for Berkeley, CA, voted unanimously last week to consider pulling the plug on their 350 million dollar account with Wells Fargo. Maybe not quite a home run, but certainly that's a one-out triple for Occupy.
@amandine, luckily OO has a good number of citizen journalists roaming the streets, not the least of which is Ustreamer celeb OakFoSHo, and cartoon journalst Susie Cagle, who last month wrote a succinct assessment of Occupy Oakland in which she talks with a member of FRAC, Oakland's "Foreclosure Research Action Committee" (@frac, it's hard to look at your screen name and not think of this apt acronym). Indeed, the members of FRAC refer to their practice of occupying foreclosed homes and fighting for homeowners in preforeclosure as 'fracking', a humorous reclamation of the original term.
A splendid quote from Ken Kesey, author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, during a recent interview on NPR: "the themes of all my books are about how the small can overcome the large with treachery, creativity and humor." Oakland has its share of humor-driven activists, such as Aquapy, whose members are occupying Lake Merritt, the picturesque body of water in heart of Oakland, with a raft they lovingly have called the S.S. Don't Let the Banks Punk You Out. The committee responsible goes by the acronym, I.M.O.N.A.B.O.A.T., which cheekily stands for "independent members organizing nationally against bosses all the time". if the tactic of 'treachery' equates to 'violence', humor is a necessary counterpart of Kesey's three strategy for enacting change.
when the Interfaith umbrella 'canopy' (Occupy Oakland's Unitarian 'church') was cited and threatened with confiscation and arrest for being an 'illegal structure', a call went out on twitter to show up at the plaza with umbrellas. Literally, within minutes, a flash mob showed up and did a mary poppins dance number and overwhelmed the police. They would later take their performance into the lobby of city hall.
I.M.O.N.A.B.O.A.T.? S.S. Don't Let the Banks Punk You Out? Mary Poppins Umbrella flash mobs to protest police? C'mon, people, that's funny.
This was a fun post to write. file under #the power of one and #the strength of humor.
Hugs and Fists!
Ken Kesey died over ten years ago, so that interview you heard couldn't be all that recent. :)
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