RT @OccupyWallStNYC: .@OWSLibrary librarian finally released from police custody after 26 hours following #OaklandSolidarity march. Libr …
GA is getting going here in Liberty Square! Follow here, @LibertySqGA2, @LibertySqGA3, and @LibertySqGA4 for livetweets. #nycga #ows
David, who’ll keep time tonight, is explaining the hand signals we use to communicate w/o needing to speak. #nycga #ows
Uptwinkles = I feel good about this, mid-twinkles = I’m in the middle or need more info, down-twinkles = I don’t like this. #nycga #ows
A point of process, made by forming a /_\ with two hands, tells the facilitators that you feel the process is off-track. #nycga #ows
A point of information is indicated with 1 finger raised. This tells the facilitators that you have a fact to share pertinent to the topic.
“And this,” David says, “is a signal I hope no one has to use: a block.” This indicates you have a SEVERE moral, ethical, or safety concern.
Stairs will now review the agenda. “We’ll start with working group reportbacks. Then, the first agenda item is…” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “…from Marsha; it’s about the GA weekend schedule. The next agenda item is from Movement for Justice en el Barrio.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “The third agenda item is from Ted Hall, and it’s a request to ban an individual. The fourth item is a breakout discussion…”#nycga
Cont’d: “…from Vision and Goals. & the last item is a proposal to bring the GA indoors during winter. We’ll then close w/ announcements.”
Daniel, one of our facilitators: “The soil of consensus is respect and mutual understanding. These things require an open, flexible mind.”
Cont’d: “So, as facilitation, we ask you, please check within yourself, again and again: am I being respectful? Am I trying to understand..”
Cont’d: “..the other person? If we all do this, we can move toward consensus. And we can change the world. So, let’s go!” #nycga #ows
Working groups stacking up for reportbacks now. Adam, from Trade Justice, is first. “We’ve had a busy week! We presented…” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “…at the eco cluster Saturday, then a workshop Sunday at the first Occupy Town Square, on the Transpacific partnership..” #nycga
Cont’d: “…which is a 9-country NAFTA for the pacific.” We’ll have an action b/c it’s currently being negotiated. “One of the things..”
Cont’d: “…they’re negotiating is extending drug patents,” which will put lifesaving drugs out of reach. Thanks Pfizer! #nycga #ows
Cont’d; “This Wednesday, we’ll be protesting at Pfizer’s corporate office. We’ll have the CEO and President Obama walking over the…”
Cont’d: “…bodies of ppl who will die b/c they can’t get their medication, while throwing money in the air,” plus more theater. #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “They’re keeping the text, the documents of this negotiation secret until 4 years after it’s ratified, which means the only…”
Cont’d: “…thing anyone gets to see is the final text before it’s voted on, which completely locks out civil society from having any…”
Cont’d: “…voice in the agreement, while corporations have roles” advising it. The 1% are on the inside while the 99% are locked out.#nycga
That’s Wednesday, check nycga.net for the details. #nycga #ows
Next, Nan. “I’ve been very excited reading every comment that some of you have posted online and also nycga.net, but my…” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “…working group is about to file a lawsuit against some of you. I’m just reporting to you.” #nycga #ows
OK, time for the first agenda item! Marsha: “I see there’s a lot on the agenda tonight, so I’m going to keep this short and sweet.” #nycga
Marsha’s proposal is that weekend GAs be held at 2pm from November to March, and 5pm the rest of the year. #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “I’m proposing this because I know a lot of ppl have a hard time being here at night during the winter.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “Also, this will open up our meetings to families, so we can show grade-school aged children, this is what democracy looks like!”
Now opening stack for clarifying questions. “Raise your hand if you want to get on stack!” First CQ: “Why are the working group meetings..”
Cont’d: “..taking place at the same time as the General Assembly?” A: “I’m not empowered to answer that question, I’m sorry.” #nycga #ows
CQ responds: “I think it would be great if people had the option to go to both.” Someone notes that some working groups are meeting now….
“…so I don’t think that changing the time will make a difference.” CQer notes that she left one early to be here on time. #nycga #ows
A: “The facilitation proposal that was passed to have 3 meetings a wk was to accomodate more ppl, to concentrate efforts on being…” #nycga
Cont’d: “…able to come to the GA. I think this does that as well.” David’s POI: “Working groups schedule their own meeting times.” #nycga
Cont’d: “They know when this meeting is. So, talk to them!” CQer will, by golly. Stairs gives last call for CQ stack. #nycga #ows
Rich’s CQ: “I’m w/ Info and De-escalation. I’m here almost every day, including the weekends. And I believe that her proposal is an..”#nycga
Cont’d: “…excellent proposal, as I speak to supporters who visit Saturday all day, but when I say it’s 7pm they can’t be here.”#nycga #ows
Stairs: “Stack is now closed. Now, we’re opening up stack for concerns! Raise your hand high to get on stack!” #nycga #ows
First concern: “It’s cold outside, and my nipple hurts! Is there anybody from comfort w/ a hot pack for my nipple?” [Hahahahah. -Ed.] #nycga
Next concern: Jack. “One thing you need to remember: we’re standing on holy ground, also known as the holy land of #OWS!” #nycga #ows
Jack cont’d: “And that’s it! Forever! So even if we have meetings somewhere else, i.e. like Sunday at WSP… we’re still in the spirit…”
Cont’d: “…of this holy land. So, welcome to the holy land of Occupy Wall Street!” Stairs acknowledges the Points of process up now…
Stairs: “I think I know what it is, so we’re going to keep going. But I’d like to remind everyone, please show respect to the proposer.”
Next concern, Kyle. “Hi! My concern is that this proposal’s designed to bring more families and children to the GAs. I feel that having..”
Cont’d: “…the meetings at 5 would prevent working families and children from getting here in time. I’d like to say, perhaps 6?” #nycga
A: “How would 5:00 on a Saturday prevent families and children from being here?” Clarifies this is only for weekends + 2pm during winter.
OK, that’s it for concerns! “We’re now going to move on to Friendly Amendments.” Opening stack. “Don’t all raise yr hands at once!” #nycga
Sage’s FA is that “you make sure to coordinate w/ Kitchen and the website, and keep the relationship open so ppl Saturday” are being…
Cont’d: …supported by our community. A: “I accept that friendly amendment.” That’s it for friendly amendments… temp checking! #nycga
Stairs: “How do we feel about this proposal?” Then, “It looks pretty good!” Now we’ll move to consensus; proposer will restate first. #nycga
Proposal: “I propose that GA meetings Saturday be held at 2pm starting November to March, and at 5pm on Saturdays the rest of the year…”
Cont’d: “…keeping in mind to keep communication with the Kitchen, so we can support the rest of the park!” #nycga #ows
Stairs: “OK, we’ll move to consensus. First, we’ll check for standasides. A standaside is when you object to the proposal, but not…”#nycga
Cont’d: “…so strongly that it rises to the level of a block.” Any standasides on the proposal? There is one standaside: Nan. #nycga #ows
Stairs: “Nan, would you like to speak on behalf of your standaside?” Someone interrupts to make an “emergency” announcement about someone…
Cont’d: …who’s in jail. He proposes we have a massive rally Saturday in support. Stairs acknowledges the points of process… #nycga #ows
…but makes sure he’s done. He seems unsatisfied; Stairs asks what we can do. “Spread the word,” he said. “Saturday.” #nycga #ows
PoI: “An affinity group is working on getting him out.” Nan will explain her standaside now. #nycga #ows
Nan: “It’s not about the time, it’s about the date. There are Jewish ppl that might not be able to attend on Saturday.” #nycga #ows
A: “I’ve talked to some Jewish ppl about this, and they said that during Summer, it didn’t get dark until way after 9pm, and they…” #nycga
Cont’d: “…didn’t come to those GAs anyway.” Nan says she knows otherwise, but it’s not that she’s against, she’s just standing aside.
Stairs will now test for blocks, which are a “moral, ethical, or safety concern” so severe that if it passed, “you’d leave the movement.”
We have one block. Lady: “My block is because I don’t think we are consistent with anything we do in this movement and I think that…”
Cont’d: “…is a consistent 7:00 meeting that has happened since the beginning and should continue to the end inside Zuccotti Park.” #nycga
Someone PoPs, saying a block “should be a moral, ethical, or safety concern.” Lady insists it is, because she doesn’t like the proposal. OK.
The proposer decides to move on to modified consensus, which requires 90% support from the GA to pass the proposal. #nycga #ows
Stairs: “If you want to vote against this proposal, please raise your hand.” There are 6 against; we’ll need 61 to pass it. #nycga #ows
Stairs: “We counted 34 hands in favor of this proposal; it does not pass modified consensus.” Proposer thanks us and steps down. #nycga #ows
Stairs: “So, we’re going to move on to the next proposal, which is from Movement for Justice en el Barrio.” #nycga #ows
MfJelB: “Receive greetings and solidarity from Movement for Justice en el Barrio, in East Harlem, NY! Women around the world…” #nycga
Cont’d: “…are rising up and saying enough! They’re organizing new movements, from Chiapas to Egypt, Greece to Spain, S. Africa to NY..”
Cont’d: “…and everywhere in between. They are indignatas outraged by the staggering inequalities, violence, deceit, hatred of democracy..”
Cont’d: “…corruption, and lack of respect for our planet” that characterize “this nightmarish status quo.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “At the forefront of these global movements are countless dignified women who resound in different colors and languages across…”
Cont’d: “…the lands. They are spearheading the movement and battling injustice head-on and w/o compromise at enormous risk.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “In honor of the tremendous leadership and contributions of women everywhere, Movement for Justice en el Barrio has…” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “…organized an International Women’s Day Celebration, as we do every year, to take place March 8th.” #nycga #ows
“Movement for Justice en el Barrio and the Global Justice working group propose the following: that the General Assembly of #OWS celebrate..
Cont’d: “…and honor the noble, dignified contributions of women in our movements, and to support by encouraging members of all working..”
Cont’d: “…groups and caucuses to attend.” Stairs gives the proposal 20 minutes, notes we can extend if we want to spend more time. #nycga
Opening stack for clarifying questions. None! Now opening stack on concerns, then! “Raise your hands high!”, Stairs says. #nycga #ows
…. long pause… Stairs: “So, there seem to be no concerns! Since friendly amendments come from concerns, I’m just going to ask if…”
Cont’d: “…bychance anyone has a friendly amendment, please raise your hand!” “Nope, don’t see any of those either!” Tempchecking proposal.
Stairs: “That looks pretty good! If the proposer could restate the proposal…” #nycga #ows
Restating: “Movement for Justice en el Barrio and the Global Justice WG propose that the GA publically endorse and support our…” #nycga
Cont’d: “…International Women’s Day Celebration, and encourage members of all working groups and caucuses to attend!” #nycga #ows
Stairs now asking if there are any standasides on this proposal. None! “Now I’m going to ask for any blocks! There were no concerns, so…”
Cont’d: “…I shouldn’t see any blocks. But I’m still gonna ask!” Hahah. “Are there any blocks?” No blocks! Consensus! Woooo! #nycga #ows
Stairs: “We just found out that came in at about 4 minutes for the consensus process. Moving along!” Woooo. #nycga #ows
Stairs: ‘The next proposal is from Ted Hall. This proposal is significantly different than the proposal that was on the Internet.” #nycga
Cont’d: “So, I’ll allow Ted Hall to explain.” Robert point of processes it: “If it isn’t the prop on the Internet, it can’t be brought.”
Stairs acknowledges this concern. Ted will explain, and then we’ll temp check whether to hear it. #nycga #ows
Ted: “The proposal got a massive amount of feedback, but it seems unfortunately that I will have to post it online. I would like to…”
Cont’d: “..share some of my experience with this rather contentious and pressing proposal that was originally written, if you’d like to…”
Cont’d: “..hear that. I could save it for announcements.” Stairs wants to temp check: “If you want to hear a little about why it’s…”#nycga
Cont’d: “…different, twinkle up.” Robert grumbles; Stairs notes that the temp check was vastly positive. We’ll hear from Ted. #nycga #ows
Ted: “I see, and felt, a very dangerous reaction within our community to try to adopt an exclusionary process. I feel and understand…”
Cont’d: “…from speaking to people at other assemblies that we are at a very slippery slope. It was very hard to sleep at night, trying…”
Cont’d: “…to account for all the perspectives being thrown at me, b/c we had sort of a freak accident last week that highlighted…”#nycga
Cont’d: “…fundamental problems that challenge the way our movement operates.” Sage mic checks, saying he doesn’t feel comfortable..#nycga
Cont’d: …functioning with inside information or doublespeak.” Wants to know what the shock is Ted’s talking about. #nycga #ows
Ted: “Last week, ppl from another occupation came to the assembly and very nearly successfully stopped it. Several were drunk, some…”
Cont’d: “…were punched in the face, I saw a lot of issues around that and tried to address it at that time. I now see that many…”
Cont’d: “…of us focused on Nan, when actually Nan did not punch anybody.” “That day,” someone points out. Ted: “And we do…” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “…have issues as a community, I think, with how Nan operates at times. But through writing this proposal, and this reaction…”
Cont’d: “…many people are holding, I see that we’re on a slippery slope to become an exclusionary body that is actually ill-equipped..”
Cont’d: “…to deal with these community issues. So this proposal I’ve written, w/ feedback from everyone else, will be shared online…”
Cont’d: “…for a later time.” Stairs notes that “many people feel very strongly about this issue, so I encourage you to talk about it…”
Cont’d: “…with each other, and try to come to an understanding.” Both Ashley and Nan are trying to force a stack to open up… #nycga #ows
Stairs: “Everybody / chill out / we’re all in this together! Let’s not fight. We are *not* opening stack, and that is final. We are going..”
Cont’d: “…to move on. I’m sorry to those of you who don’t agree with this.” “So, next…” Lots of people wanted to talk about Nan. #nycga
Anthony: GA can be a place for discussion as well as deliberation, and if we want to talk about it, we can. “Know your process!” #nycga
Stairs: “From my perspective up here, I saw a lot of uptwinkles on that discussion suggestion. So, I’ll ask for a temperature check for…”
Cont’d: “..going to a discussion about what just happened.” OK, so we’ll break out and discuss for 10 minutes. #nycga #ows
Trish: “Where are the twinkles? I don’t see them!” Someone says: “The wire is blocking your view!” Hahahah. #nycga #ows
Someone gets up and says he’s the disruptor being discussed, and it was because he felt left out. “I did come out of process, and I..”#nycga
Cont’d: “…apologize.” Then, aggressively defends notion he’s #OWS and not #OccupyNewark, acknowledges he was drunk but “ppl have stress.”
So, Stairs will break us out “to discuss what this community needs re: accountability and how we go forward from here.” #nycga #ows
Ted: “With respect to a lot of that,” Safer Spaces is working on a grievance council that might be better for dealing with these issues.
OK, so we’re back. “We’re going to hear from breakout groups, but with no responses.” First: “We appreciate the apology by the gentleman…”
Cont’d: “…from Newark. We felt it was inappropriate to draw a line between #OWS and Newark. We appreciated his apology for intoxication..”
Cont’d: “…but it’s not acceptible, for safety and the integrity of the process, to be intoxicated.” So, next time, they ask for… #nycga
Cont’d: …de-escalation to be present. They feel that 2 minutes of stack being open would have resolved the conflict. #nycga #ows
Finally, they think we should all receive de-escalation training, “because if there was a war, but no one went, that would be best.” #nycga
Next reportback. “This is what our group came up with. 1, if anybody’s not following the statement of autonomy, then they’re not abiding..”
Cont’d: “…by #OWS principles, and not acting in best interest of the movement. 2, anything that’s distracting our movement is…” #nycga
Cont’d: “…a cause for concern which must be addressed. 3, the failure to exclude some individuals will cause exclusion of many.” #nycga
Cont’d: “4, #OWS is inclusive of all identities, but not all behaviors. 5, we need a process of exclusion and grievances. Thank you.” #nycga
Next, Lady. “I’m concerned that if we set a precedent for getting rid of someone, we become our own police department, but we have…”#nycga
Cont’d: “…convicted someone w/o due process, and that’s not the way we should operate in a movement that is all-inclusive.” #nycga #ows
Richard: “My name is Richard. Our breakout group had a very productive discussion. We didn’t target anyone in specific. We…” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “…talked about the need for personal accountability, the need for criminals to be held accountable criminally.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “If we met someone on the street, who committed a crime against us, it should be the same in the GA, and everyone has…” #yncga
Cont’d: “…that personal right to decide. We also had the discussion of spanking disruptors.” Everyone guffaws. #nycga #ows
Next, Nan. “I have a chance to go group to group to hear what the groups have to say, and it was wonderful, Sage. Anyway…” #nycga #ows
Nan cont’d: “Sage, go masturbate yourself. Anyway, I appreciate what some of you guys have to tell me, and I appreciate your comments.”
Cont’d: “One of the things I did not like was how I was being marginalized and attacked from not having all the facts together.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “Those ppl from Newark did not come with me; Razor knew that. I was working hard on my proposal for that GA, and I was trying to…”
Cont’d: “…find a copier, and next thing I knew I was being attacked and lied about by individuals who didn’t have the facts.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “But sometimes life isn’t unfair, sometimes it is. I was given lemonade, and I made lemonade out of it.” Yes. #nycga #ows
Nan closes with a rousing defense of “people of caucus” and a nice “fuck you” to her detractors. #nycga #ows
Next, Ashley! “W/ the group’s permission, instead of standing over there, I’d like to stand behind these bars over here, because I don’t..”
Cont’d: “..feel safe physically from an individual over there.” Asks us to temp check. Of course we’re cool with it… #nycga #ows
Ashley: “I personally am upset w/ ppl appropriating important issues, like marginalized communities, and using them as an excuse to bully..”
Cont’d: “…ppl, and marginalize ppl.” Feels this movement is our last chance to avoid global tyranny by the 1%. #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “If a man physically assaulted ppl, he’d be out a week ago, right? So why should a woman be able to? It’s a double standard.” #nycga
Many people giving Ashley support for that. “There was a point when I believed this person’s intentions, and when I realized that this…”
Cont’d: “…person wasn’t working for marginalized people but rather marginalizing them, and made me care and betrayed…” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “If they really care about issues of sexism, why did they block WoW’s proposal? If they really cared about marginalization, why…”
Cont’d: “…did they block the proposal for solidarity with Zapatistas in Mexico?” #nycga #ows
Ashley shouts out to the double standard of Nan’s behavior being accepted, and also shouts to her going to “corporate media…” big cheers!
Ashley gets a huge round of applause. #nycga #ows
Stairs: “I completely acknowledge the weight of this conversation, and understand the proposal posted was about a certain individual.”#nycga
Cont’d: “That is not the proposal any longer, and it was not the goal of the breakout groups. We acknowledge that there’s a lot…” #nycga
Cont’d: “…of feelings all over about this situation. But out of respect to the GA, please do not make this about targeting one person.”
Razor: “This is a historical moment in #OWS. We are talking about banning individuals. This movement has to be above that; we have to look..
Cont’d: “..at who’s being spoken about versus those who have committed violence all along.” Notes that he feels violence has been present…
Cont’d: …& that it’s suspect that the first ppl we’re trying to ban are ppl of color. Razor also says we need to examine process. #nycga
Razor: “I’m also very concerned that when this comes up,” it tends to target individuals, rather than accountability. #nycga #ows
Razor: “I think Teddy did something amazing. He started in one space, and spend days talking to others, and came from something w/ a..”
Cont’d: “…higher ethical standard. That’s what this movement is about and we need more of that.” #nycga #ows
Razor also speaks to Newark and tells them “you’re being baited” and not to react. #nycga #ows
Lopi’s next: “Our group spoke about a few things; we didn’t have a concrete solution, but we felt it was smart that Ted had tabled..”
Cont’d: “..the proposal so we could talk about larger issues instead of one person’s behavior.” Also discussed other forms of violence…
Cont’d: “When some ppl don’t have the same language as dominant language, they react angrily & then that causes other kinds of violence.”
They also spoke about how we need a grievance process and better communication structures. Feels “one of the most pertinent problems..”
Cont’d: “..facing us internally is also facing us externally, and that is, as a movement, as we committed to nonviolence?” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “We felt that we need to come up with a statement dealing with our principles of nonviolence for internal and external purposes.”
Sage notes many people have already spoken his ideas – many who are more traditionally heard, and less confrontational, than he is. #nycga
Sage cont’d: “But I still think there needs to be some aspect of confrontation;” otherwise how do we change ourselves? #nycga #ows
Sage had several other ideas but because I had to switch feeds, I missed some of them. Sorry @Graizur, help me out? #nycga #ows
Next, someone points out “this movement is about accountability and the lack of accountability w/in our superstructure.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “We want to come up with new ways of doing things, so why, when old problems come up, are we looking to old solutions?” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “Banning someone, imprisoning someone, is old.” “The ppl in this movement must be empowered, and not destroyed.” #nycga #ows
Anthony: “We shouldnt use sex, gender, color, any of that bullshit, to call marginalization! We’re human; all bleed red! Except reptilians.”
Anthony feels that people who are disruptive, like who “block everything” should be held accountable. He’s had one block, an ethical block.
Anthony: “We should all realize when blocking without a real reason, you’re hurting everyone!” Ppl’s mic is very loud right now. #nycga #ows
Anthony: “Every time we go into modified consensus w/o a real reason, we’re hurting the movement! We all need to be accountable to…”#nycga
Cont’d: “…ourselves & all of our sisters and brothers in this beautiful movement. And fuck Monsanto!” (“And Fuck Monsanto!” the ppl yell!)
OK, that’s it for the reportbacks. Time to move forward on the agenda. “So, now, Vision and Goals is gonna talk to you all!” #nycga #ows
Sumumba and Michael from Vision and Goals: “We’re attempting to come to consensus on a Vision statement! I want to say, this is not the..”
Cont’d: “..goals; we still have the goals to get to.” Notes he’s on Outreach and Movement Building too, and wants to make sure the…
Cont’d: …Vision statement “gets us in the house, so we can feed them and” talk to them. Wants to not have alienating language. #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “That said, we are not reformists!” Yoni notes that many felt, last time, that the document wasn’t radical enough. #nycga #ows
Yoni: “I feel the content is there, but perhaps we can radicalize the language.” So the discussion is about how we make it more radical…
Cont’d: “…more about what #OWS is about.” But notes that since this is an autonomous movement, it shouldn’t be about personal politics.
Sumumba also notes: nonviolence is part of the longer vision, even though the definition of “violence” is at question in a tactical sense.
Sumumba: “And once again, we are NOT reformists!” Hahah. Michael tells us he emailed all working groups to ask for feedback recently. #nycga
V&G also notes they meet Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 at 60 Wall. “Your feedback is very important, and remember we still need to do Goals.”
Cont’d: “Even President Obama is talking about co-opting the 99% with the tax thing! Let’s not let him co-opt us, let’s co-opt him!” #nycga
OK, so we’ll read the document for 5 minutes, and then open a stack for general comments. #nycga #ows
OK, we’re back! Stacking comments. Camille: “The statement is great, but one problem I have, which I quietly have w/ movement is a whole..”
Cont’d: “…is the impact of animal enterprise.” Suggests add something about “liberation of animals, but something more welfarist is OK.”
Notes animals are used for many things like testing and vivisection, and “I wouldn’t be an activist if I weren’t a vegan.” #nycga #ows
Camille also notes that many vegans are ostracized by this movement b/c of lack of attention paid to this issue. #nycga #ows
Yoni answers: “As a non-vegan itself, I hear what you’re saying,” also notes fur trade and mistreatment are real problems. #nycga #ows
Yoni suggests it could even be given its own section, which Camille is a fan of. #nycga #ows
Next: “If you hang out w/ good ppl, 9 times out of 10, you’ll have good results.” Then suggests women should watch their dress? Boos. #nycga
“GA-Amended 1/24 Draft OWS Vision Statement,” page 1. This is what we’re discussing. #nycga #ows http://t.co/Nc7zLsOu
“GA-Amended 1/24 Draft OWS Vision Statement,” page 2. That’s the last page. #nycga #ows http://t.co/BD63pF0J
Vision&Goals restate: they want us to help radicalize it w/o making it inaccessible to “ppl from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn to Billings, Montana.”
OK, time for the next proposal! It’s Patrick, bringing a proposal to move the GA indoors for the winter. #nycga #ows
Here’s the next proposal, to bring the GA indoors. Patrick is reading it aloud right now. #nycga #ows http://t.co/gEMtM4Fp
Patrick: “When we discussed changing the GA, Marsha, who brought the time-change proposal earlier, felt she was being marginalized…”
Cont’d: “…because she can’t stand outside in the cold at night during the Winter.” Notes GA at 60 Wall is still “occupying wall street.”
Stairs now opening stack for clarifying questions on the proposal. First CQ: “This proposal seems to be for the benefit of 1 person…”
Cont’d: “..I know others could benefit from it, but if we move indoors, others may have issues w/ an indoor space. I don’t know if the…”
Cont’d: “…GA should be moved just because one person has an issue.” Patrick presses him to imagine a reason there’d be an issue w/ indoor.
Patrick: “If you think it’s OK for everyone here to have to suffer through cold — and you know I’ve been through so many, and I have…”
Cont’d: “…froze almost everything off. And I’m still here! So, I’ll be here, but many can’t be here, like Marsha.” #nycga #ows
Next CQ: “Just going to say that the original proposal is great, because let’s face it, if it was subzero, many of us wouldn’t be here.”
That CQer suggests that it be contingent on temperature and weather. #nycga #ows
Nick: “If we never got raided; we’d still be in camp here. Ppl said the winter would stop us; moving GAs indoors doesn’t prove them wrong.”
A: “I don’t think we have anything to prove in the strength department. Anybody going anywhere?” No, we say! “OK, so let’s be comfortable..”
Cont’d: “…indoors as we make decisions.” Next CQ, Nan. “You know that we have a lot of ppl at 60 wall; can we find a permanent place…”
Cont’d: “…without police officers and without people circling us?” Patrick: “Nan’s concern appears to be that there’s a lot of police…”
Patrick cont’d: “You know, I don’t really feel any concern about the cops myself, but maybe it’s a concern some folks have. We’ll have..”
Cont’d: “…to live with cops everywhere we go, so we’ll have to deal with it.” #nycga #ows
Next CQ: “If the weather’s nice enough, are we going to be here? But I saw in the proposal that if weather’s nice enough, we’ll be here.”
But it leads into a concern: “I don’t see the GA as mobile; it shouldn’t move around. But the proposal besides that is fair.” #nycga #ows
Patrick will temp check removing that. But, “not everybody can see who’s suffering from cold; ppl at GA have to tell us.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “If more than 10% there may need to leave, maybe we owe it to that 10% to move the GA, cooperate and continue with all.” #nycga #ows
Stairs is restating Nan’s question: “If 60 Wall is not available, is there a backup location?” Patrick says it’s covered in proposal. #nycga
Patrick: “The backup location is right here (Liberty Sq).” Next CQ: “Some WGs meet during GA. What happens if GA brings many to 60 Wall?”
Cont’d: “The question is, do you think that if we get a lot of ppl, can we function in that space w/o disrupting everything around us?”
Patrick notes that it has worked before without interrupting other groups. “It’s noisy, but it can be done.” Also, “60 wall need not be…”
Cont’d: “..the only place we can go. What’s called for is indoor public space.” #nycga #ows
POI: “Maximum # of ppl in 60 Wall is 604, so there’s a lot of ppl we could fit in there and many old bastards like myself could attend.”
Robert’s CQ: “I haven’t attended a GA in 60 Wall; I know they’ve happened, but w/ smaller groups. We are so gonna get kicked outta 60 Wall.”
Robert is point of processed, because we’re still on clarifying questions. Ashley’s CQ: “Is this proposal b/c a lot of ppl weren’t…”
Cont’d: “..going to GA because it was cold, which is disempowering to GA?” Feels it should get benefit of being indoors, like Spokes. #nycga
Ashley cont’d: “We should do this to be fair and democratic.” Stairs starts to define CQs, so Ashley rephrases as a CQ. #nycga #ows
A: “To me, it’s just common sense. I’m healthy and young, but if you watch, I’m already trembling. To me, this is cold. If I wear a hat…”
Cont’d: “…my hearing is muffled. It would be better indoors.” Sumumba’s POI is that the last few GAs indoors have worked well. #nycga #ows
Sumumba: “Also, for Sat at least, there’s not as many WGs meeting, so it’s very pleasant in there. This is inclusive; think of our seniors.”
Anthony’s concern: “The knitters say they don’t come out at night b/c it’s cold! So we shouldn’t permanently move it indoors…” #nycga
Cont’d: “…we should look at weather in advance, and then post it ahead of time.” Shouts to Marsha, a knitter, who can’t often come to GA!
Patrick notes it’s already in the proposal- if we expect temps above 50 degrees 48 hours in advance, we can move it indoors. #nycga #ows
Next concern is that he won’t leave the park unattended. “If we’re in this for comfort, we shouldn’t have done this!” #nycga #ows
Patrick: it’s not about his comfort, it’s about the comfort of many. “Do we want to prove we’re tough, or accept we’re tough & include ppl?”
Next concern notes that there are fewer disruptions when GA is indoors. “Just b/c of that, it would be a valuable experiment.” #nycga #ows
Nick’s concern: “I am very concerned that by having the GA indoors, we’re going to lose a lot of ppl. I’d like to see some kind of..”
Cont’d: “…count made first as to whether more people come when it’s indoors.” Nods to Occupy Alaska, who are outside always. #nycga #ows
Sumumba: “My concern is for the movement, again, the infirm, the ppl that get sick.” Hopes if we’re indoors, we look for backup spaces.
Corey’s is “a reverse concern. Won’t anyone think of the minutes and the livetweeters and the facilitators who have to be outside?” #nycga
Patrick acknowledges that. “We all love the minutes and the livetweeters and we want to see if we can help them out too.” #nycga #ows
I said that it’s not respectful of consensus to insist that others’ lack of willingness to be outside is not tough enough. #nycga #ows
I also pointed out that our decision-making process suffers greatly when we are meeting and it is too cold. #nycga #ows
Lopi shouts to what I said, and points out the machismo inherent in trying to prove we’re tough. “Also, we rush through proposals when…”
Cont’d: “…we’re freezing our ass off. Everyone wants to just get done; we pass things we have to live w/ that may not be well considered.”
Chris: “I’ve been here since the beginning; I don’t know a lot of you and I’m glad you joined on with us. But the GA needs to go on here.”
Cont’d: “People need to know we’re still here, even though it’s not about the park. We made a message when we took the park. But right now..
Cont’d: “…for our voices to be heard, we need to be out here.” Apologizes to knitters; he loves them. “I don’t know about a lot of you..”
Cont’d: “..folks, but if we want to make a message, occupy your brain! Not #OWS, occupy your brain! Occupy movement! That’s what we are.”
Patrick: “Chris is a great friend to the movement; I know the park is important. But if we could get indoors, maybe we could occupy…”
Cont’d: “…our minds a bit better, and think about how to take the park back!” Next, someone points out NYU will start teaching #OWS…
Cont’d: …courses, “and I believe NYU should provide us a place to meet during the winter. If they’re going to make profits from our…”
Cont’d: “…cause, they should give us a place to meet.” Notes that Pace University is in the same situation, could also help. #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “They should at least hv the courtesy to give us a place to stay, & someone should negotiate with them. Maybe Patrick.” #nycga #ows
Gilbert’s concern: “2 things. I think that we should go inside when the weather is inclement, so we can better articulate our points.”#nycga
Cont’d: “Secondly, I don’t think that us standing outside makes us braver or weaker. We should do what’s best for the whole group.” #nycga
Cont’d: “…in order to not marginalize disabled or older people.” Many whoop at that. As they did every time that point’s been made. #nycga
Ashley: “My concern is w/ ppl who feel very emotionally and spiritually attached to this ground. And I think we’re all one of them…”
Cont’d: “…but we need to be sensitive to the infirm, the elderly, the livetweeters can’t wear gloves, I think we need to have it inside.”
Cont’d: “Some of my best friends in this movement are in the Granny Peace Brigade.” They can’t come to things due to environmental concerns.
Cont’d: “So, although I have compassion for the ppl who are emotionally attached to doing this every day, that’s ego. Sometimes you..”#nycga
Cont’d: “…need to set aside yr own sentimental attachments.” Should be sensitive to Chris & others like him, maybe do 1 thing here a day.
Patrick suggests that’s a great point. “We don’t want to show disrespect to those who hold the park still. We love you. But this is about..”
Cont’d: “…all the people who’d like to be, but can’t because it’s too cold.” Someone: “Why don’t we all wear space suits?” #nycga #ows
Nan’s concern is next. “Hi guys. My concern is if we keep moving the GA back and forth, ppl might get confused and they might give up on..”
Cont’d: “…coming back to the GA. So we need to make sure, if we’re going to go to 60 Wall or any other places, other ppl must stay here..”
Cont’d: “..to let them know that we’ve moved. Because we had issues like that before.” #nycga #ows
That’s it for stack! OK, now opening stack for friendly amendments, coming to the homestretch on this (famous last words.) #nycga #ows
Richard’s FA: “I’m in the group that can’t make GAs b/c of health issues; also, I have to travel from Staten Island, so if it’s going…”
Cont’d: “…to be snowy and won’t be many here anywhere, I just stay away.” FA is that we move indoors one day a week on a weekend, so…
Cont’d: …that “people in the outer boroughs, and older people,” can come, and an experiment. Temp checking Saturday-only FA. #nycga
Robert’s amendment is that the language in the proposal of throwing up a PoP to move the meeting indoors can only happen at start of GA.
Clarifying amendment: applies on days when we have GA outdoors expecting it to be nice, but isn’t. Limit to *1* tempcheck on moving inside.
Next FA is to have a 3-wk trial period of trying it. If it doesn’t work for us and the ppl at 60 Wall, then vote on moving it back outdoors.
The temp check on that was really mixed; Patrick wasn’t quite sure what to do but decided to decline that friendly amendment. #nycga #ows
Next FA is that we include Occupy Money Group and other folks in the discussion so we can be open to alternative spaces. #nycga #ows
Patrick notes this is about “indoor public spaces,” so he’s not sure, that seems like a separate conversation. Some back and forth… #nycga
Sumumba just wants to make sure “we’re not dependent on 60 wall; if we are excluded,” we have some other place to go. #nycga #ows
Patrick reads the language in the proposal about “other public spaces,” and Sumumba is satisfied, steps back. #nycga #ows
Ashley’s POI is that many who opposed moving indoors have walked away and aren’t listening to this process, restates her concerns about…
Cont’d: ..keeping it outside being “ageist, sexist, and ableist.” Stairs nudges her to make FA. “To appease the individuals..” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “…those individuals who are attached sentimentally and might block, to have one do-or-die event outside each Sunday.” #nycga #ows
People like that amendment, according to Stairs’ reading of the temperature check, so it’s accepted. #nycga #ows
Martin’s FA: “I wish it was more strongly worded, b/c it seems exceptions may be made, but wishes it was strongly encouraged…”
Cont’d: “…to hold the meetings outside if it’s above 50 degrees outside,” due to symbolic value. Patrick suggests changing… #nycga #ows
Cont’d: …the language from “exceptions may be made” to “shall be made” when the temperature is above 50 degrees. FA accepted. #nycga #ows
Nan’s FA: “I’d mentioned my concern earlier, and was told to make it an FA, to let people know somehow that we’ve moved.” #nycga #ows
So, Nan’s FA is that someone “must be here” in Liberty Square to make sure ppl know where the GA has moved. Folks ask if she’ll volunteer…
Patrick narrows it to only times when we schedule it outdoors, and then consent to move it back indoors due to it being cold. Temp check?
Patrick: “It’s close, but not quite.” Mixed response. So, he declines Nan’s friendly amendment, tempting the dragon…. #nycga #ows
Patrick notes that as long as we make 60 Wall our default location, and we’re not in the park, ppl will know where to look for GA. #nycga
OK! So now, Stairs will tempcheck how we feel about moving the proposal forward! “That looks very good!” Patrick re-reads the proposal.
Changes from what I posted earlier are that we *shall* (not may) have it outside if we expect temps to be above 50 w/ good weather… #nycga
Cont’d: …& that if the meeting starts outdoors, only 1 proposal can be made to move indoors. Last FA: that we have a Sun event outdoors.
Stairs calls for standasides. One: “I’m out here all the time; it’s not my ego.” Was offended by that. & is upset by “comfort”. #nycga #ows
Stairs now tests for blocks.. Nick blocks. “It’s morally wrong to hold this indoors. Many people have problems with heat in summertime..”
Cont’d: “…also, there are occupations not having this conversation.” Nick decides to standaside tho, having said his piece. #nycga #ows
One last test for blocks: “Going once…going twice… no blocks… that means we have consensus!” Cheers! #nycga #ows
Stairs: “That was the last proposal; we’re now going to open stack for announcements.” #nycga #ows
First announcement: “Hi, my name is Faith, I’m a day 1 occupier and I work w/ #OWS radio show. And I want to draw attention to..” #nycga
Cont’d: “…the fact that one of our comrades is in Riker’s this afternoon b/c he did not receive the kind of support he should have…”
Cont’d: “…received from #OWS.” It’s Elias Roberts, “who is such a strong voice, and he’s been left in the lurch.” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “He’ll be going to the supreme court friday. I’m asking that there be an arsenal of NLG lawyers there, familiar w/ the case.”#nycga
Cont’d: “We can’t walk on by each other. If any of you can in any way get the word out; I wanted to let you know our comrade nds our help.”
Next, Camille, who mic checks to make sure folks come over to hear, “especially if you participate in direct action.” #nycga #ows
Camille: “For the past 3 days, the NLG has not been equipped to rep people at arraignments. We need to understand that the NLG was around..”
Cont’d: “..before #OWS; it’s not an #OWS work group. They have jobs, do it on volunteer basis, and had full caseload before #OWS.”
Cont’d: “They’re now in a situation where they cannot come at the drop of a hat; only in mass arrest situations.” #nycga #ows
Camille says she’s looking into what NLG needs to get more ppl to come out. But “if you’re doing autonomous actions, please think twice..”
Cont’d: “..about what you’re doing, because we can’t guarantee we’ll get the support we all deserve. We’re taking on an enormous…”
Cont’d: “…corrupt system.” NLG knows we deserve better than public defenders, “but we are not equipped, so we need to re-think our…”
Cont’d: “..direction, our tactics, and the way we conduct ourselves. I’m not saying don’t participate in DA; I’m saying think about what..”
Cont’d: “…you’re doing. Because the person who throws something isn’t the one who gets hurt, it’s whoever’s standing closest.” #nycga #ows
Camille also shouts out that we can show solidarity to Elias by putting money in his account so that he can buy good food while in Riker’s.
“We’ll keep everyone apprised, as this is the only person who has been put in Riker’s directly from an #OWS event.” #nycga #ows
[To clarify: the Williamsburg "OccuParty" was *not* an #OWS event. The distinction is lost on some. -Ed.] #nycga #ows
Next: “I appreciate y’all showing solidarity and letting me get up to talk, but I came from @Occupy_DC; we’re having a serious problem..”
Cont’d: “…and what we really need is numbers. If we can get ppl to come down… we’re trying to get the SEIU to help us bus ppl down…”
Cont’d: “…and there’s some lady with a van or something. We need numbers; we can’t let Washington DC fall. It’s one of the final…”#nycga
Cont’d: “..physical occupies.” They have put out statements that if they catch ppl sleeping in tents, they’ll mace and taze and drag em out.
Cont’d: “As soon as we can get ppl down there, the better.” Ted’s POI: “Feb 2nd is the date that many of the police actions are set for.”
Ted cont’d: “We need to get there right now, and we need to be there for awhile until this shit blows over.” #nycga #ows
#ODC guy notes that the kitchen in Freedom Plaza was given a 98/100 after an inspection – then they came back and gave 100/100!! #nycga #ows
Big cheers for that. “We have two chefs that cook there — they occupy! And they’re chefs! Everyone’s welcome; we’d love to have you.”#nycga
Next, Al. “Like the gentleman just speaking, I was down there with him; he’s a great guy.” Shouts out the dude who gave him ticket to go…
Al, whom we all love very much, is soapboxing, and no one is surprised. Tells us about his trip. Any announcement content same as last guy.
Next, Sean! “Hi! You may have heard magic word ‘grievance council’ today for 1st time!” Meet Friday, 6:30, at 110 Schermerhorn in Brooklyn.
Sumumba makes an outreach announcement: “We’re trying to reach communities we’re trying to “liberate”!” Canvassing in East NY. #nycga #ows
Next is Ted w/ “a couple little announcements. #1, Occupy Tour is going to be kicking off in Newark! Anyone who wants to help build..”#nycga
Cont’d: “..a stage, where we’ll have a ton of artists making awesome music, come talk to me afterwards!” #nycga #ows
Cont’d: “Occupy Newark is in an old historic military base! They have no issues with cops; some internal issues like us, but it’s…”#nycga
Cont’d: “…it’s an amazing place to launch stuff.” Shouts to close proximity of Newark and Yonkers, trying to work together more! #nycga
Ted also notes that Newark’s occupation is in the shape of a sword pointing right here. “it’s really awesome!” #nycga #ows
Ted also notes his background in climate science and that a “bee landed on my face earlier” today, which is fucked. “Anyone who wants to..”
Cont’d: “…come to Times Sq. at 3pm tomorrow in a t-shirt and shorts, when temp should be 59 degrees, we’ll ask “where the fuck is winter?”
Nan’s announcement. “Most of you know I have a proposal to dissolve the Spokescouncil, but I didn’t come back to do it. I’m announcing…”
Cont’d: “…here to ask facilitation to please put my proposal back online for the next GA, to dissolve the Spokescouncil. Thank you.”#nycga
Ashley is last on stack! “I was supposed to propose at yesterday’s Spokescouncil to make sure there’s a democratic process at…”#nycga
Cont’d: “…Spokescouncil, b/c a lot of proposals have been slipping in w/o proper time for discussion.” It’s to establish 48-hour notice..
Cont’d: ..period for proposals in Spokescouncil, and that working groups are notified. But she couldn’t come b/c she was arrested Sunday.
That’s it for GA! “We’ll see you all Thursday — same time, different place!” See you at 60 Wall on Thurs family! #nycga #ows #occupy
[As ever, any questions, comments, concerns, please hit me up over at @diceytroop! And shouts to the great folks who helped handle this...]
[...family of livetweet accounts while I was helping build the movement on the @OWSbus! That's @PoweredByCats, @Carriem213, & @Nash12. -Ed.]