Announcements
Catherine-Jefferson Warehouse tomorrow: Art and Music Benefit for Occupy the Midwest Regional Conference (OMW)
Tom-Eco Village
Tom apologized for a lack of clarity at the Sunday GA where he offered Culver Way Eco Village as a camping possibility for OSTL. He wants to be clear now that he is offering the space for two weeks before OMW, if we can get 15-20 campers in order to say we have freedom of assembly. Please contact Tom if you plan to camp there and/or would like to help get the space ready.
Culver Way is still an option for OMW. If OSTL wants to continue to occupy this space after OMW, we can all evaluate at that time and proceed from there. Ultimately Tom would like to see this space evolve into a spontaneous eco village with a veggie garden, which Sasha is taking on, and markets.
In the spirit of full disclosure, Tom wants everyone to know:
The Eco Village has liability insurance. The premium was due today, but his agent is letting him put $500 down tomorrow with the balance due in a few days. Someone put up an event page today to help raise money. This premium is due every 3 months.
Before camping could happen, temporary fencing would need to go up to make his neighbors happy and protect campers. The first floor needs to be converted into a common space. Tom needs volunteers.
Tom has obtained a challenge loan. Monies Eco Village raises will be matched dollar for dollar up to $50,000. So, there could be a potential $100,000 raised. This money will be used to pay off outstanding defaulted loans and back taxes. The city has agreed to waive penalties and fines for the back taxes if the base amount is forthcoming.
Desiree will help Tom create an Encampment Event Facebook page. (It should be noted that by the end of GA Tom had raised, with the matching funds, $400.)
Brad- He and and John have been working with the Unions to see if there is money to be donated.
Desiree- On Sunday, March 18, at 2:00 (which is also the last day of OMW), Occupy Kids are going to be a part of the “Show Me No Hate” photo shoot at Clayton High School. This is a campaign to raise awareness of marriage
rights equity.
Proposals
Susie reworked the proposal that passed last Sunday’s GA because there had been a lot of constructive feedback she wanted to include. (Many of us were rushing out the door to hear Angela Davis speak and do outreach prior to her speaking.) The new proposal: Whenever possible Official Statements and Change of Process proposals will be posted on occupySTL.org>Forum>General Discussion a week prior to being proposed. This does not apply to time sensitive press releases. This will allow for careful consideration, discussion, feedback, and friendly amendments not only at GA, but prior to GA as well.
If you do not have access to a computer, you can ask someone to post it for you. The Forum is a public space to which everyone has access. If you have difficulty registering to use this space, email media@occupystl.org for assistance.
Emergencies, should they occur, will be handled on a case by case basis by the General Assembly.
Passed first GA
Susie read another proposal that The Occupy Caravan wanted passed. Everyone agreed the proposal was too vague. Susie will get back to Occupy Caravan to see if they can make their proposal more specific.
Proposal rescinded
Announcements
Catherine- This Saturday night at Paul’s house there will be a discussion about moving the movement forward and participatory democracy.
Catherine- Reminder there is a Concern Circle (CC) this Saturday at 1:00.
As it turns out most people were not aware the location for this Saturday’s Concern Circle had moved at a prior GA to Freedom Square (aka Kiener Plaza). If the weather is inclement a text alert will go out moving the CC back to Union Station in the food court by Sbarro’s.
Susie- Shared Vision, Strategies, and Tactics Discussion, where we discuss long term strategy, is held every Friday at 6:30 at the World Community Center, 438 N. Skinker Blvd.
Tom- anyone wanting to can meet with Tom after GA to further discuss plans for occupying and developing Culver Way Eco Village.
Vibe Checks
Desiree- We need more conflict resolution skills to help us treat each other with more respect.
Feedback: It was agreed that this would be good to bring up to CC.
JJ- is concerned that facilitators step out of their role to give their opinion. He mentioned that he doesn’t facilitate for this reason.
Feedback: The role of the facilitator is to keep the process smooth and moving along. We need to operate within the spirit of our roles and not be tied to the letter of them. The facilitator’s neutrality comes into play in that s/he can’t vote or change the process.
Tonight’s facilitator had stepped up to facilitate the last 3 GA’s because no one else had done so, and when she did step out of her role tonight, with the exception of JJ, everyone seemed to think she had done so in an appropriate manner.
If someone chooses not to facilitate in order to be able to always express his/her opinion, that person is placing the role of neutrality on everyone else without assuming part of the load.
John- Now that the weather is getting nicer, how does everyone feel about moving GA’s back to Freedom Square (aka Kiener Plaza) after OMW?
Twinkles all around.
Catherine- When we move the GA’s back to outside, we can start having more GA’s.
Feedback: Can the GA on Wednesday’s at Culver be retained since it is difficult for one of our members to hear what is being said at outdoor GA’s and at Union Station?
Reese- There is an anti-war activist from St. Charles who is willing to die for the cause and wants to get 5,000 people to go to DC and have a hunger strike. Maybe after a few people die, the country will get serious about ending the wars.
Feedback: At one of the GOP debates when the subject of someone dying because he didn’t have healthcare came up people shouted, “Let him die.”
This is not something we should endorse.
In Egypt the uprising started because one man set himself on fire. But those circumstances might not duplicate themselves here.
Some people would not participate, but would stand in solidarity.
Tom- The court date for the 27 arrestees from Nov. 11/12 is coming up. What if 100 people showed up and planned an action, got arrested and shut down the jails?
Feedback: We should have all been arrested Nov. 11/12, then gone back to Kiener, then been arrested, then gone back to Kiener., then been arrested, then gone back to Kiener…..and then we’d be somewhere by now.
This won’t jam up the jails. They’ll arrest us, find a place to put us while they process us.
Those being arrested will have long records. You need very high numbers for a tactic like this to work.
This doesn’t empower us, it disempowers us. We need to focus beyond this dynamic, like on OMW.
Occupy Kids- brought by Kayla. Had 3 vibe checks:
We want to know if anyone could help us with supplies and teach us to make an Occupy Kids Banner. We want a banner to hang from playground equipment when we occupy parks.
How would people feel about helping Occupy Kids do a fundraiser? After the conference (OMW) we would like some of our own buttons and maybe t-shirts. We are thinking of collecting pennies.
Also, do people think Occupy Kids needs its own account for money it raises, or should the money be given to the financial working group as part of OSTL money?
Feedback:
Everyone was very impressed with these vibe checks and let Kayla know how awesome this is.
There was no feedback about the banner or fundraiser. (Anyone out there who
can help, contact Kayla through Desiree).
Occupy Kids is having a meeting Friday and maybe these are issues that can be developed at this meeting.
It would be good if Occupy Kids kept and tracked their own money. They could account to themselves what’s brought in and what’s been spent and learn as they go. They don’t need to fold the money into OSTL.
Lots and lots of twinkles.