Notes from Monday Jan 21st Meeting

From Kathryn:

Present: John, Lindsey, Susan, Beve, James and Kathryn (taking minutes)
Discussion of foreclosures.  Kathryn agreed to talk to Richard Genz and ask him to come to a meeting and get in touch with someone in the Atlanta Occupy Our Homes to learn how they have done it.
We agreed to get legal advice or at least have a lawyer available.  Bev is trying to reach Richard Meda who assisted her brother.  We can also contact Pisgah Legal.  Bev told us her brother's sad story where his property was taken even while he had a buyer.  The bank apparently makes a good deal of money by foreclosing and then selling the property itself.
John provided us with a draft of a possible press release which was intended to attract someone who wants our assistance.  James objected and we agreed to read the document over the week and make suggestions.

We agreed to donate $100 to the Homeless Network and BeLoved House if there are no objections next Monday.

We agreed to change the time of the GA to 2 pm so that homeless people who are trying to get space in a shelter can participate.

We propose that the statement James has crafted for our vision of Occupy be accepted with accuracy and grammatical corrections to be presented next Monday.

Occupy Asheville Vision Statement

From James:
Discussion will continue on the OA vision statement this Monday, 6:30 at UC Church.  Newest draft is below:


OCCUPY ASHEVILLE: VISION FOR A NEW AMERICAN SOCIETY

When the American colonists declared their independence from Britain, it was a decision recognized by all men and women  the right to cast off that tyranny imposed by a foreign state.

Now, we face a new tyranny from within: a tyranny imposed by our own wealthy citizens, who through the power of their wealth, aided by the misappropriation of power by our Suprreme Court, have degraded and  rendered null the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.

Framers of the Constitution, propetied citizens of their time, were  wary of the propertyless, and established the mere semblance of democracy, with institutions that appeared to give power to the people, but which were in fact hedged about with features borrowed from oligarchy and republicanism. All states, regardless of size and population were afforded the same number of Senators. The President was to be elected by an Electoral College, members of which could reverse the decision of the populace. 



We have occupied various public spaces and nstitutions of our society, We have endured pepperspray and teargas, The police have been turned against us. We have suffered the indignity of arrest. All without violent response


To build a movement sufficient to overturn this inner tyranny, we have established liaison--an Interoccupy network--with other aggrieved citizens across the country, and held a National Gathering at Philadelphia on July the fourth in the year 2012. One purpose of the National Gathering was to take the first steps towards the clear statement of a vision for a new America. Accordingly, the components of the vision enunciated at Philadelphia were  sent to all the Occupy cities and were used as a starting point for discussion.

Occupy Asheville has considered the vision enunciated at Philadelphia. After lengthy discussion, with full consideration of the principles of the Occupy movement, we submit the following Vision for all to ponder and modify in accordance with the spirit of democracy, embracing a solidarity with the people of this country, the world, and with the earth itself.      

We call for a world where the WATER , AIR, AND FOOD ARE CLEANSED OF ALL TOXIC POLLUTANTS so that both our planet and its people may be healthy, and where ACCESS TO FOOD IS TREATED AS A RIGHT. We call for prohibition  of genetically-modified foods, for development of renewable sources of energy for the future,  and a “smart grid” to use fossil fuels more efficiently in the present. We also call for local food production, community gardens, and agriculture using sustainable methods.

Pure food, air, and water are but the first steps towards a healthy population. To sustain any gains in this area, UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE must be treated as a right and available to all. The people should establish medical schools and hospitals, if necessary, to insure the health of all, without resort to a means test. The best health care should be available to all.

Our vision also includes ECONOMIC EQUALITY so that all have sufficient materlal resources for their needs, free from exploitation by others. This equality includes the RIGHT TO A JOB. This society has too long tolerated the degradation and humiliation of those unable to find a job. There is no longer any reason to tolerate the inability of capitalism to insure full employment for our society. The universal right to a job is consistent with the notion of land as something owned in common with all others.  

We further call for a world where, in the interest of all, EDUCATION IS PROVIDED WITHOUT CHARGE. This may take the form of tuition-free schools and universities, vouchers, online classes, or entirely new methods. Self-education also requires public airwaves which are not to be sold to monied interests, an internet that is not monetized, and an end to government secrecy.

A SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SOCIETY is part of the vision and can only be established when people are respected, valued and encouraged, when self-sufficient communities are founded, where foreclosure on homes is prevented, where land is owned in common, where debts are mitigated by a policy of forgiveness  or ‘jubilee.”

A WORLD WITHOUT WAR must begin in this country, the world’s pre-eminent warmaking power. This calls for measures beyond the usual platitudinous statements. The military-industrial complex must be dismantled by whaever means necessary.  The military itself must be shrunk so that it is sufficient in size for legitimate defense purposes, but not sufficient for global aspirations. Naval ships should carry only carry enough fuel to venture 200 miles from the shore. Planes should be similarly restricted. Foreign military bases must be closed. Military contracts should be removed from the control of the pentagon and awarded by citizen’s commission appointed for that purpose.

No change will be long-lasting--or worth any effort to maintain it--unless there is a CULTURE OF DIRECT DEMOCRACY where all citizens have an equal voice in the making of societal decisions. To make a fresh start in establishing a true democracy where equal rights are taken as given,and where the Constitutional Amendment process need not be endlessly repeated so as to eliminate the inequalities of a propertied culture, a CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION should be called and the issues that have arisen since the 18th century addressed: gun control, money and speech, marriage, the rights of women and minorities, religious feedom and the separation of church and state.  Such a Convention should aim at removing the power of money from the political system, which includes the elimination of paid lobbyists, elimination of the Electoral College, and the establishment of a unicameral legislature based on proportional representation. Political lines should be drawn by a non-partisan commission or by the Party out of power, access of third (and other) parties to the ballot should be guaranteed by means to be worked out, and an attempt made to establish a consensus-based democracy so as to avoid the tyranny of majorities, the party system of governance and other dysfunctions of the representational democracy which we at present endure. .

And our vision includes FREEDOM for all, above and beyond the tired reiteration of political slogans that characterize the present. This includes an end to government secrecy and surveillance, the de-militarization of American society, and a citizen’s police force operated in similar fashion to the military draft.   


  

Notice

This is just to point out that the time of the General Assembly has been changed to 2 PM, to allow folks who have to go somewhere early to come.  It is still on the first Saturday of the month, and still at Pritchard Park.

Ben Scales Fundraiser at Rosetta's Kitchen

Clare has a great write up and some more great photos of the event at this link.

Minutes for the 1/7/13 meeting of Occupy Asheville

 

Present: John, James, Bev, Kathryn, Lindsey

 

Discussion about the event at Rosetta's.  Lindsey will post on Facebook, contact Steve Norris to be the MC, ask Ben if he wants to play some music.  It will be vegetarian. We will use this opportunity to share about our intent to focus on foreclosure. 

 

Foreclosures:  We need to do research to find potential homeowners who would like assistance.  We need to develop relationship.  What we have to offer is the attention/power that can come from exposure/numbers.  For legal help, people would still need to go to Pisgah Legal.  James has been to the registrar of deeds and knows how to access information on people being threatened with foreclosure.  We decided to contact David Forbes to ask if he would do a story in Mtn X that might attract someone to us asking for assistance.  Lindsey knows an artist in Candler fighting eviction and Sonny knows someone in Madison Co.  Kathryn agreed to contact Sonny for details and Lindsey will contact the artist.  John will write a news release detailing our plans.  Next steps at the meeting on Monday the 21st.

 

Proposal:  Donate $100 to each BeLoved House and the Homeless Network.  Put this out to the community.  Decision on Jan. 21st.

 

Vision:  James has condensed the information into a page and a half and would like us to view it and discuss.

 

We will meet for the MLK rally at 11 am on Jan 21 at the church on MLK drive so we can walk together and wear identifying tags.

General Assembly notes Jan 5, 2013

Facilitator:  Kathryn
Notes:  Meggen

14 people present.  Welcomed 7 newcomers.  Great way to start out the new year!


Discussion:

Read General Agreements, made introductions, talked about what has brought us to Occupy and what we want to see happen.  Some things mentioned:  direct democracy, acting directly to effect change vs. “asking” government entities to do it, putting pressure on local politicians, working locally for socio-economic justice including dealing with local racism and segregation, supporting a new candidate for city council, forming a Saul Alinsky study group.  (Reading and discussing Alinsky's Rules for Radicals.)

Talked a bit about local Occupy victories--city buses now run on 6 of 8 holidays, as opposed to 0.  Petition from Seniors and Friends had hundreds of signatures.  Also, a lot of people have moved their money from banks to credit unions over the past year.  Further discussion of OA plans to work on helping local victims of unfair foreclosures.  So far, biggest hurdle is identifying potential families who would want our help.  More about this over the coming Monday meetings...

Announcements / Events:

Potluck dinner in honor of Ben Scales @ Rosetta’s on Sunday, Jan 20 at 5PM.  Rosetta will host, but Occupy will bring the food.  Ben was OA’s pro bono attorney for several of the arrestees last year.  Come down to say thanks and bring a dish to share!

MLK parade Monday Jan 21st.  We will meet, distribute OA badges to wear & walk in solidarity.  Details TBA. 

Public Safety meeting regarding Cecil Bothwell’s civil liberties resolution Monday Jan 28th at 3PM @ Asheville Fire Station (2nd floor.)  This resolution states that Asheville police will not comply with federal statutes regarding targeting and arrest of undocumented workers.  We need to pack the room to make it happen.

Occupy Asheville Weekly Meeting 12-17-12

There were four of us at this meeting, including a newcomer to town.  Finance committee reported that we got $100 back as a refund from bail bond.  The “We Pay” account on the website has some money in it, but John and Lindsey are not sure how to access these funds. 

We discussed the blog in two respects.  Everyone at this meeting felt that articles and notes about anything other than Occupy Asheville should not go on the blog, but should instead be posted to the Facebook group.  We also discussed the working groups listed in the side bar.  As far as we know, the Socialists group and the Social Justice Caucus are not meeting at this time.  The finance committee still exists, but does not have a set day and time for public meetings.  We also discussed the webpage, which is rather out of date.  Susan will ask Megan to update the webpage and fix the following:  Asheville City Council meetings are on the wrong dates in January; Meet-Talk-Act group, Socialist group, Social Justice group and Anarchist Film group is no longer meeting at all; there are meetings listed for the Occupy Asheville Monday meetings on 12-24-12 and 12-31-12 (we have already decided not to meet on those days); and the wrong time is listed for the General Assembly on 1-5-13.  The events on 1-20-13 and 1-21-13 are not on the calendar.

John talked about the Asheville Homeless Network and Susan updated us on the Veterans for Peace group. There was some discussion on working on gun control issues. John felt that Occupy Asheville and the Occupy movement could lead on this issue. The rest of us felt that we should support other local and national initiatives in this area.  We also briefly discussed foreclosure issues.  Recently, people in Occupy Asheville have said that they want to work on this issue, but we have not heard anything recently.  Susan and Lindsay said that they did not feel inspired to work on foreclosures. 

We also discussed the money that we have in Occupy Asheville and felt that we should give away some money.  We discussed giving some to BeLoved House or other groups helping the homeless in our area.  No decision was made on this, and we will discuss it further at the General Assembly in January. We felt a decision should be made by a larger group.

There are two events in January – a potluck/party/fundraiser at Rosetta’s Kitchen on 1-20-13 for Occupy Asheville and our lawyer and the MLK rally and march on 1-21-13.  Occupy Asheville will participate in the march.

No more Occupy Asheville meetings for December 2012.

Happy Holidays!!

Occupy Asheville Weekly Monday Meeting

This has been called the "Coordinating Council" meeting in the past.

There will be a meeting on 1-17-12 and that is the LAST ONE for the year.

There will be a General Assembly on 1-5-13 at 3 PM in Pritchard Park.  Everyone is welcome at both meetings.

Occupy Sandy Provides Relief for more than just a storm.

For some, Occupy Wall Street may have been merely a response to the economic recession that began in 2009. But for many of us it was about something larger, about upending entrenched systems that depend on inequality. This idea differentiates Occupy Sandy from most other relief efforts. Its organizers don’t just want to rebuild; they want to build better.

 

A little more than a year ago, activists came from across the country to protest the criminality and corruption of Wall Street by building an example of an alternative community. Now those same activists are building alternatives with local communities, not as models for what could be, but as the new reality.

 

The rest of the article here.

The Rain on Our Parade: A Letter to My Dismal Allies

When you’re a hammer everything looks like a nail, but that’s not a good reason to continue to pound down anything in the vicinity. Consider what needs to be raised up as well.  Consider our powers, our victories, our possibilities; ask yourself just what you’re contributing, what kind of story you’re telling, and what kind you want to be telling.

 

There is idealism somewhere under this pile of bile, the pernicious idealism that wants the world to be perfect and is disgruntled that it isn’t—and that it never will be. That’s why the perfect is the enemy of the good. Because, really, people, part of how we are going to thrive in this imperfect moment is through élan, esprit de corps, fierce hope, and generous hearts.

 

The rest of the article here.