Hi, this is Doug again blogging about the meeting tonight. It was the first meeting of the general assembly for Occupy Orange County, planning for the occupation of Santa Ana on the 22nd.
Around 20 people showed up, several active in the Occupy Irvine movement occurring on the 15th. We all agree that mutual support is vital so make sure to show up at the Irvine Financial district if you can.
Local press was there, a reporter for the OC register, that fine Republican rag, came out and seemed genuinely interested in getting our side of the story about the meeting with the Santa Ana city attorney and the members of the police department.
The enthusiasm level was high and there were great suggestions by the various members for ideas for bringing in entertainment and information. After the meeting there were several people willing to be interviewed about what brings them to the Occupy OC movement and everyone gave thoughtful and articulate answers. Look for them to be up on our youtube page very soon. For those who say we don't know why we're here, everyone who showed up tonight had a good reason, and they all involved taking our government back from the Corporations who own our politicians. (Goldman Sachs, Big Pharma I'm talking to you here)
The reporter asked several of us, why are we protesting at the civic center in Santa Ana when the protest is against the financial institutions as in Occupy Wall Street. I told him as I'm telling you, this isn't just about the financial institutions, they are a symptom of a government that is dominated by corporate lobbyists and the revolving door between big corporations and government officials and regulators. Symptoms of a government
that caters to the top 1 percent, refusing to raise taxes on them or giving tax breaks while slashing important government services that keep the poor and marginalized alive! We are gathering to say that is not OK! That is not responsible government! That we stand for a government that knows when unemployment is over ten percent in too many states the recession is not over!
Come to OccupyOC in Santa Ana on the 22nd and stand up and say NO to the idea of government of the
corportations, by the corporations, for the corporations.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Protesting = Camping?
Hi this is Doug, a lawyer and volunteer blogger for the OccupyOC movement.
I was one of the volunteers who met with the Santa Ana police and a city attorney. They said as far as they are concerned there is no exception to the municipal code and Occupy OC movement is just another camping trip. Does that make sense to you? Should the protesters in the Arab Spring have gone home each night because Egypt had a no camping ordinance?
Is this free speech in our country, you can protest but only til 9pm? Free speech has a curfew?
One of the other volunteers pointed out that Irvine has a no camping ordinance and they (Irvine!) were willing to make an exception. Los Angeles has made an exception. But Santa Ana? Not on their watch.
You can make a difference though. Call 1 714 647 6520 which is the number for the Santa Ana City council. Call them and demand they allow camping for protesters. The entire principle of the Occupy Wallstreet movement is that it is an ongoing protest, not a one day phenomenon, but an organic living breathing protest that calls attention in the way no one day could. That the top 1 percent control over half the wealth of this country and therefore they write the rules, they dictate to government who in turn dictates to us.
That is not what makes America a place we want to live in. Not a place that celebrates free speech, independent spirit and a belief that anyone can work hard and be successful. But when large banks rewrite the laws that stop them from making unsound investments with your money, and then blackmail the government into bailing them out from those unsound investments, well you've been robbed twice. First by the bank who used your money for the investments and ruined your 501k, and then you're being taxed to death to pay for the bailout of the banks. That's the America we've become. Say that's not a government we're willing to tolerate. Say no. Come out to Occupy OC and stand up and be counted. The 99 have had enough!
Call 1 714 647 6520, ask for the city council, the mayor, the mayor pro tem and tell them that they need to make an exception and allow OccupyOC to camp out or Santa Ana is going to have terrible publicity just like Boston, New York and other police departments who have cracked down on nonviolent protest and free speech.
I was one of the volunteers who met with the Santa Ana police and a city attorney. They said as far as they are concerned there is no exception to the municipal code and Occupy OC movement is just another camping trip. Does that make sense to you? Should the protesters in the Arab Spring have gone home each night because Egypt had a no camping ordinance?
Is this free speech in our country, you can protest but only til 9pm? Free speech has a curfew?
One of the other volunteers pointed out that Irvine has a no camping ordinance and they (Irvine!) were willing to make an exception. Los Angeles has made an exception. But Santa Ana? Not on their watch.
You can make a difference though. Call 1 714 647 6520 which is the number for the Santa Ana City council. Call them and demand they allow camping for protesters. The entire principle of the Occupy Wallstreet movement is that it is an ongoing protest, not a one day phenomenon, but an organic living breathing protest that calls attention in the way no one day could. That the top 1 percent control over half the wealth of this country and therefore they write the rules, they dictate to government who in turn dictates to us.
That is not what makes America a place we want to live in. Not a place that celebrates free speech, independent spirit and a belief that anyone can work hard and be successful. But when large banks rewrite the laws that stop them from making unsound investments with your money, and then blackmail the government into bailing them out from those unsound investments, well you've been robbed twice. First by the bank who used your money for the investments and ruined your 501k, and then you're being taxed to death to pay for the bailout of the banks. That's the America we've become. Say that's not a government we're willing to tolerate. Say no. Come out to Occupy OC and stand up and be counted. The 99 have had enough!
Call 1 714 647 6520, ask for the city council, the mayor, the mayor pro tem and tell them that they need to make an exception and allow OccupyOC to camp out or Santa Ana is going to have terrible publicity just like Boston, New York and other police departments who have cracked down on nonviolent protest and free speech.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Occupy Orange County
Occupy Orange County is leaderless resistance movement in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is thatWe Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants. Join us in occupying Orange County, CA on October 22nd 2011 at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building in Santa Ana. We are the 99% and we DO exist in Orange County.
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Click attending on our event page: click here
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Click attending on our event page: click here
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