OccupyBirmingham (AL)

Documentation of our part in organizing and finding each other, supporting the movement, honing our issues down to what is common to most if not all of us, and you, of course.

www.youtube.com... Oct. 6

www.youtube.com... First march, Oct 9

www.youtube.com... Local media coverage

We also had notice of the meetings given by our local stations, who were supportive, and used the phrases "we" and "us" when referring to the participants.

Anonymous also made an appearance. Of course, I discreetly questioned the person, who was not recruiting. I was told that Anon already has a presence in Alabama and wanted to make this known. The person calmly stated, "I AM Anonymous." A sober, serious young person who would have been at home on any campus or office. Mannerly, restrained, and very solemn. They came, distributed flyers, and melted away.


We, however, must not. We must keep putting ourselves out there, and fortunately for us, our mayor, in a pre-meeting conversation with one of our organizers, stated that our police have better uses for their time and resources than to bother the Occupiers, and that as long as we stayed peaceful, we could do as we wished with meetings, marches, and protests.

In the South, manners go a long, long way, and while we are still viewed positively, we are organizing our concerns, our efforts, and the directions available to us for long-term change. Selma was a great example which all Alabamians learn about, and which is honored and frequently re-enacted here on the same bridge where the original march took place.


Also of note: Present were a state representative, several attorneys, writers, artists, students, middle-aged folks that could be your parents, a recent City Council employee, and several activists (a DJ and former social worker and a city water works employee who organizes rallies against our outrageous sewer scandal among them) whom I was privileged to briefly interview and exchange contact information with.

The bearded speaker is a colleague of mine, Walter Simon, a visionary and artist who displays in the same art/music gallery I do.

nice, the local occupy group in my city is having some issues getting their message across, a lot of people don't really know what this Occupy thing is about in Guelph.

reply to post by hypr2011


Yes, there is a lot of hate online, but locally nothing more malicious than amused sarcasm and skepticism, which I approve of. Until it is solid, I believe in nothing. That is to ensure accuracy and the least bias possible, affording the clearest view of murky, tangled issues.

Untangling, letting each other vent, finding what is common to all, those things will take time. We will not be rushed, and behave as politicians do.

We will not be lured into answering loaded questions. We reserve the right not to be polished talking heads. We refuse to indulge in the arrogance of short answers and pat replies, soundbite solutions which are manipulative tactics and nothing more.

Congratulations on taking the first awkward steps.

One thing to remember when you are criticized for not "having an agenda:" as our first video shows, there are concerns specific to our area which won't be as important or relevant to other areas. This is the most positive thing about the movement, that each part is from its own city, concerned with the specific needs and resources of the local community, a far cry from the distant and heavy, uncaring hand of Washington, DC.

Real change requires all that our system lacks: intelligent, careful examination of various compelling issues competing for attention, consulations with actual experts in various matters, and thoughtful, respectful debate.

If the only thing we accomplish in the short term is to solidify our votes, that alone would justify the movement. That is the main thing we can do relatively with ease, and without arrest, lol. Fragmentation, divide and conquer, and various other strategies have split our voting populace into factions, weaker than a solid bloc of voters.

So if we have solidarity at the polls, there is a real chance for change.

No one wants to destroy anything, at least in our movement. We want to recover the good, and enforce that with accountability.

Pretty simple, really. But that's us. Organized effort is our goal, and we will continue to whittle down our concerns to the most effective actions we can take now, and the best use of our long-term committment.

Many of us are like that already, and really needed to come together for support and networking. A school-clothes drive is in the works, through existing infrastructure in the community, not a penny of government money involved or asked for.

True I've given them the information on neighborhood groups who should hopefully help the protesters, those who called out the city on previous stuff. But we will see where it goes, it would be sad if this occupy group decides to pack it in by Friday or Saturday

Update. Some of our number are forming an education board, and I am slated to address our next general assembly on reforming our state Constitution with a first step of removing all antiquated laws from our books, setting the stage for further reform down the road.

We are also gaining strength with our school-clothes drive for inner-city school kids.

www.livestream.com...

Reply to post by Copperflower

Occupy Bham, AL in the U.S sounds like it's goin strong atm! Too bad same can't be said about Bham, UK's Occupy..went through the city centre to see a small area of a few tents in the corner..seems like since the riots over a month ago, the country's gone back to the defeatist attitude.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Birmingham, Alabama and more specifically Jefferson County in which it resides is a case study in the criminal enterprise of the 1%. Jefferson County needed a new sewer system. They did what every municipality does and approached an investment bank about getting together and issuing some bonds. Those investment banks bribed politicians (who have since been tried and convicted) and put the county in an exotic bond product that when the market fell apart caused Jefferson County to declare bankruptcy. No bankster or institution ever faced criminal charges even though prosecutors were able to convict local politicians of bribery and other charges.

One thing you guys can remind everyone you come across up there whether they support you or not is how their waste disposal bills have gone up that is a direct consequence of the fraud, regulatory capture, and bought and paid for political system.

Update www.youtube.com.../u/1/4noZHO-NEfA