by Minutes 3-21-12
March 22, 2012 in General Assembly by Courtsnack
Facilitator: Jason
Stack: Kira
Minutes: Courtney G
News:
- Occupy Wall Street retook Zuccotti Park temporarily, had violent police reaction. Million Hoodie March was held in memory of Trayvon Martin.
- Occupy Austin was banned at SXSW for mic-checking George Friedman,CEO of Stratfor. Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine joined Occupy Austin in “Occupy SXSW”. The police shutdown the PA system and he used the People’s mic to continue.
- Occupy Baton Rouge, Acadiana Progressive, Occupy Lafayette, Occupy NOLA, and Occupy the Stage met at the capitol for a statewide rally. We mic-checked in the capital twice! Cops tried to stop us from using our right to free-speech because we did not obtain a permit. It was very successful.
- OBR joined teachers on two different days to protest Jindal’s Bills on education.
- Rallies have been held throughout Louisiana in numerous towns against Jindal’s legislation on Education.
- An LSU Student wants to make a class video regarding complete streets, anybody interested in participating?
Announcements:
- Occupy the Bus (Transit):
- we will be canvassing this Saturday with Together Baton Rouge at 9;30 am for the upcoming vote to fund CATs on April 21st. The location has not been decided, check our facebook page for more info.
- We are planning to advertise closer to the upcoming vote on April 21st.
- Occupy the Legislature:
- We will create a google-doc to split up various important bills this 2012 legislative session amongst ourselves. This will make it easier for our plan to make an easily to access and understand database of the main legislation. These include but are not limited to: Complete Streets, Healthcare, Prison privatization, transit, education, intelligent design (creationism in science classes), etc.
- Velo Louisiane is coming up soon. this could be a great opportunity for bringing up Complete Streets Bill (HB 530) By Rep. J. Ortega. and our Complete Streets Petition. Anybody interested?
- There are a number of organizations interested in possibly protesting the privatization of prisons. We want to make it theatrical (contact Occupy the Stage?) when this bill is brought up to legislation.
- There is a Louisiana Hidden Budget. Our budget is approx. $8 billion, and yet we have approx. $7.2 billion in tax exemptions. (We could have approx. $15 billion in our budget!)
- The People’s Advocate (not affiliated in any way with The Advocate) Working Group:
- Our lawyers are still looking over past cases
- The deadline for submitting articles for our second issue (April) is March 30th. Anybody can contribute towards this. Send any articles or questions to occupybrnewsletter@gmail.com
- Occupy the Arts Working Group:
- We are holding an art show to benefit Forward Arts Inc (a non-profit) sometime in May. We still need a venue but have a number of possible places.
- Our next Working Group meeting will be held directly after next Wednesday’s General Assembly
Proposals:
1) Should we send Kirshner’s proposed amendment letter to other Louisiana Occupies for endorsement/suggestions as is? Passed with no opposition
2) Can we start a petition to recall Booby Jindal? Tabled for further research.
Upcoming dates/events/things to do:
- There will be a Brown Bag Lunch on Retirement this Friday, we’re meeting at the Capitol Welcome Center at 11:30am
- Festival International: April 25th-29th in Lafayette (outreach opportunity)
- Velo Louisiane March 31st-April 1st in Baton Rouge
- Benefit for Nathan Crowson’s daughter: This Friday, March 23rd from 6pm-10pm at Haven Gallery & Listening Room.
- Louisiana Trans Advocates is holding a charity event show this Friday at Splash, 10pm
- Occupy LSU needs signatures from full-time LSU Students ASAP
- Research Recall Petitions for Louisiana
- Anybody interested in summarizing 2012 legislative session bills, contributing articles to our newsletter, contributing art to our future art show or participating on any of our events should contact us at occupybatonrouge@gmail.com (or occupybrnewsletter@gmail.com for the newsletter).
I am interested in submitting to the art show. Please let me know how. thanks, Sandy
You can e-mail us at occupybatonrouge@gmail.com. We can give you further information from there. Thank you for your interest!
I would like this movement except yall seem to advocate for bigger government. THis is sickening the answer to our problems isnt more government. The government got us in this problem in the first place. THis is just a communist or socialist movement not even in disguise. Why would you possibly advocate for the removal of tax loopoles. THis money belongs tot he people not the government. We should be trying to keep more of oure money witht he individuals not the collective group. Why not just occupy for the end of the state altogether. There is no social contract so we dont have a part of this debt of americas. Whenever we realize that others cant bargain for stuff or our well being for us that we need to depend more on the individual not the government.
And also the way yall stand with the public educaiton teachers is distrusting as well. Our teachers have proven time and time agian to fail us. We spend more money than any other country in the world for educaiton and we get the 25th dumbest children in the wolrd. We need more privatization of the education system and get the game of education out of the politicians hands where they can no longer corrupt and molest our children’s minds. Our educaiton system is doing exactly what it was meant to do. Keep our children trusting more big government and trusting the individual lest. Dont you guys realize that you are falling into their ploy? That strong willed intelligent individuals are a danger to the state and they love people like occupy movement who are very easily manipulated. Become a free thinker and leave this commie crap behind. Capitalism is the only way to individual freedom. And before you even say look what capitalism ahs gotten us what we had lately was not capitalism it was government intervention corporatism which is a big difference.