[Street] [Ob-media] The Meaning of Last Night and Next Steps

Katie Gradowski katie.gradowski at gmail.com
Fri Dec 9 15:24:03 EST 2011


Agreed.

Yesterday there were two or three concrete proposals floating around about
next steps.    If you are one of those people, can you *write up* that
proposal, bring copies of it to camp, and circulate it at tonight's GA?   I
agree that today needs to be (is about) decompression, but it's also a
crucial moment to address these points.

Best,

Katie

On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 3:17 PM, Sage Radachowsky <sage.radachowsky at gmail.com
> wrote:

> Well, the camp is much cleaner and whatever happens will be ask the more
> powerful for that. I think we need to talk seriously tonight about
> strategy. We need to focus and not waste time on other business - only the
> essentials. We have cut to the bone.
>
> Peace,
> Sage
> 617-406-8842
>
> Sent from a phone type thing.
> On Dec 9, 2011 3:09 PM, "Anna Aizman" <anna at occupyboston.org> wrote:
>
>> Agreed, Alex. If dancing and demonstrating in the street is all that
>> holding out means, according to Alex and Allison, then we should definitely
>> do it.
>> Last night, for the first time in all my time at Dewey Square instead of
>> running past a drum circle, trash bag or radio in hand, I joined in and
>> danced (I know, nobody forces me to clean etc but, like John, I just find
>> that if I don't do it no one else does this - where are you, activists??
>> camp should be chanting "help us, help us" not just to the cops, but to the
>> rest of the movement!!!) For camp-centric working-group people, holding out
>> has meant on so many levels just perpetuating drug use, sexual harassment
>> and violence -- enabling some people and giving others a captive audience
>> on which to wage their aggression. I think that as we hold out we should
>> keep in mind that we are still concentrating on Dewey, instead of coming up
>> with strategies to move beyond it.
>>
>> To Meghann: we've been doing things on their terms for a while now: it
>> was incredibly convenient for the cops to have all the dangerous folks
>> they'd been aware of on the streets of Boston now camped out right there in
>> Dewey Square, helping to bring down a protest movement. I heard stories of
>> the cops directing dangerous individuals to the camp site (and in New York
>> the cops practically bussed people to Zucotti Park).
>>
>> And, to Allison's point about the secret agenda of self-evicting: I don't
>> think it was thought out and strategized like that. For my part, I felt
>> relief in thinking that we can now move on and plan a camp that is a
>> working branch of the Occupy Boston movement, not its violent and
>> unsustainable entirety.
>>
>> I want to point out that the violence exists also on the level of
>> dialogue between camp activists. Last night's GA saw some of the worst
>> scenes of campers attacking each other without any compassion for each
>> other's position and experiences. And then so many people showed up to
>> defend the camp last night, but of the on-site occupiers I counted only
>> four were willing to get arrested for the defense. Let's keep such
>> disparities in mind. Let's ask ourselves what the symbolic camp actually
>> was. And why of all the people who came through last night, so few had come
>> in the past weeks to make the Dewey Square camp function (Logistics, Food,
>> Safety -- all asked for volunteers constantly) -- and so few were willing
>> to stay there, at camp.
>>
>> -Anna
>>
>> On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 2:30 PM, Alex Pearlman <alex at occupyboston.org>wrote:
>>
>>> I'm totally with Anna here. I think Brian's email makes a lot of great
>>> points and was exceptionally eloquent. I also supported the principle of
>>> Anasstassia's block because I thought she was right, so this is difficult.
>>>
>>> But I have to go with the opinion that we should stand our ground until
>>> they come in and take it, at which point we declare a victory of
>>> non-violent, tactical retreat, and find a place to Occupy that's indoors,
>>> until we can recamp in the Spring.
>>>
>>> I also have to add that the only tents that were dismantled in
>>> anticipation of a raid, agreed on by the group, were the expensive tents:
>>> food, library, womens caucus, and the equipment therein and logistics...
>>>
>>> Most of the other tents were taken down by individuals because they
>>> didn't want their stuff taken in case of a raid. And whether they came last
>>> night or give us the weekend, they're coming.
>>>
>>> Rebuilding a livable camp to defend is a great idea, but rebuilding
>>> completely without looking past Dewey is silly. We must not enable apathy
>>> and drug use, which is what Dewey devolved into. Let's move on, and realize
>>> Occupy Boston is a lot more than tents in Dewey Sq, despite our strong
>>> emotional attachment to that physical space.
>>>
>>> Quoting Nicole Sullivan <nicole_sullivan at live.com>:
>>>
>>>  Anna- I totally understand where you are coming from. Dewey, in many
>>>> ways, was incredibly draining. Its more that I wish we kept the physical
>>>> symbol for last night and the upcoming ones. Dewey is not sustainable not
>>>> only because of drug addicts and violence, but  because they are going to
>>>> forcefully evict us.
>>>>
>>>> If they allowed us to stay indefinitely, then I would most likely be
>>>> with you. However, given the circumstances- I think it is extraordinarily
>>>> important we hold our ground.
>>>>
>>>> Nicole
>>>> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Anna Aizman <anna at occupyboston.org>
>>>> Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 19:00:54
>>>> To: <nicole_sullivan at live.com>
>>>> Cc: <asnevitt at gmail.com>; <bdubkwob at gmail.com>; <obexpansion at gmail.com>;
>>>> <ob-logistics at lists.**occupyboston.org<ob-logistics at lists.occupyboston.org>>;
>>>> <infotent at occupyboston.org>; <occupy-boston-socialist-**
>>>> discussion at googlegroups.com<occupy-boston-socialist-discussion at googlegroups.com>>;
>>>> <street at lists.occupyboston.org**>; <occupyeric at gmail.com>; <
>>>> occupybostonda at gmail.com>; <ob-media at lists.occupyboston.**org<ob-media at lists.occupyboston.org>>;
>>>> <occupy-boston-people-of-**color-working-group@**googlegroups.com<occupy-boston-people-of-color-working-group at googlegroups.com>>;
>>>> <check_your_privilege_ob@**googlegroups.com<check_your_privilege_ob at googlegroups.com>>;
>>>> <movementbuildingob at masslists.**org <movementbuildingob at masslists.org>>;
>>>> <ocupemos-el-barrio@**googlegroups.com<ocupemos-el-barrio at googlegroups.com>>;
>>>> <obit at occupyboston.org>; <facilitation at lists.**occupyboston.org<facilitation at lists.occupyboston.org>
>>>> >
>>>> Subject: Re: [Ob-media] The Meaning of Last Night and Next Steps
>>>>
>>>> Ironically many people who worked at Food, Logistics, Safety, and
>>>> Medical were the most adamant about de-camping, and hoping that if we take
>>>> time to strategize we could come back with a stronger, safer camp. Dewey
>>>> Square was and will remain unsustainable - dangerous for women, houseless
>>>> people, and recovering drug users. There are several drug rings at camp,
>>>> and many more tents where people could stay and use hard drugs. We have
>>>> been enabling people who'd been trying to stay sober, and offering a space
>>>> for violent individuals who threatened, sexually harassed, and assaulted
>>>> vulnerable homeless people and female activists. We failed to figure out a
>>>> way to kick out the people who (though they are undoubtedly part of the
>>>> 99%) did not share our goals and, instead, widely abused our community.
>>>> We've been watching activists leave the tent city, and leave fewer and
>>>> fewer people to take care of the daily functioning of the camp. We've been
>>>> turning activists away from camp because we have no tent space for them to
>>>> stay in -- the tents were increasingly occupied by people who had no
>>>> interest in contributing even in the smallest way (insulting us when we
>>>> asked for help). As a result, the energies of most on-site occupiers were
>>>> divested from the movement, and towards camp maintenance, conflict
>>>> resolution, substance abuse counseling (when none of us are trained in it).
>>>>
>>>> None of the people who stood for striking down tents were actually
>>>> interested in ending the movement or parting with the idea of a camp site.
>>>> Rather, we believe we need time to figure out how to have an occupation
>>>> that is sustainable, an occupation that allows the activists who camp to be
>>>> part of the larger movement as well as of the daily running of the camp.
>>>> Maybe this means involving professional social workers or counselors
>>>> on-site, or maybe it means having a vetting system to ensure a truly
>>>> substance- and violence-free camp. I hope that we can keep in mind the
>>>> difference between what we'd like for camp to symbolize and what the camp
>>>> experience actually was -- especially for vulnerable people.
>>>>
>>>> There are a lot of meaningful relationships at camp but there is also
>>>> an incredible amount of negative energy that's another reason for the
>>>> exhaustion of so many OB activists. If we are defending Dewey Square and
>>>> re-building it, I hope that, in addition to the faith of so many people in
>>>> the tent city symbol, we take into account the experiences of the people
>>>> who found themselves struggling to keep the camp from dissolving in violent
>>>> conflicts or getting raided by police for drug use, violence, or sexual
>>>> assault. I hope we do something different this time, because the Dewey
>>>> Square camp never looked as beautiful as it did last night, when people
>>>> demonstrated and danced in the streets. In reality, Dewey Square version
>>>> 1.0 was far from festive and communal.
>>>>
>>>> -Anna
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 1:29 PM, Nicole Sullivan <
>>>> nicole_sullivan at live.com <mailto:nicole_sullivan at live.**com<nicole_sullivan at live.com>>
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  Brian, I agree.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> While last night was a huge success in so many ways and I so proud of
>>>> that, we also decamped ourselves. My tent (the mike tent) is a filth hole
>>>> but it is still standing. Democracy isn't clean, it isn't sanitary. Its a
>>>> messy process that takes a lot of trial and error. Our encampment is a
>>>> symbol of our freedom. I do wish we did not capitulate so early.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thank you to all who are rebuilding today. I wish I could be there with
>>>> you, however I do need to get some life stuff done before tonight.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Nicole
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----------------
>>>> From: asnevitt at gmail.com <mailto:asnevitt at gmail.com>
>>>>  Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 13:08:37 -0500
>>>> Subject: Re: The Meaning of Last Night and Next Steps
>>>> To: bdubkwob at gmail.com <mailto:bdubkwob at gmail.com>
>>>> CC: ob-media at lists.occupyboston.**org <ob-media at lists.occupyboston.org><mailto:
>>>> ob-media at lists.**occupyboston.org <ob-media at lists.occupyboston.org>> ;
>>>> facilitation at lists.**occupyboston.org<facilitation at lists.occupyboston.org><mailto:
>>>> facilitation at lists.**occupyboston.org<facilitation at lists.occupyboston.org>>
>>>> ; obexpansion at gmail.com <mailto:obexpansion at gmail.com> ;
>>>> ob-logistics at lists.**occupyboston.org<ob-logistics at lists.occupyboston.org><mailto:
>>>> ob-logistics at lists.**occupyboston.org<ob-logistics at lists.occupyboston.org>>
>>>> ; check_your_privilege_ob@**googlegroups.com<check_your_privilege_ob at googlegroups.com><mailto:
>>>> check_your_privilege_**ob at googlegroups.com<check_your_privilege_ob at googlegroups.com>>
>>>> ; occupy-boston-people-of-color-**working-group at googlegroups.com<occupy-boston-people-of-color-working-group at googlegroups.com><mailto:
>>>> occupy-boston-people-**of-color-working-group@**googlegroups.com<occupy-boston-people-of-color-working-group at googlegroups.com>>
>>>> ; InfoTent at occupyboston.org <mailto:InfoTent at occupyboston.**org<InfoTent at occupyboston.org>>
>>>> ; occupyeric at gmail.com <mailto:occupyeric at gmail.com> ;
>>>> movementbuildingob at masslists.**org <movementbuildingob at masslists.org><mailto:
>>>> movementbuildingob@**masslists.org <movementbuildingob at masslists.org>>
>>>> ; ocupemos-el-barrio@**googlegroups.com<ocupemos-el-barrio at googlegroups.com><mailto:
>>>> ocupemos-el-barrio@**googlegroups.com<ocupemos-el-barrio at googlegroups.com>>
>>>> ; street at lists.occupyboston.org <mailto:street at lists.**occupyboston.org<street at lists.occupyboston.org>>
>>>> ; obit at occupyboston.org <mailto:obit at occupyboston.org> ;
>>>> occupy-boston-socialist-**discussion at googlegroups.com<occupy-boston-socialist-discussion at googlegroups.com><mailto:
>>>> occupy-boston-**socialist-discussion@**googlegroups.com<occupy-boston-socialist-discussion at googlegroups.com>>
>>>> ; occupybostonda at gmail.com <mailto:occupybostonda at gmail.**com<occupybostonda at gmail.com>
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for this, Brian.
>>>>
>>>> I'm sorry I cannot be there today to "rebuild". I have vast
>>>> appreciation for those of you with the stamina and the wisdom to do that
>>>> work this morning. I will be there as soon as I am able.
>>>>
>>>> I hope we can all remember that what we're standing up for - to demand
>>>> the end of profound corruption of democracy and the beginning of true
>>>> democracy for the first time in this nation's history - is far more
>>>> important than a pristine encampment which meets codes. As adults, we can
>>>> make a choice to take more risks than we would normally take because we
>>>> find it worthwhile. The city stops us from having sanitation, lowering fire
>>>> hazards, etc. and still we stay because this is about something bigger: a
>>>> just and sustainable society for all.
>>>>
>>>> No one here complained that Egyptians didn't have permits or weren't
>>>> meeting safety codes when they occupied Tahrir Square. I bet their tents
>>>> got dirty, too! We encouraged them to stand up to bullets and fire hoses
>>>> and tear gas, even though there was trash on the ground. They did the best
>>>> they could to manage it while they were protesting and we do, too.
>>>>
>>>> We, the 99%, have had enough of the oppression of the 1%. We will stand
>>>> until they forcibly remove us. Then we will stand again.
>>>>
>>>>  - Allison
>>>>  Una at DailyKos <http://www.dailykos.com/user/**UnaSpenser<http://www.dailykos.com/user/UnaSpenser>>
>>>>  <http://bostonlyme.blogspot.**com/ <http://bostonlyme.blogspot.com/>>
>>>>
>>>>  <http://kossacksnetworking.**ning.com<http://kossacksnetworking.ning.com>
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 7:00 AM, Brian K <bdubkwob at gmail.com <mailto:
>>>> bdubkwob at gmail.com> > wrote:
>>>>  Brothers and sisters,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I just got home after spending over 2 hours cleaning and renovating the
>>>> occupation in Dewey Square AFTER all the events of the night, so sorry if
>>>> this email isn't totally clear....
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Last night was a major moment in the development of our movement. It is
>>>> ripe with tactical and strategic lessons, and we must understand and act on
>>>> them IMMEDIATELY. What follows is my assessment of what we got right, what
>>>> we got wrong, and what the next steps are.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> What we got right:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Sensing a major threat to our movement, we mobilized the masses to
>>>> defend us! We must have had a thousand people come and rally to support of
>>>> our movement. There were tons of people following the marching band, tons
>>>> more in a state of perma-rally by the north wall, tons more practicing
>>>> civil disobedience, and tons more just milling around, talking, sharing
>>>> ideas, and showing their solidarity in many ways.
>>>> We ended up taking the streets and shutting down Atlalntic ave. We had
>>>> only 2 arrests (that I know of), and everything was peaceful, jubliant, and
>>>> energizing. People of all kinds, young, old, abled and disabled, people of
>>>> color, students, union and non-union workers, and all segments of the 99%
>>>> all came out for unity and solidarity with Occupy Boston. Mobilizing our
>>>> social base all-out like this was the right thing to do and that is (in
>>>> part) why it was so successful.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> What we got wrong:
>>>> As painful as this truth may be, we have to face it squarely and
>>>> honestly: we dismantled most of our own occupation without a fight. In this
>>>> sense we really punched ourselves in the face. Needlessly.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> By 4 am, Dewey Square had only about 30% of the tents it did 24 hours
>>>> previously. There was trash and debris strewn on the sidewalks
>>>> and perimeter. And there were only about 30-40 people left from the 1,000+
>>>> who had been there at some point earlier. In other words, we weren't raided
>>>> by the police, but by 3:30 am, it looked like we had been.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> This was demoralizing because it looked like a post-apocalyptic occupy
>>>> that I saw in Denver, after they had been raided twice. But we did it to
>>>> ourselves. The Mayor/City/BPD/RKG achieved much of their desired outcome
>>>> basically WITHOUT LIFTING A FINGER.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> This was a strategic mistake. Period. Things like this sometimes are
>>>> only clear after the fact: the Mayor said "jump" and we jumped as high as
>>>> we could. This contrary to the very essence of the movement insofar we are
>>>> occupying to STAND UP and OPPOSE the dictates of the powerful, not tremble
>>>> in fear before them...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Next steps:
>>>> Luckily, there were about 5-10 of us who were able to salvage the
>>>> situation a bit. We moved a bunch of tents on "weird street" that had been
>>>> left for destruction by the (non-existent) police raid, and moved them into
>>>> the main square to fill in some of the gaping (and depressing) holes.
>>>> Another 5-10 of us cleaned up the sidewalks, swept, and restored some
>>>> semblance of order to the outward appearance.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> But there is more work to be done. This means anyone who can needs to
>>>> return to the Square ASAP to help re-organize the space, re-purpose the
>>>> tents, re-allocate the pallets and walkway planks. Not for permanent
>>>> occupation, but for the next 24 to 48 hours of the struggle. Yes, the cops
>>>> can come Friday night (tonight) or Saturday night or Sunday night. We
>>>> should be ready for them to come on any one of these nights, but we can sit
>>>> on our hands and wait; we have to keep struggling, keep assembling and keep
>>>> speaking out against injustice.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I'm not saying we need to bring back everything to the square. We can
>>>> do without the library books and other valuables in Dewey. But we need to
>>>> CONTINUE occupying until some decisive event that forces us into another
>>>> space. Otherwise they can effectively shut down our occupation with merely
>>>> the ever-present threat of shutting it down. Let us not allow ourselves to
>>>> be paralyzed with fear like that.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Why we messed up:
>>>> Part of the problem is that strategically, many of us were thinking in
>>>> "post-Dewey" mode, yet we were not (and are not) yet there. We are still in
>>>> Dewey Square. And we must defend it.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> By dismantling our occupation, we essentially tried to shortcut the
>>>> difficult and painful midwife between where we are now and the birth of our
>>>> next phase: the police raid. This reminds me of a quote from Hagakure, the
>>>> book of the samurai from feudal-era Japan:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a
>>>> sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. By
>>>> doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet.
>>>> When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though
>>>> you will still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to all
>>>> things."
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Pick up on that. By trying to avoid the police raid, we ended up doing
>>>> it to ourselves. This had the desired outcome of our enemies (a massive
>>>> dismantling in Dewey), but we got nothing to show for it. Many of us may
>>>> feel "perplexed," but need not be if we "are resolved from the beginning"
>>>> to stand our ground.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Just like the first raid on us, and so many other raids happening
>>>> around the country, raids are not pleasant, but they are a necessary part
>>>> of being an occupation that does NOT jump when the powers that be tell us
>>>> to. Otherwise we might as go home now.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Remember: when people see the violence of the police officers arresting
>>>> veterans, manhandling priests, hog-tying peaceful 99%ers, this rightly
>>>> causes OUTRAGE. And it is that outrage that can help feed our movement for
>>>> the next phase. We must not evict ourselves; make them do it.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> As of now, we have a damaged (but not un-salvagable) occupation. Please
>>>> go to Dewey Square ASAP and see why. Especially Logistics and Food. We need
>>>> your insight, experience, and steady hands the MOST during the day. Today.
>>>>
>>>> As for everyone else, see you at tonight's GA...in Dewey Square.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Revolutionary love and solidarity,
>>>> and now sleep.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Brian
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> p.s. please forward this to any groups/lists/folks I left out.
>>>>
>>>> ______________________________**_________________
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Alex Pearlman
>>> Occupy Boston Media Team
>>>
>>>
>>
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