[Street] a question regarding best date
James Recht, MD
recht at obotc.net
Fri Nov 25 11:20:24 EST 2011
Hi All:
Please accept the following as coming from someone with more heart than
logistical experience:
First, if we agree that the court's actions in Dec. 1 will have significant
consequences, then it's reasonable to consider adapting our plans in order
to most effectively and constructively exploit that reality. What in
practical terms could this mean?
Here's one option: we could move to Dec. 10, then go ahead with full-force
planning and mobilization. Our first step would be to inform all potential
participants/allies that we are planning a targeted but large scale
(maximum scale!) response to the court's actions on 12/1. Second, between
now and 12/1 we would all move ahead, but keep open (just until 12/1) two
possible variations: December Day of Victory (if the court acts nicely) vs.
December Day of Protest (if the court blows it).
Tis would not entail a lot of "wasted" effort, because in fact most all of
the specifics (locations, speakers, participants, etc.) will be the same
regardless of the court decision. Only the theme (and hence some of the
media, posters, signs, flyers) would require waiting until 12/1 or 12/2.
Advantages: first, obviously, this would give us more of that priceless
quantity, time. But it would also allow us, psychologically, to turn the
current climate (uncertain, tense, at risk of despair, all inherent in the
existential condition described by Lou Reed as "waiting for my man,")
inside out -- in other words, we're not simply waiting for the court, we're
actively preparing a targeted response to whatever the court dishes out.
Thanks for listening!
Jim
On Friday, November 25, 2011, Katie Gradowski <katie.gradowski at gmail.com>
wrote:
> I'd be fine with having a conversation either by email today or by phone
this evening.
>
> On Fri, Nov 25, 2011 at 10:35 AM, Brett West <heavyriser at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I think the points that Katie brings up are important and valid. It does
seem to me that to have this event on Dec. 3 will require a lot of action
happening this week. Everyone should read her email, but this is an attempt
to summarize her main concerns:
>> 1) Copley square logistics - Are we in contact with the appropriate
people to ensure that we can use Copley on Dec. 3rd for this event?
>> 2) Legal preparations - Do we know if civil disobedience is going to
occur? Are we prepared to protect the legal wellbeing of all those who show
up at Copley?
>> 3) Losing the injunction - will this possible outcome pose too large a
distraction for occupiers from an event on Dec. 3?
>> 4) Outreach - while we have good structures in place to do effective
outreach and create an awesome turnout, do we have time between now and
Dec. 3 to implement them?
>> Katie feel free to edit if I missed something.
>> I think we need to talk to each other today to get answers to these
questions. CONFERENCE CALL TONIGHT 8PM?????
>> I would say work today assuming that it will happen on Dec. 3. If we
cold-call organizations and they say its too soon, that's a hint. If they
say they can do it Dec. 3rd., and then we have to push it back a week, that
will probably be okay too.
>> Also, I'm concerned about pushing the event further towards
Christmas/Holidays
>> Brett
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Nov 25, 2011 at 9:41 AM, Katie Gradowski <
katie.gradowski at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Do people think we can pull this off for December 3?
>>>
>>> That's not meant to derail efforts, and I don't want to spend too long
dwelling on it if the answer is no. I'm just realizing that a lot of the
work I meant to put into outreach last week got derailed by OWS (along
with everything else), and that I may not be alone in feeling totally
behind the ball on next week's march and rally. Wednesday's conference
call left me with the distinct impression that we DO have a reasonable
organizational structure for making this march happen, but that we might
need another week and a half to pull it off.
>>>
>>> I think that's OK, if the answer is yes. We don't yet have a concrete
list of groups on board for next weekend, but the wide net we've cast so
far means that it's VERY possible to reach the people we want to reach.
I'm really heartened, based on the meetings last week, that there are good,
solid structures in place to follow up on outreach efforts with a concrete
plan, a map, a great website, awesome flyers, etc -- but not sure that
seven days is enough time to actually DO all that, and to get everyone
involved who might want to be involved.
>>>
>>> Other thoughts and questions:
>>>
>>> 1) There are some logistics for Copley Square which seem like they'll
take some time to negotiate (mostly regarding music, permitting, reaching
out to other groups who might be using the square, identifying what those
groups are, etc) --- at the very least, we should reach out to the church
at copley to answer some of these questions. As far as I'm aware, this
stuff hasn't happened yet, and needs to be part of our basic planning for
the rally part of the event.
>>>
>>> 2) Canvassing vs. direct actions -- I'm not sure what actions are
planned for the day, but especially since we are casting a wide net, it
seems VERY important that if there is any civil disobedience planned, we
make sure legal knows and are prepared to handle it. Autonomous action is
fine, but we should be aware of what's happening so we can make sure
everyone stays safe.
>>>
>>> 3) Timing and tactics -- if we DO win the injunction, great! If we
don't, I expect the first few days of December are going to involve
panicked last-minute meetings and bleary-eyed nights awake. I'm wary of
doing last-minute planning for the march and rally in conjunction with
this, when many of us are going to be suddenly faced with a myriad set of
other things to do.
>>>
>>> Again -- not meant as a derail, and I don't mean to step on the toes of
people who HAVE been organizing diligently for the past two weeks -- I got
blindsided by OTH as well, and am feeling behind on many projects, but I
realize that other people have been doing this exclusively, and may have
dealt with some of the things I raised above as concerns -- in which case,
great! if not, maybe we should reconsider the date?
>>>
>>> I'm all for going ahead with December 3, but i wanted to throw that out
there in case other people are feeling slightly panicked about how quickly
this is coming up.
>>>
>>> What do you think?
>>>
>>> Katie
>>>
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>>
>
>
>
> --
> Occupy Boston! Please redirect mail to katie.ob at occupyboston.org.
>
> www.partsandcrafts.org
>
>
--
Yours,
Jim Recht
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