<div>Matthew,</div>
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<div>I share your concerns regarding the dangers to our movement that exist from external forces. (read: Police, DHS) Yes it's true, we face many challenges ahead of us, and we must be careful. But at the same time, I'm also extremely wary of internal dangers. At Dewey Square I was personally accosted several times by the individual who is a level 3 sex offender. I'm sure I'm not the only one. It was extremely uncomfortable and everytime I saw that person I felt dirty. OK, and this was just unwarranted sexual advances. So, I don't even want to think about what it must be like if someone is raped by someone and has to continue to see them. That could have happened to people by this individual. It quite possibly did at some point by that individual or someone else.</div>
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<div>This is a community issue. We are a community. GA is where we make decisions as a community. I personally think this is an extremely important issue. I think it's a contentious issue, and I'm with you, I would have liked to have this done with a long time ago. FUCK 'EM! I have absolutely zero tolerance for skinners. If it were up to me, they would be shunned from the community, if not straight up chased out of Boston. BUT, it's not that easy, and this is democracy. Everyone's voice must be heard.</div>
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<div>The Street Group is active on several fronts that we are really excited about. Besides the NH primary, we are also pushing forward with opposition to the Three Strikes bill that is at the State House and Senate right now, and also of extreme importance, the MBTA fare hikes and service cuts. If you'd like to get more involved with some actions along these lines, I'd strongly suggest coming to some of our meetings.</div>
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<div>IS,</div>
<div>BJ</div>
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<div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jan 6, 2012 at 3:27 AM, Free School University <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:eden@occupyboston.org">eden@occupyboston.org</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT:#ccc 1px solid;MARGIN:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;PADDING-LEFT:1ex" class="gmail_quote">
<p></p><br>So a massive thing happened where both Occupy Wall St's (link here: <a href="http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/01/occupy-wall-streets-livestream-operators-arrested/46921/" target="_blank">http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/01/occupy-wall-streets-livestream-operators-arrested/46921/</a> ) that is - their main hub of livestreaming, where they get their message out to the world, including us has been arrested . And we are discussing the Politics of Sexual Assault regarding two former members of our community that are no longer present what so ever (how could we discuss this subject with them there, realistically, right?). Mind you, this subject is now taking up 4 entire GAs so far. What happened to Wall St was a massive blow to our movement!<br>
<br>Furthermore, as already stated, some of our folks are headed to NH for the Primary. OccupyNH does not have the funds to feed, cloth (in warm clothing), and such anyone from Boston who is traveling up to protest the NH Primary. I don't think it is a good idea that we talk and talk about Sexual Assaults within our more mobile movement, when we have protesters willing to go up into the cold of NH and march, yell, get arrested, and so on - for our movement - without a viable way to eat, stay warm, and stay connected to Occupy Boston participants. Shell we continue to discuss Level 3 Sex Offenders and Sexual Assault Working Groups and pay less attention to protesters traveling out of state to get the word out and be heard, or have concerns with the state of our movement beyond the borders of our GAs?<br>
<br>Thank you for your time,<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br><br>-- <br>Matthew J Shochat</font></span><br>_______________________________________________<br>Street mailing list<br><br>Post: <a href="mailto:Street@lists.occupyboston.org">Street@lists.occupyboston.org</a><br>
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