I will try to add marked maps later today – Mike

General Assembly Minutes – Oct 11 7:00pm

General Assembly Tuesday October 11, 2011 7:08-9:05

Moderator: Nick Scribe: Nicole Attendance: 115

• Greeting
  • Hand signals
    • Hands raised to either side with fingers up, wriggling fingers (jazz hands, some call it) -also the sign for ‘applause’ in sign language. This is used to show that you agree with the speaker, and is also used when a proposal is being presented, as as measurement of consensus
    • Hands held out in front in a SO-SO gesture means you’re not loving the proposal, but you don’t have a big problem with it either.
    • Hands held out in front (similar to above) but hanging downward, rotating back and forth. This means that you really disagree with the proposal or statement a speaker is making, but (in the case of a proposal) are are not so strongly opposed that you will Move To Amend (the X symbol)
    • Point of INFORMATION- This IS NOT to be used for questions and not for opinions, not matter how pressing yours might be! a Point of Information is only to be used when something being said is lacking a critical piece of factual/empirically based information, or if the basic facts being presented are not accurate.
    • Point of PROCESS- Holding fingers and thumbs to form a TRIANGLE. This means we are not sticking to adopted PROCEDURE. For example, if someone held their hands up in the POINT OF INFORMATION signal but starts rambling about their opinions, this signal can be used to express this opinion. The moderator *might* at that time direct the speaker to add themselves to the STACK to have a turn to speak their opinions.
    • WRAP IT UP / DO YOU HAVE A POINT?- Rolling the hands one over the other in front of oneself, as though to say “let’s keep things rolling”
  • The consensus process
    • Try not to steamroll over others
    • One block per proposal
  • Introductions
• Volunteer Report backs
  • Legal
    • Added members
    • Us court says we can use tents but can’t sleep in them over night
      • Details will be posted
    • Legal observers training tomorrow more info on the website
      • Must stay neutral
      • Don’t need to be a lawyer
      • Details will be posted on the website
    • If you get arrested for a city ordinance most of the time it will be a class C misdemeanor
    • you should bond out don’t plead guilty if you get arrested
  • Outreach
    • Metro would like to thank us for our support and say that they stand with us
    • Any organizations contact us if they would like to get involved
    • We will be sending out a press release
    • We will be hosting an art show any artist that would like to be involved contact us
    • Energy day
      • New literature
        • Valero asking for tax cuts that will take away for the schools
        • Trans Canada and Trans Ocean
        • More information will be posted to the website
  • Logistics
    • We have a donation for ice every day we just need people to go pick it up at 9am talk to Kevin if interested to help
  • Food Needs
    • Cinnamon!
    • Chips
    • Bananas
    • Snacks
    • Hot meals
    • Cold cuts
    • Cheese
    • Salad
  • Diversity
    • Thanks for the projection screen
    • We need ESL translators
    • We are here to help with any issues or problems (ex. Sexual assault, disabilities, etc.)
• Announcements
  • Melissa occupied news
    • announced various new events and happening in the Occupy movement
    • Will be posted later
  • Dr. K
    • Call 90.1 with a prepared statement of why you are partaking in Occupy Houston they will be taking callers every day at 7pm number to call is 7135265738
  • Peace for Palestinians
    • Contact Julie Gustings for more information
    • http://www.p4pd.org/
  • Houston united
    • We had our bi weekly at the GA
    • We have been involved with grassroots movements for a long time and stand in solidary with Occupy Houston
    • Will be Handing out filers
    • March tomorrow
      • to occupy inside the fed
      • there will be civil disobedience
  • Andy
    • There are no 12pm GA meetings they are only planning meetings the only GA is at 7pm
    • Emergency decisions are fine
  • Good jobs great Houston
    • Tomorrow afternoon they will march to fed there is planed civil disobedience
      • Protesting against high unemployment levels
  • Campus Outreach : Anthony
    • We need to reach out to neighborhoods will be going out to spread the word meet up with him if you are interested
  • Eric
    • Donated 2100 Occupied Wall Street Journal’s
    • Please get them out and around town
    • Need help paying for them please the cost was $369 and it is a weekly paper so if we want to continue the circulation in Houston we need help
  • Andey
    • Abolition Death penalty: 470 men and women was killed in Texas
    • There will be a march in Austin and there will be buses provided … leaves at 9am on Oct. 22 form S.H.A.P.E Center, 3815 Live Oak and returns the same day around 8pm.No one is turned away for lack of fund but Donations are greatly appreciated… Tickets are $25 or $15 for students and seniors
    • For more information call 713 503 2633
  • Scott
    • $50 for banner has been collected but there is more needed … Scott “let’s get a banner”
• Proposal
  • Facilitating 90/10 Tabled
    • A new way to pass urgent issues with an 90% majority
      • Blocks
        • Too messy takes too much time
        • 90% is not consensuses
        • It is fundamentally flawed
        • It is not why we are here we are here to occupy
      • Agrees with 90/10
        • Blocks are being used to further ones own personal agendsa
        • This is a way to efficialy move forward and focus on our goal
        • Consensuses is not working nothing is getting passed
        • Blokes are being missed used
          • Block when there is an issue of safety, morals, and ethics if you disagree down jazz hands
    • 5mins extension
      • Against
        • 90/10 is not consensus
        • When there is a block the speaker should re word and improve their proposal… thus the best idea comes though
        • Block happen because there is a lack of information
      • In Favor
        • Occupy Wall Street uses 90/10
        • We need a way to vote on urgent issues that need to be decided on
        • 90/10 will not replace consensus
    • Tabled
  • Needs to become a Moderator: Passed
    • Shadowed the Moderation of a successful GA
    • Taught a Facilitating training successfully
    • Moderated a work group meeting
    • Passed
  • Energy day Rally: Passed
    • We do an action for energy day:
      • Silent (family event do not want to scare the kids) march/ rally protesting Big Oil (that oil companies are asking for tax cuts and the money that will fund these tax cuts will be taken from property taxes and thus from the schools) and the building of a pipeline
      • We would wear white shirts(in solidarity against black oil) and red strips over our mouths that reads 99%
    • Passed
    • More information will be posted on the web site
  • Work groups cannot speak for occupy Houston without Consensus From the GA
  • Media recognizing those who donate: Tabled
    • Can we list those who donate to Occupy Houston to say thanks for the donations but not affiliated with any group individual or organization mentioned
      • Thank you list would be linked to the contributions page
      • We should show our transparency
      • There is a lot of back up on the web site this would just add more work
    • Blocked: Looks like advertisements
    • Tabled
  • Legal: Tabled
    • *apologize for the poor wording my mistake*No Lawyer can do anything without the GA’s consent
      • Concern: What about in an emergency?
    • Went off to work on wording

Attention: If there were mass arrests. There would be lawyers available to help.

• Solidarity with the Arab Spring: Passed
  • “Occupy Houston stands in solidarity with the spirit of Occupy Wall Street, the Arab Spring and democratic movements worldwide against oppression and injustice.”
  • Passed