EARLY ADDITION: I hope to update after midnight at some point.
Updated 3 am, Oct. 22
For those who maintain the occupation at night and all day: “They also serve who only stand and wait.” ~ John Milton (1608 – 1674) from Sonnet XIX.
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In addition to the previously announced clean-up day (Clean Sweep!, Saturday, Oct. 22), there is now an official announcement of a demonstration schedule for Saturday the 22nd at 3 pm. details here (National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality, Oct. 22) or below the jump. There are some relevant reader comments (as of 7 pm, Friday) which I’m including.
See my OPINION PIECE: Like some of the commentors I’ve included below the jump, I, too, am concerned about a loss of focus for our #OccupyHouston movement.
Remember, you can support #OccupyHouston without participating in specific demonstrations with which you do not agree! (Read: OPINION: #OccupyHouston and the Energy Day Protest (Oct. 15) Just bringing your warm body (and any other warm bodies you can rustle up) represents support for the movement.
More stuff after the jump.
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Come join the 99% in protest against police brutality
When: Oct. 22nd, 3pm Where: Market Square Park Wear all black (or as much as possible)Why should people come out on the NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST (NDP)? “Silence is the voice of complicity.” Everybody that is outraged by the epidemic of police brutality and repression across this country needs to be in the streets on October 22.
(7) Responses to “National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality, Oct. 22” (as of 7 pm, the 21st)
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Katie on October 21st, 2011 at 10:19 am #
Is it Occupy Houston’s objective to:
1)convey ALL police are bad?
2)suggests NO police should exist?Now ask yourselves:
1)is there anything Occupy Houston LIKES about the police?
2) has Occupy Houston ever used the police services for their own benefit, and if so, how?
3) if you have ever protected a friend and they turned on you at a later date, would your feelings about them change? Would you feel a little angry or antagonized? Would you be as likely to go out of your way to help them in the future, risking your life for them?Are you all agreed in your reason for protesting against the police? What is that reason? Do you think it is simply so cool to protest, because no one else here is doing it? Or do you believe the immediate local area has a strong recent history of police rutality? And if so, what supports this belief? What else?
Be very careful about the message you are sending about the police. Make sure you carefully conveying the message you want to depict and no more and no less.
Take care.
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Cheryl on October 21st, 2011 at 2:15 pm #
Well said…
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m on October 21st, 2011 at 3:09 pm #
A protest against police brutality is not the same as a protest against the police. The word ‘police’ just seems to be where you stopped reading and started writing.
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It seems like Occupy Houston has a really good relationship with HPD thus far. As much as I appreciate the Oct. 22 folks, you might not want to be blackwalking until everyone in the group understands the reasons for it and understands how the police protect the unfair system of private property where real opposition to economic fascism is concerned. In other words, don’t push the comfort level of your group until you all share a political analysis that requires this kind of direct action. That’s just my organizational development perspective as an outsider. –CE
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You people are idiots on October 21st, 2011 at 5:10 pm #
Okay, Occutards, listen up…
You are a farce. I was with you when you were protesting the banks and their bailouts. I was with you when you were demanding Washington do something about our economy, but now you have turned into an uber-liberal-leftist-anarchist-group.
I don’t want pot legalized in this country.
I don’t want to hate on the cops.
I don’t want to listen you children complain about petty nonsense like the “composting” and other such retarded comments that are brought up in GAs.I’m outta here. You guys just devolved into a world of suck.
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William on October 21st, 2011 at 6:40 pm #
Regarding the responses here:
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I’m not going to sever my relationship with Occupy Houston based on one misstep. I, too, think it’s the wrong time and place for a protest against police brutality–considering more pressing economic matters, considering the generally good relationship the HPD has had with Occupy Houston, and considering that cops are in the same boat as the other 99%.
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The vast majority of other decisions by Occupy Houston have been good. If you disagree with this one, your opinion on the matter–your influence on the Occupation–is needed. Suggest your ideas here, or even show up at a General Assembly. But this movement is too important to just give up on.
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I hope Occupy Houston will realize this decision has been counterproductive and refocus its efforts.
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Don Trembley on October 21st, 2011 at 6:45 pm #
I am not sure police brutality is what we are taking to the streets for. The police are pretty much the people we are supporting. It would seem a better target might be the laws that are being written by and for corporations that dehumanize people and remove the protections under the law we are supposed to be able to expect. The police are just the enforcers of the laws on the books. The issue should be to restore HUMAN control and compassion to the laws and not use the law to legalize anything a bank wants to do in the name of a quarterly profit.
October 20th, 2011 · Cassie · Sustainability ProjectsOne
comment
In out effort to be a responsible community, Occupy Houston is starting with
the low hanging fruit. We are transforming one of Houston’s biggest polluters
into a model for sustainable transportation. This is an excellent opportunity
for all interested community members to gain experience creating sustainability
in our great city while getting knowledgeable about various green alternatives
within the auto industry.
The project vehicle is a 1999 Lincoln Navigator. We
acquired this vehicle through the help & love of an individual supporter who
donated the $1500 down-payment and arranged a very flexible fee schedule with
the wonderful folks at Go Car Guys.
We will not be taking away from general
donations, but will rely solely on fundraising efforts to accumulate the
remaining $4092. We have also set up a separate WePay account specifically for
this project.
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One Response to “Made Sustainable by Occupy Houston”
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Quoting your article….”We acquired this vehicle through the help & love of an individual supporter who donated the $1500 down-payment and arranged a very flexible fee schedule with the wonderful folks at Go Car Guys”.
One of the biggest problems facing the 99% is that they cannot restructure their debts unless they first agree to a default. I hope you see the irony of you accepting payment terms that the 99% cannot ever get.
Change the banking rule of law from “Debt restructuring first requires a default” to “Debt Restructuring DOES NOT first require a default” and main street can protect their depleting assets from the banker’s tentacles.
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Saturday, Oct. 22nd –
We will be cleaning up our area and surrounding areas downtown.
We will start at 9 a.m. Tranquility Park and break of into teams that will cover specific areas, then w will meet back up again at Tranquility around noon.
BYOB -Bring your own broom and stand-up dust pan. OH will be providing gloves and trash bags.
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On October 20, 2011, several members of Occupy Houston participated in a picket of the BP Headquarters in Houston. They joined human rights activist Dick Gregory, Dr. E. Faye Williams, Chair- National Congress of Black Women, Art Rocker, Chair – Operation People for Peace and many other claimants who traveled to Texas from Florida, Alabama and Louisiana. The group is petitioning BP to properly compensate low-income and minority workers who were adversely affected by the BP oil release in the Gulf of Mexico. BP has chosen to ignore these workers while settling with other people who are well-connected politically.
Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig 
Ok I would first like to say I’m glad people are finally trying to stand up for what they believe in it takes courage to have a voice in these hard times. Now I fully support the good intentions of the protest and I hope everyone knows that just because maybe a few people in the group have other motives and bad intention that its unfair to hold everyone responsible doing so makes you just as guilty as the people you are protesting about. I am a father of 5 I’m happily married and have been in law enforcement since I made it home from Iraq last year. Just like everyone here I think the system is broken and unjust but is it fair to dislike all officers just because there are a few bad ones and just because we work for the govt???? I am struggling like everyone else I lost my home while I was fighting a war and losing friends and for what? freedom? Civil liberties? For my God given rights?……. I dont think so we were stuck fighting a war with a political agenda and that makes me sick to know all the lives lost and families destroyed was in vein!!! I was injured and almost died to wake up from a coma to find out my family had lost our home for no reason we were foreclosed on for fraudulent reasons so I completely understand the frustration and anger towards the government but please think about the fact that even tho I wear a badge I am still just doing a job to survive and most officers feel just like the protesters and support the cause for change… So please before putting all of us on the chopping block remember we are in the 99% also and we want change. thank you for your time and understanding and please don’t reply with anger and hate and bash me for my job for I am just as hurt and worried about surviving as anyone else.
Thank you and GOD BLESS!!!!!!
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Jeff,, Thanks for commenting. I’m totally on your side. That’s why I’ve written the comments I have about #Occupy (particularly in Houston) staying focused and keeping their eyes on the ball.
I agree that a few out-of-control cops should not be seen as representative of all cops. There are always a few bad apples. That’s why the ‘police brutality’ demonstration bothers me. Cops are mostly working stiffs like the rest of us. Theyt have a job to do, and most cops do that job with as much integrity as they can. Blanket indictments of police actions does the movement no good.
We all have our political agendas and grievances. Mine may not be yours, and yours may not be someone else’s. Because that’s the case, it’s absolutely imperative that we stick with what’s substantially agreed upon: Economic fairness, electoral honesty, reducing the disproportionate political power of big corporations and the rich, and electing people who agree with those propositions.
Thanks for your service in Iraq, and particularly thanks for keeping yourself in harm’s way to protect us here at him.
Know that most of us deeply appreciate it.
Mike
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