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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Please note: If you have information about the Occupation which is not getting input to the main site in a timely fashion, please write a comment or email me (ThinkwingRadio@msn.com) and I’ll consider posting it on this blog. FYI, I do not necessarily support every action reported here to the same degree or at all, but I report. – Mike
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Major Upcoming Events, (More info below the jump):
- Panel Discussion: Corporate Personhood v. Your Personhood: Who Has More Rights? Friday, January 20, 2012 from 7:00PM til 9:30PM
- Jan 21: Who Killed Democracy? (Interactive Play): Join us on January 21 at 11 AM downtown for “Who Killed Democracy?”, an interactive street play featuring music, a parade, good guys, bad guys, and YOU…
News & Announcements (More info below the jump):
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Tweets: News, Opinion, Comments: Below the jump
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OCCUPY MOVEMENT: Occupy Together – Actions and Directory (Domestic and Worldwide) <– Click here
- General Assembly Minutes 1/5/12 pm
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Panel Discussion: Corporate Personhood v. Your Personhood: Who Has More Rights?
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Friday, January 20, 2012 from 7:00PM til 9:30PM
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5200 Fannin St., Houston, TX 77004
On Friday evening, January 20, join us for “Corporate Personhood vs. Your Personhood: Who Has More Rights?” This panel discussion commemorates the 2nd anniversary of Citizens United v. FEC, the latest in over a century of Supreme Court decisions establishing the doctrines that corporations are people and money is speech. Panelists include politician Chris Bell, lifelong activist Arthur Shaw, and legal scholar Leslie Griffin.
RSVP on our facebook page HERE
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Jan 21: Who Killed Democracy? (Interactive Play)
Join us on January 21 at 11 AM downtown for “Who Killed Democracy?”, an interactive street play featuring music, a parade, good guys, bad guys, and YOU. Bring the whole family for kid-friendly activities, build-your-own-hotdogs, and great conversation with members of Occupy Houston.
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Occupy-related Tweets & Info
AMSPRINGDOTORGAMERICAN-SPRING.ORG: The 1% fears that government has too much control over corporations. The 99% knows that corporations have too much control over government.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT AT LINK 
OccupyWallStOccupy Wall Street: Trigger warning RT @BlissnHarmonyTP Pics of an #OccupyNigeria protester being murdered by police. #IStandInSolidarity http://bit.ly/y0cRqa 3 hours a Retweeted by @AMSPRINGDOTORG
OccupyOaklandOccupy Oakland: Oakland CA cop suspended 30days for covering badge w/tape at protest, Lt demoted for not reporting http://bit.ly/z4PiZ6 via @InjusticeFacts 6 hours ago Retweeted by @OccupyHouston
GottaLaffGottaLaff: VIDEO: Introducing Occupied News Network http://tinyurl.com/8xxfejx @WeActRadio 1480am in DC! 8 Jan Retweeted by @WillRogersUSA
OccupyWallStNYC#OCCUPYWALLSTREET: UPDATE: #NYPD Barricades have been removed from #LibertySquare MT @carriem213: http://yfrog.com/nxs5qoqj 7 hours ago Retweeted by @AMSPRINGDOTORG
OccupyHoustonOccupy Houston: Part II of Occupy Houston on Connect The Dots tomorrow @ 3:30 on @KPFT. Please contact Jamin at 706.267.0186 if planning to attend.
peterrothbergPeter Rothberg: Occupy Congress on #J17! http://www.thenation.com/blog/165552/occupy-congress-j17#ows @occupycolleges 1 hour ago Retweeted by @thenation
OccupyAustinOccupyAustin: Via @iamed_nc, Felony cases against #OccupyHouston & #OccupyAustin #GulfPort7 activists delayed until Feb 9. #D12 #OWS #PortShutdown
OTOOLEFANDon Millard: RT @ezraklein: Medicare vs. private insurance in one graph: http://wapo.st/AjPOIw
AMSPRINGDOTORGAMERICAN-SPRING.ORG: Ever wonder how we, the 99%, lost our voice, & Corporate America came to speak for us? Here’s how: http://alecwatch.org#ALEC
AddInfoOrgAddictingInfo.Org: New California Corporate Structure Opens Door For Corporations To Do Good http://p.ost.im/p/e5wr9X
billmckibbenBill McKibben: This bit of greed got overlooked amid recent keystone hoopla. how do these congressmen live with themselves? (richly).http://bit.ly/viypWt 3 hours ago Retweeted by @THEjeffmarks
OccupyWallStNYC#OCCUPYWALLSTREET: Here’s our Resolution to End Corporate Personhood, approved by @NYC_GA Consensus last week: https://www.nycga.net/2012/01/01/11-resolution-to-end-corporate-personhood/#ows 13 hours ago Retweeted by @AMSPRINGDOTORG
OccupyWallStNYC#OCCUPYWALLSTREET: Money is not speech, corporations are not people. Get them out of politics! #OWS#CitizensUnited11 hours ago Retweeted by @AMSPRINGDOTORG
NewyorkistNewyorkist: Can you help me discover how many occupations have “occupied” newspapers? I know NYC, DC and Oakland does. Who else? cc @occupywallstnyc 5 hours ago Retweeted by @AMSPRINGDOTORG
ConspiracyWATCHCon$pira¢y Curator: RT @DivaTomboy: Did ya know Occupy has the color “orange” associated with it and Pantone has declared Tangerine Tango “Color of the year”?
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Calendar Of Upcoming Events
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Evening GA 07 Jan 2012
GA Minutes 1/07/2012 PM
Moderator: Miguel Facilitators: Jenny, Scott Scribe: Ben Franklin Stack C/O: Shere Timekeeper: Jonathon
Introduction: Begin w/call to consensus to start GA; All GA tonight will be under People’s Mic Review of hand-signals for benefit of new faces
WorkGroup ReportBacks:
Outreach Evan: Rather than one giant umbrella called Outreach, replaced with these targeted groups Speech Forum Canvassing Newspaper Art Production TV
-Jamin- Visited Super Happy Funland, space for fundraising, showers, classes, all for free as OccupyHouston 3801 Polk St, access requires phone call/arranging 713)880-2100 ask for Brian or Olivia
Occupy the Courts (Amy Price): People’s Mic off FRIDAY Panel UH, 7:30PM Jan 20th Burque Moore Legal Personhood History Arthur Shaw Houston activist, got UH & CoH to divest from South Africa Chris Bell, former City Councilman Sat: Big Family Friendly Fest, 99% for everyone 11am people arrive, couldn’t get food trucks in, asks for Food volunteer [Jamin] to feed people Noon: 1st round of play about death of Democracy, slain by Corp corruption 2nd line Jazz funeral down Smith st Occupiers meet & greet, volunteers for kid friendly activities Readings, Facepainting, Bellydancing if possible, Drum circle if possible, Houston Storytelling Guild if possible, Sack races?, Arts table, other things that promote choice/free will for kids No feedback from Maria Hague(sp?) Nick Cooper helping arrange musicians Need Preacher, Sister of Demcracy, Democracy, Plants in the Crowd; interested in casting, please contact Amy Price Will need donations to make suggestions happen, what process? Alice volunteers to help with Art Table, roll of paper volunteered; Jocelyn & Alice volunteer to help w/books; Nixxing idea of sidewalk chalk due to legal concerns; Flyers ready to distribute Tuesday
Community Outreach Thursday 7pm meeting Staghead Pub 5pm Sunday Staghead Community Org workshop Blackhole Coffee, meeting with OCHouston, OCGalveston, MoveOn, MovetoAmend
Media: Mission statement will under google doc with large viewing group, people can email suggestions to insure we don’t grab too much. Document hasn’t been created yet, URL will be posted on Website & added minutes within 24hours. Will be set-up to not require Google sign-up WebRequest@OccupyHouston.org, Mouse’s edress [require insert]
CORRECTION: Web/Media teamWG primary email addy is: webrequests@occupyhouston.org [KR]
EDIT{KR}: The second point of contact for Media/Web WG, monitored by mouse, is ohtranquilitypark@gmail.com
Freedman Town Project Workgroup (Jamin): Includes both Freedman Houses, 1401 Andrew lot camping will continue rest of January Workgroup meeting 1 hour after GA @Freedman Qs about if “Hooker & Stat Rape have also moved?” “No Hooker, Stat Rape took place before Roccupy House started” Q about Freedman background, founded by the freeman, land stolen by city Mission statement will be finalised tonight at workgroup meeting
Facilitation -Scott- Didn’t meet today, last meeting defined to compile all proposals that affect GA, present collected data Sunday meeting @4:30pm Research -Scott- Closer to having workgroup, online discussion page, email me scottrgregory@gmail.com Reddit discussion group
Political Action -Joe- 5 goals 1: communicate public comment events before elected bodies (City, County, surrounding cities) 2: Inform about local political group events (Dem, Green, GOP, etc.) 3: Voter Registration 4: Assist in Voting 5: Issue inform City of Houston & Harris County public comments & their agendas are online, can find them w/Google
Covert Ops -Jonathon- We are urban exploration w/view to freecycle, street art, lesser hardcore, free-runner l’art du placemant Does this include direct action/civil disobedience? More Direct Action, willing to work with them as ReConn. Will define Urban Explore offline
Direct Action -Miguel- Antiwar action/protest in honour of Dr King
Workgroup Proposals: None
Announcements: Jamin- 1/14/12 11AM Ruthven &Wilson in 4th Ward clean-up event at de facto landfill, anyone who wants to be involved, just show up tomorrow for 11-2pm cemetery clean-up 4th Ward Next Wednesday Connect the Dots @330pm on KPFT, interested in being on see Jamin Monday @11am meeting w/HPD at 1201 Travis, see Justin or Dustin to make sure diverse group attends
Scott- I will be unable to take people to Last Organic Outpost Sunday (tomorrow), hopes someone will volunteer in his place. Alice can pick up a few people right before 1pm @Park
Pending Proposals:
Erick- That OH draft a comprehensive proposal program to work with Freedman Town POI: Intended as statement of Solidarity w/Occupy Freedman’s Town Tabled due to specifics changing
Erick- That people & items be removed from 1405 Andrews (Roccuhouse) & OH disband from Roccuhouse, people move OH Gear/Items back to Park between Sunday 11am-3pm Consensus Reached
Proposals: None
Opinions: Trae- Love You Guys Mary- forgot Jenny- Glad so many people showed up, lots of work ahead of us, requires participation Shere- We did our workgroups today, looked like a success, importance of the physical occupation & our workgroups Miguel- Glad to see new faces today, want to remind people of mission statement & finding solutions for our communities Deb- Food will be brought to you, no need to crowd food table had donated veggie lasagna & vegan couscous Scott- We need to keep recycling sorted, had report of terrible job from Mike of Greens Recycling Mouse- Tonight’s media success was relative success, one problem no People’s Mic and hence lots of random convo, we had external visitors & telepresent OHTX member in the livestream ChatRoom
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Webteam/Media WG Minutes Re-Focus Day Jan 7 2012
Webteam / Media WG Meeting Minutes Re-Focus Day Jan 7 2012
livestreamed by mouse at http://www.livestream.com/occupyhoustontranquilitypark
Facilitator: BenjaminF
Scribes: Karen, and the LS video archive (starts (@ 14:00) http://www.livestream.com/occupyhoustontranquilitypark/video?clipId=pla_98d65feb-3564-4eed-bb21-d6bf6c5d99d9&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb
In attendance:
Webteram/Media Members: KevinL, KarenR, mouse, BenjaminF, Mary, Leif, EvanC, DianeS
newly joining WG members: Craig, DavidL, Miguel, Frank “Rev”, Vanessa F, Ryan, LindaT, CapitalT, MilliK
Not on Sign In Sheet but in attendance: Erika, Neil Aquino, Ernesto Leon
(partial due to multi-tasking: Massoud, Jenny)
I. Announcements
Mouse [14:30]: was recently approved by GA to be granted authority to speak for OH Media in requesting & securing donations of media kit (equipment) from sources via OWS. Asks group to suggest items for our NEEDS List for this effort. Mouse will maintain an ongoing Needs List.
Video Camera (webcam); digital audio recorder (handheld type); digital notebooks? tablet?; laptops?, battery packs (to enable LS)
Mouse: several cameras were donated to OH for D.C. trip last month and only one came back. Trey: We need to addresss accountablility re equipment usage.
Karen: asks everyone to please complete the Sign In Sheet to join Webteam/Media WG.
II. [24:02] Group Discussion per Agenda, (address new WG Guidelines)
BenF & Anon?: we need to improve/ increase FB & website functionalities.
1. NEED TWO Points of Contact for WG email
KevinL: Webteam internal mail is our Google Group. All Media/Web WG Members should join & participate in there.
KevinL: the official email addy for webteam is webrequests@occupyhouston.org. Currently four people have access to read/reply, but we’ve become somewhat inactive; have not been checking it in the past few weeks. Kevin adds he has checked it recently & theres been nothing that needs attention. Need to expand & get more people with access to this addy. Offers to open it up for WG volunteers who wish to monitor this mail. Yes please = *d schluter, *Karen
Karen: PoC, the google group is for webteam internal comm’s, the webrequests email is for OH inter-group and non-OH external comm’s.
Mary: can the oh.org incoming mails be forwarded to the google group mail? Discussion, not decided.
Ernesto Leon (new person) [29:22]: video/audio person, offers to help OH with video & media projects, has been doing vid-interviews
Mouse: requests Admin access to OH.org. Kevin agrees to add him.
Neil Aquino (new to ohweb) [32:05]: has his own blog texasliberal.wordpress.com & blogs on Houston chronicle; offers to advise, mentor, assist in improving site traffic, timely content & related issues. Stresses the need for OH to attend to these matters asap. Would love to be ‘in the loop’ with OH as active participant. Gave out b/c’s, see: texasliberal.wordpress.com
BenF: agree, we need a special Focus Session for Functionality concerns asap, all agree (but not today, TBA).
BenF/FAC [35:00]: Proposed: Use webrequests@occupyhouston.org as Primary Contact, needs to be announced more widely. Friendly Amend Mary: with expanded access (at least 3 active people have access) Agreed.
2nd e-Contact: [36:30] Mouse volunteers to create and monitor a 2nd addy. Requests that people be instructed to make their SUBJECT LINES clear & specific. WG says no, that’ll never happen, just leave it open-ended. Agreed.
2. NEED regular Web/Media WG Meetings [41:30]
Discussion and questions about “channels” and scope of WEB / MEDIA WG, these items to be included in Focus Session.
[47:20] WG (physical) Meetings should always be livestreamed. Can hold physical or virtual WG Meetings, or both ? IRC is another option. Lots of ways to do it, we’re media!
Minutes of all Meetings need to be pub’d to website Minutes section. Several ideas bounced around on how to best do this, will review options and decide in G-Group discussions>next mtg.
Discussion about regular ongoing meetings days/times, no decision reached.
WG agreed: NEXT Meeting to be physical mtg at Tranquility Park on Jan 21 at 10 a.m. (before the Occupy the Courts action)
3. NEED WG Mission Statement WG decided this can be done collectively online in the next couple of weeks. WG will draft and post to g-group and create a google doc for group input & edits. Docs can be shared in different ways, Mary suggests we restrict it to Webteam only to edit but allow/invite others in OH the ability to view. Final to be completed & consensed by WG within {30} days for publish to OH.org. Agreed.
III. Close (54:00] unfinished items, tasks:
Draft WG Public (Mission) Statement (by Feb 7)
Set regular Meeting schedule and location (by Feb 7)
Schedule (& plan?) Focus Session on Functionality Issues (soon!)
Welcome new OH-Webbies, be sure to accept the evite to Webteam Google Group & join in further discussions there til we meet again…
Jan 21 at 10 am at Tranquility.
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General Assembly Minutes 1/5/12 pm
Moderator- Jenny
Facilitator- Mary
Stacker- Darin
Scribe- Scott
Timer- Chris
started with a small quorum of about 15, ended up with about 28 in attendance
Pending Proposals
Delbert- #OH stand along with #OWS and stand in solidarity with Occupy the Dream. -passed-
Brandon- Propose a link on #OH.org to the Occupy Kingwood fb page and post info on our event calendar. This event to happen on Saturday. (I would hope to update this soon, but I need more info since it is not in the minutes. There were more details in the GA, they just weren’t written down. JS) -passed-
Work Group Report Backs
Political Action– Delbert- Meeting at City Hall today. Keith Wade (mayor’s advisor) 713-398-8969 and Press Secretary Jessica Michan- 832-393-0804 both in attendance, meeting included going over where we stand from the cities point of view and from ours. City wanted to impress that they really wanted to find out the end game. It was said that we have no timeline for the end game b/c we are seeking a better society and this requires long term goals. City wanted to know whether or not we intended to continue the overnights in the park and they suggested considering another location. One not so symbolic. But also stated that we could use the park for meetings and if GA extended past the dawn to dusk rules, they’d allow that. The city also suggested we get involved with more city based volunteer groups. They want to re-meet sooner rather than later.
Work Group Work Group– Jenny- January 7, Work Group Day. Schedule posted on web and fb.
Sustainability– Trae- did survey today for guerilla gardening, discussed getting more involved with local churches and organizing points of contact.
Outreach– Jamin- Today we met with HPD and City Hall and talked about working on projects that have money allocated to them, just lack the manpower to facilitate.
Announcements
Don- Green Party- Tuesday was the deadline to submit candidates, Green Party now has over 50 submissions, across the state, which is a great thing to secure a place on the ballot, there are also several Occupiers on the ballot
Don- MLK Day Parade, 2 parades to go on in downtown, will be getting a trailer for the parade so that Occupiers can also participate with the Green Party and have a presence within parade, One of these are being held by the Black Heritage Society which is endorsed by the family of Martin Luther King Jr, starting white washing of signs tomorrow.
Chris- As of tomorrow, Occupy Houston will be the longest running non-evicted Occupation, we hit the 3 month mark, If they kick us out of Tranquility, then we’ll go to City Hall, still trying to find the Herman will so we can back up the use of the park.
Jamin- Today, Jamin, Jocelyn, and Capital spoke on Connect the Dots with Robert Mohammed from the Nation of Islam Southwest Region. It went well and they were asked to come back. Wednesday 3:30
Proposals
Jonathan-
Jenny- Propose to let Mouse RSVP the invite for help from the Global Revolution group, which is the media team for Occupy Wall Street. -passed but pending-
Mary- Propose to answer the Mayor, about the end game, with “We will leave the park when there are no more homeless in Houston.” FA (friendly amendment) -and when all people are making a living wage. POI(point of info) leary of responding to their stimulus, How can we operate from outside the culture? Question-Do we treat the Mayor more favorably then any other person? Question-Can we answer with just our mission statement or the Declaration of the Occupation? POI-We never end it. FA- suggest the mayor come visit and talk with the GA. -proposal tabled-
Jamin- In an effort to find workability, we invite and welcome any entity that will support Occupy Houston with good intent. -passed but pending-
Jenny- We invite the Mayor to the General Assembly. -withdrawn awaiting more info-
Darin- Propose that we assign and address to Occupy Houston. That address to be 420 Walker. Mailbox will be provided. (this is the number of the parking spot by the crosswalk from Tranquility to City Hall.) -passed but pending-
Erick- Make a press release about inviting the Mayor to GA. -withdrawn awaiting more info-
Ben- Form a workgroup to designate rotating delegates to speak to the Mayors Office. -withdrawn awaiting more info-
Alex- Reinstate the gold and silver standard currency. -blocked-
David- Reprint copies of the Declaration of the Occupation. POI- Contact Outreach. -tabled-
Opinion
???-First Amendment rights to life and freedom of speech are not a game and Occupy Houston has no end in sight, and if any member of city hall disagrees, they are welcome to come to a GA.
Anthony- We have the right to stand up, the right to be heard.
Jamin- Stay focused
Miguel- MLK jr tribute 1/17
Joe- Was at townhall with Congressman Gene Green(?). It is important to reach out to our elected officials.
Jenny- The compost bin stinks. It is rude to walk away in big groups in the middle of a GA. You had your time to speak and people listened, give the same respect to others. I love you.
Trae- Reach out to your contacts, focus on your strengths
Anthony- hesitant to call officials our allies, we need to stay strong and build
Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig 