WAKING PLANET: A Merging of the Worlds

WAKING PLANET: A Merging of the Worlds

Bad News, Good News on the Occupy Movement

Police brutality at Occupy Oakland has left Scott Olsen, a Marine Corps veteran twice deployed to Iraq, in critical condition with a skull fracture. NBC failed to mention this casualty on the evening news last night. He was hit with a police projectile. As protesters went to his aid a flash grenade was hurled by a policeman into the middle of the crowd. The police, in riot gear, also used tear gas and rubber bullets against the peaceful protesters, that included children, the elderly and people with disabilities.



At the end of this video you hear a woman's voice rising above the din, "We are still here. We are the 99%". I have to admit when I heard that lone, courageous voice speaking for the 99% of us, I cried. I cried for Scott Olson, for a country that can turn on its own, for the fact that we have a militarized police force and for the vulnerability of all the brave young people making such inspirational stands in occupations all across this land.

Write to the Oakland Police Dept today- ocop@oaklandnet.com to demand an end to violent tactics  against peaceful protesters. It appears that OPD barred the media from covering these deplorable actions. But the good news is that today, we are all the media! The whole world is watching all the time. 

You may also want to remind the police that the occupiers in Oakland were standing for their jobs, benefits and ability to collectively bargain, for their children's ability to go to college without lifelong debt, for their rights (something the protesters tried to communicate over the barricades). There needs to be an outpouring of outrage from people across the country. Many other young occupiers are at risk and we need to look out for them!! Sign the petition demanding that the Mayor of Oakland put and end to these violent, repressive measures, sign another at Faithful America  And there is more you can do, including support for Scott, at Iraq Veterans against War.
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Other Occupy news 

In Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel had volunteer nurses arrested!

Today, Occupy Wall St Took on the Health Insurance Industry

Check this out- The Occupied Wall Street Journal

Tell Bloomberg to let OWS have tents to protect them at least a little bit from the cold!


***UPDATE- Oakland Mayor Now Says She Is with  the Occupiers!

Some Good News, Thankfully

Albany General Assembly

Occupy Albany is going strong and despite Gov Cuomo's directive to arrest them. State troopers and the Albany Police Department defied his orders and refused to arrest the 700 occupiers! Albany County District Attorney David Soares also refused to prosecute the nonviolent protestors. Cuomo probably isn't too happy having hundreds of protestors in front of his office calling for the continuation of the Millionaire's Tax that he wants to end. Yes, our governor wants to give more tax breaks to millionaires, while cutting education and health care for the rest of us!

And I have saved the best for last! Two nights ago, a group of us went over to the Occupy Poughkeepsie site in Eastman Park, on the corner of the Arterial and Market Street. We were all very impressed with the young occupiers. They are intelligent, informed, caring and committed! We are planning an event with them to show that they have the support of our community. It will be on Saturday November 12 at noon- so hold that date! As it is the day after Veteran's Day, there will be an emphasis on ending war and rebuilding America. Veterans will be some of the key speakers, as well as the occupiers of Poughkeepsie, OWS and hopefully, Occupy Albany. There will also be musicians, puppets, a march and a chance to participate in a General Assembly so all can join in the important conversation of restoring economic justice for the 99%.  People are welcome to stop by before then to show solidarity. Their latest email says they need the following- Whiteboard+Markers, Utensils, Tape, Rope, Lighting Equipment, Bedding and Tables.

We send them our love and best wishes to stay united, stay strong and stay safe.

                      

Eye Popping Charts that Show How Our Richest 1% Is Out of Control!

Click to enlarge

Since 1980, 4/5 of all the increased income in our country went to the top 1%. Many like to point to the Reagan years as being so prosperous- yeah if you were part of the richest 1%. Wages for the rest of us have pretty much stagnated for the last three decades. There is class warfare in this country and as Warren Buffet has said, his class is waging it and they are winning.

There is more income inequality in our country than in Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Yemen, Uzbekistan Tunisia, Morocco and dozens of other countries

 

Yesterday, Senate Republicans voted NO on a bill that would have created or saved 400,000 teacher and first responder jobs.. It was going to be paid for by increasing taxes a half of a percent on salaries over $1million a year- So if you made $1.1million you would have paid an extra $500. But for the GOP that was too much of a sacrifice to ask of millionaires, even if it put 400,000 Americans to work.

The GOP says we cannot tax the mega wealthy any more at all, in fact they want to increase cuts to the richest 1%, because they say they are the "job creators". Really? Well, they do bankroll and therefore create their own jobs. 

So here is just one example of what the uber-rich do when their profits go up- they cut jobs- to amass yet even more outrageous profits! We have had reduced taxes for the richest among us for 10 years- what has that done for job creation?

There has been a massive transfer of wealth from the poor and middle class for three decades. Many members of the Boards of Directors of major banks and corporations in our country serve on multiple boards. "Interlocking directorate" refers to the practice of corporations sharing directors. From Wikipedeia- "Interlocks allow for upper class cohesion, coordinated action, and unified political-economic power. They allow corporations to increase their influence by exerting power as a group, and to work together towards common goals.They help the upper class maintain a class advantage, and gain more power over workers and consumers, by reducing intra-class competition and increasing cooperation." This allows the upper class to raise executive compensation to obscene levels, even if thousands have  to be laid off to do it.

The bottom 90% have less of a share of the pie today than we did leading up to the Great Depression!

These numbers have very real and tragic consequences for the 99% of us. This is why we are rising up- to reverse this dangerous and undemocratic inequity and to demand economic and social justice for all Americans! Occupy Everywhere!

Thousands Occupy Times Square! & Towns, Like New Paltz, Everywhere!

Global Day of Protest Saturday, Oct 15 in Nearly 100 Countries! (date above should read Oct 16)

A great moment yesterday in Times Square is when the news ticker read "Occupy Wall Street Goes Worldwide" and thousands cheered! The Occupy movement is now in 1,500 cities globally! "From Ashland, Kentucky to Dallas,Texas to Ketchum, Idaho" and "from Berlin to Athens, Aukland to Mumbai, Tokyo to Seoul. In the UK, 3,000 people attempted to occupy the London Stock Exchange." Read more from Occupy Wall Street.

We can add New Paltz, NY to that growing list too! Here are some photos from yesterday's action in solidarity with OWS in front of Chase Bank on Main Street. Thanks to Billiam Von Roestenberg for organizing. Join Occupy Wall Street, Hudson Valley on facebook.

Occupy Wall Street, Kingston, NY!

About 200 Hudson Valley residents came out for a great rally yesterday in front of Congressman Hinchey's office in Kingston. Multiple speakers shared stories of unemployment, losing homes and other hardships and our hearts go out to all of them. Many also spoke about the need to dethrone corporations as the de facto rulers of our land and for government to listen to the people- who need jobs, not cuts and who want the richest among us to pay their fair share!

Lori DuBord, the congressman's assistant read a letter he wrote for the group in which he applauded the participants' efforts to raise awareness of corporate greed and thanked them "for giving a voice to the millions of Americans who have lost a job, lost a home, or lost hope in a country where the top 400 wealthiest Americans have more wealth than the bottom 50%." We thank Congressman Hinchey for his ongoing support for the people over special interests and we thank Lori too!

"Billionaires for Boehner" (thanks to John Grant and Jo Salas, aka Bette Van Yoo) livened the rally up by interrupting speakers- saying they had more of a right to speak- as they had more money and the Supreme Court has ruled that money=speech! Look for this group to expand and appear at future events! They were met with a resounding chorus of "Tax the Rich!"

We were happy that YNN, the Kingston Freeman, the Kingston Times and the Times Herald Record were there to cover us. More video and photos at the Freeman. The rally was organized by the Ulster County MoveOn Council and you are invited to join us to help plan future events (one for Nov 12 in the works), help with tabling, canvassing, organizing forums and more. Write to ulstercmoveon@gmail.com.

There will be another "occupation" hosted by Occupy Wall Street, Hudson Valley this Saturday in front of Chase Bank in New Paltz (corner of Main and Plattekill) from 2-4 PM and at 4 there will be a forum in Village Hall to discuss alternatives to fracking among other things. Be there!

It was hard to sleep this morning as Bloomberg had announced they were going to clear Zucotti Park. I was so upset to awaken to this video -



But I can find nothing else about it- and although it is dated Oct 13- now I am thinking it may have been from Oct 5. In any event it shows what the protestors are sometimes up against!

NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!
Thousands showed up this morning to stand in solidarity with OWS, including many union members and the Mayor backed down! The occupation continues and will only grow stronger in the days and weeks ahead. Score a victory for OWS! Sending light, love, strength and protection to all.

Thousands at Occupy Wall St in Foley Square!

What an amazing day! Thousands of everyday Americans went to NYC to support the young people of Occupy Wall Street. The energy was electric, the passions were high and the feeling of solidarity was strong.

This is a nationwide movement with occupations happening in over 100 cities. There is no turning back. The American people are demanding fairness, the restoration of the American Dream and that the uber-rich of our country pay their fair share!

Join us Thursday, October 13th  for Occupy Wall Street in Kingston from 12-1PM in front of Congressman Hinchey's office on 291 Wall St. We will only be there for an hour, but we will make a big impact! Bring signs, musical instruments and your passion for economic justice! Sign up here. More TK.

Thousands to Join Occupy Wall St Wednesday!

Seven hundred protestors (including a child) were arrested Saturday on the Brooklyn Bridge. This video clearly shows people marching on the pedestrian walkway, until police appear to lead people onto the road and right into a trap. But it doesn't matter, there is no way they can stop this movement. It has only grown stronger and bigger in response to NYPD deceptive practices and brutality (but important to note that occupywallst.org says when approached individually, many police officers express support for what the protestors are doing).

The numbers are really going to swell this Wednesday, October 5. Peace and justice activists, labor unions, environmentalists, more students and all Americans fed up with the greed of the 1%, will be joining Occupy Wall St with a march from City Hall (map) beginning at 4:30 and going to Zucotti Park- the base camp for the protestors who have occupied Wall Street since September 17. If you are looking for transportation and live in the Hudson Valley, email Dan from MoveOn at dvollweiler@gmail.com. Just heard a bus will be leaving New Paltz midday. Contact Dan for more info or use this link- https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=282473051782707 Let's show the young people of Occupy Wall St that we have their backs! Together we demand an end to corporate rule, a fair shake for students and workers and for all to pay their fair share.


Everyday more unions, representing tens of thousands of working Americans, are joining and expressing solidarity with Occupy Wall St! The United Federation of Teachers, NYC Transit Workers, United Steelworkers, Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) two sections of the SEIU and more are on board!

Over 700 union pilots swelled the ranks of Wall Street Occupiers last Tuesday. They held signs that showed the Hudson River crash and that asked "What's a Pilot Worth" and "Management is Destroying Our Airline". First year pilots make as little as $21,600 a year.

Follow up:
The officer who had young girls penned in and then maced them is Anthony Bologna. He has a history of assaulting peaceful protestors. And it appears he is a serial pepper sprayer- here he is in action again- spraying and then slinking away.



And lest we forget what this is really all about-

 We Are the other 99%  shows pictures and stories of people in our country who are desperately hurting. Many young people hold up signs talking about their terrible student loan debt, often in 6 figures and no prospects of work.

For livestream of the global revolution! Watch the other 99% from LA , Canada, Spain and more!
To find an action in solidarity with Occupy Wall St- go to occupytogether.org. 
And donate to Occupy Wall Street here!