The Occupy Movement in Albuquerque began October 1st, 2011 in Solidarity with Occupy Wall Street. Today, in spite of a last minute written appeal by NM State Representative Brian F. Egolf faxed to the President of the University of New Mexico, #OccupyBurque's Camp Coyote has been evicted.
The reason? Too many homeless people are being drawn to the protest site at Yale Park, a prominent site on Central Avenue, and since I was a kid, always a quiet refuge for the homeless whom are now, most unknowingly, being used as a pawn in a classic game of class warfare.
Tonight I watched the livestream of my hometown's Occupy Movement as the General Assembly considered proposals about how best to fight the eviction of Camp Coyote from the UNM Campus, a public University paid for by tax dollars.
I listened to the intelligent discourse on the edge of my seat as speaker after speaker voiced their thoughts, their concerns, and marveled at true Democracy in action. As proposals were being considered via the consensus model (a model in which I've participated before but, I must confess, did not work nearly as smoothly as I viewed within this particular group) one speaker who did not identify himself came forward and made a couple of statements which not only made my heart sink, but stirred my ire.
Since the General Assembly meeting wasn't recorded (though viewed by at least 10 individuals at the time, and two of us commented on this gentleman's statements) I cannot restate what he said word for word, but I can paraphrase as was written on the Occupy Albuquerque (Official) Burque Facebook page while he spoke the words:
Paraphrase 1: Another speaker says "Open class warfare declared by UNM by blaming permit issue on homeless."
My phrasing, typing as fast as possible in order to get it as close to word for word as I could: Speaker says he was told by UNM representatives that rich contributors don't want increased homeless presence on the campus. Speaker stated this was flat out class warfare.
The speaker in question stated he was told this during a conversation with UNM representatives earlier in the day.
Though no UNM representatives have openly admitted this "on the record", any Albuquerque Native or longtime resident with a decent knowledge and background history of Albuquerque and the UNM area can tell you that many homeless individuals have congregated in and around Yale Park for decades and it has rarely been an issue. While the occasional problem has been reported, this is the case within every city and town with a homeless population.
In other words, this is the case everywhere in our country, because homelessness is, and has been, an issue everywhere in our country much, much longer than Occupy Wall Street and its Sister Movements have been on the scene. It took OWS to help bring awareness to homelessness and the fact that the homeless are part of the disenfranchised 99 percent.
But I digress... though not far. The statement UNM would provide "on the record" is as follows:
The university said it is concerned with some of the people this protest is attracting, namely the homeless. UNM said it has gotten to the point where Yale Park has become volitale and dangerous.
Source: KOB4
As you can read within the linked article and view within the attached video, the protesters know the University is, quite frankly, full of cow patties.
Ellen Robinson agrees.
"One of the things that we said in the meeting is that there are homeless people who've camped out here lots of times, individually. These are individuals camping out now, well, what's the difference?" Robinson asked.
Robinson is 75 years old. She said she's been protesting a long time.
To blame any problems which may have occurred on the homeless population which has been a fixture in the UNM area, and Yale Park specifically, long before the Occupy/(Un)Occupy Protest began is not only a lie (and UNM representatives are fully aware of this), but also a slap in the face to any homeless individuals who normally use the area as a place of refuge during the day when they have been kicked out of the night shelters and there is no place else to go.
As usual, blame those who have nothing, and no way to defend themselves from your finger pointing.
In addition, only minor incidents have been reported linked directly to the Occupy Albuquerque/(Un)Occupy Albuquerque protest with the exception of one, and to my knowledge, that man wasn't someone who regularly frequented the area, nor was he affiliated with the protesters. So now, not only has UNM blamed the homeless, most of whom probably have no clue they've been blamed, but they've also suggested the homeless are a safety hazzard.
Furthermore, UNM officials have placed blame on those who have helped befriend, feed, and protect the homeless in the Camp Coyote area resulting in some joining the protest movement and helping it grow... they've now blamed the protesters of the Occupy Movement!
Those occupying Camp Coyote published a Press Release in response to the accusations levied by the office which denied the extension of the permit to peacefully assemble. Their response is not only well written, but quite true.
UNM has pointed fingers at "dangerous transients", the Occupy protesters, at everyone but themselves.
UNM told the protesters they could remain on campus once they filed the correct permit. The protesters did as they were told. UNM knows they have a homeless population which has become a regular fixture on the campus, and it has been that way for decades. They know this won't change even if the protesters leave, and yet they're publicly using the homeless as an excuse, while privately admitting it is the rich supporters (most likely of the Lobo's) who don't care for the increased activity on campus... protesters or homeless... it doesn't matter which.
For an institution of "higher learning" to outright lie and not allow the public and their students to exercise the fundamental rights provided by the First Amendment on public property while claiming to teach these same principles, is downright hypocritical and shameful.
I was born and raised in this town. While growing up, it was one of the most "liberal" and compassionate places to live. As a teen, my high school sweetheart and I used to hang out at Yale Park and the surrounding area, eat at the Frontier, shoot pool at a couple of the pool halls, laze around the Duck Pond in the summer.
I returned here due to my incredibly fond memories of my home and the energy of this space. But I must confess, Albuquerque is not the same place it used to be.
And it certainly isn't a friendly place for the homeless and indigent. I know. I've been there. I was one of those "dangerous homeless" individuals who, if certain bills are passed, may very well end up homeless again only one year later.
And while some may not like what the word "homeless" represents, it is time to face facts. The stigma it represents simply isn't true. It is time to grow up and shift your paradigm. In this day and age, in these economic times, most of us are one paycheck or one illness... hell, one-bad-relationship-gone-wrong... away from being homeless, so seriously... wake up, take off your rose colored glasses, and see what is happening in the world around you!
If you want to tell Occupy Wall Street and anyone affiliated with the Sister Movements, anyone who is homeless or on the brink of homelessness, to shut up and go out and get a job, you best make sure everything within your own life is completely and totally in order before judging and throwing stones.
You never know. You may be the next one to end up on "skid row" with kind protesters giving you a sandwich to feed your hungry belly for the day as you wait for "Healthcare for the Homeless" to open their doors at 1pm so you can get that toothache of yours checked out.