Unlike many of the cities that are now occupied, the Occupation of the Capital City of California has but one demand.
We are demanding that the City Council of Sacramento stop the continuing arrests of those citizens that decide to exercise their First Amendment Rights after 11:00 pm. Once this demand has been met, we'll talk about the rest.
The City Manager of Sacramento has so far refused to apply the exception to a law that was never enforced before our occupation - the prevention of homeless encampments.
In our General Assembly, we have repeatedly agreed that this law is (1) unconstitutional, and (2) is being applied fashion that it was not created for. This law, however, does contain a stipulation that the City Manager can make an exception for "an event". And what an event it is turning out to be. The City Council gives direction to the City Manager. Each Friday, the City Council decides what its agenda will be for the following Tuesday. Well, we weren't on the agenda. But, at the beginning of each of these (live-streamed) meetings, there is a comment period for citizens of Sacramento to speak their peace in front of the City Council. So, off we went to City Hall (across the street). I was not one of those citizens that went into the council chambers, but had a very clear view of the proceedings. The City Council members are not allowed (by law) to speak when citizens are speaking (for half an hour, 2-minutes to each citizen). Of the 18 people that spoke, 15 of them were of our number. Since it was being live-streamed, we could hear what was going on. The People spoke, and they spoke eloquently, and articulately, and they were strong in their demands to exercise their First Amendment Rights.
The City Council is at this very moment, still carrying on business, so I don't have the live-stream video to put here. But, I can link to the page on which it will be located here.
As a matter of fact if you are fast, you can still see the meeting going on. Some members of Occupy Sacramento are waiting until the end of the meeting because those that signed the list to speak, who didn't have time to within the 30 minute limit, can and will be heard at that point.
Yesterday, one of the City Council members, Steve Cohn came over to the occupation and spoke with us pleasantly. We are gaining ground. Once we have established that we are within our rights as Citizens of Sacramento, California, United States of America to peaceably assemble to petition our government for a redress of our grievances.
I know how to put photos up now, but am just beat. I have to #occupycubicle, and then #occupydogfooddish at #occupyhome. Next diary I suppose. I have been to the occupation pretty much every day since it started, but I have a job to do, so I do both, and it is tiring, and my Wife has to feed the doggie in the evening. BUT, I am still of the opinion that this is momentously important, so I show up and participate in our new found Direct Democracy. BTW - Jethro has been out of the jail for several days now, and appears to be just as positive and excited as the rest of us. He knows that we know that he is a hero to us, as are all of the other brave souls that basically asked to be arrested.
We in Sacramento have been repeatedly ridiculed by the same old crap - "they don't know why they are there", "they are confused". I suppose if that were actually true, we wouldn't have six TV station media vans following us everywhere we go.
I sat down and had a conversation outside City Hall with the Sergeant of the SAC PD that works with us. I was explaining to the officers what the "People's Mic" is. They had a hard time understanding, so I whipped out my corporate made smart phone, opened up YouTube, and showed them the recent event in which Congressman John Lewis was denied immediate attention from Occupy Atlanta. They kept saying, "wow". I don't know what is wrong with the PD in Boston, New York, Seattle, Atlanta, etc., but the cops here are totally cool. We get along great. The sergeant and I even agreed that the arrests were symbolic, and a means to an end (the recognition that we have the right to assemble, where and when we need to as Americans).
For gosh's sake, it's CESAR CHAVEZ PARK!!! A HERO to the underclasses and the United Farm Workers. A true revolutionary if there ever was one.
And, tomorrow there will be a Farmer's Market at the park, as there is every few weeks or month (I forget how often). We had heard nothing from the farmers until just recently. They are also cool with us being there, and only asked that we move our truck full of stuff to a specific space during the market.
This combination of Occupy Sacramento and a Farmer's Market will give everyone downtown a perfect excuse to gawk at Occupy Sacramento, without giving themselves away as revolutionary marxist anarchist, Muslim loving, communist, Nazi-hippies.
This, in turn will give them an opportunity to see that we are not what the idiots on the web are portraying us as. We're just People. 1-2 actual "hippies" (but we just call them Dead Heads). The rest are as apple pie as anyone else. I have been very offended by the people posting the DFH stuff, but as Gandhi said, "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win". Sounds like we are beginning to leave the ridicule phase in several cities. The only way we were identifiable in the City Council meeting is because everyone signaled their agreement with UpSparkles (hand(s) raised, fingers wiggling). Otherwise, everyone looked like your average citizen.
Signing off for tonight. More later.
-The Evolutionary