I am beginning to work on this idea floated in a reply to the police in Denver continued use of heavy-handed to brutal tactics in disrupting peaceful, non-violent exercise of free speech and lawful assembly. Namely begin a call for boycotting cities using such tactics as those here in Colorado and especially Oakland, Chicago, Portland, St. Louis and Atlanta just to name a few.
Boycotting, especially the area of tourism and conventions is a big deal where all cities seek and rely upon outsider money for the local economy and particularly tax revenue. It is direct action and it is pointed right at pressure points of those who are making decisions regarding the use of force and violence onto their citizens. In Denver's case, (Denver's The Convention & Visitors Bureau) they had over 12.7 million overnight visitors in 2010 and a 2003 report states that the tourism and convention industry pumped $3B into the local economy. Denver boasted a 5% increase in 2010 from 2009 up from 12.1 million visitors an increase of $200,000
If an Occupy movement could effect that annual income to drop 5% or 600,000 or so overnight stays or $200,000 or more it would have an effect. How about $40-$100 million dollars. Short history lesson, back in 1992, the state of Colorado was invaded by the right-wing evangelical movement that got on the ballot a state referrendum constitutional amendment discriminating against the GLBT community. The BLOWBACK was the GLBT launched a boycott and soon the effect was that annually the state was bleeding $40 million in tourism dollars. (GLBTQ social issues link)
Estimates varied on how much the boycott cost Colorado. State tourism officials acknowledged a loss of some forty million dollars in convention and tourism business, while boycott organizers put the figure in excess of one hundred million dollars.
What I am proposing on the heal of "bank transfer day" is to start identifying rogue cities like Denver and Oakland and spotlight them by calling out a boycott. Some may say that Oakland does not have a tourist industry but it does and it has been recovering from 2009 with the 3rd highest increase in the Sonoma Area. Further it is the primary hotel feeder to San Francisco. But more importantly is the use of other cities and counties police where the entire Bay Area could be targeted. This is big bucks, and it is sustainable and long-term.
I would like your thoughts on this: