And we on the West Coast are damn proud to have them!
Occupiers in Texas plan to shut down the Port of Houston in solidarity with the December 12th West Coast Port Shut Down.
Welcome Houston to the West Coast!
Many people thought weather or militarized responses by city governments would crush OWS. When it happened here, many also thought that spelled the end of OWS in Oakland. Then when it didn't, many still thought the General Strike that Oakland declared for Nov 2 wouldn't happen. Many thought the idea of closing down the port was too ambitious, that only a few would support it, or that it somehow represented some type of deviation that would destroy OO. They were wrong. They were wrong on all accounts. 10s Of 1000s showed up to support OWS (20,000-65,000?) & crossed the bridge (as shown in the video below) between what was considered possible & what was thought impossible.
December 12 will be like & more. When the Oakland city government decided yet again to use violence to close our camp, Occupied Oakland responded by putting out a call to shut down the West Coast Ports of the US.
That's just crazy. That can't happen. Except...it is happening. That & more. Just ask Texas, Colorado & Utah.
Occupy Oakland's call now joined by-
There's a time to humbly refrain from participating. There's a time to participate with humility...and even with self-doubt. Then there's also times when we should act with neither humility nor self-doubt, but with the courage of our convictions.
If you haven't found that moment yet, I hope you find it on December 12.
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"We’re shutting down these ports because of the union busting and attacks on the working class by the 1%: the firing of Port truckers organizing at SSA terminals in LA; the attempt to rupture ILWU union jurisdiction in Longview, WA by EGT. EGT includes Bunge LTD, a company which reported 2.5 billion dollars in profit last year and has economically devastated poor people in Argentina and Brazil. SSA is responsible for inhumane working conditions and gross exploitation of port truckers and is owned by Goldman Sachs. EGT and Goldman Sachs is Wallstreet on the Waterfront” stated Barucha Peller of the West Coast Port Blockade Assembly of Occupy Oakland.
“We are also striking back against the nationally’ coordinated attack on the Occupy movement. In response to the police violence and camp evictions against the Occupy movement- This is our coordinated response against the 1%. On December 12th we will show are collective power through pinpointed economic blockade of the 1%.”
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From occupations of private/public spaces, to defense of foreclosed homes, to general strikes, to a shutdown of an entire coast, OWS is growing larger & more impossible to ignore.
If you're still keeping your powder dry...for what? If not now, then when? Will there ever really be a more perfect time to lend a hand? Do you want to find yourself feeling bad in ten years time that you did nothing now...that you thought there would be plenty more chances to fix things later...with a more pristine movement and without the rough edges of this one? How can there be if you don't step up now?
If you haven't yet, grab a shovel & pitch in below with those on board already for December 12-
Occupy 805
Occupy Anchorage
Occupy Austin
Occupy Berkeley
Occupy Dallas
Occupy Denver
Occupy Houston
Occupy Humboldt
Occupy Long Beach
Occupy Los Angeles
Occupy Merced
Occupy Oakland
Occupy Oxnard
Occupy Portland
Occupy Sacramento
Occupy Salt Lake City
Occupy San Diego
Occupy San Francisco
Occupy Santa Barbara
Occupy Seattle
Occupy Tacoma
Occupy Vancouver, BC
Occupy Wall Street