The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air.
Update: Meetup Plans for Tomorrow Diary.
I was down at #OccupyOakland again today, and it had a different feel. Sure, the tents were still there, and the shrine to Scott Olsen still had lots of candles lit. But along with the usual activities people were, well, organizing.
I saw small groups of people here and there, earnestly discussing sound systems, media, strategies and whatnot for the General Strike on Wednesday. The camp is now fully organized again, with an information booth, a library, a supply tent, first aid, a kiddies tent and more. The donations monolith is back (wish I had a picture of that!). Posters are being ink-pressed ad infinitum; strike t-shirts are being made. There is an air of purpose about Ogawa Plaza, aka Oscar Grant Park.
What might look like a motley crew, harder to herd than cats, may on Wednesday make the old adage ring true: "Impressions can be deceiving."
They have one day left to fully organize what, from what the tweets and diaries and stories are suggesting, could be the biggest event Oakland has seen in many a year. (The last General Strike this country has seen was held in Oakland in 1946, I'm told.) And they seem to be doing it. If they pull this off, a single week after #OccupyOakland was left in ruins by the Oakland police, it will surely be a tale heard round the world. If and when thousands descend on 14th and Broadway on Wednesday at 9:00 AM and the city's canyons echo with
Banks Got Bailed Out. We Got Sold Out!
it will be a sight to behold and a sound to remember.
Listen to the music of the tweets:
USGeneralStrike GeneralStrikeUSA
by occupyoakland
Where will you say you were on Nov. 2nd? On the sofa or IN THE STREETS!?! #GeneralStrike #Nov2 #2n #OO #Solidarity
alyssa011968 Alyssa
#OccupyOakland General Strike Nov 2 will be massive. Go to occupyoakland.org pic.twitter.com/rjAuoJnM
occupyoakland Occupy Oakland
#KGO just broadcasted an interview with #SEIU official "encouraging all employees to take day off" for #GeneralStrike.
alyssa011968 Alyssa
#OccupyOakland expecting massive showing Wed OEA will march from Laney college to join #OccupyOakland
BootsRiley Boots Riley
by alyssa011968
City admin DeannaSantana: "City workers who miss work2participate in OaklandGeneralStrike will not face disciplinary
alyssa011968 Alyssa
livestre.am/14rR3 via @livestream SEIU United Health Care wokrs in solidarity #OccupyOakland calling on workers not to go to work
AdamGabbatt Adam Gabbatt
by occupyoakland
Louise, from #OccupyOakland speaking. "We call for general strike around the country and around the world" #oo
PGHcamp OCCUPYPITTSBURGH
by occupyoakland
Solidarity with #OccupyOakland General Strike. March in our very own Oakland. Everyone to the streets! bit.ly/tN3fhy #OccupyPGH
OCCUPYBERKELEY #OCCUPYBERKELEY
by occupyoakland
Occupy Berkeley is mobilizing for the 5PM convergence of Occupy Oakland's General Strike and Day of Action. more info: occupyberkeley.org/oakstrike/
kateschatz kateschatz
by occupyoakland
Just found out entire school (OSA) is closed on Wed due to #OaklandGeneralStrike. Guess I don't have to find a sub now!
Will they pull it off? Come find out!
Join me and a cast of thousands on Wednesday in the center of Oakland to be part of history. Rallies begin at 9:00 AM, 12:00 noon and 5:00 PM
Whose Plaza? Our Plaza!
Whose Streets? Our Streets!
Whose City? Our City!
8:58 PM PT: Press conference detailing plans for general strike
9:06 PM PT:
OObot RT @CarolinaGriff: Atlantic City voted at tonight's GA to join Nov 2nd general city strike with #occupyoakland and #ows.
9:13 PM PT: 1946: The Oakland General Strike, by Stan Weir
9:48 PM PT: Online donations for OccupyOakland
9:54 PM PT: The moment that will go down in history.
10:08 PM PT: OaktownMike Michael Siegel
by alyssa011968@
@alyssa011968 right on the NLG is organizing LOs by the dozens
LO's are "Legal Observers". NLG = National Lawyer's Guild.
The Guild has been conducting mass defense for over half a century. The Occupy movement is spreading across the country and our membership is working hard to keep pace. Please consider supporting these efforts by making a donation. To make a tax-deductible donation, make checks payable to NLG Foundation (please write “National Office” in the memo line) and mail to National Lawyers Guild Foundation, 132 Nassau Street, #922, New York, NY 10038.
Tue Nov 01, 2011 at 8:04 AM PT:
OccupyGlobal OccupyGlobal
by occupyoakland
California College of the Arts will join us at @occupyoakland for the @USGeneralStrike! Oakland colleges unite! @OccupyColleges
7 hours ago
»
batriqa Alyssa Anderson
by occupyoakland
@occupyoakland SJSU will be showing our support #Nov2 #OccupyOakland
Tue Nov 01, 2011 at 10:51 AM PT: SEIU statement
Representing 50,000 workers, Oakland Local 1021 of the SEIU issued a statement saying the "SEIU 1021 Executive Board calls on all members of SEIU 1021 to join a day-long “Peaceful Day of Action” in support of Occupy Oakland and against the banking industry and last week’s police brutality against the Occupy Oakland encampment."
With this statement the SEIU joins Carpenters Local 713 and leading local members of the ILWU and IBU in backing the vote of the Occupy Oakland General Assembly for a general strike and mass demonstrations on November 2nd. (For more on the support of those unions read “Scott Olsen Cannot Talk, General Strike Nov. 2nd!” linked after this article)
Tue Nov 01, 2011 at 11:15 AM PT: Iraqi Veterans to March in NYC tomorrow
OccupyWallStNYC #OCCUPYWALLSTREET
Are you a veteran? 2morrow, 11am, join NYC Chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War 4 a march from Vietnam Veterans Plaza 2 #LibertySquare.
Tue Nov 01, 2011 at 12:05 PM PT:
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CITIZENS OF OAKLAND FROM THE OAKLAND POLICE OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATION
1 November 2011 – Oakland, Ca.
We represent the 645 police officers who work hard every day to protect the citizens of Oakland. We, too, are the 99% fighting for better working conditions, fair treatment and the ability to provide a living for our children and families. We are severely understaffed with many City beats remaining unprotected by police during the day and evening hours.
As your police officers, we are confused.
On Tuesday, October 25th, we were ordered by Mayor Quan to clear out the encampments at Frank Ogawa Plaza and to keep protesters out of the Plaza. We performed the job that the Mayor’s Administration asked us to do, being fully aware that past protests in Oakland have resulted in rioting, violence and destruction of property.
Then, on Wednesday, October 26th, the Mayor allowed protesters back in – to camp out at the very place they were evacuated from the day before.
To add to the confusion, the Administration issued a memo on Friday, October 28th to all City workers in support of the “Stop Work” strike scheduled for Wednesday, giving all employees, except for police officers, permission to take the day off.
That’s hundreds of City workers encouraged to take off work to participate in the protest against “the establishment.” But aren’t the Mayor and her Administration part of the establishment they are paying City employees to protest? Is it the City’s intention to have City employees on both sides of a skirmish line?
It is all very confusing to us.
Meanwhile, a message has been sent to all police officers: Everyone, including those who have the day off, must show up for work on Wednesday. This is also being paid for by Oakland taxpayers. Last week’s events alone cost Oakland taxpayers over $1 million.
The Mayor and her Administration are beefing up police presence for Wednesday’s work strike they are encouraging and even “staffing,” spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for additional police presence – at a time when the Mayor is also asking Oakland residents to vote on an $80 parcel tax to bail out the City’s failing finances.
All of these mixed messages are confusing.
We love Oakland and just want to do our jobs to protect Oakland residents. We respectfully ask the citizens of Oakland to join us in demanding that our City officials, including Mayor Quan, make sound decisions and take responsibility for these decisions. Oakland is struggling – we need real leaders NOW who will step up and lead – not send mixed messages. Thank you for listening.