Facilitated by John Brennan – using “round-robin method”, no stack keeper was needed.
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Dec 31st: World Protest Day
Lets Caravan to SB for their event – postings on FB to determine where and time. **too last minute for details today dec 31st)…its on FB…contact me asap if you want more info.
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Occupy Local Education
(Kathy Johnson is contact)
Jan 10th – public meeting (location to be announced – probably School District Offices just off Santa Rose Rd. in Camarillo)
Jan 17th is the “vote” on the new budget – which is horrendous – slashes everything – art, almost all computers, the list is long. The Community College District is $31 Million in debt There is an emergency fund of $13 Million (13%) not being considered, even though the State only requires 3% emergency fund. If this isn’t an emergency, what is?
Nothing in the “Administration” budget has been disclosed – any cuts there? We need to demand disclosure. No budget comparisons from prior years are being disclosed either. One of the Chancellors has hired a “buddy” to consult on finding a replacement, since he is retiring. Conflict of interest? There are 3 Administrators that can rotate as Chancellor’s instead of hiring a new Chancellor – who makes $300,000 or more a year.
There has been little public debate on these horrendous cuts to college classes.
LETS OCCUPY THESE MEETINGS!
Kathy has more info on details – she is not on FB so I / We should help her get the word out.
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Forming a Local Cooperative
(Kendra G.)
Kendra gave a brief overview of what a Cooperative is. Proposed we form an umbrella cooperative for:
A Green Business Collective, and
Mobile Local Organic Food (RV that rotates to different neighborhoods)
A Foreclosure & Civil Rights Legal Collective
An Occupy Local Radio Station
A Zero-Carbon High-School (Ventura High Pilot Program?)
Kendra, Theresa, and Eileen (and others) will be researching formation and business plan ideas
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Foreclosure Action(s)
Many of us are interested in this, as is the rest of the Movement!
Grant has a real estate connection to give us info on upcoming local foreclosures. Use mediation, negotiation, and legal methods first – civil disobedience & occupying homes as last measures
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Lobby Congress on Move To Amend Campaign
(Dug Johannes)
Dug plans to contact every Congress Person – each district – as to their position. Clarity on TWO levels to this campaign:
1) Reversing Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United v. FEC
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 08-205 (2010), 558 U.S. ––––, 130 S.Ct. 876 (2010), was a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that the First Amendmentprohibits government from censoring political broadcasts in candidate elections when those broadcasts are funded by corporations or unions. The 5–4 decision originated in a dispute over whether the non-profit corporation Citizens United could air a film critical of Hillary Clinton, and whether the group could advertise the film in broadcast ads featuring Clinton’s image, in apparent violation of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, commonly known as the McCain–Feingold Act in reference to its primary Senate sponsors.[2]
2) Move to Amend is: “revoking corporate personhood all-together”. www.movetoamend.org
*More information about Occupy Ojai Event January 21 centered around this here: https://occupyventura805.wordpress.com/2011/12/28/january-21-national-day-of-action-against-corporate-impostors/?preview=true&preview_id=1512&preview_nonce=dd7acd9034
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FEB 5TH – SAVE THE DATE! 3pm
David Cobb, co-founder of Move to Amend will be presenting at the Citizens for Peaceful Resolution monthly meeting. (www.c-p-r.net)
EP Foster Library – Topping Room – downtown Ventura at 3pm.
David is an amazing speaker, very passionate and knowledgeable about the history of corporations and what to do now.
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Jan 17th – Convergence on Washington
A National Call to Action – send a “delegate from Ventura? Dug may consider it. Or, do an Action in Solidarity at the Federal Reserve “branch” in Los Angeles?
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Internal Communication
(Kendra)
Due to so many choices – Google, Yahoo groups, etc…and too many different email groups, lets work on streamlining at least our internal email database. Instead of corporate venues like Google or Yahoo, (where privacy and data-mining by corporations and the government is an issue), Kendra suggested Riseup.net. They’ve been “occupying” the on-line communication world for a long-time, want to protect civil discourse from being hijacked / marketed to / spied on. These are data-savvy activists who ARE the Occupy Movement in every way. They have over 1500 activist groups in their collective. They will ask for a donation about 2 or 3 times a year, very low key, very non-intrusive….this is a non-profit collective / cooperative.
Kendra to create an Occupy Ventura email Riseup listserve (has used for Green Party for years), and send an subscribe link to everyone. When ones posts an email, it goes to everyone who is subscribed just like Google, except it really is private – many “firewalls”.
The only moderation by the list admin (can be Kendra and whomever wants to volunteer) would be to delete posts from “non-subscribed” (which does happen..cannot be helped but you won’t see those) and to ask that any “heated exchanges” be taken off the main listserve for a separate thread. Other than that, this will be a completely unrestricted means of communication for all of us – no censorship unless you become abusive, and we’ll ask the group.
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Recap of Port Shut-Down Action
Around 100 people early in the a.m…some came from as far as Fresno, and other central coast locations Quite “celebratory”…no heated exchanges with police or detractors – very positive day all in all Grant had a nice discussion with P.Hueneme Chief of Police who said they are supportive. Generally the group prefers to do diplomatic outreach with any “authorities” first, but some concern to be careful on thinking the police will always behave well.
Suggestions:
Don’t split in to different groups (some were on one corner, some closer to gate, some at the Harbor District offices). Need to stay together, move together…show our numbers…show solidarity
Clarify of Mission is key for future actions – decide ahead of time exactly what the purpose is and procedures while in the Action.
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NEXT GA(s):
We need to share our “best nights” to gather. Tuesdays have worked for some but not all. Do we rotate?
Or, does that create inconsistency?
Shall we try for Wednesdays to enable potential of having the large community room if Moses can work that out?
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THE REGIONAL OCCUPY805 GROUP MEETS EVERY 1ST TUESDAY
NEXT MEETING: JAN 3RD
More information: https://occupyventura805.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/regional-ga-tuesday-jan-3/
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THIS JUST IN: Anonymous has sent a Call to Action for Tuesday, Jan 3rd to protest The National Defense Authority Acts Sections 1031 / 1032 “indefinite detention” without legal recourse of U.S. Citizens….”who have committed a belligerent act”….(amongst other language that shreds the Bill of Rights)
Kendra has created a local Call to Action for Tuesday, Jan3rd
to meet at NOON at the Ventura County Government Center/Telephone & Victoria to protest.
Til 1:30 or so, caravan to Camarillo?
Then Oxnard for the Regional Occupy805 at 8:15?
Have created a FB Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/335675519795253/
Please respond to this with any additional info., ideas….its going to Teri Hitt for the WordPress site (thanks Teri) and to as many Occupy email addresses I can find – but lets transfer over to RiseUp. (www.riseup.net)
The Riseup Listserve link will be forthcoming…thanks for your patience!
Lets make 2012 the year of the “Great Shift”!!
Kendra Gonzales
Occupy Ventura 