Occupy Central Vermont

Minutes: Occupy Central Vermont – 10/6/2012

Present: Sue, Jay, John, Margaret, Marie, Dell, David K, Bear, Mitch, Brian T. Schuyler

Speaking Facilitator: John; Notes: Dell; Stack: Margaret

Reports Back: 

Sept.-17 in Montpelier:  12-1 at State House leafleting re: What Has Occupy Accomplished? (Jay and Heather) March to P.O.: People’s Mic; marched to Guerrilla Park (photo in Times Argus)

Sept.-17 in NYC: Marie with 40 Vermonters; “madness” with police presence blocking civil disobedience actions; 2 Vermonters arrested; worthwhile, peaceful.  Future possible Vermont actions: picketing Walmarts; bank focus.  (Marie gave a full report with slide show at Bagitos after tabling at Farmer’s Market).

Farmer’s Market (Sue): tabling, leafleting 3 or 4 times, with Keith McHenry (Food, Not Bombs) who had a meeting in Montpelier (interest among NECI students).  Satisfying—receptivity.

Film at Marshfield Library (Jay and Sue): Rise Like Lions (origins, early days of Occupy)—8-10 people

Financial Report (Sue):  $48.68 = current balance, mostly from donations at Farmer’s Market.  What do we want to do with this?  More 99% buttons: agreed.

Planning for future events:

            Occupy Hardwick:  pop-up (Sue) at Peace Park and “Footbridge Park”, either side of Hardwick Gazette.  Noon to 5 p.m..  Poster made and distributed, Nancy disseminate info in Hardwick.  Noon to 1: food giveaway, people’s mic (David); 1-3:15: concurrent workshops in two locations; 3:15-5 p.m.: G.A. to include an opportunity to pull together a discussion from workshops.   Needs: everyone bring food to give away; second banner/sign (Marie); folding tables (Dell, Sue); chairs; canopies (Dell, Heather?); 2 copies of schedule (Dell); garbage bags (Dell); rides (Margaret)

Info re: email lists: 1. “Discussion”: we can all post to it, for news, etc; 2. Old DAWG list: people who have been active; 3. OCV Core (old Basic Needs WG): 8-10 people who are most active now, for internal business; “G.A. Announce”: everybody who has ever signed up for anything—limited posts.  Brian will post Hardwick announcement.

People’s Café (David): October 25, 6-8 p.m. at Bagitos; Margaret will create poster; Entertainment: David as MC; music (Josh?); readings; Suggested topics:  alternative economics; direct versus representational democracy; the earth charter.  Sue would like two topics each time (one philosophical, one practical).  Margaret and David will create a sub-group to plan format

What is a Movement? (Margaret):  create an opportunity for dialogue re: movements, a public forum 12/8/12, Saturday, 3-5 @K-H Library, E. Mont. room– with video, short presentations from individuals re: different movements they have experienced (environmental–Brian; women’s–Margaret; civil rights—Sue; anti-war, peace (Jay, Joseph?); gay rights (Marie); Native rights (Bear); veterans?  Anti-nuke?   Plus: small group discussions (Roots of modern-day movements?  How can all our movements move together?)

Discussion: 

interoccupy.org—discussion around nationwide activities

Bear: Abenaki Issues:  frustration with Occupy (people get sick of arguing in activist groups); “co-occupy” perhaps; we need to find a way to cooperate, act together; Occupy wants fairness; Keep an awareness of Abenaki foundation here (Mississquoi, not “Vermont”).

Comments:

bring people together to find commonalities, possibly through book group(s)

I  hear there’s a lesson to be learned here from Native peoples.

99% means diverse voices within, hopefully we’ll hear from all

our symbol, Statue of Liberty, for Native Americans is symbol of destruction

Occupy procedures are intended to give equal voice to everybody

a lot of apathetic people at National Life; some 1% like Ben and Jerry’s can be brought in

ORCA media: can we use this resource?

Jay: “Debt Campaign”—article by David Graeber, author of recent book on the history of Debt (Brian will send out)

Announcements: 

• Two performances by Dave Rovics: E. Thetford harvest festival Sunday, and Thursday (10/11) WGDR studio @7:30 or 8
• Launch of Bill McKibben’s Road Show with Anais Mitchell, Saturday (10/13) at UVM chapel

Rally at Statehouse: anti-nuke, to show support for Public Service Board: late November