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Acknowledging the General Assembly agreed to continue to hold Main Street and that those arrested were arrested while attempting to uphold our agreement, we affirm:
The charges against these individuals are charges against us all, and we are in solidarity with them. We call for any and all charges against them to be dropped.
We further agree that all agreements taken by the general assembly express explicit methods of implementation and / or action.
Whatever. If the street is blocked again I’ll stop helping you, sticking up for you in front of critics, and listening to your message.
The road belongs to the 99%. Not a handful of anarchists. If you keep it closed, Portland will disrespect you and I will be among them because this is my home and you don’t get to punish me for agreeing with you by getting in my way. I consider that behavior abusive.
I’m with Catharticus on this one. What’s to be gained from making life harder on everyday 99 percenters who just want to use main street?
Blocking this road alienates your potential allies.
There is a place for civil disobedience, like when civil rights activists broke segregation laws in the 1960′s, to demonstrate how wrong those laws were. The key is that the laws they broke were bad laws and the publicity they got over the incidents galvanized many members of the public to support their cause.
One last thing, wouldn’t traffic through the parks be good for the cause? Many more drivers and bus commuters could see the signs and the protestors.
Many of us inside the camp agree with you. The General Assembly only represents people who have 5 hours a day to debate statements of principle while they eat food that others have prepared, allow others to pick up their garbage, sleep in donated tents and blankets, and depend on security provided by others.
The working class of the occupation is people who prioritize progress over talk, and for that they don’t get a voice in the assembly. I love what we’re trying to do and the wonderful people who keep the occupation running, but this is profoundly unjust.
How can GA members claim to represent the 99% when they don’t even give voice to the very people who materially provide for them in the camp? They are our politicians, interested in giving speeches, telling others what to do, and attempting to legislate reality rather than putting in sweat and blood to create a better world.
Very well-put.
You put it better than i could have ever dreamed, Danielpdx. I represent what you said 99% if not one percent more!
@DanielPDX – Exactly!
I can’t exactly understand how this occupation that began as a show of support for Occupy Wall Street became an argument about a street. I don’t know how we are veering from what I consider a primary goal – to inform and GROW the protest. However, one aspect of ‘victory’ – if you will – is that the battle gets very, very dicey before victory can be claimed. Often the diciness is that all ‘warriors’ must face themselves, their intentions, what they will hold to no matter what. Because we seem to be at that juncture in downtown pdx, energy is very complex and erratic. We must NOT drift away thinking that erroneous intention is the rule, mustn’t drop out thinking that, because many people want the occupation to be about a street or about general authority or about consensus or about drugs and booze. The job of folks who are 99% and do not want distraction from the primary cause is to get their feet wet, get into the on site dialogue and do everything they can to keep things on topic by bringing focus, peace and clear intention to the environment. To back away is an agreement that this movement is not essential, and 99%ers KNOW it is.
This is a disgrace to the Occupy movement and your actions are not only losing public support but also internal support. The Mayor and Police have been nothing but helpful and encouraging during this entire event. Instead of being conscious citizens – you’re continuing to be nothing but selfish.
Why don’t we be considerate people and take actions that will lead to the expansion of our movement – for right now – things are contracting.
@Trevor – I agree. I have been visiting camp daily (was bring food and supplies until Thursday), but am starting to believe that the camp’s sole agenda is to continue camping. If this failure to declare what their goals are continues, I will move my support elsewhere in order to address some actual causes. I.e. universal healthcare, among others. By now, I think that Occupy Portland has made it’s point, and that all the campers can go home, in order to march another day. Although I am heartened to see that they have FINALLY decided to march again, and will be in attendance, I am quickly losing patience with the GA process, and the lack of any forward movement that only involves camp-related topics.
I agree.. This is a ridiculous decision based off of what? Solidarity to those that undermine the core values of the protest.. protecting the 99%. Go block a parking garage of a bank.. not the fellow 99%. I have been nothing but supportive and defensive of this movement but I find it hard to defend this action and probably wont. I will continue to support OccupyWallst as they have their shit together.. Good luck ..
Occupy Portland continues to be bogged down in their “process” instead of acknowledging that the decision of October 12′s GA was a failed and broken “consensus”. I am very saddened that after the repercussions of these actions took place, the group continues on in the same direction.
Occupy Portland: You could have saved yourselves from shame and saved your message and retained those you had pushed away in the midst of a ridiculous, flaccid, and useless action.
The General Assembly should have apologized to Occupy Wall Street and the rest of the 99% today, acknowledged that it had also misled some of its participants into taking an action that did not have full support of the occupation, and then corrected its decision to hold Main Street against – not the powers of corporations or big banks – not against the 1% – but against all of us, whether we be rich or poor, whether we work or are unemployed, whether we occupy the park where the encampment is or live around town.
Occupy Portland has failed its people and continues in this course of action, hiding sadly behind its broken “process” which only serves to come up with flawed decisions and incorrect representation.
You are acting like the systems we are fighting. Wake up Occupy Portland!
If you continue to behave this way, any of those who had seen the light here will either be pushed back into isolation or will go to support those elsewhere.
As for me, I will be on Wall Street with those you have chosen, so sadly, to shut up in your assemblies.
I was disappointed to see Main St. open as I rode the line 14 TriMet bus through at 10:00 p.m. tonight. However, I am proud of the assembly voting to continue occupation of it sans the forceful opening by non-occupation authority.
My heart goes out to those arrested, it truly does. For all who are doing their part in occupying the blocks, please don’t leave. You are our symbol and icon of the movement. If I could afford to, I would be right there with you!! Thanks go to all of you for your support, you make the sun shine in this dark time. <3
Thank you for writing this, it means more than you realize.
I think it would be great if the media team could post “The charges against these individuals are charges against us all, and we are in solidarity with them.” on twitter where there was a lot of negative sentiment posted about the individuals arrested earlier. Thanks for doing the right thing in standing next to those who stood up for the GAs decision, regardess of anyones personal take on the matter. Solidarity is the way forward!
I think it’d be great if the moderators of this website which I helped get off the ground would stop preventing my post from going up and deleting my treads in the forum.
Hey man, Josh here. I’m not sure who is deleting your forum threads… I’ll see if I can get to the bottom of it. It may be an accident as we’re working to move over to a phpbb forum. Either way, I’ll look into it.
The GA decided to occupy Main Street last week. The GA settled on a modified (90%) consensus process last week. The GA, using that consensus process, did not decide to reopen Main Street. While a majority did want to open Main Street, the GA did not decide to open Main Street, so the original decision stood.
The consensus process is open to modification. If you don’t like it, submit a proposal to change it. Better still, educate yourselves and others as to how the consensus process works. It’s about trusting the group, and learning to step aside when your opposition to the group’s feeling is not worth fragmenting the decision. State your objection, and trust that the group can now make an informed decision, and move on.
Please don’t confuse your anger at the process with your anger at those with whom you disagree. We’re all on the same page, but have different strategic ideas.
Now Main Street is open, and we can move on to issues and actions that are better targeted to achieve our goals.
This is inaccurate. The decision about the street was addressed at two separate GAs. At the first GA, no consensus or agreement was reached and it was decided to discuss it again at the next GA. At the second GA, after full discussion of two proposals, one to mostly open the street and one to mostly close the street, there was 90% agreement achieved on one of the proposals: the one to mostly close the street, but open it to bicycles, ambulance and fire vehicles, and the march on Saturday. Please try to be accurate.
@Danielpdx: This is a huge issue that I heard brought up at the GA. It was shut down because “we did not have the time” for it. Taking 4 hours to bitch back and forth at one another is fine, but figuring out the logistics of making sure our own “working class” members can be heard is too much of a hassle.
@Ne2man: This is why I will be going to Wall Street – to have eyes to see and ears to hear to hopefully find some way to bring PDX back to the movement. I fear it useless at this point since I witnessed a member of OWS who felt personally obligated to call at 1 in the morning NYC time to converse with us being shunned by the GA on the night of October 12 – but I will still carry the hope that we can learn and grow and return to the right spirit of this occupation. If we don’t carry hope in the hardest of times, we are bound to fail. I hope any and all who still stay in the occupation right now will speak out for mending our process, including the working voices, and returning to the purpose of this occupation: to fight corporate greed and big banks in this country and to work for a more direct democracy that helps us in not just having individual voices heard – but gears us toward thinking together as one and discovering what is best for the group as a whole, not just each autonomous opinion.
Funny to see all of the do nothings complaining about some people occupying a street which served as a main thoroughfare between camps. The necessity of safe travel between camps trumps the inconvenience of a detour. If the 99% is made up of people that think change comes from not rocking the boat, from not demanding access without permission from power structures, from only doing as deemed fit by those that serve the interests of the very “1%” they claim to be challenging then perhaps this “occupation” is a sham. Change wont come from a bunch of fickle sycophants… the upper 30% of the 99% need a swift kick in the pants, or perhaps this protest should become the 69% percent that are tired of doing all the work and hearing about how the middle-class is being alienated.
I have to wonder how a protest, which we have seen and should expect to come to violence from the powers, can be said to be concerned about the safety of its members when it blatantly fails to address the fact that the action they are choosing to take to “protect their safety” will result in their arrest.
I also have to wonder where the 90% of the camp was when 9 people got arrested for holding down the street. If you made that decision, why weren’t *you* in the street being arrested? Where were all the parents of the children whose safety is was so imperative to protect?
And lastly, I have to wonder how it suddenly became unnecessary that children should know how to cross a street at crosswalks with marked lights? Can we throw out city infrastructure simply because we set up camp? Are we trying to abolish the everyday operations of a city or are we fighting the corporations and banks?
I was all for this movement till I saw how occupy has destroyed a very historical and beautiful park. I was born and raised in Portland and it has hurt me so much inside to see what is happening to our beautiful City Hall. I hope now that you guys have raised over $150k in donations start looking for a building to occupy and learn to organize your “protest” in a more organized manner. I am not understanding how camping with a bunch of signs is gonna change anything, especially these days. Instead of destroying a beautiful park, it would be nice to see legitimate actions like become a Portlander and get into city counsel, run for mayor or something. Another thing that is sad is when Occupy eventually will leave, our winters are pretty harsh here, the hard working tax payers of Multnomah county get to pay for the destruction of that historical park.This city is so beautiful during the holiday season. Really wished you guys speaking for the 99% would get it together.
Waterfront Park gets trashed on a regular and permitted basis by all sorts of festivals, often with beer gardens and the associated drunks, but you’re not complaining about that. Sure, it’s not “historical”, but really, I’m pretty sure everything in Chapman can be replanted and restored just fine.
You are totally right, I still feel OP needs to get better organized though and find a different approach. I was just voicing my opinion and feelings in regards to camping in the park since I am part of the 99%. Single mother of two working full-time, paying for her children’s schooling, yet makes too much in salary I don’t qualify for any assisted medical so I have to pay out of pocket for my children’s vaccines and the insurance through my work is too expensive.Not to mention the school loans I still have due to stupid interest rates so I can do what I am passionate about for a living. To take out my frustrations I do online activism for endangered animals. Writing to leaders. It is just a favorite park of mine when I take my children to Preschool. It was a hang out for us. That’s all.Sorry if I offended anybody.
Here, here. Well said PDXMomma. In fact Occupy Portland only represents the 99% and they are doing it poorly .. Peaceful Responsible Direction is needed.
11 people made the national news by sitting-in at a Wells Fargo bank in SF. If Occupy Portland were smart, it would send small wave after wave of people to do the same here. Blocking Main Street didn’t make any sense; it had no relation to the cause (such as it is).
I agree with the anger of the OP group and even I am starting to think the two park blocks look more like homeless camps rather than a protest movement. You all need to agree on a consistent, focused message, and even something as simple as a color to brand yourselves would help (look up “Color revolution” on wiki). Seriously. Bank fraud — and subsequent lack of criminal convictions and regulations of same — caused this recession; that should be your target.
To move forward, we have to have a way to talk with one another, and to make decisions. We have accepted the general assembly as our group decision making body, and we have decided on process for the assembly– all within a week. We are learning the process together. If you have ideas to better the process, please bring them forward.
In the meantime, we have to support the actions of the general assembly. We have to practice solidarity, or we lose our strength.
The occupiers arrested yesterday morning will be arraigned today, Friday, Oct. 14th, at 2 pm, at the Justice Center, at 1120 Southwest 3rd Avenue, Portland, OR — court room 4. Time to practice solidarity. Show up to support them– they were acting in solidarity with the general assembly. Spread the word, please!
I DO NOT stand in solidarity with those arrested in the street. The action taken by those eight and the failure of the general assembly to denounce their actions has caused the general public to abandon all support of occupy Portland. Every single person I have talked to around town now wants the movement to end and for everyone to be removed from the park. Why was main street blocked when it is a main route used by the working poor? Why not occupy the Wells Fargo HQ two blocks away? The action of the group outside the detention center further alienated any last support. This action has lost us the support of the general public and therefor we have no right to say we represent the 99%. We in fact have made it hard for them to work, just like those we’re fighting against. Pats on the back all around.
I totally agree that continued disruption to the bus lines used by Portland workers and others of the 99% is simply wrong. Blocking the street does nothing to further “the cause” and, as PJ says, distances the less-active supporters of the occupation.
I have not had PJ’s experience of hearing that people want the occupation to end but this severely dampens the pride I have had in the Portland movement (which I have proclaimed “loudly” and consistently whenever I’ve seen the opportunity to do so), especially by comparison to the problems experienced by occupiers in other cities.
It is the Portland occupiers’ prior willingness to work with the city (which has certainly worked with the occupiers!) to resolve actual and potential conflicts that has set it apart and provided such an excellent example of how protesters and authority figures can work together. Please don’t blow it now.
I strongly urge the General Assembly — and all the occupiers — to seriously rethink this. Thanks.
Yes, a few Anarchists have ruined it for all. It is very sad indeed. Now we have Anarchists Preaching Anarchy before the G.A.? Anarchy is not the answer and if you read the Anarchists handbook it is even stated that this world is not ready for Anarchy. This Anarchy movement has an agenda that is not in line with the 99% nor is it in alinement with Peace. Anarchy is alined with service to self in this instance, not in service to others. Proud of Sam Adams however for giving this a chance, doubtful he will consider that again, now that Occupy Portland has spit in his face.
Let it also be noted that a small percentage of radicals holding the majority hostage with legislation is exactly what conservatives do in congress. Congratulations, we have become that which we oppose.
Consensus and direct democracy is a steep learning curve. We’re evolving. Meanwhile, those who declined to participate in this process should do some soul searching about respecting the outcome. In other Occupations all around the country, when we are arrested in nonviolent sit-ins and marches and acts of civil disobedience to disrupt business as usual, fellow occupiers shout out support and chastise the police. I embarrassed that here in Portland, many occupiers instead called in the police — who were more reluctant to make arrests than some of the so-called occupiers sitting at home in their armchairs. Solidarity requires a degree of sacrifice on everyone’s part.
I completely support those that got arrested to attempting to uphold the decision of the GA. I am in solidarity with them! The decision making process is important and I respect that process.
Also, there were three things passed last night, to my understanding:
1. This statement of solidarity AND that each proposal that passes must have an implementation component included.
2. That OP supports the Oct 15th Anti-war march for the 10 year anniversary of the Afghanistan occupation, and that we will have a feeder march to go join that march.
3. That each week OP will have a standing march/action on Saturday. The details of that march/action will be discussed at the preceding Tues GA. We will have a standard meeting time and location for the Saturday March.
Well I find it amusing that so many people who are supposedly supporters are up in arms that a movement aiming to occupy something occupied something. Just can’t stop laughing about that. Anyhow I am one who is glad that you all are down there, if I didn’t have to make ends meet myself I’d be down there hoping to help occupy a street, a park, a bank, a jail cell, whatever space people want to take is theirs to have.
So big thanks, and I hope that you retake main and take 3rd and 4th while you’re at it!
And to all the, or is it just a couple reposting in support of themselves? supposed supporters that have been mysteriously loosing support over miniscule things all I can say is all those good people down there DON’T NEED YOU! There is a saying that goes “with friends like these who needs enemies”, well I think that they were all enemies to begin with an just came out to the internet to bother you all, but either way KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!.
Also 100% Support from one of the many middle-class 99%ers who just came to say thanks after I heard about the arrests! There’s more of us out there than the internet would have you believe.
I was a kid in the 60′s and I lived in communes and other communal living arrangements. Many of the “grown ups” sounded like what I’m hearing here. There were many people willing to work hard, idealistic goals with respect for others. But some “leaders” got in the way. Sounds like the GA doesn’t represent the people in it’s very own midst, let alone the 99%. (I’m not down there right now, so I don’t know, but that’s what it sounds like). You notice most of the communes don’t exist anymore? People walked away. I hope we have evolved enough to work through this. Dig deep. Please check if your ego is interfering with your goal of representing the 99%. I will be marching with you tomorrow with hope, love, gratitude,and respect for all of you in my heart.
Civil obedience is the status quo.
If there is egg on any faces, look to the chickens and their status quo beaks.