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On November 13th, the City of Portland and the Portland Police carried out an eviction of Occupy Portland in the Lownsdale and Chapman Squares. As the clock struck midnight, thousands of you supported us peacefully protesting the eviction. By dawn the police requested for us to open up the streets and directed us to enter the parks that they had been trying to evict us from. We peacefully obliged, they left, and we celebrated.
Mayor Sam Adams came out and spoke to the media about the respect he wished to show Portlanders and how surprise raids were dangerous and counter-productive. Despite this, only hours later the remaining exhausted people at Occupy Portland were confronted by a disproportionately large group of riot police again attempting to carry out the eviction.
Several officers engaged in deplorable behavior completely unfitting of a public safety officer, including beating peaceful protesters with batons. Several of us were left with injuries and were treated in reprehensible ways, with our First Amendment rights being violated. Justin Bridges, a beloved member of our community and Occupy Portland’s only ASL interpreter, fell due to an pre-existing injury. Yet once he had fallen he was dragged through the mud, choked by his collar until he lost consciousness, and injured by the police until he had lost use of both legs and his right arm. He was hospitalized for these injuries and is now in a wheelchair, living with what he describes as “excruciating pain”.
Police Chief Mike Reese came out after the parks were cleared to congratulate his officers (and the protesters) for being so peaceful. The Portland Police Bureau claimed that no officers or protesters were injured, as reported in the Oregonian (the official newspaper of the Police Bureau). That is a lie.
Mike Reese, two weeks ago, announced that he was considering a run for mayor. Simultaneously, the City and the Police Bureau began publicly talking more and more about safety problems, and deliberately doing less and less to solve them. These things are not a coincidence.
Everyone in this city knows who Mike Reese is now. He was able to stand up in front of the cameras and in front of the city and declare that special kind of victory where everyone wins. That story is a fantasy, elaborately created. The truth is that his officers tried very hard to provoke us into violence, doing things as petty as sticking feet out and tripping protesters, and when we did not turn violent, some retaliated in brutal force anyways.
What happened in our city at dawn on Sunday was an incredible moral victory for our movement and a clear sign of how we as people hold the key to our peaceful future. What then happened just a few hours later made November 13th into a dark day in this city’s history, as the First Amendment rights of the peacefully assembled were violated and soiled as part of a political campaign advertisement. They were suspended for the business interests that Mr. Reese is so close with, that must be pleased if he truly wants to be elected.
Portland: this is exactly the flavor of corruption in our electoral process that we are protesting against. Yesterday our City government engaged in hostile behavior, not because the people of this city demanded it, (indeed, the enormous turn out that night speaks quite the opposite), but because the business interests of the city continue to successfully manipulate our municipality, and our representatives, in ways kept secret from the general public.
Portland is better than this. Portland is one of the most incredible places in this country, and it is not because of its amusement park, or its weather, or its well known tourist attractions. What makes this place so amazing is its people. We stop at cross-walks for pedestrians, we say hello to each other in the checkout lines, we enjoy our environment and our parks, and we sometimes are just a little bit strange.
We are better than what happened on November 13th. We are better than corrupt politicians and closed-door lobbying. We are better than asking our Police Officers to take time from protecting the public and instead asking them to infringe upon the Constitutional rights of others. We are better than expelling the public from a public place because businesses are worried about holiday shopping becoming uncomfortable. We are better than our Police Chief utilizing brutality as a campaign advertisement for his eventual run for mayor.
We all know that Portland is better than this, so let us please show the country, show the world, what kind of people we truly are. For the first time in a long time, the world watched our corner of this planet, and what they saw was a city that does not respect the free speech of its people.
We can do better, and we call on each and every human being to help us do better. Sunday, November 20th, at 3PM, come down to where this all started on October 6th: Ankeny Plaza underneath the west side of the Burnside Bridge. We will once again come out of our homes, out of our chairs, and into the streets, this time with purpose; we have now seen the corruption and the tyranny up close, in our own streets. We will instead fill our streets with the peace and love that we find so absent in those who hold positions of authority.
Join us, as you join each other. When we as Occupiers march, we often chant that “we are the 99%”. It’s true, we are the 99%, but we are not all of the 99%. You are important, and you are necessary. Your government, your city has just issued a challenge; a challenge to your rights as a citizen and as a human being, who has a birth-given right to dignity. This Sunday, come down and show them what free speech looks like, and since some of them evidently need the lesson, be sure to show them what non-violence looks like.
We all love talking about how great this city is. Portland, it is time for you to show just how great you are.
In Solidarity,
Occupy Portland
In the beginning, I was behind the Occupy concept 100%. It’s high time attention was drawn to the mess created by Wall Street, Congress, and the White House.
Unfortunately, instead of focusing on the problems that started the Occupy movement, you folks set up a camp in two public parks. By doing so, you denied the rest of the 99% public use of those parks – paid for, I might add, by the taxpayers of Portland.
Then you, and all those in the parks, trashed the very spaces paid for by the 99%. Instead of seeking an apology from Sam Adams and Mike Reese, you should, instead, be presented with the bill for cleaning up the parks. It is you who should apologize.
I am very, very disappointed in how you have let a good idea be trashed. Instead of continuing to be a thorn in the side of the rest of the 99%, how about focusing your attention where it needs to go.
If you want to accomplish something meaningful, Occupy Portland and all the other Occupy cities need to get off their collective butts and march to Washington, DC. That’s where the problem lies and that’s where you need to go.
Sitting around Portland in campsites that attracted the homeless, mentally ill, and other riffraff did not accomplish anything except lose points with those of us who supported your ideals in the first place.
Grow up and do something meaningful as discussed above and quit whining about an apology.
Disproportionate would mean more police than protesters – didn’t see that. Most injuies were self inflicted or brought on by stupidity. You do not have the “right” to break the law, block public access, interfere with emergency services and be a public nuisance. From the way most were dressed; cell phones, tatoos, jewlrey, cameras, laptops…- there’s not much poor or underserved – just angry youth facing the consequences of their poor decisions.
No words you can ever say about “self-inflicted” or “stupidity” will ever change the truth of my own experience.
Were you there? No, you weren’t.
I was, and Chuck is right.
No, you weren’t and neither was he. Words, words, words… You cannot drown out the truth with lies, no matter how many times you tell them.
Do you really think that you can change what I’ve seen with my own eyes by telling lies? Are you that neurotic and delusional?
Wait, so you’re saying that Steve is lying about being there?
Sorry to burst your delusional bubble, but I was there. I was the guy asking the roving cyclists to yield to pedestrians.
And despite some pushing, the police were no where near being “brutal”. Which, was disappointing.
That you are disappointed at the absence of brutality speaks volumes about your (total lack of) character.
Attacking your fellow 99%ers and claiming you know right and everyone else are liars isn’t doing the movement any good. Our government claims we all know nothing or know wrong too. Now unless I’m mistaken, part of the movement has been against the government and its representatives, including the police, claiming none of us know anything and are all too stupid to be trusted to tell the truth. So please explain why it’s all right for you to do what we don’t want the government to do.
Funny how the rightwingers are always the biggest crybabies while they decry what they call a culture of vicitmhood.
The only reason these two are upset is because they’re mad that they’re becoming increasingly irrelevant.
Steve – bicycles? You are not talking about the correct event. Everything was FINE during the night, with somewhere between 5000-10000 protestors, and only a few tense moments, but overall a very successful event by both protestors and police.
No, what we are discussing is the NEXT MORNING, when there were only “a few dozen” protestors left holding a GA on the corner (sidewalk) of the park, after police had ORDERED them to go back INTO the park, and spent the morning working side by side cleaning up garbage and working on removing everything from the park. Then, suddenly, without warning, police decided the parks were closed, and used brutal force to make it happen, injuring quite a few of the remaining PEACEFUL NON AGGRESSIVE protestors. Police even gave conflicting orders, saying that the park was closed and to move onto the sidewalk (where all the protestors were),then police pushed them into the streets, and then told them to get on the sidewalk again, then kettled them between two concrete buildings, and continued with the use of force (and this is where most of the injuries, including Justin’s, occurred)
You don’t appear to have been at THIS event – if you are talking cyclists – because the cyclists were riding during the night and had dispersed by this time.
Not “lying” but clearly mistaken on your facts.
Watch some of the video – then please return and say if you still feel that injuries were “self-inflicted.”
“… or the right of the people peaceably to assemble …”
Protests are rarely convenient to the status quo. Just ask Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the Woman’s Suffrage Movement. If people always asked permission to protest, many people still wouldn’t be able to vote due to race or gender.
As to whether people are “poor” enough to be allowed to protest, if you haven’t noticed, there is massive amount of unemployment, lack of health care accessibility, college graduates with student loans and no jobs, and foreclosures against homes, all occurring while the 1% gets tax cuts, bailouts, loopholes in corporate tax, are allowed to take our jobs overseas, allowed to suppress union activity. And there is talk in our present administration and congress of cutting Medicare and Social Security.
Sorry a few people in a park bother you, but there are a lot more injustices occurring in the world that far outweigh any inconveniences caused by disenfranchised people occupying a city park.
It doesn’t have a 1:1 ratio of police to protesters to enforce the law. Just as it doesn’t take a 1:1 ratio of police to defend the citizenry.
That’s just poor math.
In a true democracy, sometimes you do have to break a law to make a point. Imagine the faux democracies of the Arab world prior to last Spring. These dictators or corrupt governments would probably unanimously declare themselves as Democracies, yet their people had to rise up to overthrow their unjust ‘democracies’ in order to establish a true Democracy, for the people, by the people.
What Occupy is doing is standing up to our current corrupted government, which is for the corporation, by the corporation, and sending a message that the people are no longer being heard, and the people still want a government for the people by the people.
I contributed to the Occupy movement with what I could, money, and will support their future endeavors, even if it is to break an unjust law. I applaud these angry youth for doing what I cannot, and will rally to their future occupation.
People need to occupy our cities, not corporations.
Chuck I would have to disagree. It was not my poor decision to hire ceo’s of major investment banks into my administration. Nor did I put have any say in letting them deregulate and make a law against regulating derivitives leading to the collapse of the entire world economy. I don’t remember saying that these CEO’s should receive 100% of every dollar they lost due to the collapse. In fact I don’t remember the last time I had a voice in the government so you are damn right that I am angry. I’m not saying I refuse to pay for mistakes I made but I am saying I refuse to pay for mistakes made by the greedy individuals on Wall Street. Where is my bailout?
prove it, I have seen nothing, so therefore it never happened
Destroying property is not a constitutional right.
Once you start offering a vision that people can get behind, you may have more success.
So far, you have only demonstrated to be another 1%. The other 98% consider the action that was taken to be a protection of their rights.
Protests are rarely convenient to the status quo. Just ask Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the Woman’s Suffrage Movement. If people always asked permission to protest, many people still wouldn’t be able to vote due to race or gender.
As to whether people are “poor” enough to be allowed to protest, if you haven’t noticed, there is massive amount of unemployment, lack of health care accessibility, college graduates with student loans and no jobs, and foreclosures against homes, all occurring while the 1% gets tax cuts, bailouts, loopholes in corporate tax, are allowed to take our jobs overseas, allowed to suppress union activity. And there is talk in our present administration and congress of cutting Medicare and Social Security.
Sorry a few people in a park bother you, but there are a lot more injustices occurring in the world that far outweigh any inconveniences caused by disenfranchised people occupying a city park.
Meant this as a reply to “Chuck.” Hit the wrong reply button. Please delete.
I too endorse this letter.
Furthemore, an apology is the minimum. The Mayor should follow your lead and resign.
Likewise, the Parks Commissioner, Nick Fish, who published an open letter on the city web pages claiming that the occupation ended “peacefully”. Such lies should not be accepted, as if we can all just go back to work and shopping and live happily ever after. This is a delusion.
Therefore, to the Mayor, the Police Chief, and the Parks Commissioner:
Surely you must have expected that at least a few Portlanders would notice that you lied about the “peaceful” suppression of the Occupied parks. The City has powerfully guarded its monopoly on violence, which it deployed at great expense. As a volunteer on a legal hotline, I listen to arrestees’ complaints of their injuries caused by police brutality during the clearing of those parks. Such stories continue to come in as they are released from jail. A class-action lawsuit should be coming up soon, and your office will be implicated also.
My advice is that you do the right thing and resign. This will likely strike you as outlandish and inappropriate, but that would be because you are insulated from the real public sentiment on this matter, which is directly opposite that of the local media and membership of the Portland Business Alliance. The real Portland was embodied in the estimated 7,000 people who braved a long night in the cold to keep the riot police away from the parks, real Portlanders who sacrificed their comfort — and every single individual there was backed up by further supporters at home in front of their televisions cheering on the crowd. Do the math. You have no future as an elected official.
When will the occupiers apologize to my husband for someone there pulling a knife on him when he was on his way to work, demanding his lunch box? When will they apologize to the victims of sexual assault, and to the small independently-owned stores that had so much more theft than sales that they would have been better off closing down? When will they apologize for depriving me of my use of the park, even while I supported their right to protest at my inconvenience as long as it stayed peaceful and lawful, which it did not?
I was there from 6 pm sat to 11pm sun.(despite what the Oregonian says) i watched the police presence slowly fill up the park while i was trying to feed people. they almost did not let me bring in the only warm food we ate that day (a cooler full of oatmeal my 7 month pregnant wife had made and brought down) they detained me for 10-15 mins even though one of them (other police) assured the officer detaining me that it was OK to bring food into the park. I also watched them throw away many of peoples personal belongings indiscriminately despite the fact that they did not look like garbage.(later that evening i spoke with officers around the park about how people could retrieve their things. i was told by one officer with a laugh that i had “missed the party dude.” i had to talk to 8 more before an officer told me we would have to talk to parks and recreation to find anything out.) before the emergency GA meeting was moved to the park and before supporters showed up there was WAY more police than occupiers in the park. they had cleared B camp before the GA even started and pushed most of the people left in A camp up to the NW corner. they then violently removed us from the park, i was 2-4 feet from them almost the entire time, with a bear hug on both my sisters. they arrested my sisters friend, dislocated one of his ribs and almost crushed his larynx striking him in the throat with a baton. i was there. you sat back and observed from a safe distance and judged. come up to the front with me next time bub, i’ll show you around. till then, please speak not of that which you know nothing of. thank you.
I definitely saw more police than protesters when the raid began. There were less than fifty people gathered together in one corner of Chapman Square when police advanced from three sides. People of Portland showed up en masse to support us once they saw the injustice being committed.
Your considerations of breaking the law are silly — blocking public access? We allowed anyone who wanted to enter the parks into them! Compare to the barbed-wire fence that the police erected.
We were (and will be) peaceably assembling to redress our governement for grievances. That’s listed in a little document called the Bill of RIGHTS, which our founding fathers thoughtfully knocked together to protect us from just such a situation as this.S
Please come down to a General Assembly and make your voice heard. Your vitriol is not hurting anyone but yourself right now, but if you’re actually interested in rescuing this country you’re welcome to join us. Peace.
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE OCCUPIERS.
Dear Occupiers,
Stop it! Although we may not have a perfect political/economic system, it’s the best in the world. (don’t forget we have to defend our borders from people trying to come in, not trying to escape)
You have already cost working families $1,000,000 in police overtime and park damage. Add to this the theft of a public space (no one else could use the occupied parks), and the disruptive marches.
You perpetually hurt the very people you claim to represent.
So please, pack up. End this mess.
“Shut up and like it” is the mark of a collapsing system. Seems once upon a time we had a system where we didn’t have to shut up and like it.
With the exception of beds, generators, and the community garden, there is no part of the previous encampment that can’t still exist there on a daily basis.
Keep in mind, by dominating the use of the park, you are telling the rest of the almost 600,000 citizens of the Portland metro region that the park can’t be used for the range of purposes of which it was intended.
I’ll 2nd that vote.. Thank you Steve.
IF THE BANKS WHO RUN THE PORTLAND BUSINESS ALILANCE TELL THE POLICE TO GO TO WORK, THE PBA NEEDS TO FOOT THE BILL. THIS IS NOT A SERVICE THAT OUGHT TO BE BILLED TO THE TAXPAYERS TO BEGIN WITH. WAKE UP AND CALL THE PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE AND TELL THEM TO PAY THEIR OWN DAMN BILLS – THEY CAN BE REACHED AT 503-224-8684.
GIVE THEM A CALL AND TELL THEM THEY ARE NOT ON TAXPAYER WELFARE. TELL THEM TO PAY UP.
“Although we may not have a perfect political/economic system, it’s the best in the world. ”
I laughed. Hard.
It really, really, REALLY isn’t.
And before you start saying things like “Well if you don’t like it, leave” or “If you don’t like it, do something about it” like your average mindless “patriot,” realize this: Its OUR country too, and WE ARE doing something about it.
I disagree. Medical care is a privilege in America. We spend far more money per capita on health care than countries like Canada of the UK, yet that money serves only a small fraction of citizens while Canada and the UK, despite spending far less, serve everyone. By making someone wait until a minor issue becomes an emergency care costs a lot more. My mom got sick, got a tumor a few years ago, that would have been about $20k to remove at the time. WIthout insurance, that didn’t happen. Now it’s going to take an estimate half million due to the size, and the effect on her health has permanently disabled her, meaning disability payments. The kicker is she was a nurse for more than two decades and is still unable to access the system.
This country’s politicians are also owned by the wealthy and serve the interest of those who toss money at them. Look at Rick Perry. He got a contribution from the makes of Gardasil, and then turned around and required all girls in Texas get it.
This country is fucked up. Our millionaires and billionaires pay drastically lower taxes than any other country in the world, and our social services to the sick and elderly and the poor looking for work is among the worst.
The occupation movement got off track and fucked up too, but that does not mean that America is this wonderful country, the best in the world. Set the Flavor-aid down and open your eyes to what’s really happening.
our “borders” are NOT Iran, Iraq, Pakistan OR Afghanistan! Geography 101
3,000,000 people expatriate from America every year. We rank worse than Iran, in terms of income inequality. We rank behind Quadaffi’s Libya, in terms of healthcare. You really need to turn off your TV.
A lot of dumb people having too many kids= growing income inequality
Haha… well, that’s not what the data says. It says that giveaways of deficit funded tax rebates the rich have cause income inequality to widen. But hey, those are just economic facts. might as well hate on “dumb” people event thought he birthrate has been falling for a while now.
Speaking or kids, you have any? Haha. I KID, I KID.
Seems to me Sam adams cost Portland 1,000,000$ in police overtime. The protesters weren’t costing anybody a thing. Like was mentioned, crime dropped during the weeks of occupy. Do you know how many drug overdoses happen in a typical city park in the portland metro area each week when that park is NOT occupied? OP makes Portland safer and you, sir, are an ignoramus.
Welcome to Occupy. It’s not a location. It’s a state of mind. Dec 21st 2012, money, time and space are going away. Get prepared. The 1% has no control over you. Take care of each other. Trade in your money for Love. We use money because we don’t trust each other to meet our needs. By taking care of each other we develop that trust. Instead of paying each other back, or with money, or barter, we Pay It Forward. There are 7 billion people on this planet. Mother Earth provides us with plenty of resources. There are plenty of jobs. Money is holding us back. That’s why our economy is not working. You didn’t ask to be born here. You shouldn’t have to buy food or pay rent to live. We should take care of each other. The banksters and politicians are irrelevant. They are the 1%. We are the 99%. Make no demands of them. We don’t need their money. All we need to do is take care of each other. Occupy your hearts and minds not banks and parks. We don’t want to camp outside in the mud and get sick. We don’t need to confront the police. All we have to do is take care of each other and the money will go away. We don’t have to live poor. We don’t have to stop using money immediately cause it’s what we have now and we can use it to take care of each other, but it won’t work after December 21st 2012. It will cease to have value. So use it now, to help meet each others needs. Trade it in for trust and love not silver and gold, cause we’re gonna melt those down so everyone will have bling. Imagine 7 billion people on this planet having their needs met. Imagine 7 billion people happy and productive. There’s no reason for their to be houseless and lost souls in our community. There’s no reason for children to die of diarrhea in Africa. We can solve these problems if we start taking care of each other. Have time to donate? Do it. Have more money than you need to get you to 2012? Well stop working for more money and join us. Not getting your needs met? Contact your local Occupy. Don’t have one? Start one. Need your needs met right now? Ask someone who can help. If they don’t brush you off but still won’t meet your needs be nice and ask why. Engage them in conversation and ask them why they won’t meet your needs if they have the ability. Are they afraid of their needs not being met? Promise them you will pay it forward and meet someone else’s needs and it will come back to them. We are already doing this, but we are being held back by money. Money is no longer an acceptable medium of exchange. It’s not getting the job done. It’s not working. You can measure everything by one unit of measurement. It’s the reason why we have people out of work when there is so much work to be done. Occupy Your Heart. Occupy Your Mind. Take Care of Each Other. This is a Love Revolution. Pay It Forward. Start doing it now!
Loved reading this – thanx Mizz Bad For Business….see you again sometime soon
Lindsey, pretty wild predictions you are making there about Dec 21. Where is your proof of this? Love to hear it
Tattoos, jewelry, and cell phones do not make corporate abuses, or legislative and judicial corruption a myth. Being underserved means little to those opposed to Occupy as more often than not the opposition labels anyone who protests as homeless, drug addicted nobodies. I protest, and as it happens, I am facing the consequences of my decision to join the military. Consequences like free college education. While I didn’t join for those things, I am protesting with the hope that someday this country will not make youth decide between Afghanistan and college or safety and whatever we’ve got going currently. Democracy is never a poor decision.
I WAS there. Why not look up what happened in China in 1989 to the ‘peaceful’ protesters in tienammen square. Then you can learn what ‘brutality’ really looks like.
How about you go get punched in the face, hard enough to knock a tooth out but not hard enough to cause a traumatic brain injury, and then I tell you that you must not have really been punched because you don’t have brain damage?
“We’re better than China in 1989″ is not a very complimentary slogan for the city of Portland. We should be so much better than that as to make comparison non-viable.
Prove that that happened in this eviction. All the videos I’ve seen, both media and what protest-supporters have posted on YouTube, didn’t show any brutality. Being forced to the ground while resisting isn’t brutality.
So I would assume that you are the one with brain damage?
I’m so proud of all you cell phone carrying,tatoo adorned,jewelry wearing, picture taking and laptop using young people- for caring about what’s happening in this country, and most of all for caring about each other. The only stupidity I’ve observed is the ridicule and negativity coming from people who haven’t figured out that this is a good, good thing for 99% of us!
Puke
How is it a good thing for us that a knife was pulled on my husband? How was it good for any victims of crime stemming from the occupation? We are also the 99%, we are a struggling family, I was forced to pay taxes on $80k in income I did not and could not have earned. How is it good for us that we worry every time my husband has had to walk near the encampment to catch transit to get home to by it on his way to work about whether or not he’ll be mugged again? If something happens to him, our toddler daughter and I are fucked. How is this good for us? The camp has posed more of a direct threat to my family that the government.
ABOUT THE PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE:
see their website re investors here:
http://www.portlandalliance.com/about_alliance/investors.html
The two top investors in the Portland Business Alliance are:
US Bank
Wells Fargo
Other monster-banks are at the lower levels: Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Key Bank
PSU happens to be at the ‘Executive Level’ of investors in the Portland Business Alliance
PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE TOP INVESTORS:
US BANK
WELLS FARGO
OTHER BANKS INVESTED IN PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE:
BANK OF AMERICA
JP MORGAN CHASE
KEY BANK
PSU IS LISTED AS AN INVESTOR AT THE ‘EXECUTIVE LEVEL’
PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE HAVE BEEN PRESSURING SAM ADAMS TO SHUT DOWN THE CAMPS, WONDER WHY – INDIRECT CONTROL OVER THE POLICE, AND YET THE TAXPAYERS PICK UP THE TAB?
i DON’T THINK SO. IF THE BANKS WANT TO OPPRESS PROTESTERS AND ALSO HOMELESS, THE BANKS NEED TO FOOT THE TAB. HAVE THE DAMNED PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE FOOT THE BILL – THEY GAVE THE ORDERS TO THE POLICE DIDN’T THEY?
I”d like to come and get involved . I don’t know anyone at all down there. I watched ” Livelinks” all night long the night you all were supposed to be evicted. And I watched you all at Pioneer Courthouse Square last night as well . So hopefully I can make it Sunday.
Taxpayers should NOT be paying for police decisions made my the Portland Business Alliance. It’s time for the PBA to pay their own way, and pay their own bills. We are NOT HERE to give the Portland Business Alliance a welfare check. GO HOME, PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE. GO HOME!
I’m sure we can find some individual cases where police stepped over the line. I’m sure we can also find individual cases where the non-violent protesters were not actually non-violent. The police were charged with enforcing an eviction from the parks. They had a job to do, and the protesters who stayed in the parks had plenty of notice to leave. The protesters, by choosing civil disobedience, accepted that they were breaking the law, and understood that there may be consequences for their actions. Complaining about those consequences after-the-fact isn’t going to change what happened, or change the legality of the actions. Nor does it mean the protesters are owed an apology from the Mayor or anyone else.
It is still possible to assemble and exercise our free speech. The park was always suited for this purpose. Once it has been clean up, it will be again. In the meantime, there are plenty more parks in the immediate vicinity.
It is disappointing that the stubborn desire to convert the park, a place of meeting, into a place of residence eventually became the core issue.
Yes, I was one of the thousands that showed up on Saturday night. I stayed though the evening and gave so much of my voice that only now, three days later, can I speak without trouble.
While some that I know have been at odds with the conversion of the space, it was obvious that so many were there to support the courage of those that had taken the step forward with acts of civil disobedience. My biggest concern was not that the structures would eventually be removed, but that the police or other individuals would act in a reckless manner. It was so very important that our sheer number kept the evening as non-violent as possible. As for Saturday, this victory was achieved.
With the exception of beds, generators, and the community garden, there is no part of the encampment that can’t still exist there on a daily basis.
Think of how things first went down in NYC and Oakland, and how differently things would have gone down if our mayor was named Bloomberg.
The Portland Business Alliance will be sending volunteers (EMERGE) to work at Blanchet House and (gasp) HELP THE POOR! Here’s when the PBA will send their specialites:
http://portlandorassoc.weblinkconnect.com/cwt/External/WCPages/WCEvents/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=2655
December 2nd, 2011
arrive by 4:30 p.m.
dinner service 5 – 6 p.m.
Location:
Blanchet House
340 NW Glisan Street
Portland, OR 97209
I believe this will be ‘hosted’ by the president of PBA’s law firm???
Interesting- seems incredibly hypocritical and disgusting.
“If, under special circumstances, the above policies will not suffice, call the Alliance office at 503.224.8684 and we will work with you to resolve the matter.”
– quote from Portland Business Alliance
Please tell the Portland Business Alliance that TAXPAYERS WOULD LIKE A REFUND FOR HAVING TO FOOT THE POLICE BILL.
from website page http://www.portlandalliance.com/refund-privacy.html
I don’t see the protest as a victory for anyone: the police are not our enemy, and we have no victory until we have victory over the income inequality and corruption that runs rampant in this country. Victory will have to come with the police on our side. We all need to treat them like human beings: with respect and compassion – even when they fuck up. I doubt that this rally will have many people at it who still have any compassion left for the police.
Need to contact the Portland Business Alliance? Here is the link to the contact page:
http://www.portlandalliance.com/contact-us.php
Here is the contact information for the Editor of the Oregonian:http://biz.oregonian.com/newsroom/?act=cntc
Peter Bhatia, Editor
Phone: 503.221.8393, Fax: 503.329.4501
I am really sick of the Editorial section of the Oregonian. The Oregonian is also a middle-tier investor in Portland Business Alliance.
Tell the Oregonian and Peter Bhatia that if they want to tell the police what to do, THEY ARE EXPECTED TO PAY THE DAMN BILL. THEY ARE NOT ON TAXPAYER WELFARE.
Seriously guys, pack it up and stop. Any message you had at the beginning is watered down by the fact that you’re destroying public property and disrupting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
You think you’re fooling anybody? Do you realize how many people watched the eviction live? I watched it for over 7 hours, from 11pm to 6am, bouncing around Katu, Koin, KGW, and KPTV, to get a balanced view, and it was obvious who were the real aggressors. You claim your first ammendmant right to peacefully assemble and speak were violated. I learned in middle school that these rights have certain caveats, such as not when the exercising of these rights violates someone else’s.
The simple fact of this particular situation is the parks were legally off limits as of midnight. Every second you remained there afterwards gave the cops more legal right to use force. You’re appalled that the cops came back in the late morning without giving you any warning and forced you back out of the park. Why do you think cops are obligated to warn criminals before they arrest them?
You spent most of the day chanting “we are peaceful people,” as if that has any relevance at all. Sorry, but it doesn’t. I can’t walk into a convenient store and steal a 24-pack of Coke, then tell the cops that I did it peacefully so they can’t arrest me. If I took the 24-pack and continued to walk away down the street and the cops told me 10 times “stop or we will use force” and I kept walking, well you better believe they are within their right to use force. Presumably this force wouldn’t consist of guns or tazers, but if they used a baton to get me on the ground, I wouldn’t be surprised.
And finally, please do not occupy another park. In case you haven’t noticed, you have angered a lot of people. For your own safety I very strongly recommend you try a new strategy. Portland has over 500,000 people in it, and your movement is lucky to have 100 on any given day. You are outnumbered, and many of them are pissed off. You are lucky the cops have been escorting you everywhere and basically protected you as long as they have, because there are plenty of law-abiding citizens who would jump at the opportunity to use some vigilante justice.
On behalf of the real 99%, sincerely,
Brian
The Portland Business Alliance is having a free event!
Here’s the link source: http://portlandorassoc.weblinkconnect.com/cwt/External/WCPages/WCEvents/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=2626
Quoting:
“Holiday Open House
Date: 12/1/2011
Time: 2:00 PM TO 4:00 PM
Event Description:
Join the Alliance
for a
Holiday Open House
Get to know Alliance staff, board members and network with other member businesses in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
Thursday, December 1
2:00p.m -4:00p.m.
Portland Business Alliance office
200 SW Market Street
Lobby Conference Room
Event Sponsors
Artemis Foods
Jake’s Catering
Please RSVP by
Clicking on
REGISTER NOW
Support the Oregon Food Bank by bringing canned food to help those in need this holiday season. We will have a food bank collection barrel in our office.
FREE EVENT”
(wow…..sounds like….fun?????)
It’s annoying that OP folx refused to listen when people warned them about cooperation with the police and that the police will always defend the elite, that is their job, they would murder every one of you without hesitation if they were ordered, that’s just knowing history, and what they did to you at the eviction, bad as it was, is the best you will get. If you continue further it will get worse, not better, and if you continue to think that they are in any sense a “part of the 99%” in respect to their interests and loyalties, not their paychecks, then you are opening yourself to serious damage.
Also the lack of sympathy that many feel for OP folx after a good deal of effort to convey this message is multiplied by the fact that you have unabashedly sent people into the jail for defending themselves against police. Your movement is lost, because peaceful protest relies on the conscience of the elite to change the world, rather than on your own strength. When you meet aggression with submission you are begging, and as Frederick Douglass pointed out “power concedes nothing without a demand”.
Occupiers, feel free to keep blowing hot air, but please do not assume 99% of Portland is behind you. Perhaps there once was a notable percentage, but no longer.
And please, if you keep on keeping’ on, don’t cost us any more money. Don’t destroy any more parks. You really do owe us an apology for that.
An open letter to the people of Portland?
Why no mention or apology in it for the $1M in costs to the city and two trashed parks? Selfish much?
We are not the ones that have reacted hysterically by using the police in entirely unnecessary situations and in ways that are also unnecessary.
Frankly, freedom does not have a price tag, and I say that as a gainfully employed taxpayer.
And still no mention or apology for (2) trashed parks and 70 truckloads of filth. Self absorbent is also greed.
You’re NOT welcome.
Self absorption? You’re the one who is ready to deny Constitutional rights because it’ll cost you $0.01 in taxes.
Deny your rights? You’re enjoying them here now. Want to pick up a sign and take a march on the sidewalks? Have at it. What’s stopping you? Not me.
You just can’t violate OUR laws against overnight camping in OUR city parks.
Occupy has been marching in circles around them since you got the boot, so you’re obviously still free to march, protest and post.
You don’t have a Constitutional right to destroy public property. If you think you do, please go take even a high school level government class.
The costs to the taxpayers was incurred by the city government’s poor decisions. The police overtime costs are unnecessary, since they could have used the same level of presence that they’ve always used there. The cleanup costs, too, are unnecessary, as the city declined any of the free options that were presented, in lieu of the costly option of hiring contractors to essentially steal and throw away people’s things. As for tearing up the parks, you can thank the people using a backhoe to pick up stuff for tearing up the ground. A moment’s thought would have revealed some of the logical issues that you missed.
Since you are obviously the moderator, could you please approve my previous discussion comments?
Thanks,
B
Should the cost also include decreased safety for people passing by? A knife was pulled on my husband in an attempted mugging. Your right to demonstrate ends when it endangers the safety of passers-by. Your right to demonstrate does not include damaging property, and that has happened.
I was a major supporter in the early days, taking my toddler daughter to be a part of it, but I can not support destroying parks and citizens being mugged and sexually assaulted. Those who aren’t a part of the encampment have rights too, and being a taxpayer doesn’t mean you have some special right to destroy public property. I have a right to use that park, yet can not because it was destroyed by people who willfully chose actions that destroyed it. You chose to take away my family’s right to go to that park, and the camp harbored people who chose to threaten my husband’s life because he dared to have a lunchbox (we can’t afford for him to buy a lunch downtown) with him on his way to work.
If you look at the actual police stats, crime downtown dropped by nearly 30% from usual during the occupation of those parks. That’s huge.
If Occupy should apologize for incurring costs that contributed to public safety, so should the police bureau for all its maintenance costs, right?
Both costs are paid by the city. The only difference is that the citizens rather than the administration of the city chose to use the park. And given how much money people put into trying to reduce crime, the parks are a bargain.
First off, crime rose. Second, even if it went down, $770,000 was the cost of that much police overtime to try to keep the camp, a couple small blocks, under control. Stores had to bring in their own security to get drastically increased theft under control.
The protesters are not selfish, because they are not representing THEMSELVES alone, they are representing U.S. citizens who are dissatisfied with economic policies, the misuse of political power and the morals and values that our laws and policies represent. When will some of you people understand that?
P.S. – most of that $1 million was the city’s choice to spend. The damage to the park is by all estimates less than a tenth of what was spent on policing, and about a tenth of what was spent on policing just for the eviction.
So, we’re having other people’s decisions to spend our tax money unwisely dumped on us again? Isn’t that how this all started?
Exactly what many of us are talking about. What is more important, our future, our kids’ futures and our countrys’ future, or the almighty DOLLAR??? Many are promising contributions to pay for the park and many have said they will donate time and effort…..BETTER??
Are you serious? Shouldn’t the CITY be apologizing for wasting all of that money? You’re aware that all the costs to the city were in police overtime, right? Even our terrible local news teams managed to get that part right. Seems to me the city should be apologizing for wasting 450,000$ of my tax money on police overtime in ONE NIGHT to evict Occupy Portland from a grass plaza that probably cost less than $20,000 to build in the FIRST PLACE!!!! Every conservative bone in my body is outraged by this waste of funds.
Wow, if the cleanup down there cost a million dollars, the city needs a new contractor. I went down there the day it was cleared and it looked almost exactly like the day the protest started. Maybe if the cops had allowed the protesters to take their property with them, there wouldn’t have been even the little that there was to clean up…
Anyway, don’t believe everything Lars Larson tells you. I’d invite you to go look with your own two eyes, because that park is absolutely not a wreck.
I have no doubt that political considerations are at the heart of why the Portland Police Dept. showed relative restraint in evicting Protestors. It makes sense. Portlanders have a sensibility about these things that is unique and would not tolerate NYC style heavy-handedness.
However, relative restraint does not change the fact that Police from throughout the region showed up en masse fully donned in black stormtrooper battle dress with big sticks, mild chemical weapons and all the other accoutrements necessary to control a large violent crowd. They pushed, shoved and sometimes hit. They threatened the use of more violence.
The restraint shown by those protestors not naturally inclined to do so is most notable and laudable. I would like to publicly thank them for standing in solidarity with the commitment to non-violent action as a part of the OWS-at-large. I want to commend them for the maturity and reason that they exhibited in the face of police stormtrooper tactics that stabbed at the very core of those constitutional rights that they hold sacrosanct — The right to Free Speech, & Peaceable assembly.
While the city of Portland walked the legal precedent line very well in the eviction, I think most Portlanders suspect that despite the logistical ugliness of the camp, and the spotlight being shown on homelessness and drug use, the city of Portland has failed to show her true colors. The politicians of this city ultimately gave into pressure, and the pressure did not come from the Portland masses, clearly.
So who decided to talk for the whole movement? Was this letter approved by the GA? I thought this was a consensus driven movement and that no one person or sub-committee speaks for all of us.
The whole idea of occupying something that belongs to all the people so that some of the people can exclusively use it for their agenda and co-opting it from it’s intended use is the same kind of tyranny that the movement is suppose to be against.
It’s time to stop the childish games because we are loosing ground! Why is it that every time some seems to be critical of something in the movement (an action, or a method) they are a troll. Why is it that the defense against the criticism is always this emotional immature demeaning of the person giving the criticism. Listen the criticism is not coming from the 1%, they are too busy finding ways to make keep doing what they been doing. The criticism is from the 99%. There will be no solidarity until we grow up! It’s time to own the mistakes made and quit alienating people.
Contribute nothing? Expect nothing in return. Not challenging yourself to forge a better path? Don’t expect someone else to ease your way. Occupy’s messages – at least the ones most clearly articulated – aren’t new, aren’t different, and certainly aren’t difficult to figure out how to address: generations before you have done so, and built one of the greatest, most open and democratic societies in human history in the process. Challenge yourselves to do the same. Better still: challenge yourselves to do more. Don’t expect a handout: get productive, get involved, learn how to collaborate and be part of shaping our great country in a positive way! It’s what’s expected of every generation…yours included. Thank you for your time, The Real 99%.
im an ex vet and i think this movement is 99% good but people are spoiling it for the true protesters who actually care about the movement the drugys the violent people are ruining it for the 99% they make it look bad yes it costs tax payer money for the parks that where trashed but i do wonder how many people in the park actually pay taxes i personally think your being a little harsh on the police they have a job to do orders to follow they arnt goin to join your side and risk loosing theyre jobs because they probly have familys to support they have to follow orders just like the military the military men and women dont agree 100% of what they have to do but they do it because they have too i personally dont think the movement will make a difference but i hope it does and i support the 99% of clean (meaning drug free) peaceful protesters who pay taxs and have earned the right to be fed up with the government maybe an idea could be start a non profit credit union for the people all fees that the bank charges could go to the interest split between all the customers something of that sort then maybe some petitions to change laws then maybe some one the movement will trust for congress or something of the sort idk just throwing some ideas out their good luck most people support you the real protesters atleast that have a reason most people dont think they support the movement because they only hear and complain about the bad just becuase it out ways the good they havnt seen anything good come from it but its ok i support you just wanted to let you know thanks take care and good luck
I was there on Sunday afternoon. Protestors by and large were there peacefully and to observe. I am 60 years old….not a kid with tattoos! When asked to leave the street and move to the sidewalk I did, along with many others. In spite of that, at one point the “storm troopers” charged us and pushed us back. I was pushed one foot back with a club in my chest and pushed into a street sign…no warning, no request to move further back. NO provocation. We were on the sidewalk watching. That was clearly inappropriate behavior by police to charge law abiding citzens on the sidewalk nearly knocking one man down. I had gone down there feeling somewhat proud overall by both sides use of restraint during the night but left Sunday very disillusioned by police action and behavior. When I read about the 81 year old man who was doing the same, observing that day, and was arrested and his head knocked into the concrete, I realized that it could have been me.
It is unfortunate that so many have been brainwashed and manipulated into believing that they still have a democracy in this country and that their vote actually counts. Very sad. I commend the occupy movemnent for changing the conversation and putting the issues up where they can’t be walked away from….it gives me hope once again.
hope the movement will find a space inside to headquarter and plan marches, rallies, and political actions from that location. Public financing of elections and an end to corporate personhood (great places to start) will be a great way to structurally change things so that the people can begin to have a voice once again.
Ummm Steve/Chuck,
Were you there on Sunday morning? That is really what needs to be pointed out here. Saturday night was alright for fightin’ but what it seems you don’t care to recognize is that there were thousands of people assembling peacefully and having fun. They have also offered their services to assist with the parks in many ways and have been rejected.
If you we’re asking the bicyclists to allow the pedestrians through, fine, good for you. Please tell us about a conversation you had with an Occupier. Maybe you were too busy to see, hear, or understand the essence of the moment?
Anyone criticizing this moment; If you care to believe what media tells you instead of participating with people, who with strong opinions like you, are in the streets because they feel the social and political process silences their voices, then so be it.
Enjoy your cozy situations at home and work and don’t bother broadcasting in the streets your true feelings. Spend more time here, hangin’ out. It’s probably better that way.
Or better yet, come meet us tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or any day. We’re all around, ready to meet you and have a good talk instead of vitriolic banter on the internet over subject matter that is possible petty compared to what’s truly bothering us all..
Your open letter to the City of Portland is excellent. There has been good news coming out of Seattle Occupy. Read the attached:
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2011/11/14/seattle-city-council-backs-occupy-seattle/
Sam Adams is not going to be around much longer. Soon there will be an opportunity to deal with an honest broker. I hope you will look at Jefferson Smith as a candidate.
Sorry, Steve, but just because you were in the vicinity doesn’t mean you saw or experienced the violence taking place. Yah, it’s true that they weren’t beating us over the head with their batons, but damn if I’m not still sore and bruised from being hit on the wrist and arms and jabbed with batons. How could you see what was taking place when your vision was blocked by police? But those who were there and recording the exchange know better. The bruising on my arms, not to mention Justin’s hospitalization speak louder than words.
A few bruises because you were resisting police actions (clearing the park), not exactly what I’d describe as “violence”.
As for Justin, what a faker cry baby. Pathetic.
This kind of crap is why I don’t 100% support the movement in Portland. You WANTED police brutality so you could bitch about it. You didn’t get it, so now you are LYING about it. If you face off with riot cops when you have a broken back, don’t whine and cry brutality if you get bounced around and aggravate it.
Both sides made tactical errors on Sunday. OP should have declared victory and evolved. The police should have used a much less aggressive approach.
This is why we have the movement. This is why we questioned why you cooperated in the first place. Did you think the police state would say “oh okay you win we will get rid of banks”? Reorganize, have a clear message, and this time, stop sharing doughnuts with police or trying to make them laugh or anything but preaching the first amendment and how no state can make a law trumping the constitution. Do something.
Okay, rather than bicker about what mistakes were made …I would rather see ways that OP is going to try to reach the people who don’t want to camp…who don’t want to confront police when they tell you to leave a public park as its unlawful. (kudos for you for stepping into the light but this is not what many of us can do)
I am not interested in disrupting traffic and business downtown to make my statement. Is there room in your movement for people who don’t want to scream or picket? Is there room in your movement for my 85 year old grandma? Is there room in your movement for my friend in a wheelchair who needs a restroom frequently? is there room in your movement for children who need to be in bed by 8? OP needs to step into another venue now.
I want to support OP …I am the 99% but I want to do it in other ways. My friends and family are eager to lend support. Please begin offering other ways to allow people to participate in your movement.
Please stay tuned for Sunday’s events when Occupy Portland goes into the neighborhoods. #occupyyourblock
Do I need to do something special to have my comments approved?
Like it or not, we’re not moving, we’re not quitting, we’re not surrendering. Taking away the park means we move into communities and neighborhoods.
I’m in Portland. I love the 99′s and the 1′s…we’re all so enthusiastic…I envy your action…
I hope them and us can consilidate someday.
Hard to do without buttering up what’s previously thought as an enemy
How ’bout we spit in the middle and stir it up
make our own suggestions and then clean it up.
It’s so obvious we’re all so pretty.
Knock it off Times so just one senator can speak up.
We rubbed our hope all over a president
when he barely has clout on the residue of power.
I’ll keep thinking with you
We’ll keep thinking with you too
I just hope that Slavoj was wrong
I just hope the carnival isn’t over
I just hope we have the predictability like the sun coming up
that again and again, we seek to revolve the system
I want to send a HUGE thank you to ALL of the brave, peaceful, tired, OCCUPY SOULS for all of your time, effort, sacrifices for the rest of us who call this OUR COUNTRY. You all give me the hope I thought I’d lost.
I, for one, would like to see the parks cleaned up and paid for by the Occupy Portland movement. It would be great if the movement made up of people like you and me just went in and cleaned it up, but we all know that’s not going to happen since there’s a fence around the whole property now. The Occupy Movement let things get out of hand down there and so the city had to take care of things. Now the entire city of Portland is paying for it. Please figure out how to protest and make a change in this world without destroying are great parks in Portland. Other cities are doing it. That many people in one small area is just not good for the environment no matter how you look at it. You’re losing your support within the remaining 99% if you don’t get your act together. Continuing down the same path and I sure hope every arrest comes with a $1,000 fee.
Do you even know WHY this is going on? A $1000 fine? You are a FOOL. They’re out there because it’s the ONLY place to be heard. You won’t listen to them talk on their alternative media sources, so they go the streets. This isn’t about not having to work or wanting to be a nuisance. This is about doing what is right for the people, even if that means SELF SACRIFICE. And like you said, we CAN’T do anything about clean up because they won’t let us. You also have to remember, a number of those people who created a mess are used to living in some of the worst environments, so hygiene is not a commonality amongst them. Besides, the reason there are so few parks and that you FEEL the need to protect a small grassy area is because of the greed that has cause us to concentrate a city in order to maintain productivity in the business world. The theory of relativity applies to EVERYTHING. That’s why it’s called the theory of RELATIVITY…
P.S. You’re assuming the people who have been treated like scum ALL their life by OUR peers actually care about a measly LITTLE city park MORE than they care about being treated like scum. Please wake up, you’re SOO close. All you need to do is question EVERYTHING. Even yourself…
Occupy is taking on issues that make errant police officers look like a speck of dust. Police officers are human, too. A few of them were teased as children, and then were given bullet proof vests and guns as adults, okay. It’s impossible to take away all human fallibility when both cops and protesters are together in those numbers. Form a committee to require cops to be better trained in peaceful de-escalation (Volunteer to teach them yourselves!), and STOP DISTRACTING others who still have the will to effect changes in our economy through outreach, education, and LEGISLATION. I’m sure Justin’s an amazing person and it’s unfair and really sucks that he was a victim of violence (my heart goes out to him), but I don’t want to see the beautiful and powerful momentum of Occupy Portland dissolve into a teenage tantrum against the “pigs”. Let’s have our time of mourning, grow, and STAY FOCUSED, please.
I second that!
Let’s please get past all this talk about how much money Occupy Portland cost the taxpayers. What about all the money Occupy saved the county by providing free food, shelter and medical care to the homeless and mentally ill for over a month? Unfortunately, it was the severest consequences of the capitalist oligarchy that did in the occupation (i.e, homelessness and war-induced drug addiction and mental illness). Without staying overnight in a park, we can get on with the original thrust of the protests, and the city can go back to ignoring the needs of its least fortunate citizens.
Yes, we can and must do better. The very socio-economic injustice and easily-manipulated self-deluded denial demonstrated by the mayor, police, and some commentators above is what the Occupy movement is trying to correct. All domestic violence and fascism or other forms of terrorism or injustice use the same victim-blaming and discounting, the same distracting, name-calling, and reframing; don’t take it personally. The idealism, courage, compassion, self-control, creativity, and dedicated problem-solving demonstrated by the Occupiers and supporters is essential to any solution. I look forward to seeing and supporting you– and your defense of everyone’s right to free speech and local self-governance– Sunday afternoon. Thanks for your good work and good heart.
Why has my comment not been approved? To refresh your memory:
Sam Linder on November 15th, 2011 at 12:41 pm #
In the beginning, I was behind the Occupy concept 100%. It’s high time attention was drawn to the mess created by Wall Street, Congress, and the White House.
Unfortunately, instead of focusing on the problems that started the Occupy movement, you folks set up a camp in two public parks. By doing so, you denied the rest of the 99% public use of those parks – paid for, I might add, by the taxpayers of Portland.
Then you, and all those in the parks, trashed the very spaces paid for by the 99%. Instead of seeking an apology from Sam Adams and Mike Reese, you should, instead, be presented with the bill for cleaning up the parks. It is you who should apologize.
I am very, very disappointed in how you have let a good idea be trashed. Instead of continuing to be a thorn in the side of the rest of the 99%, how about focusing your attention where it needs to go.
If you want to accomplish something meaningful, Occupy Portland and all the other Occupy cities need to get off their collective butts and march to Washington, DC. That’s where the problem lies and that’s where you need to go.
Sitting around Portland in campsites that attracted the homeless, mentally ill, and other riffraff did not accomplish anything except lose points with those of us who supported your ideals in the first place.
Grow up and do something meaningful as discussed above and quit whining about an apology.
I don’t understand the argument that others couldn’t use the parks. No one was excluded from the parks, although the way you used them might have been different. No, you couldn’t go throw a frisbee very easily, but you could have gotten a meal, a conversation, read a library book, made art in the art tent, participated in a GA or meeting, drank a cup of free coffee, etc etc etc etc. All were welcome, and if those supporters who abandoned Occupy after the first march ended had instead regularly visited the park and participated, maybe the elements who were less politically-motivated would have never felt welcome in the first place.
Plus, there was a commitment among campers with political reasons for their presence to leave the parks better than we found them after we left, if the parks dep. would let us collaborate.
Taken from http://www.beyondrevolution.worpress.com
BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS
To: All those who wish to fool us,
The long standing era of your rulership has finally begun to wane. Your Colossus of global dominion, astride from land to land, who conquers in our name, has done so for the last time.
We are the tired. Exhausted from your exploits.
We are the poor. Robbed of our futures.
We are the wretched yearning to breathe free.
We are the beaten and abused. Victims of your subjugation
We ARE the 99 percent. So take heed, we are the many and you are the very few.
We have awoken now in this new day with a burning and perfect question: why have we allowed ourselves to be contented? Contented with the most menial of allotments? Exactly how is it that we have succumbed for so long to an existence of subsisting off the scraps of those we make rich?
Know this! The real power has always been with us! We built this city. We built this civilization, and not the self-aggrandized CEOs, Bankers and Politicians. Not the vendors of poverty, violence and injustice. We, the people, and not the establishment have always and exclusively been the force that has fed, clothed, sheltered, protected and healed the peoples of this earth. We erected those skyscraping monoliths, paved the roads, laid the bricks, forged the steel and set the foundations of this civilization!
Just ask yourselves, did the one percent toil as we have? Did they spill their blood, sweat and tears upon the soft earth to win their fortunes? Or have they achieved such great wealth by riding the backs of the workers? All this and to top it off they bar us from any real participation in the affairs of our civilization, our communities and indeed to an extent our very lives claiming all the while that we lack both the wisdom and the virtue to do so ourselves.
Is this the world we should be working all our lives to enjoy? Is this what our forefathers and indeed many of our peers have died for? When the first peoples of this earth set out to make a better life for themselves, did they envision this? Could they imagine the people of today, who’ve laid waste to this earth for the benefit of the few? They have raped and pillaged this planet and beaten the human spirit into docile submission… until now!
Now it is time! We must set out upon this world and seize back the right to our interests here in civilization. It is time to liberate the human spirit from the bondage of war and greed, so that we may realize all our wondrous potentialities. To not only have great ideas and beautiful dreams but to possess the freedom to act upon them. A world whose only limitations are that of individual creativity and imagination.
It is time to stop waiting for someone else to set us free. It is time for breaking down walls. It is time to heal our planet and each other. To stand as one with a voice of seven billion, uninhibited by the geography of imaginary lines called borders.
My brothers and sisters, we struggle in order to secure a new and better future. We believe that a better world is possible and that it is in fact more probable than the continuation of the one we find ourselves in today so do not despair at the odds against us. Some people spend their entire lives waiting for something worth dying for. We are here today to create instead, a world worth living for. A world worth loving for. We gather here not to beg in protest, our global movement is far more than that. We know that for as long as there are masters their shall always be slaves. The one percent will always need us, today we stand in a new realization, that we do not need them! The revolution has begun for we are here today to celebrate the birth of a new and better for all mankind.
” We, the people, and not the establishment have always and exclusively been the force that has fed, clothed, sheltered, protected and healed the peoples of this earth.”
Actually, over the course of recent history, it’s been mostly religious institutions and their constituents who have fed, clothed, sheltered, protected AND educated…..the people of the earth. Not saying this is the only way, but it is the truth of it.
(btw, I am an atheist who finds this fact extremely interesting…)
Touché. But brutality is unhelpful. Just to reiterate, the goal is to peacefully assemble in order to draw attention to certain injustices that many take for granted. Large scale protests are needed for large scale change, and historically, change isn’t necessarily comfortable. Want tax money to clean the park? Tax the rich.
Please define “rich” in terms of income levels. Please don’t use “the 1%”. Important to be specific with actual salary levels and/or assets. Seriously, this is way too general of a term and as humans we tend to define “the rich” as anyone who has more than us.
I do think however the city is trying to tap into a demographic with discretionary assets…they have set up a fund for park restoration donations.
Be aware that to a vast number of American people the movement looks like it’s drawing attention to itself more than injustices. One could say that is the point, as the movement is the injustice, but think that may be a a bit fuzzy right now.
The rich are already taxed at a higher rate, why should they pay even more clean up your crap( literally)?
“The rich are already taxed at a higher rate, why should they pay even more clean up your crap( literally)?”
This is false. Many corporations report billions in profit but have zero in tax liability. Bank of America, GE, to name a few, abuse tax laws and lobby congress for special loopholes and exemptions which allow them to not only rake in billions of dollars in profits, but also to receive money from the government to subsidize the costs of their business. Additionally, a recent CRS report showed a full quarter of this country’s millionaires pay a smaller percentage of their income in taxes than the middle class. Google is your friend, turn off Fox News, and read a book every now and then.
Where the hell do you get your information, fox news? Do you have ANY clue how difficult it is to get by on even a $10 an hour job? Most of us are merely trying to get a fair share for our work. Just because most are uneducated does not mean they deserve less. Only a selfish ass would think that. These people don’t have access to a good education because all the good schools are in places like west linn and lake oswego. You blame the bum for not working when you yourself would not work for the scraps that they BARELY have access to. Get a clue, you ignorant twit.
The dog days are over.
Can you hear the horses?
Cause hear they come!!!!
If you all won’t finish this, I WILL!!!!!
Regardless, the city and taxpayers should pay the expenses of this peaceful assembly/protest. Think of it as an investment in human rights.
How nice that you are so ready to spend the money that I go to work and earn each day. You should be a politician.
Steve, you are either a dis-informant or a complete idiot. If you are going to be throwing around the same rhetoric and red herrings as the people who caused this situation, then you prove nothing more than your ignorance. The fact that you think $1 million dollars was spent on this ordeal only shows how little you have been paying attention. It’s rather comical how you defend the politicians’ misuse of our tax dollars and then complain about it, all in the same thread. Dis-informant or not, you are clearly an idiot. You think it’s disappointing that the police didn’t use more brutal force? I think it’s disappointing that zombies like you still exist. How stupid can you be? I hope, for your sake, that you are a dis-informant. Though, your punishment will be MUCH more severe, if you are.
Get a good seat, cause it’s gunna be a HELL of a show!!!
Good luck out there!!!
VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!!!
So you think the city and taxpayers should pay for the protest meant to help them, because they’re already paying for the abuses of the 1%? How does laying a larger burden on the people you’re trying to help seem like a good idea? They hurt you, so we’re going to hurt you, and you’re going to like it!
The city and federal govt are creating the burden on the people by not listening to those it purports to represent. Think bigger.
Watching several of the videos people have posted on Youtube regarding the incident and Mr. Bridges, I don’t see where brutality or excessive force was used. Police are human, and they were given a job to do: use legal force to evict illegal squatters from city parks. To that end, I believe the officers performed their jobs admirably.
Mr. Bridges was aware of his condition when he chose not to comply with the eviction notice. He was aware of his condition when he was yelling at police, while they were not aware of it. He was aware that when there is a police action of this type, rough force may be used, and that such force could exacerbate his pre-existing condition. His poor choices put him in the wheelchair. In my opinion, there is no apology necessary from the officers who did their job.
Then OBVIOUSLY you have NO clue what is going on. Thank you for being the good little zombie that you are and spreading bullshit opinions that only prove how horribly delusional and naive you people can be.
I’m really tired of people saying you need to take this movement to D.C. Why is it so hard for people to understand you can’t do anything in D.C. without money because the system has been corrupted. The problems don’t solely exist in D.C. The problems are everywhere. The problems even reside within each of us. Are we not the ones who stood by and allowed economic inequality to flourish to the point of a national crisis? The problem is everywhere and should be protested everywhere at every opportunity.
To those that keep whining about their tax dollars cleaning up the park please know that well before the eviction both private parties and the Occupy Portland movement had pledged more than enough time and funds necessary to restore the park. The cities cost involved in calling out the riot squads was completely unneeded.
As a provider of care to the homeless masses of downtown Portland, I can assure you that this city has more available to the homeless then you can even imagine. Without much work (a few short walks) they can eat five times a day. That is just downtown. There are more food offerings on the East side. They have shelters and homes to go to, if they choose.
Beyond caring for their basic needs, this city has so many resources to care for their mental health, that include helping them realize their own worth and potential.
The city does not ignore these people.
I have no doubt that political considerations are at the heart of why the Portland Police Dept. showed relative restraint in evicting Protestors. It makes sense. Portlanders have a sensibility about these things that is unique and would not tolerate NYC style heavy-handedness.
However, relative restraint does not change the fact that Police from throughout the region showed up en masse fully donned in black stormtrooper battle dress with big sticks, mild chemical weapons and all the other accoutrements necessary to control a large violent crowd. They pushed, shoved and sometimes hit. They threatened the use of more violence.
The restraint shown by those protestors not naturally inclined to do so is most notable and laudable. I would like to publicly thank them for standing in solidarity with the commitment to non-violent action as a part of the OWS-at-large. I want to commend them for the maturity and reason that they exhibited in the face of police stormtrooper tactics that stabbed at the very core of those constitutional rights that they hold sacrosanct — The right to Free Speech, & Peaceable assembly.
While the city of Portland walked the legal precedent line very well in the eviction, I think most Portlanders suspect that despite the logistical ugliness of the camp, and the spotlight being shown on homelessness and drug use, the city of Portland has failed to live up to her reputation. The politicians of this city ultimately gave in to pressure, and the pressure did not come from the Portland masses, clearly.
I am a Liberal person with strong feelings about the constitution and I work for a non-profit housing investor that does nothing but invest in building communities(housing, schools, jobs, etc.) with other non-profit developers. We NEED the big banks in order to fund out mission (they have given us BILLIONS to support our mission). Do we wish they would give more, HELL YES, but that doesn’t mean I need to shut down commerce in order to make it happen.
I am also a child of the 70s. I have seen my fair share of police brutality and have even engaged in civil disobedience, however I have NEVER seen anything as peaceful as the clearing of the city parks that your organizations have ruined at the cost of the 99% you are so adamant about “protecting”. I did not see police brutality as I have in the past. Do you remember Kent State? Probably not as you all are so young. How about the WTO protests right here in Portland? Tear gas, guns being fired, now THAT is police brutality, not what was witnessed here in Portland last weekend.
Please be fair with your protest. I AM one of the 99% but you have caused my co-workers and me nothing but trouble since you began (our offices are located downtown). Disrupting my public transportation (do you think the upper 1% take the Max and bus?), costing taxpayers HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dollars (I pay a 37% tax rate…the richest 1% do not-who do you think pays for your occupation?).
Consider the folks you are hurting here. Mostly the 99%. You are going to alienate the people you want to help the most.
I stand in solidarity with the message of Occupy Portland and other Occupy movements across the country, but not at the cost of the 99%. Thank you.
Please refresh my memory as to how the volunteers for the Portland Marathon cleaned up after themselves when the race was over. OH WAIT, THEY DIDN’T. They left trash everywhere along the route all over the ground, and expected city taxpayer monies to cover that. Now imagine them doing that for 38 days. Sometimes the ‘good people’ of the world are just hypocrites.
Please go away usless jobless, brainless losers. Now you stuck us with the $800,000.oo overtime and clean up. Get a life, get a job and get a clue. Your costing the people you live with more tax money because of your refusal to work for a living and become decent law abiding citizens. Take your tents and your smelly lifestyle somewhere else.. Maybe “occupy the Ocean” !
Craig
Portland
I knew you would remove my comment. I’m not really that mad, you had the right to do it. This is your website, afterall, so you can run it however you want and screen the comments however you want. It’s just ironic that you would silence the voice of someone who disagrees with you, when that’s one of the injustices your movement is trying to end.
Sam,
Your response echoes my feelings (and I’m sure a great many other people also)exactly. We know that there is a problem and something needs to be done about it. However, “occupying” a piece of turf is not the answer. It would also help their cause if the Occupy Portland people would pay attention to what they are putting forth in correspondence such as this “open letter to the people of Portland”. A portion of one of the paragraphs in this letter states, “we enjoy our environment and our parks”, yet they totally trashed Chapman and Lownsdale. To me, that shows a bit of hypocrisy on their part.