On Wednesday night the world headlines read “Occupy Oakland shuts down port with massive peaceful protest”. Thursday mornings, the headlines had changed- “Occupy Oakland strike spirals into violence”. After such a huge victory the dominant narrative will be centered around the violence, the burning trash cans, the attacks on businesses, and the police clashes. This is hugely disappointing to me and judging from the response of many other strike participants and many occupiers, this is infuriating and saddening for them too. The 99% is comprised of the mainstream. Property destruction does not typically jive well with the mainstream. I fear that we will alienate ourselves and drive ourselves to the fringe, away from the rest of the 99%, if we are associated with the Black Bloc tactics of Wednesday night.
I view these tactics as being extremely ego-affirming for those who use them while they betray the vast majority of people in the movement who are committed to non-destruction. I believe they serve to steal the attention away from the victories of the 20, 30, 50? thousand people who, in one week, peacefully assembled, shut down the streets and shut down the port with no police intervention all day. I value the contributions that those “black bloc” individuals have made thus far, but their contributions up until this point do not give them free license to break from the general consensus of nonviolence/non-destruction and tarnish the reputation of Occupy Oakland.
If anyone wants to break windows and light trash bins on fire, I would like them to do so outside of Occupy Oakland actions unless these tactics have been specifically called for by the general assembly.
I would like us to issue an apology to the local businesses that were damaged. I would like us to offer to pay for some of the damages to the smaller businesses affected. I would like us to condemn the violent and destructive actions taken by those “black bloc” individuals and make a commitment to use peaceful tactics moving forward. These are my wishes.
Cooperatively,
Bethany
“GA” has not addressed these tactics because for some reason, it’s not brought up in forum nor has it been a proposal. maybe that will change tomorrow.
I think #OO has been co-opted by a small group using us for the purpose of venting their rage, rather than trying to make any real change. How sad.
http://pastebin.com/Kc1RdWVd
please go here to view a proposal that is being drafted now.
It is heartbreaking. The “process” isn’t really working if it protects those who rage against our own. The worst part is without damage control it could have a seriously detrimental impact on the whole movement. You have to wonder who these people are and why they want to undermine us. If they’re so self-righteous, why don’t they take off their masks?
I think David and others are right who say that the only choice may be to leave #OO, let the numbers dwindle, and leave the underminers to their own selfish (and unsuccessful) agenda. Then they will be exposed for who they really are.
Would you all like to work on a proposal with me? I have no idea if this has already been tried because most of the meeting minutes are not online, but I say it’s worth a shot.
Also, I just read on the twitter feed that a nonviolence resolution will be proposed on Wednesday GA. I can’t go but I hope you all can. Tell your friends.
Otherwise let me know if you want to work on a proposal together.
Sadly, Rachel, I have heard that it has already happened, and that in the Open Forum of the Oakland GA there can be no ground made towards non-violent resolutions. I do not plan to march with Occupy Oakland again, unless this is changed. I’m sure that most of the 10,000+ who took the port last Wednesday agree with me on this.
I want to echo your points. The black bloc actions against our partners in the small business community who had closed in solidarity with us is a failure and a betrayal. We cannot march with them again. The GA must condemn vandalism and violence, or we will not march with the 99% ever again, and Occupy Oakland will come to be seen, by all of us in the Oakland community, as a violent minority who need to be kicked out of our city.
I agree 100%, including payments to small businesses like Tully’s Coffee that were trashed Wed. night. Tully’s is a case in point, actually, because its manager was a 99% supporter and had posted a sign saying so. Tully’s had a steady stream of customers during the day. I later saw a video of the same black bloc-ers just trashing her place, picking up the outdoor cafe tables and using them to smash the windows. She said in the news she was heartbroken. So are a lot of us. This was supposed to be a peaceful movement of nonviolent resistance, like the civil rights movement, and that’s the very reason so many people from all walks of life and every single neighborhood responded and supported it. Without a commitment to nonviolence and nondestructive means, that support will melt away quickly, and the movement will never get close to Nov. 2’s turnout ever again. Sadly. So I really hope Bethany’s wish is taken seriously OO, that her wish becomes reality.
I am also with you Bethany, and I agree with you as well, David.
If the supporters of Black Bloc tactics also support the goals of #OO, they will see the wisdom of separating their tactics from #OO organized events. If so, this will allow the #OO movement to grow. If they don’t care, they will block a GA proposal defining #OO as nonviolent. If that happens many people who make up a large and influential part of the 99%, will want no part of #OO.
I also agree that time is running out to respond to this in an effective way to succeed at damage control. What to do?
It seems that many people online would like Occupy Oakland to pass a statement condemning violent tactics. However, I am confused as to why the GA has not yet specifically addressed these tactics. One commenter said that she was even able to bring up the vandalism issue in the GA:
“I was at the GA last night and was told by the facilitator that raising the vandalism issue was not appropriate in the open forum item. Huh? The forum is “open” but not really. Would appreciate suggestions about this.”
Hard to verify, however if the topic of vandalism is not tackled directly in the next two GAs, I am inclined to believe that many of our voices are being ignored.
In a previous meeting the Occupy Oakland members voted to “embrace a variety of tactics”. Sounds banal, huh? Did people know exactly what they were supporting? Did the whole of the Occupy Oakland community know that if they missed that particular meeting, they would be tacitly supporting violence? I don’t think it could have been imagined. Revote! Wear peace signs to the GA showing the kinds of tactics you do support. This way your voice will be heard.
I agree with you, and I hope that the General Assembly in Oakland can pass a statement condemning these tactics. If we can’t do that, then the peaceful protestors need to stop supporting the movement in Oakland. It’s as sad and simple as that. In order to change America, we need to appeal to all the people of this great land. Too many people are permanently turned off by images like the ones that emerged from Wednesday night. Those of us committed to non-violence have the right to know if the Occupy Oakland movement is going to be violent, so that we can distance ourselves from it. Whether we like it or not the real moment of this decision is upon us, and perhaps already passing.