Calendar
Don’t Steal our Postal Services Rally
In front of the Staples store
2352 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
The Berkeley Post Office and post offices all over the US are under threat of being fraudulently sold!
In a new attack, US postal services have been snuck into 84 Staples stores all over the country – including Berkeley. Postal services are being provided by low-wage Staples employees, not living-wage Postal professionals.
Please join us to:
- Oppose privatization of the US Postal Services and all public resources. Privatization brings higher prices and worse quality.
- Oppose union busting – replacing union jobs with low paying jobs that offer poor or no benefits.
Non-union pay lowers everyone’s standard of living (USPS compensation $20-$30/hr + benefits. Staples $8 – $12/hr, few if any benefits)
Sponsored by Berkeley Post Office Defenders. Supported by Strike Debt Bay Area.
Rally Poster.
The Occupy Oakland General Assembly will convene over food and libation this week at Mike’s house in El Cerrito. We normally meet at 2:00 PM, but our holiday GA, hike and social will begin later than our usual time: 3:00 PM for a hike on the Albany Hill, 4:30 PM for a short meeting, 5:30 PM for a holiday meal.
If you would like to attend either:
– send email to Mike (electionamend@gmail.com) for directions
– call Mike at 510-299-0493 for directions
– show up at the Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheatre by 2:30 for a ride to Mike’s house. Or call Ed at 510-763-0591 for a ride
All are welcome! Please bring something to share if you can.
This will be the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Federal Reserve.
Monday evening from 6 – 9, OccupyForum will hold its meeting at the FED (101 Market) and have a panel of speakers.
There are some Scheduled events.
5:30 – anti-corporate caroling
6-6:30 – Illuminator will project a message onto the Fed, also the Petaluminator, possibly Light Brigade
Please bring flashlights and other ways to “shed light” on the FED
6:30 – 7:00 – Occupy Forum, topic the Federal Reserve and alternatives (see below)
And other ideas:
– Chalkupy: Ideas for a giant monopoly board are forming, also everyone can write messaging, answer the question “Why are you FED UP with the monetary system?” (or other messaging)
– Blankets: We’re asking everyone who can to drop by a Goodwill or Salvation Army or thrift store and get a blanket (they’re cheap! a few bucks)… The idea is to keep warm while we’re there and then leave them in the free pile for folks who need them.
– Caroling (with words to describe the FED provided)
The FEDERAL RESERVE BANK (commonly called the Fed) and Wall Street banks create just about all the money we use every day. Most people think that the Fed is an agency of the Federal Government. But it’s not. It’s 100% owned by the largest private banks in the US. The Fed uses its incredible power to decide how much new money to create and, more importantly, where to spend it, to benefit the Wall Street banks.
Since most of us think new money is generated by government, we would also expect that money to be directed toward things that benefit all of us such as highways and other infrastructure, education, health care and social security.
However, all money the government spends has to be borrowed at interest from the banks and the Fed. The banks and the Fed create this money, instead, by investing in areas that will provide them with maximum profits – usually wars, the coal and oil industries and real estate. This results in crashes like the current one which started in 2008, and depressions, and no consideration is given to the moral or environmental costs of these investments. Profits over people as usual.
The Fed operates largely in secret, and is not required to be accountable to anyone. There has never been a proper audit of the Federal Reserve Bank. The power to create money is arguably the most important single power in the US economy and yet the people have no control over it!
It’s time to shine a light on the workings of the Fed. We need to start discussing solutions like making the Fed accountable and handing over the power of money creation to the Federal Government! This could be the single most powerful way to create a more democratic economy that serves the interests of all of us – not just a few who profit immensely off of our labor.
Join us this Monday, Dec. 23 at 5pm on the Federal Reserve’s 100th Birthday when we will Illuminate the Fed!
Speakers will include Occupy activist Jane Smith, who will provide us with details on how the Fed works (or doesn’t work), and how we can take control of money creation away from big banks. The Illuminators will be there to project images and messages onto the FED building and there will be other events as well, listed below. Bring flashlights! Bring blankets! Bring ideas for chalking: “Why are you FED UP?”
On Dec. 26th, at 8:30 a.m., forget the shopping (or returning) and support Community College of San Francisco in Superior Court. Join us to hear CFT/AFT 2121 and the SF City Attorney’s request for injunctive relief. The actions against City College by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) must be stopped!
Subject: Urgent Action: Protest against Korean Government Repression on Dec 27 Noon
SF Rally to Defend the Right to Strike! Free All Arrested Strikers!
Stop Mass Firings of South Korean Railway Workers!
Victory to the KCTU General Strike!
8,565 Korail workers have been suspended and their union offices raided because of their strike action against privatization which began on December 9, 2013. This is not the first attack by the Korean
government on the labor movement. Teachers’ unions have been threatened with being banned and workers have been sued personally for going on strike causing personal bankruptcy and suicides.
The Transport Workers Solidarity Committee TWSC has initiated the call for a solidarity rally and labor/community delegation to go to the Korean Consulate in San Francisco and submit a statement
opposing the suspension of Korea Rail Workers, the attack on their union and in support of their struggle against privatization. Similar schemes also threaten transit workers and public workers in the Bay Area including the ongoing attack on ATU 192 AC Transit workers and BART ATU 1555, SEIU 1021 and AFSCME 3993. This attack was directly connected to international companies like Veolia who are privatizing transit services in complicity whith state governments run by both Democrat and Republican Parties, are pushing to outlaw strikes and collective bargaining.
We urge all transportation workers, public workers, trade unionists and all workers to join us in the action in solidarity with our Brothers and Sisters in Korea and against the action of the Korean Railroad corporation (KORAIL) supported by the Korean government. This rally is also endorsed by the United Public Workers For Action www.upwa.info
If you would like to endorse this action please contact Transport Workers Solidarity Committee www.transportworkers.org (415)282-1908
Chalkupy (or Occuchalk) every Tuesday at 3pm in front of 101 Market Street. Bring yourself and your ideas and let’s put it in chalk in front of the Federal Reserve Bank at 101 Market Street in San Francisco. Other actions in and around 101 Market Street in San Francisco as well. Contact Mike Zint at https://www.facebook.com/#!/mzint1?fref=ts
Eats. Raffle. Tattoos. Live Musik!
Celebrate the New Year by joining comrades in the street on NYE in Oakland, CA:
March to North County Jail
Bring friends, noisemakers, fireworks
Bring the noise to inmates in North County Jail. In solidarity with prisoners and prison rebels across the globe. In honor of fallen comrades. Against prison society. In the spirit of total liberation.
All rebels to the streets!
All Families of a loved one killed by Gun Violence, Please bring an 8×10 photo and a Loved one favorite color balloon to be released.
Come meet us at the Grant Station for the 5th annual vigil/celebration for Oscar Grant to be held on New Year’s Day at the Grant Station (Fruitvale BART Station).
Join the Oscar Grant family on this Day of Remembrance!
WE ARE ALL STILL OSCAR GRANT
SPEAK OUT:
• Family of murdered victims
• Artist
• Community Activist
LIVE Performances:
• Libation
• African-Native-Latino Ceremony
• Poetry, music, spoken word
• Candle lighting, Balloon Releasing
• Words of inspiration Min. Keith Muhammad
• RGB–Young Gifted and Black–Our Children
GUEST APPEARANCES:
Ryan Coogler — Director of Fruitvale Station
And more guests – check them out at the Facebook page & RSVP
Come out and march on January 1st at 3pm starting at 24th street BART Plaza and ending at 16th street BART.
“On January 1st Mission residents and agitators want to ring in the New Year with a big “fuck you!” to the San Francisco Police Department. The elevated pig presence in the neighborhood is unavoidable and many have already felt its effects. In November, four Valencia Gardens residents were attacked and then arrested by SFPD officers. The expansion of police surveillance at the 16th street BART plaza has lead to increased harassment of young people of color, homeless folks, and sex workers.”
Panel Discussion features Wanda Johnson, Keith Muhammad, Nigel Bryson, Dan Siegel, Cat Brooks.
Performances by Ras Ceylon, Jabari Shaw, Rasheedah Sabreen, PaRadise ThePoet
Friendraise for forthcoming documentary Oscar Grant: The Rest of the Story.
Source.
COME CHALK THE SIDEWALK (WE’LL BRING THE CHALK), GET CREATIVE WITH SIGNS & TP, TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE TPP, THE NEXT CORPORATE-BULLY OFFENSE AGAINST THE EARTH, HUMANITY, THE ENVIRONMENT & NATIONAL LAWS & SOVEREIGNTY, BEING PUSHED IN SECRET BY 600 CORPORATIONS — A KIND OF NAFTA ON STEROIDS FOR THE FAR EAST — LET NANCY PELOSI & HER ILK IN CONGRESS KNOW THAT THEY BETTER NOT ‘FAST TRACK’ OR PASS THIS TERRIBLE LEGISLATION.
On January 3 a revised deal with Barclays bank will go before the bankruptcy judge in Detroit. This deal that slightly improves the original one, will still exempt Bank of America and United Bank of Switzerland from the bankruptcy process that threatens Detroit workers pensions and the assets of the people from art, to water and parks.
Demo at BofA near Fruitvale BART at noon to support Detroit. (They are demonstrating at the courthouse Friday am and then going inside to pack the courtroom.) NY is working on a demonstration near Wall Street for Jan. 3, as well.
Cancel Detroit’s Debt –Make the Banks Pay, They Owe Us
Hands Off Our Pensions
Save City Services and Assets
Make the Banks Fund a Jobs Program
Oppose Barclays Swap Deal Which Will Cost the City of Detroit Its Future
Facebook event, RSVP and more info.
Last month we had an awesome booth, surveillance video and clips from 1984 streaming, banners and handouts. Then the powers-in-the-sky decided to pour down freezing rain.
We’ve now applied for a cloudless sky, and to untilt Earth’s axis so that it will be warm and daylight until late. Renee Domingo <WE LOVE BIG BROTHER> is considering the application. We’ll let you know.
Do come out regardless and <BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING> help us spread <FREEDOM IS SLAVERY> the word.
The Alan Blueford Center For Justice is honored to host Indo Slapmaster, Mike-aka DeeJay-West, Oscyi MT Mayor, & Moe Green for 1st Friday in Oakland, this is a show for The People, so COME ON!!!
On Saturday, Jan. 4, between 10:00AM and 5:00PM, the Berkeley Post Office Defenders will have an information table in front of the downtown Berkeley Post Office at 2000 Allston Way to inform people about the status of our strategies for halting the sale of that post office and fighting the privatization of the US Postal Service.
We will also have a petition for people to sign asking Mayor Tom Bates to vote for the proposed zoning overlay – a precedent-setting strategy that will, if passed, preserve the entire Historic District around MLK Park, including the Post Office, for civic uses. See two writeups of this approach in the Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times.
Please consider stopping by our outreach table on Saturday to sign the petition, find out more about our ongoing efforts to retain our vital public goods, and learn of ways you can participate.
Or just come and hang out for a while!
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Despite powerful attacks, Richmond became the first municipality in the nation to beat back Wall Street threats, litigation, and a campaign dedicated to end the city’s program using eminent domain to help underwater homeowners. How was the community, led by Mayor McLaughlin, able to hold off the banks, asset managers and securities units of Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and AIG, the very same firms that caused the foreclosure crisis in the first place?
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For decades, environmental justice groups including Richmond Progressive Alliance, West County Toxics Coalition, and Communities for a better environment have fought Chevron, one of the world’s top polluters and a major tax evader whose refinery has long dominated the city. Chevron’s toxic, explosive, and corrosive chemicals and toxic releases cause devastating harm. To add insult to injury, Chevron vehemently opposes paying its fair share of taxes. Last fall, the oil giant pumped $1.2 million into city elections “They have been polluting our democracy along with polluting our environment,” said McLaughlin. The City of Richmond is currently suing Chevron for damages from the massive 2012 fire and Mayor McLaughlin has called on Chevron to pay its taxes and create a new corporate culture by putting the health and safety needs of Richmond residents before its profits. At the press conference announcing the city’s lawsuit against Chevron, McLaughlin was clear: “This isn’t just about money, it’s also about a culture of abuse. This suit is a situation requiring Chevron to be accountable to our community.”
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Richmond is on the rise. Mayor McLaughlin’s focus on working side by side with a community that has suffered decades of injustice is helping to showcase how an urban community is transforming itself in the 21st Century.
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More info at:
http://www.saverichmondhomes.org/
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Time will be allotted for Q&A, discussion and announcements. Donations
to OccupyForum to cover costs are encouraged; no one turned away!
Let the City Council know that you are not happy with the idea of an oil terminal in Pittsburg! We are getting as many people as possible to come join us at the City Council meeting and show with our numbers and our voices that we do not want the WesPac project!
Some people will be making public comment, and you can do that if you want (we have tips on speaking for you), but we would love just to have your support!
Bring a friend!
via Pittsburg Defense Council.
Mothers in White will pleasd for justice for Andy at the January 7, Tuesday, meeting of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, at 1 p.m.
A bi-lingual flyer about the event includes a photo of Andy’s parents Sujey and Rodrigo over his coffin. Mrs. Lopez apparently plans to attend the event and may speak to the supervisors as a mother whose innocent son was killed by law enforcement.
“Every member of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is staring into a moral crisis!” reads the flyer. “What kind of ‘policy’ permits the brutal killing of a 13-year-old child who committed NO CRIME?” it asks. It poses the questions, “To what length would you go if your innocent child or grandchild was brutally murdered?”
The committee reported its intention to “create a dramatic visual impact” of at least 50 Mothers in White, as well as their allies, including men in white and the group Women in Black, which has appeared on street corners around the world to bear witness to those killed by violence.
People are invited to bring mirrors to hold up to the supervisors to examine themselves. Supervisor Mike McGuire apparently said that Andy’s death was a time to reflect in the mirror. This peaceful event intends such a reflection.
The color white was selected because it was Andy’s favorite color. White is not the absence of color, but the mixture of all colors, which is what this mass movement for justice seeks.
In the spirit of building solidaristic relationships between anarchist social centers, collectives, and event spaces, we will host a special panel and social hour at Station 40 on January 8 at 7 pm.
We’ve invited members of The Holdout (Oakland, theholdout.org), Outtaline (Emeryville), and The Base (Brooklyn, NY, thebasebk.org) to join us in a conversation about the activities we have been organizing in our spaces, and the political motivations that form what these activities look like. We also hope to touch on the impact of our spaces. After a short panel discussion, everyone is welcomed and encouraged to kick it! We’ll have food, tea, and games.
This event is open to the public, but those involved other collectives are especially encouraged to come and hang out with old and new comrades.