General Assembly Monday October 10, 2011 7:24pm-10:04
Moderator: Jon P
Scribe: Nicole B
Attendance 115+ people
Greeting: Jon P
- Set down ground rules and process of how the meeting should be run
Safety Announcement: Police won’t stop people from standing in the medians, but advise against it, due to all the car accidents along that certain section of Allen Parkway. If you do choose to stand in the medians, you are taking your safety into your own hands.
Topic: Affiliation with the Arab Spring
- Passed: Language for the website
- “Occupy Houston stands in solidarity with the spirit of Occupy Wall Street, the Arab Spring and democratic movements worldwide against oppression and injustice.”
Topic: March and Rally at the Energy festival Saturday
- Tabled:
- Silent (family event do not want to scare the kids) march/ rally protesting Big Oil (that oil companies are asking for tax cuts and the money that will fund these tax cuts will be taken from property taxes and thus from the schools) and the building of a pipeline
- We would wear white shirts(in solidarity against black oil) and red strips over our mouths that reads 99%
- If this is passed we will be in need for white t-shirts (if possible non sweatshop made or bought secondhand from thrift stores)
Web Announcement: There are complaints about how the website is not user friendly
Topic: Web team request
- If you have any Pictures or Videos you would like to have posted on Occupy Houston’s website please contact Kevin at nerfyoda@gmail.com
Topic: There has been an injunction filed to state that all structures we erect will be uses as symbols of our protest thus protected under the first amendment.
Topic: Thank you all for your generous donations. We are still in need of ice and coffee and Led Quad Lanterns(ex. Coleman Quad LED Lantern). There is a list of needs on our website http://occupyhouston.org/needed-items/. Please also pick up litter.
Announcement: Sound permits are $30 and are only useable for a single day
Topic: Moving
- We are moving from Tinsley park back to City hall (Decided at an earlier GA )
- Tabled Proposal: We move to Lower Tranquility Park as our base camp
- No sprinklers
- We would not have to move every weekend
- Only two blocks from city hall
- However unlike City Hall its does not hold a strong political message
- Tabled Proposal: We move to Lower Tranquility Park as our base camp
Announcement: There are no noon GA meetings; they are planning meetings.
Topic: We have recycling bins. Please crush your bottles.
Topic: Outreach
- Trying to reach out to organizations in the community that support our movement to come to GA’s as guess speakers
- Website is not user friendly. Trying to get Announcements in multiple languages posted.
- People who support our movement but can’t make it we will request their pictures to be posted to show who is the 99%
Topic: Metro rally
- Tabled
- People are still planning to attend but will not be affiliated with Occupy Houston it is at the Metro building at 8:30
Topic: Name tags for work groups
- Passed
Topic: Indigenous peoples
- Tabled: That Occupy Houston adopt the following statement
- We recognize that the land we are occupying belonged to the Karankawa Indian tribes who fought long into the 19th century against assimilation and extermination by settlers. We understand that the corporate corruption for democracy has roots in colonialism and the oppression of indigenous peoples.
Topic: More Marches
- Passed: March in the city at the times the people are out and about
- 7-7:30am
- 11-12:30
- 5pm
Topic: Go away from Occupy Wall Street
- Proposal: Not passed
- Also the young man who made this proposal started making false accusations of people that were not present
Topic: 5pm set discussion time
- Tabled
Topic: Donated P.O. Box
- Passed
- Occupy Houston will have a mailing address
Topic: Art show
- Passed
- Details still to be worked out
Attention All:
I apologize for the lack of precise information in the minutes from this meeting, but it is very hard to take notes when everyone is talking over each other and not listening to what others are saying. We have a process that works if we all abide by it. Please have the respect to not interrupt the speaker and wait to be called on to speak. Use the non-verbal hand signs (http://occupyhouston.org/occhous-guide-to-general-assembly/ ). Everyone will have a chance to speak. The meetings will go a lot more effectively and faster if we all abide by the guidelines set in place. We are in this together. Please work together respectfully. Thank you for your understanding.
24 Responses to “GA Meeting Notes – Oct 10 7:00pm”
on October 11th, 2011 at 2:21 am #
[...] GA Meeting Notes – Oct 10 7:00pm October 11th, 2011 · Kevin · Announcements No comments – Tags: minutes, occupyhouston [...]
Once again, I will pose the obvious question.
What is it that you want? The rest of us that actually work are dying to know.
Yes… what exactly is it that you want? Your message is about as clear as mud as to what is the end game of the Occupy”places”.org . The only thing I can clearly understand is that you want everyone to “give” you things that you have not earned nor are entitled to. You have as my dad would say ” a hand out and a mouthful of gimme.”
Waht we want is more regulations on Wall Street and Corporations. Stop bail out, repay the money we gave. Stop 800 million dollars on war and military.
Miss spelled alot of things. Sorry for the typos.
We want our money back. For the past years our 401k has been decreasing. My 401k went down thousands of dollars. My neighbors 401k went down 50k. my bosses 401k went down 75k, and why? Because Wall Street has no regulations.
What do we want? is more government regulation of stocks and the people money and taxes. Why are we spending 800 million dollars on wars? Why are we giving corporations too much power?
What happened to job security? There are layoffs every year for the past 4 years. We can’t live and plan life that way.
No raises, no jobs, and keep increasing taxes on the middle class. What about corporations?
We want more regulations on corporations.
Quit whining and become a better investor. I’ve lost close to $ 200 K in mine. I am staring at my retirement being reset back to the Little Friskies and powdered milk level. I am not looking to anyone but me to do something about it.
My mother grew up as a child in central Texas during the depression wearing flower sack dresses and picking cotton with her 5 siblings and mother. Her dad died when she was 4 and mom was 8 months pregnant. I never heard a complaint or observation that anyone owed them anything or was responsible for them.
My suggestion is quit looking for a scapegoat and look in the mirror. Get busy and get on with living. But rest assured no one owes you a dime other than yourselves.
The justice we were brought up to believe in perhaps?
Great jobs guys! To Jim above, what do you want? Are you part of the 99% or the 1%? You can speak for yourself. That’s the beauty of this movement.
Here is a great article from FreePressHouston on OccupyHouston and their demands. http://www.freepresshouston.com/featured/testify-occupyhouston-org/
Regarding an Energy Day protest. Please check out the sponsors of Energy Day here:http://houston.indymedia.org/news/2011/10/73385.php
Big dirty energy is indeed going to hide behind children. If you are going to remain silent then maybe have messages pinned to your shirts such as
NO TAX REFUND for DIRTY VALERO
VALERO’s TAX REFUND HURTS OUR SCHOOLS
Stop Paying VALERO NOT to pollute!
If targeting the whole concept of continued fossil fuel use:
What part of Global Warming does the 1% not understand.
99% does not profit from Dirty Energy
There is no future is Fossil Fuels
The 99% want a Fossil Fuel FREE FUTURE
etc…
When is the planning for the proposed Energy Day action?
Well your link to OccupyHouston and their demands was an utter waste of time. I left with the salient quote of “The movement is quite amorphous”…. Well ‘Duh. As far as putting the end to fossil fuels, what pray-tell would you substitute them with? I’m just curious.
More on Valero getting a tax refund to not pollute.
Can I get a tax refund for not littering?
http://www.cnbc.com/id/44824987/Texas_senator_seeks_info_on_Valero_s_tax_request
Awesome analogy, Keefski. Also, they’re taking this from the mouths and minds of of already deprived TX schoolkids. Long live tyranny!
I’m okay with protesting this specific activity. I don’t like the idea of a general protest against energy companies b/c it lacks focus.
Without focus, I don’t see how we’re going to accomplish anything.
get a fucking job loser!!
Will you hire me?
I have been laid Off twice the past few years (last one after my 1 year of Fed. Tax Rebates elapsed) and would love a job.
I only have 22 years experience in graphic design/web publication and have managed large corporate ad department direct mail departments and more. The U.S. CORPORATIONS are NOT HIRING. I guess you have not noticed because you are too busy working… ?
Finally, we are getting somewhere:
“We want our money back. For the past years our 401k has been decreasing. My 401k went down thousands of dollars. My neighbors 401k went down 50k. my bosses 401k went down 75k”.
O.K., your money was in the stock market (401k) and as such, is subject to ups and downs of the market. If you don’t want to be subject to these market swings, put your money in a savings account (or under a mattress, for goodness sake). As far as wanting your “money back”, YOU BET AND YOU LOST – DEAL WITH IT!!!! Lastly, please enlighten me as to how your neighbor’s and your bosses loss in their 401k impacts YOUR life? Hmmmmmmmm??? Or is it, like most of us out here suspect, you are just a free-loader looking for the next “gov-ment cheese” handout?
I agree with the Jim’s sentiment. I attended yesterday’s assembly, but I felt like this movement is getting overrun with every type of progressive activism imaginable (unions, environment, health care, immigrant and worker’s rights…..). Even so we have yet to pass proposals on simple demands that almost everyone agrees with: policies that target corruption!
One person brought up 9 demands that specifically addressed this issue (I don’t care if these were official to OWS) and another guy brought up 4 similar demands (end coporate personhood, specific regulations on banking and lobbyists, etc.) And everyone was too scared to pass any of them (no reasons given). But somehow we were initially okay with a general protest against energy companies (I liked the original message) b/c basically “oil companies are corrupt and bad for the environment”. I had no idea what the message of the protest was after everyone was done adding to the list of all oil company injustices. Stop using petroleum products? All energy companies are corrupt?
I appreciate the efforts of the group, but we need LEADERS to help keep us on point, not lobbyists for minority, worker’s, and environmental rights.
Correction: I agree with Jim’s initial statement about the lack of clarity in our message.
I think we lose people like Jim when we make are message overly broad. I consider myself fairly progressive, but I would much rather find common ground with a moderate conservative and get fundamental change passed than insist that all my progressive ideologies be addressed.
Just remember. When you take down the nasty, dirty, evil ole’ oil companies, you are taking my job. And my family’s jobs. And my friends’ jobs. You are taking my benefits, my money to put my son through college, my money to care for my husband & me in retirement.
Will you be taking care of me then? Or will I be living in the park like you?
Oh yeah, I live in a park. That’s how I have a computer I bought with my own money and am typing this. Of course I have no desire to work, why else would I be obtaining a degree from a prestigious University in order to have a successful career? So awesome that you know us all so well! Have we met before?
I’ll take care of you. And so will Peak Oil.
The O&G industry has taken care of me for 27+ years. It took care of my father & our family for 40+ years. I’m not worried. Unless ya’ll screw it up for me.
That game is over. Nature bats last. You screwed it up for yourself.
Occupy Houston recognizes the corruption that goes on in the United States. Corporations by nature have one goal: to make money. In theory, there is nothing wrong with this; however, the lack of regulation as well as accountability in the corporate world today has resulted in our current economic crisis. Corporations today are taking advantage of the 99% because THEY CAN. They have been getting away with it for years. Occupy Houston understands that corporations must be held accountable for their acctions. Thus, this is not only a call to corporations but to our government. Instead of acting better than us, please realize that you make snap judgements about the people behind this movement before even meeting them in person. Your lack of an open mind and condescending remarks have no place here, as they are not based on truth.