Post by bradley on Nov 7, 2011 20:42:31 GMT -5
THE RE-OCCUPATION OF LAFAYETTE PARK
Join me in Breeching Cuomo’s Magic Line!
We are not asking permission, we are occupying!
Before I begin, in the following, I speak solely FOR myself. But, I hope it speaks TO you.
Our first week and subsequent weeks have been a brilliant tactical victory for Occupy Albany. We established ourselves over the wishes of both the Mayor and Gov. getting great press for our non-violent and peaceful protest all the way. We have gotten a continuous show of support from the community and citizens of Albany. We showed everyone that we would not be stopped by wind, rain, snow or dead of night. We WON round one, handily I might add!
Now, we have established our infrastructure in a “safe” zone and have the wind at our backs. I feel very strongly that now we MUST confront the unconstitutional threats being made by the Governor. We must make it clear that we have every legal right to use the public space in Lafayette Park, or any other that we choose for that matter. We are the public!
Please join me as I stay the night in Lafayette or get peacefully arrested trying to.
When: Next Saturday, Nov. 12th – One week after Guy Fawkes Day
Why:
1) It is our protected Constitutional Right – “The Bill of Rights is our Permit Mr. Governor!”
a. That right is being infringed by threats from our Gov.
b. He continues to brag in the media about forcing us off of state land
c. The smaller they make our foot print, the weaker our voices become
d. Every day we confine ourselves to “Jennings’ ghetto” and do not breech Cuomo’s magic line we are implicitly affirming the Governor’s power over our own rights.
2) To energize those that have been supporters but have not yet become active occupiers
a. The core of any non-violent civil disobedience action is the media coverage of the people bravely facing down those in power
b. Often this REQUIRES protesters to subject themselves to arrests
c. When the media shows and spreads images of peaceful, non-violent protesters being hauled off for exercising their protected rights, it creates public outcry and a call to action
d. We rally public support by showing, concretely demonstrating, our willingness to fight Cuomo and any other elite interest that wants to stifle our voices
3) To demonstrate the Governor’s own hypocrisy
a. Cuomo gladly invites protesters into the Capital building in support of measures he endorses, such as same sex marriage
b. But, he attempts to silence the voices of those who would criticize him.
c. He does this because he is more afraid of his corporate donors than the citizens of his own state – Let’s fix that
4) To negate criticisms already being made of the camp
a. Media reports city officials suggesting that we are a fire hazard, that we are hard on the grass, that sanitation is an issue, that safety is an issue.
b. All of those claims have been used as predicates to break up already established occupations in other locations
c. I say we COMPLY VIGOROUSLY with the city’s requests to spread ourselves out by moving many tents right into the spacious and well appointed land of Lafayette Park A.K.A. Cuomo Estates
d. Leave our infrastructure tents on the “safe” Academy side and move what we can risk.
Comments or questions welcome. I will do my best to answer them in a timely manner leading up to this direct action. Hope to see you in Lafayette or at least cheering on from the sidelines.
Join me in Breeching Cuomo’s Magic Line!
We are not asking permission, we are occupying!
Before I begin, in the following, I speak solely FOR myself. But, I hope it speaks TO you.
Our first week and subsequent weeks have been a brilliant tactical victory for Occupy Albany. We established ourselves over the wishes of both the Mayor and Gov. getting great press for our non-violent and peaceful protest all the way. We have gotten a continuous show of support from the community and citizens of Albany. We showed everyone that we would not be stopped by wind, rain, snow or dead of night. We WON round one, handily I might add!
Now, we have established our infrastructure in a “safe” zone and have the wind at our backs. I feel very strongly that now we MUST confront the unconstitutional threats being made by the Governor. We must make it clear that we have every legal right to use the public space in Lafayette Park, or any other that we choose for that matter. We are the public!
Please join me as I stay the night in Lafayette or get peacefully arrested trying to.
When: Next Saturday, Nov. 12th – One week after Guy Fawkes Day
Why:
1) It is our protected Constitutional Right – “The Bill of Rights is our Permit Mr. Governor!”
a. That right is being infringed by threats from our Gov.
b. He continues to brag in the media about forcing us off of state land
c. The smaller they make our foot print, the weaker our voices become
d. Every day we confine ourselves to “Jennings’ ghetto” and do not breech Cuomo’s magic line we are implicitly affirming the Governor’s power over our own rights.
2) To energize those that have been supporters but have not yet become active occupiers
a. The core of any non-violent civil disobedience action is the media coverage of the people bravely facing down those in power
b. Often this REQUIRES protesters to subject themselves to arrests
c. When the media shows and spreads images of peaceful, non-violent protesters being hauled off for exercising their protected rights, it creates public outcry and a call to action
d. We rally public support by showing, concretely demonstrating, our willingness to fight Cuomo and any other elite interest that wants to stifle our voices
3) To demonstrate the Governor’s own hypocrisy
a. Cuomo gladly invites protesters into the Capital building in support of measures he endorses, such as same sex marriage
b. But, he attempts to silence the voices of those who would criticize him.
c. He does this because he is more afraid of his corporate donors than the citizens of his own state – Let’s fix that
4) To negate criticisms already being made of the camp
a. Media reports city officials suggesting that we are a fire hazard, that we are hard on the grass, that sanitation is an issue, that safety is an issue.
b. All of those claims have been used as predicates to break up already established occupations in other locations
c. I say we COMPLY VIGOROUSLY with the city’s requests to spread ourselves out by moving many tents right into the spacious and well appointed land of Lafayette Park A.K.A. Cuomo Estates
d. Leave our infrastructure tents on the “safe” Academy side and move what we can risk.
Comments or questions welcome. I will do my best to answer them in a timely manner leading up to this direct action. Hope to see you in Lafayette or at least cheering on from the sidelines.
