Support the Eugene 17

Gwen's arrest

Photo by Rob Sydor

Please support our 17 comrades who were arrested on November 17, International Day of Action (arrested outside Bank of America and Chase on 11/17).

*Fifteen of the Eugene 17 have their court date Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. at 777 Pearl St. Rm. 104.

*Dusk Winston’s court date is 12/7 at 9 a.m. MUNICIPAL COURT 777 PEARL ST. RM. 104

*Jacob Keeton’s court date is 12/9 at 9 a.m. MUNICIPAL COURT 777 PEARL RM 104

*Derek’s court date was 11/28 at 1 p.m. MUNICIPAL COURT 777 PEARL RM. 104 (Derek was arrested in the parking lot of the W. 11th Walmart on Black Friday).

Show up to support them! (These proceedings will be very short).

12.5 What Would Jesus Buy Screening

What Would Jesus Buy?

Documentary about the Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir on a cross-country mission to save Christmas from the Shopocalypse (the end of humankind from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt.)

Unitarian Universalist Church
477 East 40th Avenue  Eugene, OR 97405-5307
7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5

All proceeds will be donated to Occupy Eugene

Petition to the Mayor and City Council

PETITION TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF EUGENE, OR

We the undersigned request that the City of Eugene continue to partner with Occupy Eugene to provide a safe community to the hundreds of homeless who have been forced onto the streets due to the economic injustices of our times and who have now found a safe community at the Washington/Jefferson Park Village.

The citizens of Eugene have donated to Occupy Eugene: tents, sleeping bags, clothing, temporary building materials, kitchen equipment and sufficient food for the Occupation to cook and serve over a thousand meals a day to the hungry. The Occupy volunteers provide thousands of hours of volunteer work each month. We ask that the City of Eugene continue to make the encampment space available and also provide electricity and water to the site in order to assist the citizens and the volunteers create a more humane existence for the homeless we serve. This will help the Occupation continue to meet the needs of our local homeless while pushing forth with their agenda to address the national problems that cause homelessness and the many other problems of social and economic injustice.

We ask that the encampment be supported until we the people, the City of Eugene and Occupy Eugene are able to find a better solution for our fellow citizens who have no homes but those they now make at the Occupy Eugene encampment.

If you support our cause, please sign this petition, and share it with the people in your life. Click here for a printable PDF of the petition, and here for one with larger print.

Please bring your signed petitions to our Info Booth at Washington/Jefferson Park between 6th and 7th Avenues. Thank you for your support.

 

Why Occupy Eugene? Conversation Draws Over 300 Community Members

“There are many reasons I volunteer with Occupy Eugene … I am deeply concerned with humans who are less able to advocate for themselves,” said Occupy Eugene member and civil rights attorney Lauren Regan at the Why Occupy Eugene? panel discussion at Cozmic Pizza on November 28. “The brunt of the financial crisis has been shouldered by the average citizen.”

An estimated 300 members of the community came out to the City Club of Eugene and the Downtown Neighborhood Association panel discussion and forum on Occupy Eugene yesterday evening. The panel, moderated by First Christian Church pastor Dan Bryant, consisted of three Occupy Eugene panelists (Jamil Jonna, Lauren Regan and Silver Mogart) and three respondents (Jean Tate, Rick Karr and Ed Whitelaw), as well as questions from the audience. The event brought about interesting and pertinent discussion on topics and issues around the Occupy movement and our very own Occupation in Eugene. Over $470 was received in donations to the Occupy Eugene fund.

“When these folks are through with their presentations we hope you’ll get into a conversation with other folks,” said Downtown Neighborhood Association chair David Mandelblatt, in his introduction. “That way we’ve got the broadest possible exchange of ideas and the most learning possible.”

“The occupation itself is crucial to pushing the collective discussion of issues like the economic crisis further,” said Occupy Eugene member and University of Oregon PhD sociology student Jamil Jonna. “I know this precisely because I am one of many occupiers that isn’t satisfied merely with chanting slogans. We are quite aware of the fact that on a wide range of political issues we barely scratch the surface in our typical discussions—especially as they are presented in the mass media.”

Silver Mogart, a community organizer at Community Alliance of Lane County (CALC) and a member of Occupy Eugene’s Facilitation Committee, commented: “I do believe in democracy and I do believe in the democratic process but when I look out into this group, there are a number of us who are highly disappointed with the direction that our country’s going and highly disappointed with the feeling that democracy has not been working for us. The process that we have looks like it might be broken.”

Bill McConochie, a member of the audience, praised the Occupy Movement: “I see them as a reflection of the 90 percent of us who would prefer government that serves us not as members of special interest groups but as members of the community overall … I think you’re forming a terrific community. And the one thing that I’m very impressed with tonight is how much wisdom there is in this panel and in the room that can contribute to creating a society and a government that serves us as members of the community overall.”

The forum was video recorded and can be found at: www.ustream.tv/recorded/18812189. In addition, the forum will be broadcast on KLCC 89.7 FM on Wednesday, November 30 at 6:30 p.m.

This press release has been approved by the general assembly of Occupy Eugene.

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Why Occupy? A Community Conversation 11/28

Why Occupy Eugene? A Community Conversation

Members of Occupy Eugene (Lauren Regan, civil rights attorney; Jamil Jonna, UO graduate student and Silver Mogart, Community Alliance of Lane County community organizer) will speak about why they occupy, the historic
significance of occupations as a form of protest, the importance of dissent, the financial crisis, environmental racism, and more.

Featured responders are: Ed Whitelaw from EcoNW and Jean Tate, former teacher and Rick Karr, of Edward Jones

 

Sponsored by the Eugene City Club

 

Monday, 11/28
6-8 p.m.
Cozmic Pizza – 8th and Charnelton

Occupy Cozmic Nov. 26

CLDC is hosting an event on Saturday in solidarity with Occupy Eugene. The proceeds will help defend the 17 activists arrested on Nov. 17th when they shut down five national banks in Eugene.

No one turned away for lack of funds. Come dance and enjoy great company for a great cause! David Rovics, the Brass Tacks, and Peter Wilde will get your groove on, and we’ll also have poets and speakers to inspire.

As Emma Goldman said, “If I can’t dance, it’s not my revolution!”

Please spread the word!

Occupy Cozmic
Saturday, Nov. 26
8 – 11:30 p.m.
Cozmic Pizza (8th and Charnelton)
Sliding scale $0-$20

Organizer on KUGN Morning News

EPD officer and protester clasp hands

EPD officer and protester clasp hands. Photo by Tracy Sydor.

Here is a transcript with Occupy Eugene organizer Samuel Rutledge on KUGN Morning News with Storm and Grant on November 14 (download .mp3):

Storm: Why this all started and what are you actually protesting?

Sam: The Occupy movement started back in September in New York City and a group of people came together to start camping out at Wall Street to protest basically rampant corporate greed and a financial system that’s gotten completely out of hand and that benefits one percent of the people in this country at the expense of the other 99 percent. And I think most of the folks listening here today are members of the 99 percent, and that’s the reason that we’re all out there.

Back in October you may remember we had a huge march in Eugene of 2,000 people that was part of a nationwide, even a global day of action that brought folks out in solidarity with that Wall Street protest.

Storm: What made you decide to come together and find a camp out?

Sam: Well the occupation in a certain sense is part of the message. The group in New York City feels this way as well, that politics is so dominated by big money, as is the media. Most of the radio stations that folks listen to, most of the television stations that folks watch today are owned by just a small handful of companies and part of the result of that is that our civic dialogue is limited to just a few issues. And we may have robust disagreements about those issues, but things like corporate money, things like the role of corporations in public life (and I mean large corporations, not small businesses, but these huge, mega corporations in public life) just aren’t discussed in as robust a way as we’d like to see happening. And so by occupying a public space with our bodies, we’re able to also bring that discussion into the public dialogue, and that’s an essential part of how this protest is working.

Grant: So you’re occupying the Washington/Jefferson Bridge Park right now. Who all is camped out with you right now?

Sam: Well there’s, and I don’t have good head counts, frankly, because it’s kind of up and down depending on the day, but there are a lot of activists, people who are taking time off of work who are coming down there one or two nights a week to camp out and there’s also a lot of folks who are able in their lives either because they’ve been laid off or because they have some kind of, they are able to be there seven days a week and they’re living there full-time and we also have a large number of the homeless population who have been in Eugene and have been in the streets here for years and years and years and who have found that this is a safe place to camp and that they resonate with our issues as well and we welcome them in as well.

Storm: So how is that going? We’ve heard reports of it being a little trying between the Occupy Wall Street protesters and the homeless coming in.

Sam: You know there are challenges I think in every place in the country where we are occupying public space. There are challenges because there are huge problems associated with homelessness: problems of addiction, problems of untreated mental health issues, and these are problems that have not been adequately addressed by the larger society. By being physically in public space, we’re compelled to address those issues. They’re right there with us and we’re doing everything we can around the country to try and find humane ways to address those issues that don’t dehumanize and that don’t marginalize people who are already at the edges of society.

Grant: Eugene Police Chief Pete Kerns is very impressed with the behavior that has been executed by the Occupy Eugene protesters. How has that relationship been for you guys in regards to the police and with the city?

Sam: It’s been really, really positive. One of my favorite images that’s come out of Occupy Eugene is a photograph that was taken on the day of our march and it’s just two hands, it’s just a police officer who’s obviously in uniform and wearing a police-issue bicycle glove giving a high-five to somebody who’s got sort of bracelets and looks like a citizen’s hand, and I think that image is emblematic of everything that we’ve done in the entire sense of cooperation between the police and the city and Occupy Eugene. We’re hoping to be a model, frankly, for the rest of the country in ways to have cooperation rather than conflict between the powers that be and the folks who are wanting to change the system to be better for everyone.

Storm: Speaking of conflict, I’m sure you’ve heard of the conflict they’re having in Oakland with Occupy Wall Street also in Portland, Oregon, just to the north of us. Any problems that you see here happening?

Sam: I would hope that the sorts of things that have happened in Oakland and Portland, I think it’s actually been very different. Oakland’s police department cracked down with incredible brutality on protesters recently and then I haven’t heard the details of what’s happening right now, that they’re clearing it out again but the last time that they tried to clear out, I’m not sure if y’all are aware but Scott Olsen, a United States Marine I believe who served in Afghanistan was critically injured during that action by a police I think it’s a tear gas canister that was tossed into the crowd and so that kind of thing I would desperately hope that we avoid. Portland – I hear that the police officers by and large were remarkably peaceful. I wish that Mayor Adams had decided to spend those resources trying to help the organizers deal with the very real problems that were causing unsafe situations in the camp rather than just spending all of those resources on overtime for police officers to shut the camp down, and I would hope that in Eugene, the same thing can happen, that to the extent that we have any unsafe situations arising I’d hope that the city continues to cooperate with us and help us with resources to deal with those situations.

Storm: Volunteer organizer Samuel Rutledge, thank you so much for joining us and we hope to keep in touch.

Sam: Well thank you, Storm, I hope to keep in touch as well.

Download .mp3 of Sam’s interview.

Candlelight Vigil for Occupy Portland

Occupy EugeneIn support of Occupy Portland: Candlelight Vigil TONIGHT @ Occupy Eugene. Occupy Portland has been ordered an eviction notice from their site as of midnight tonight. Come peacefully protest in support of the global Occupation. Bring extra candles/candleholders, signs in support of Portland. Let’s hold our vigil along the sidewalk on 7th (Big Red side of camp). We’ll start lighting candles at dusk. Let’s hold the space through midnight.

Facebook invite.

Today at 6:00pm – Tomorrow at 7:00am

Location
Occupy Eugene!

Washington Jefferson Park, between 6th and 7th
Eugene, Oregon

Occupy Eugene March in Solidarity with Occupy Wall Street a Success

Occupy Eugene marchers gathered at Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza at 8th and Oak at 2 p.m. today, and began our peaceful march across the Ferry Street bridge and back at 4 p.m. Eugene Police estimated 2,000 marchers, the largest march in Eugene’s history [Edit: we’re told the 2006 anti-war march was larger, apps. 4000]. Because our march was so long, for a few minutes we filled the pedestrian crosswalks on both sides of the Ferry Street Bridge as passing drivers honked their support.

At 5 p.m. our occupy location of the Park Blocks (at 8th Avenue between W. Park Street and E. Park Street, at the Park Blocks near the fountain) was announced, and at 7:30 we held a General Assembly meeting in the Park Blocks, where we came to consensus to adopt the St. Paul Principles. As of 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, between 150 and 200 people remained at the Park Blocks.

General Assembly meetings will be held daily at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Please follow us by joining us at the Park Blocks or watching our livestream, YouTube page or Twitter feed.

Our committees have considered this issue thoroughly and will be discussing various ways we can work with, and not interfere, with Saturday Market. Keep an eye on the website for more information.

police officer and marcher clasp hands

Police officer and marcher clasp hands. Photo by Tracy Sydor.

police officer and marcher shake hands

police officer and marcher shake hands. Photo by Tracy Sydor.

 

 

Day of Rage Against Wall Street

“The people have grown weary of their corporate shackles, the greed of Wall Street having left them with nothing to lose, but their chains. From Cairo to Iran, London to Tunisia and Syria to Greece, this is our day of rage.”          —Anonymous

Occupy Eugene’s big day is almost upon us. Tomorrow, October 15, 2011, Occupy Eugene will gather in solidarity with the nationwide Occupy movement to protest corporate greed and the politicians who enable it. Occupy Eugene will march through the streets to proudly display our support of a movement that has shaken up an entire country, brought national attention to urgent issues that affect everyday people, and provided a new sense of hope to countless Americans. We will demonstrate to our entire community that true democracy is still alive and well.

Protesters will meet at 2 p.m. in the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza (8th & Oak) to rally. From 2-4 p.m., there will be speakers addressing the crowd and sign-making. Occupy Eugene asks that protesters bring banners and any needed supplies for the occupation. They should come prepared to occupy after the demonstration and march. Protesters are also encouraged to wear suits and masks in mockery of Wall Street. At 4 p.m., the “Day of Rage Against Wall Street March” commences.

The march route is as follows: From Freedom Plaza north to 7th St., east to High St., north to 4th St., east to EWEB, continue on bike path to E. Ferry Street Bridge sidewalk. Exit Ferry Street Bridge and follow Club Road NW in a loop, pass beneath overpass and take bike path up and across W. Ferry Street Bridge sidewalk, continue west on 6th St. along path by St. Vincent De Paul, south on Willamette crossing 6th, west on 7th St., south on Oak crossing 7th. A map of the march route can be found below. (Note: for those concerned about the safety of crossing the train tracks, we will be monitoring the trains and have the option of taking the foot bridge along Coburg road to 4th Avenue, and then continuing on the proposed route).

The march will conclude at Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza between 5:30-6 p.m. Upon returning, the occupation site will be announced and the Occupation of Eugene begins.

Occupy Eugene has been working tirelessly for the past few weeks to organize and make this event possible. The dedication and attention to detail coming from this group is nothing short of impressive, and committees ranging from First Aid to Sanitation to a Legal Team have been assembled. We hope you will join us for this groundbreaking event.

Day of Rage Against Wall Street March, Eugene OR

Day of Rage Against Wall Street March Route