GA Minutes Wed Oct 5 2011

Wed Oct 5, 2011, Evening

Source:

• http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/file/view/GA_Minutes_Oct_05_2011_Evening.txt
• GA_Minutes_Oct_05_2011_Evening.txt

Summary

1. The GA agreed to "support the facilitators" [task: more detail required]
2. The GA agreed to be more active in the reduction of the use of disposable plates/utensils to the minimum levels logistically possible.
3. The GA agreed to transfer management of disposable plates/utensils to Logistics after a new wash station is setup.
4. The GA agreed to change the following hand signs:
   
   1. The sign for “point of process” is now touching the tips of your two index fingers together up in front of your body.
      
   2. The sign for “block” is now crossing your arms and holding them over your head.
      
   3. The sign for “friendly amendment” is now holding up you index and middle fingers in a v-shape, like the “peace” sign.
5. Friday’s GA agenda will begin – before announcements or anything other than introductory process – with a proposal from a group of local youth who wants to work with us.

Detailed Minutes

Minutes for: October 5th, 2011 - 7:20pm

Summary: Passed Resolutions:

1. We will support the facilitators

2. The camp will shift to a sustainable mode of food distribution phasing out the disposable dishes

3. We have changed two hand signals and adopted one new one. The sign for “point of process” is now touching the tips of your two index fingers together up in front of your body. The sign for “block” is now crossing your arms and holding them over your head. The sign for “friendly amendment” is now holding up you index and middle fingers in a v-shape, like the “peace” sign.

4. Friday’s GA agenda will begin – before announcements or anything other than introductory process – with a proposal from a group of local youth who want to work with us.

Details:

· 7:20- Vote on facilitators running GA. Temp: Hot.

· 7:30- Group Stacks

Food: New Proposal- Food will no longer provide disposable serving plates, etc. Temp: Warm

Direct Action: Homeless Veteran March tomorrow. Prep at 12, March at 1pm.

Labor: Met today with local union leaders. Wednesday will be Union Day, starting next Wednesday, October 12, at 4:30pm with Verizon 22 workers against Verizon, marching to Verizon headquarters. A separate march will meet at Dewey Square on Saturday, October 8 at 1pm with the Iron Workers Union. Temp Check on March with Iron Workers: Hot. Labor is currently working with unions on money donations and material donations.

Queer Caucus: There is a new tent for QC. Meeting at 5:30pm tomorrow in the new tent.

Occupy Boston Globe: Needs liaisons from Outreach, Media, Policy, Structure, Students and Queer Caucus. Deadline is 10pm for news stories each night.

Media: Bring schedules for all marches and events to media so we can post to website, wiki page, twitter, phone calls, etc.

Conflict Resolution: Introduction and asking for members to join.

Outreach: Plea for more people to join outreach.

· 7:44- Vote on Food Proposal: Stop Handing Out Disposal Plates/Utensils

POI (Point of Information): New people may not have this information.

POI: The website needs to have requests for reusable items.

POI: Some people to not have the resources or access to these materials.

POI: Where to wash these non-disposable utensils?

POI: Amendment: The food people should refuse service if they see the same faces come back repeatedly asking for paper plates. Speaker admits to doing this and promises to stop.

Food Re-Proposal: Proposal stays close to the same: Washing Station will be set up tomorrow. They will work with logistics for supply need. Some paper plates will be kept and used if asked for.

FA (friendly amendment): Plates of all kinds, disposable and non-disposable, be handled by Logistics and not Food .

Food Re-Proposal: Same as above but with Logistics handling serving supplies and will only set proposal into action when wash station is set up.

Temperature: 75%, proposal adopted.

8:08- Proposal: Two Alternative Signals

Point of Process and Block Symbol are considered oppressive.

Point of Process New: Two fingers put together in rectangular shape.

Friendly Amendment- Peace Sign.

Block- New: Arms over one another held over head.

Temp: 75% Approval, proposal adopted.

· 8:16- Individual Stacks

Member of Smedley Butler Association. March on Friday, September 7th to gather by the Gandhi statue at main entrance. Marching as a marker of the beginning of the Iraq War.

To put paper across the wall for all the lay down their points for actual demands as a basis to start the process and to use for future GA meetings on this topic.

Donation jar went missing. If found please return to food tent. There will be no legal issues.

Can all groups please send members to facilitator meetings so all can be represented at future GA meetings.

· 8:25- Major arrests with pepper spray and trapping of protestors with police in riot gear at OccupyWallSt.

· 8:26- Individual Stacks

National Organization, Move to Amend, a group that works towards constitutional amendments. Working towards corporations to not be confused with individual people or individual speeches. There is no operation group in Boston or Cambridge but they are working on beginning one. Please call 617 894 6279 if interested in joining.

Tomorrow night, Thursday, September 6th, members of 615 Allies (Janitors from surrounding buildings) would like to show a viewing of the last occupancy held at Harvard University. They will be providing food and footage at 10pm.

The aim of Wall St. is profit. Government lends its support to Wall St with bail outs and by racist policing, waging war against the poor and working. Our aim should not be to conform these institutions, but should be to overthrow them.

Youth and Community Coalition. Proposal- They would like to come this Friday to show a new proposal. We should be a part of youth, community groups and members. They want to organize over the weekend when they have more members due to school, homework, etc and meet with OccupyBoston. Would like to propose presenting early in the meeting due to curfews- met with more the 75% yes. On the agenda first on Friday’s GA.

SPP. Regarding the ratification of OccupyWallSt’s Demands. Would like to draft this without using NY’s and begin to draft a resolution. Draft will be moved around the camp for clarifications, additions and points throughout the camp.

Clarification on smoking sections during GA meetings and not that this is a sober camp with no alcohol and no drugs allowed.

Not an occupier but would like to show solidarity while outside the camp. The idea of wearing a black arm band while not here to show solidaridy. FA: Black and Red if black bends in too much?

Arts and Culture will be having a meeting after the GA.

Working with outreach- we are trying to work on canvassing projects. Please meet at the outreach tent to work on ongoing projects.

Long live OccupyBoston and Down with Corporate Greed!

There is now a Wiki page for OccupyBoston that anyone can edit. For any committees that would like to use this, please do. The more you give, the better it is. occupyboston.wikispaces.com

A homeless woman describes losing her job due to family needs and being under represented.

Speaker noting that this type of movement is global- Africa, Europe, US and that changes are happening with Glass Steagall. Fight to pass Glass Steagall.

Anarchists Group: All actions today were awesome. We state that they agree to act within the OccupyBoston proposals but remain able to act as individuals.

Announcement about facilitation group. All are welcome and encouraged to become facilitators and create agendas. Meetings are at 5pm. Come, volunteer and work with us.

We need to work with the unions and form a new party that is accountable to their constituents. A way to organize a new direction in the future.

Logistics – There is a lot of concern with space. There is no more space for tents. We need to discuss alternatives. If we move and expand the parks department may become less accommodating. Do we care as an occupation? Are there other parks?

Feels that GA’s are no longer making decisions that matter to the cause. We are all here for different reasons and we need to come together to work.

Addressing new taxes. Speaker is introducing his rap on the subject. “Tax that Asset.”

GA is geared towards fixing in camp issues in the morning, evening GA’s should focus on larger issues.

If folks would like to talk, please move away from GA area.

Advertising for political candidates should not be allowed on camp- no political candidate signs please.

Temp check on having people come up and speak about why they are here. Will happen as an open mic when GA is finished.

Speaker, I’m 48 years old and I see a lot of young people. I read about this in Metro and saw it on the news. I would like to say to all the young people: Thank You for standing up for what you believe in. I hope you find some real change that you believe in.

Not everyone identifies with the American flag. Should we keep those in public tents?

When proposals are made I hope it is not to just set up or investigate problems as that is already being done poorly. How do we seize and claw back what corporate America has stolen from citizens?

Within the occupation a proposal for A Statement of Support: It would be one piece of legislation that can be passed in the GA. One topic that we could all discuss with the pros/cons and try to come to a consensus. Then we can put it out as something we agree on as a whole. Try to tackle one issue at a time. Each would be numbered and we can move forward one issue at a time.