Hello everyone.
Charles sent me a link concerning the post I made yesterday, with the 99 Declaration. It is a statement from the NYCGA saying that the 99% Declaration is not the motive of OWS because it aims to create a third political party. I agree with this, and thank Charles for the link.
http://www.nycga.net/2012/01/05/removal-of-99-declaration-from-nycga-net/
I did not post the 99 Declaration as something we should all adhere to. I should have clarified on that, but I obviously didn't type much yesterday, for good reason.
When it comes to the Declaration, I think it is something that shows we can be strong minds both while working together and alone. We see the damage being done, and we know what needs to be fixed. There were several things I felt were left out of the 99 Declaration, but I didn't know if that was intentional. I believe it should include items like racial equality, financial disparity, and LGBT rights, as well as religious freedom. I felt that some things should be removed, like the "political party" stuff.
I just want to remind you that not all that I write is my own opinion. That usually comes across in the tone of which I write, in parenthesis, or as an aside or rant before or after a post.
I haven't been accessing much of the news lately, due to my health. My wrists are almost completely immobile, and it will be a few days before they are back to normal. I'll try to post as much as I can until then. If you know any important stories that people need to see, please comment them here.
Thanks so much for your patience. I don't have medical insurance right now, so seeing a doctor is out of the question. It's just me and my friend Tylenol.
***Solidarity***
-Kitty
elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Update 7/6/12- A must read.
Hello everyone.
I'm in the midst of a serious fibro flare-up right now, but I woke up this morning to an email that everyone should see.
Thank you Gordon. Gordon says "Everyone should see this," and I agree.
Please, head over to this link and give it a read.
***Solidarity***
Kitty
elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Updates 7/5/12
Hello everyone.
There's some interesting stuff going on.
-- Last night during an "Occupy-style" protest, a police car and city building were vandalized. Police say the protest march began around 8:15 p.m., and that the tagging occurred after the march began. They took a suspect into custody, but have not yet released any details.
-- Albany police were on track to purchase an armored vehicle with a federal grant, similar to the ones used against Occupiers in Oakland, when they pulled out of the agreement, says a City Council member. The agreement was with the Berkeley PD and UCPD, but the Albany PD decided that the vehicle was "inappropriate for the uses of their police department in a civilian setting."
-- Occupy Seattle and #MicCheckWallSt joined up to throw $5,000 off a rooftop in Seattle, marking the money with the words "Money as speech silences us all." This isn't the first time the groups have done this, and they refused to tell the media how they pulled it off. The money will be put into circulation by those who caught it, spreading the message for many more to see.
-- Several Occupy groups affiliated with OccupySF took to the Canadian Consulate to protest in solidarity with students in Quebec. IndyBay has audio of the protest, where students tell their stories and offer their demands.
-- Here's an intriguing article for you all. This author asks, "What happens to activism when you block social media?" They cite studies and provide visual aids (charts, etc.) to help you see how censorship can actually cause more problems.
-- Three Occupiers protesting the arrests of the NATO5 were arrested themselves yesterday, as they protested at the State Attorney's Office. Police arrived at the sit-in almost immediately, arresting the three as they refused to leave. To find out what's going on in the case of the NATO5, and more about what happened here, follow the link.
***Solidarity***
To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Updates 7/4/12 -- Independence Day
Hello everyone, and happy 4th of July.
Independence Day was originally supposed to be July 2nd, did you know? Our fledgling country fought for its freedom and won, thanks to many brave individuals.
Now, we ask, how free are we today? We have people of all races, religions, classes, genders, and orientations here. Everyone has their own belief in what degree of freedom we have. We still have the right to choose what we want to do in life, provided we have the right people and means on our side. We have the choice of partner, as long as that partner fits into society's standard. We have the right to live how we choose, if we make sure we can fund it. We have the right to bear arms, as long as we can afford them, wait for them, and not have any mental defects. (As someone diagnosed with a mental illness, even though it does not make me violent, I do not qualify to bear arms.) We have the right to justice, provided we can pay the right attorney to represent us. We have the right to vote for who we want to lead us, but in some states you'd better have proper ID, and in others, it may not even matter due to the electoral college. We have the right to stand up for what we believe in, as long as we don't do so too loudly or fiercely, or else we may find ourselves behind bars for a multitude of reasons. We have the right to food, clothing, and shelter, as long as we can afford it. We have the right to health care, provided we can pay for it. (For now.) We have the right to go to college, but if you are unable to work your way through, you better find a great job right after, or you will be paying out the ass for decades.
Why do almost all of our rights come with stipulations?
Let's see what is going on today, shall we?
Thanks to Kate for this first one.
-- Occupy Our Homes ATL is at work again, this time outside the big city. Steve Boudreaux, aged 56, is losing his home to foreclosure, and Occupy is working hard to help him get a loan modification. Boudreaux fell behind on his payments a year ago, when he lost his job and his live-in girlfriend (who paid half) moved out. After 90 days, Wells Fargo moved onto foreclosure proceedings. Boudreaux got an emergency loan modification, but the IRS sent the tax forms too late, and Wells Fargo once again went ahead to sell the house. Boudreaux has invited Occupy in to help him. He is asking for a loan modification, but Wells Fargo repeatedly has said they are no longer involved, and will not say which mortgage financing company is.
-- The elementary school in Oakland, where parents, teachers, and community members have been camping out to protest the closures, was raided early yesterday morning. Most protesters left, but two were arrested after they refused. The school board says that they let the protesters demonstrate for 17 days, regardless of the fact that they were protesting, but they need to begin preparations for the next school year. Protesters are angry that the schools are closing, as they serve mostly minority students who will now have to be bused to different locations.
-- The Occupy National Gathering appears to be going well, if you ask the CM. Protesters peacefully marched while police watched, and gave speeches about how they've been affected by many important topics. Groups protested predatory student loan practices, fracking, faulty home loan processes, corporations in government, and many other legitimate concerns.
Freedom. Great, isn't it? As long as you are a welcome piece of society, it is great. But when you find yourself on the outer circle, you realize that your freedoms no longer matter. We have so many groups that don't fit into society's neat little boxes, and once you're out, you're out. That's it.
If you don't believe that's true, ask yourself these questions.
Why do many people feel it would be okay to make fat people pay more for health insurance? Many fat people are actually healthy, and cannot lose weight for a multitude of reasons. They don't visit the doctor or cost more to treat (on average) than any other person?
Because fat people aren't welcome in society. This is a punishment for not being an "ideal" person.
Why is it acceptable to add higher and higher taxes to cigarettes in order to benefit other parts of society? Caffeine doesn't have a $2 tax per cup of coffee. The price of alcohol doesn't go up every time we have a financial crisis.
Because cigarette smokers aren't welcome in society. This tax is basically a punishment for having a "vice," even though other vices are not punished the same way.
Why is it okay to tax strip clubs in order to provide money to women's centers who focus on abuse and rape, even though studies show no connection between the two issues?
Because exotic dancers and those who visit them are not welcome in society. This is a punishment for the women who "choose" to work in these industries. (I know many women who enjoy their work in these industries. The quotation marks are meant for people like me. I once worked as a dancer because I couldn't find a job elsewhere, and absolutely had to find a way to support myself. There was a choice--dance, or live on the streets.)
If you keep looking, you will find more and more people who face higher taxes and pay more in general, and they all have one thing in common. They're being punished for who they are, what they do, and/or who they are with.
Yeah, freedom. Freedom for all (who fit in).
***Solidarity***
To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Updates 7/3/12
Hello everyone.
Protests around the world are heating up.. First up, American Occupy news, which will be followed by protest news from around the globe.
-- Roughly 70 Occupiers are sleeping outside City Hall in Portland (OR), in order to protest the city's anti-camping laws and demand change to city policies concerning the homeless. One man has been on a hunger strike for over 30 days, and says he will now be switching from liquid-only to water-only. The protesters say there is no end in sight to their demonstration, and the city's administration doesn't seem to be budging wither, stating that their policies towards the homeless are already "beyond lenient."
-- Now that a judge has ordered Twitter to release tweets from Occupier Malcolm Harris, stemming from his arrest last fall on the Brooklyn Bridge march, Twitter is coming forward with reports of who is attempting to obtain your Twitter information. The numbers are drastic when compared to each other, with US police requesting 849 times (80% used for criminal investigations), Japan requesting 98, and 11 each from Canada and the UK.
-- OWS Maui joined up with multiple other organizations and concerned citizens to protest Monsanto on June 28, demanding the GMO giant leave Hawaii and label their GM foods. Monsanto set Hawaii as the center of their open-air field testings, but no impact studies have been conducted. Monsanto reacted by closing their plant early and allowing most workers to leave, but placed barricades and security at the entrances.
The world is in an uproar.
-- Residents of the town of Shifang, in the Sichuan Province, are fighting back against the government's construction of a copper refinery, terrified for their health amid the pollution that it would bring. The crowd initially began as roughly a dozen, but quickly grew to the thousands, with one report stating that tens of thousands had joined. Riot police fired tear gas and stun grenades into the crowd, injuring many. The refinery's construction has now officially been halted, but protesters remain in the streets to demand the release of those arrested during the scuffles.
-- Protests in Sudan have led to the arrests of some 1,000 Sudanese demonstrators, many of which are students. The Sudanese troops are also clashing with rebels, known as the People's Liberation Movement. Reports indicate that troops have caused heavy casualties to the rebel movement. It is unknown how many have been injured in the protests.
-- Residents have protested and legally challenged London's officials concerning the ground-based air defense missiles that will be placed at multiple locations, including atop apartment buildings with families living inside. Attorneys for the government say that they will fight the legal challenges with ease, and that they believe all the missiles will be in place by the end of July.
-- Almost 200,000 Japanese came out in protest of the reactivation of the nuclear reactors this Sunday, but it didn't stop government officials from starting it up anyway. The protest is officially the largest protest in recent years. Police, in a blatant attempt to downplay the movement, quoted the attendance at 17,000. In other cities across the nation, protests sprung up with numbers anywhere between the hundreds and thousands. One woman, who had previously been "a silent observer," as she said, brought her children to the event. "The government never cares about our lives," she stated.
-- Mexico's new president is celebrating, but not everyone is on his side. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets with claims of election fraud in Mexico City alone. Mexico's election process has long been one of turmoil, with illegal campaigning, threats of violence, and other tactics often shaping turnout at the polls.
-- The sovereignty claims of Vietnam overlap those of China's in the South China Sea, leading to large protests in Vietnam. This argument between the two countries has been ongoing for years, but recently Vietnam passed legislature officially claiming the areas, which are also claimed by the Chinese government. China responded to the law's passing by saying it was illegal, then inviting foreign firms to bid on energy exploration in the overlapping properties. Police in Vietnam apparently blocked prominent bloggers from attending the protests, and prevented those demonstrating from nearing the Chinese embassy, further aggravating the crowd.
-- Some armed protesters in Libya want a federal government, and have ransacked electoral commission offices in protest of upcoming elections. They destroyed ballot boxes, ballots, and computers in large fires outside the offices, and carried signs calling the interim leader a traitor. There are multiple regional differences causing small uprisings throughout the county, with many saying an election is the only way forward, and others claiming that reform on a federal level is needed.
***Solidarity***
To contact me, please email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Updates 7/2/12
Hello everyone.
I'm in a bit of a hurry today. I have to be at the University ready to teach soon. So this is short.
Also, many thanks to Charles for sending me a flurry of information yesterday. It will definitely be useful.
-- Police arrested 28 protesters yesterday in Center City in Philly. The Corporate Media has barely any details, but OpEdNews was able to speak to some of the Occupiers involved. They found that police actually kettled the protesters using their bikes. Livestreamers may be being targeted during the National Gathering, and city officials are worried about Occupy possibly disrupting 4th of July festivities.
-- Officials in Arizona believe that Michael Marin may have fatally poisoned himself when he was found guilty of charges stemming from arson of his own mansion. Authorities are testing the water bottle he brought with him and conducting an autopsy, but the results won't be available for months. Marin was a former Wall Street trader. You can read more about him and his trial at the link.
-- The barricades around the famous Charging Bull statue in NYC must come down, says NYC's Community Board 1. The group says that the barricades are dangerous and force tourists to stand in the street to take photos. The barricades were put up in September, during the OWS protests.
***Solidarity***
To contact me, please email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
7/1/12 - Asking for your help.
Hello everyone.
Today I'm having a bit of difficulty, so I'm doing what any proper news writer should do.
I'm asking for your help.
You all know I use a variety of sources to find news for you, but many of them are drying up. I'm having a hard time finding news that isn't sometimes weeks old. Part of my problem is that I use the Corporate Media to find the stories, and back them up by finding other sources, such as blogs by Occupiers and objectors, activists, and many other witness type people.
But the Corporate Media has all but abandoned Occupy, leading me to search blind.
So here's what I'm asking.
Get on the comments, or email me any sites where you know of Occupy (or any other important) news being posted. I can use news sites, Facebook pages, blogs, forums, and everything and anything in between. If I can't find information, I'm useless to you. Only a few people helping me out could make all the difference.
My email is elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. It is connected to my phone, so your email will be received no matter where I am or what I'm doing. I've been writing this blog for months now. I've dedicated hundreds of hours to helping others find quick news about what's going on.
Occupy isn't giving up, and neither am I.
***Solidarity***
--Kitty
Today I'm having a bit of difficulty, so I'm doing what any proper news writer should do.
I'm asking for your help.
You all know I use a variety of sources to find news for you, but many of them are drying up. I'm having a hard time finding news that isn't sometimes weeks old. Part of my problem is that I use the Corporate Media to find the stories, and back them up by finding other sources, such as blogs by Occupiers and objectors, activists, and many other witness type people.
But the Corporate Media has all but abandoned Occupy, leading me to search blind.
So here's what I'm asking.
Get on the comments, or email me any sites where you know of Occupy (or any other important) news being posted. I can use news sites, Facebook pages, blogs, forums, and everything and anything in between. If I can't find information, I'm useless to you. Only a few people helping me out could make all the difference.
My email is elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. It is connected to my phone, so your email will be received no matter where I am or what I'm doing. I've been writing this blog for months now. I've dedicated hundreds of hours to helping others find quick news about what's going on.
Occupy isn't giving up, and neither am I.
***Solidarity***
--Kitty
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