Did you think the Occupy movement had gone away? Think again.
Occupy Congress, Meeting with Members of Congress, Warily
Tuesday January 17 is the day when Occupy Congress takes the Capitol Grounds and protesters assembling from around the country begin a series of meetings with their members of Congress. An anonymous senior Democratic aide in the House of Representatives is nervous:
“We would want to approach it with caution. I don’t know what we would do personally. It would depend on what they were asking. We never turn people away unless there’s a security reason, or if it is just going to be more of a mess than makes sense.”
They’re called constituents, Anonymous Senior Aide, even if they don’t wear three-piece suits.
Other members of Congress are not trying to run away from Occupy, but rather are trying to get out in front of the movement… at least rhetorically. One organizer reports:
Congresswoman Susan Davis’ office called. She wants to meet with us in DC on #J17. “I want to support OSD you while you’re here”
This is the same Congresswoman Susan Davis, by the way, who voted for indefinite detention without charge via the NDAA, who voted for the reauthorization of the Patriot Act, who voted to let the President go to war without congressional authorization, who voted to keep the war in Afghanistan going, who voted for big military contracts for corporations, and who voted to put God in government — all just last year! That’s rich.
Organizers are ambivalent about what’s been motivating politicians, declaring at once that “Just to be clear — we did NOT invite anyone except YOU, the People. Politicians have invited themselves to #J17” and also listing “Meetings With Representatives” as part of the official schedule.
Occupy Congress: Making Investments for a One Day event?
Here’s another interesting theme running through: building up supplies:
Food donations needed… Non Perishable goods can be mailed to
Occupy Washington DC
1233 12th street NW
Washington DC 20005
#J17, so if you get cold, don’t risk it, come get something to layer.
Essential Tips: It is strongly advised that participants bring their own food to consume throughout the day’s activities and overnight…. If you plan on protesting at Freedom Plaza, McPherson Square, or anywhere else in the city, overnight, please bring your own tent.
Overnight? The official schedule doesn’t list anything overnight. And food donations? A “massive amount of winter gear”? Is it possible the official schedule isn’t the complete schedule?
Final hints: the name of the official account for Occupy Congress on Twitter is “ReOccupy,” and the Sustained Presence working group has been having a bit of discussion.
I think January 17 is going to be a pretty darned interesting day. Who knows about January 18?
Oh i’m sure, especially since the OWS movement publicly lists their activities, that the local gendarmarie will be ready and waiting to arrest them, if not beat, pepper spray, tase or even disappear them now (if Obama says so, they’ll never be heard from again). Now if the people would arrive at say 100,000 at a time and keep coming so that they overwhelm the police, take over the building, grounds and surrounding areas, they might have an impact. A one-day protest is just an exercise for the cops and money in the “justice” (now there’s a laugh) departments
coffers.
I’ve seen week-long schedules for this somewhere online, and I think Occupy DC still has some sort of encampment. I’m going, but can only stay the first day for various reasons, but I’m expecting it to last longer than a single day.
If I get to meet with my representative, what will I say? Thanks, Allyson Schwartz, for being a complete corporate tool. I’ll have to print some info about her to bring with me.
The Occupy movement is all about people lying down, at length, in protest.
The Capitol Police are all about people not lying down: “Sleeping or lying down is prohibited at all times on any paved or improved area including, but not limited to, streets, roads, sidewalks, steps, curbs, gutters, doorways, alcoves, and walls. Sleeping or lying down is prohibited on any unimproved (grassy) area of the Capitol Grounds from one-half (½) hour after sunset to one-half (½) hour before sunrise.”
Oil, water. January 17. Which will come out on top?