JUNE 15 GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Moderators:  Esteban and Gardenia.

Stackers:  Dele and Olya.

Time Keeper:  

Peace Keeper:  

Notes/Minutes Taker:  Dennis de la Vega.

Bubble Maker:  Lucky.

INTRODUCTION

5:35 pm:  [SOLIDARITY CLAP].

7:39 pm, Chrisantee:  I was at City Hall... ...the realization that the personal is the political... ...changing the world. I just need to think about how and what...

7:40 pm, Nomad:  I've been here before... ...been travelling around... ...went to D.C....

7:43 pm, Kalisa:  ...my statement of NonViolence is empathetic... ...putting yourself in the shoes of the people that you're trying to change or understand... ...keep in mind the middle class and the people walking around through this space... ...nobody's going to listen... ...so my principle... ...[JUAN INTERRUPTS] whether they listen to me because they're afraid to hear me speak... ...

7:45 pm, Juan:  I went to City Hall last Wednesday... ...it is time to... ...real estate... ...hostility met me right in the eyes... ...how jaded we are that we...

7:47 pm, Gardenia:  I've been brainstorming... ...what some pretty nonViolent actions we can do... ...what makes a cop think they're authority is an illusion? Laughter... ...and staring them down... ...shouting, like really, really...

7:49 pm, Esteban:  [OPENS STACKS]...

7:49 pm, Beth:  ...We started a social media group online... ...I asked what... ...they're doing and I got some report backs. Occupy Whittier meets Monday nights for a GA... ...In Austin they have two GAs... ...Occupy Melbourne in Australia... ...they currently don't also have quorum... ...Seattle has one a week, less than 10 people have been showing up... ...several on different topics and films...

7:51 pm, Portia:  very excited about tomorrow because I'll be moderating the Revolutionary themed GA...

7:51 pm, Kalisa:  ...On Sunday there's going to be a women's only space... ...females that are getting raped, underpaid, raped, mutilated... ...we're going to meet 4 pm, Sunday the 17th at Pershing Square.

753 pm, :  There's a lot of medical marijuana patients. There's a meeting at 1 pm at ?? Santa Monica Boulevard... ...we were going to discuss... ...how they're going to do the ban in... ...LA... ...here should be going to City Council meetings and letting them know what they're doing is wrong...

7:55 pm, Lucky:  ...and what I do for a living is I work to shape our foreign policy... ...Obama's withdrawal plan is for 2024... ...reduction of nuclear warheads... ...and I did what I did for the past year.... ....Fail! Fail! Fail!... ...we didn't have majority because we didn't make a phone call... ...we can shape the world... ...they were on the Super Committee. It was happening when we were at camp... ...Xavier Becerra was... ...colluding with the NDAA... ...without a march at 9 o'clock tonight... ...because we can take this power back... ...now all you have to do is take a [EXPL.]ing action...

7:58 pm, Patrick:  for those of you who know, I was arrested for wearing a mask... ...if you receive any strange calls... ...or any strange texts... ...

8:01 pm, Gardenia:  ...idea... ...Brooms and Buckets Brigade... ...we're going to start cleaning LA... ...we're here making this world better.

BREAK OUT GROUP DISCUSSIONS

8:02 pm, Esteban:  [DEFINES 'HAND SIGNALS']... ...on Monday and Friday? We're going to restructure... ...ideas and outreach... ...and on Friday... ...social nights... ...share food... ...for a discussion session today... ...say "How are we going to utilize our new spaces?...

8:07 pm, A Man: LA County jail I've experienced a lot... ...[EXPL.] with people... ...it is what it is... ...no wayside [CASTAIC PRISON FACILITY].

8:08 pm:  [ASSEMBLY GOES TO DISCUSSION GROUPS].

... ...

8:23 pm, Esteban:  Mic! Check!... ...please regroup!... ...Hey! Come back! Come on! Alright, Mic! Check! Please send a delegate to be on stack.

8:23 pm:  [ASSEMBLY RETURNS].

REPORT BACKS

8:24 pm, Sergio 1st Group:  our group decided that the new... ...is a great... ...new format... ...some of the things that they missed at the encampment... ...like playing games... ...what keeps the movement together... ...and education.

8:26 pm, Naz 2nd Group,:  ...as I'm aware on Monday's we're going to outreach... ...on Monday nights we can invite different community groups... ...different platform on things that we can agree on... ...the tactical group, for outreach... ...we always target the middle class or upper class... ...we should go to Skid Row... ...another one was the action in Venice [To inform people about the Medical Marijuana]... ...films like... ...we can invite some Indians... ...some Armenians... ...different cultural groups to have performances... ...

8:29 pm, a Man, 3rd Group:  ...excited about the new format... ...some possibilities... ...but there are things we want to talk about... ...some people were smoking... ... a woman who brought her child... ...she wanted to wear a mask... ...there can always be a space where folks can smoke... ...Friday's... ...where Wellness can be open... ...receive help with HealthCare... ...alternative space where you could get into... ...for example you could say "You can come to Pershing Square and talk to people who can help you."  It's a place where people can refer you to... ...there's one advantage... ...if you can't come on Monday, you can come on Wednesday and still get a proposal in... ...at Wednesday meetings... ...Maybe it can be a support... ... maybe it can be a place for meeting...

8:32 pm, Liberty, 4TH Group:  ...using Mondays as definitely getting people together... ...getting proposals together... ...on Fridays I think we could really decorate it with banners and signs... ...There's a revolution... ...bring some people in like strangers [who] always get into us...

PROPOSALS

8:34 pm, Josh, Lila, Carlos, Allyson, and Danny:  ...this is going to be the sixth action for Bradley Manning. We're trying to do it in every city that we can... ...this dude's in jail. He really sacrificed a lot... ...Arab Spring and by the time you get it to  Occupy it's all that... ...tentative Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night... ...that'll be the 13th, 14th, 15th and it will end on Monday the 16th... ...poetry, music,... ...and on Sunday we can start planning... ...for August... ...Bradley's going to be on trial... ...we've already done actions in Pasadena... ...and Ventura... ...we want to get a banner... ...we don't want to drop it so we can hold it... ...that'll be $300 total... [STACKS OPEN FOR CONCERNS]... ...[?DANNY?:  Bradley Manning was a private in the Army in Iraq... ...he was also involved in with 'the intelligence. He was an analyst and he was suspected of passing some classified material... ...which was also... ...led up to the Arab Spring...

8:46 pm:  [CONSENSUS WAS REACHED]... ...[HOWEVER... ...(SOMEONE ANSWERS ROCIO'S CONCERN)]... ...

[CONSENSUS WAS REACHED]

ANNOUNCEMENTS

8:47 pm, Rocio:  ...I went to my five year reunion... ...and people were saying "We're watching what you guys [OLA] are doing.”…

8:48 pm, Brother Adam:  ...On CCA there's going to be another action...On 19th... ...that's what we're doing... ...Be there Tuesday morning or Wednesday night. We're going to shut this shit down...

8:50 pm, Caty, Occupy Riverside:  ...We are putting on an event on ?? Which is a Wednesday... ...social justice we'll confront the Prison Industrial Complex... ...That will include music, food, workshops, and community... ...we have one keynote speaker which is Rob Thomas. He is Kelly Thomas's father... ...we will provide a bus... ...it starts at 3 pm. We have a march. If anyone is a musician we'd like to do art and music...

8:52 pm, Carlos Maroquin:  June the 25th... ...basically what we're going to be doing is Occupy the Capital... ...we're looking to send our delegation to Sacramento...

8:53 pm, Ed:  Occupy Freedom School this Sunday 118 Winston Street the classes usually start at 1 pm. this one will start at 2 pm... ...strategies that they have found that are very successful.

8:54 pm, Gardenia:  a statement that was consented upon on ?Saturday?... ...[SHE READS THE STATEMENT] Occupy Los Angeles encampment provided an alternative community opposed to our current capitalist  structured society-which oppresses its inhabitants while extending basic rights to privileged classes. There is power in ‘visibility’, there is power in being present. Providing an alternative is a revolutionary act. Occupy Los Angeles would like to invite you to pop an info table and or tent at the "Ideas Assembly" being held on June 18, 2012 & "Social/Cultural Assembly" being held on June 22, 2012 for the purpose of educating the populace and providing them with resources to change the world through the power of revolutionary committee organizing and mobilizing. We wish to encourage groups to hold discussion circles, share food, give presentations, hold teach-ins, or have performances:

8:56 pm, Burt the next Men's Circle meeting will be on Tuesday at 7 pm, at my place... ...if you're interested come up and see mee and I'll give you information [ESTEBAN:  to be clear, this is an antiSexist..., DELE:  

8:58 pm, Liberty, For Barry:  ...He has three reservations at LA Live tomorrow, 1:30 pm, for a movie... ...it's about smashing patriarchy.

8:59 pm, A Man:  On Jun 30th, At Solidarity Hall [2122 West Jefferson] at 2 pm, there will be a meeting of the May 1st General Strike Committee. Among other things, we will be discussing of what our goals will be. It is very important that Occupy and Occupiers are involved in this... ...and this will be announced many more times before the meeting.

9:01 pm, Josh:  ...I'm a musician, and I make music for the revolution... ...my friend makes these masks [V FOR VENDETTA (ANONYOMOUS) MASK]... ...so you can wear them...

JUNE 11 GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Moderators:  Patrick and Brother Adam.

Stackers:  Dele and Shakti.

Notes/Minutes Taker:  Dennis de la Vega.

INTRODUCTION

7:48 pm, Brother Adam:  Mic! Check!... ...The OLA GA! Will begin in two minutes! All Power to All People!

7:54 pm, Brother Adam:    Mic! Check!... ...The OLA General Assembly is about to begin... ...

7:58 pm, Dirma & Family with Carlos Maroquin, Victims of Foreclosure Crisis:  ...[DIRMA, SEVERAL PEOPLE AND HER DAUGHTER IN A WHEELCHAIR HAVE ARRIVED FRONT AND CENTER, CARLOS MAROQUIN TRANSLATES SPANISH TO ENGLISH] We come here to give you thanks... ...I want to thank you for, because you saved our homes... ...so I want to thank each one of you and I ask my God to protect each one of you and if it was not for you, God only knows where we'd be

8:01 pm, Barry:  ...Tuesday protest... ...Ron Gochez... ...we will be having a protest of the board of education... ...on 1445 Olympic Boulevard...

8:02 pm, Beth:  ...we all know we love weed right? [ANSWERS: Yes.]... ... Medical Marijuana ordinance

8:03 pm, Portia:  ...some of you know tomorrow at ??? AntiFracking Protest in Culver City... ...Anthony and Shyma 210 Temple Street tomorrow at ?? ...

8:04 pm, Juan:  [SHOWS BUSINESS CARDS OF ALL THE CITY HALL PERSONNEL]...

8:05 pm, Alex:  Medical Marijuana ordinance.. ...it is the most socialist anarchist... ...loose collective of people... ...more anarchistic, more respective of the law... ...the law still exists [but] the...

8:07 pm, Z:  5 pm there's going to be a potluck... ...at 7 pm we're going to go into... ...what the state... ...geothermal ... ...services... ...going tomorrow there’s going to be a lot of groups there... ...Fracking is a process by which some chemicals are shot... ...When you shoot water at very high pressure it... ...I would not be surprised... ...we can't do the whole bulldozer and chain thing... ...there's no permitting for this activity whatsoever. 9770 Culver, tomorrow at 7 pm.[HAVE CONTENT]

8:11 pm, Richard:  ...he said "I'm just coming here, home from work."  [A ?LOCAL STORE OWNER?] He was just sitting on the stairs... ...they told him to leave and he wasn't even a protester... ...they [cops] were all just standing around him like this [DEMOS ARMS CROSSED]... ...four people sitting on the stairs... ...so the DA just threw it out... ...also [the drummer] got a job...

8:15 pm, Shakti:  ...interested in doing canvassing... ...we'll meet on Monday at the GA... ...I can't do this by myself. I need people to help... ...if you're really interested in doing canvassing... ...give me your emails... ...and we'll talk about literature and how we're going to do the surveys...

8:17 pm, Kalisa:  ...every Thursday I am really hungry because she [POINTS OUT SHAKTI] convinced me to do this... ...[BRINGS UP OTHERS ON HUNGER STRIKE] what we're doing is a rolling hunger strike and take a day a week and if we get more people then maybe I can do it every other Thursday... ...

8:19 pm, Ryan:  ...There's a huge crowd... ...all the helicopters... ...the Kings game

8:20 pm, Patrick:  ...We've got a lot going on right now:  We've got the Kings game getting out right now...

8:27 pm, Jessica:  ...I would like to talk about saving and Occupying homes and... ...so, I'm not down for...

DISCUSSION GROUPS

8:29 pm, Brother Adam:  The discussion topic actually is... ...the relationship not only to the foreclosure process but to the... ...let's keep it right here in this city... ...what can we do besides occupying space... ...and what can we do about a foreclosure crisis that is... ...how do we get the people that don't realize it that it is the same [GD] problem... ...

8:31 pm:  [ASSEMBLY GOES TO BREAK OUT GROUPS].

... ...

8:57 pm  [ASSEMBLY RETURNS].

DISCUSSION GROUP REPORT BACKS

9:00 pm, Kalisa, 1st Group:  ...it was mentioned... ...that Capitalism cannot exist in... ...foreclosure is illegal... ...let's say you've got a low income building over there [POINTS] and you're going to fix that up and rent it out to low income... ...half that building is supposed to go to low income people... ...none of those buildings has low income people in them... ...CCA... ...it was brought up that there might not be homelessness in Cuba... ...Skid Row... ...mental illness... ...we need free healthcare for these people...

9:05 pm, Rocio, 2nd Group:  ...we need to stand up for human rights... ...more shelters... ...subsistence housing for people... ...everyone needs to have  home... ...

9:06 pm, Eddie and Silvia Duran, 3rd Group:  ...we need access to media... ...

Silvia Duran:  my idea is to have media do feature stories and put faces of people that you already helped because people have to put faces to that suffering. Whoever lost their house or are losing their homes have struggles and people need to know that... ...there are already people doing something for them... ...and my idea is to keep doing something in different issues because they did a feature issue on education... ...we can do [an article] on homelessness... ...and explain why we have foreclosures... ...focus on doing articles on homelessness...

9:10 pm, Eddie:  ...need to let people know what's causing the foreclosures and... ...

9:11 pm, Chef:  ...she inspired me because she brought together... ...homelessness is a rabid situation. Occupy... ...we're not even a year old and we've accomplished much... ...we have bills before Congress. They're scared of us... ...They're starting to look at their SuperPacks... ...we're Occupy. We Occupy the world... ...Syria [NAMES OTHER COUNTRIES]... ...Some of you might be from the sixties... ...you saw earlier someone that we know... ...take it national. Make it citywide first... ...we need to plan... ...Chicago's done it [NAMES OTHER CITIES]...

9:15 pm, Mom:  ...there are a lot of Federal dollars coming into the city of Los Angeles but it is not being distributed uniformly... ...somebody can... ...maybe $200 a month... ...but it's only $100 a month... ...I've got a [SHOWS A FLYER] ... ...and if anyone wants to take the project and run with it... ...working together like that... ...or if they want to have that two bedroom two bath apartment... ...there's no reason why we should have people in tents...

9:18 pm, Mike:  ...Wells Fargo also own 3 1/2 million shares in ... ...they make money out of having money in prisons...

9:18 pm, A Man:  ...Jan Perry of the 9th District and Mayor Villaraigosa took away... ...two million dollars that was given to ... ...[(something about) Obama]... ...how can we allow to let a million dollars get siphoned... ...and we don't talk about this... ...if we could just remind people about this... ...we have to change this... ...of one of dependence to one of resistance... ...just like we've got the police over there... ...the people at Skid Row just two blocks... ...how do you think they feel?... 

9:22 pm, A Man:  We're reviving the Civic Engagement Committee again...

9:22 pm, Donald:  ...what happened to the money at Skid Row... ...I say if you're going to start taking the money from the homeless and build a stadium, I say we should make a place to stay for them at the stadium...

9:24 pm, Brother Adam:  ...that one million dollars could have built 300 units of housing... ...These are the enemy... ...and what makes them the enemy is that they have made us their enemies... ...The problem is now that they have aimed that at us... ...what this is doing right now is that we've had a 30 year class war... ...and it's up to us to show them how... ...this will happen to all of us... ...this is how it ends up, when you cannot start making anymore profits... ...a poverty pimp is a nonprofit organization who is designed in its original conceptualization to make that their business instead of their... ...another thing... ...they take your children... ...

9:30 pm, Jessica:  [FLASH UPDATE KING’S GAME/LA LIVE!:   THERE (ARE) PEOPLE FACING OFF WITH COPS: …and they’re getting tear gassed.]...

JUNE 6 GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Moderators:  Vanessa and Lance. 

Stackers:  Mike and 

Notes/Minutes Taker: Dennis de la Vega.

INTRO...

THEMED RESTRUCTURING

Barry: ...

John Waiblinger:  What I want to share is... ...it's hard to come to group consciousness because it's hard to do... ...in my experience group decisions come from a group conscious... ...and if I am the voice disagreeing with something... ...to look around and ... ...not making it being an ego thing.... ...the recovery process that I would like to share with is the new person... ...is the most important person and we should be reaching out to that person... ...little cliques and make a connection to someone that we don’t know

Julie Levine:... ...in a protest... ...tar sands and Obama was ... ...all of a sudden these young people came along ... ...and they invited us to their General Assembly... ...and we were just blown away... ...despite the cynics among us we were all... ...it's like "wow" I can support this... ...I don't have to be a leader... ...it doesn't mean it's a government body... ...and I just want to give it up for that... ...the bottom line is, it's not just about you we are all ?egos? here…

Vanessa: stack... ...last call and then we are going close the stacks

Dele:  [NAMES SOME]... ...if you... …it did not come from the… …process... ...Yes. It is not going fast but we are going far... ...I look at the General Assembly today... ...and [NAMES GROUPS AND PERSONS] people who did not know each other just a few months ago are here together... ...we are on a journey... ...dealing with cops... ...dealing with those kinds of people... ...through the ... ...consensus... ...it makes it almost obligatory that if you have a proposal... ...you can reach out to strangers... ...those that do not have the capacity to mobilize are currently shut out... ...we should continue to work with the consensus process.

Emily:  I know part of the consensus process as a form of community... ...really I don't feel accepted here... ...I see a lot of people sticking with their old cliques... ...I don't feel welcomed all of the time... ...I don't think it's a community anymore I think it's a bunch of cliques.

Jeanie Dean:  ...before I blow sunshine up your ass... ...so I came through consensus process following Tunisia... ...in Spain… …I may have been listening to Esteban at one time [THEY TWO HAVING BEEN IN SPAIN POTENTIALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY]... ...started to ... ...the language… …when they said... ...I want to thank OLA... ...that you would think people would... ...the consensus process before they come out... ...managed to solidify that we've been able to grow right here in the United States.... ...as you know... ...9/11 I was a Relief Worker... ...we have made progress that... ...and you guys came along in the nick of time... ...those of you that are younger I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart... ...putting yourselves at risk, going to jail... ...Once you have a voice, you can't put it back!... ...invisible concentric circles all around... ...support.

Tuck:  Support John in what he said... ...unanimity... ...when I... ...my piece... ...I am willing to stand down... ...the passion that my sister... ...the power of the first follower... ...until that first follower steps forward it doesn't go anywhere

Burt:  The consensus process makes it possible for us to have agreement and disagreement... ...example... ...I was pushing... ...a proposal... ...we did the first temperature check and only two people raised questions... ...a minority of people who raised the concerns were right... ...and it raised the consensus process.

Lucky:  I'm not going to stand because it feels like the only way your voice can be heard is through a computer or a phone. I want to give what I can to Occupy: My body, house, my rights... ...because I don't have a computer... ...even though it would be beneficial... ...but because I don't have a computer my voice doesn't exist... ...if I don't exist online, then I don't [?exist? OR ?belong?] with Occupy.

[LUCKY AND ASHLEY WALK AWAY FROM OCCUPY LOS ANGELES GENERAL ASSEMBLY].

Vanessa:  ...General Assemblies... ...teenagers... ...I'm grateful that teenagers were my model... ...during the GAs is that speaking your mind almost always doesn't happen ?online?... ...with that in mind we are going to move into the proposal section of this GA... ...today's GA is Restructuring for Occupy LA. We will be making decisions which we don't normally do on Saturday...

THREE PROPOSALS 'RESTRUCTURING GA' OF OCCUPY LOS ANGELES

Esteban:  Thank you for coming out... ... it's good to see some old faces, new faces... ...how to do something different... ...and we tried to come up with some proposals... ...so we put things on WikiSpaces... ...today would be decision making day... ...whatever we agree to today if we agree to it wouldn't start until next... ...[HE READS (GO TO: http://losangelesga.net/proposals/past/)]

Jessica:  ...not easy to digest... ...so on Monday there... ...a moderator and there would be just an organic discussion... ...various working groups would meet... ...if working groups would meet, you could start a themed GA... ...this would just change from General Assembly to just decision making it would...

[Going through the proposals one by one, ESTEBAN READS PROPOSAL 1]

[QUESTIONS OF CLARITY, DISCUSSIONS]

Frank:  [READS PROPOSAL 2; RESTRUCTURING CONTINUES]

5:50 pm, Patrick:  ...we don't even need this proposal because we're doing exactly the same thing...

[PROPOSAL TWO IS STRUCK FROM THIS SET OF PROPOSALS BECAUSE NOTHING CHANGES ON WEDNESDAY].

5:52 pm, Mike:  [READS PROPOSAL 3]...

5:59 pm:  [CONSENSUS ON PROPOSAL 3 REACHED].

[ESTEBAN RECAP/REVIEWS SET OF PROPOSALS WITH FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS].

6:05 pm:  [TEMPERATURE CHECK ON PROPOSAL PACKAGE, THERE WERE CONCERNS, STACKS OPEN]

Barry:  ...better to [HAND WAVING] 

6:11 pm:  [CONSENSUS WAS REACHED ON THIS PROPOSAL PACKAGE,

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ed [ANNOUNCES OLAFS ON "SPEAKING SOLIDARITY"].

Julie [ANNOUNCES 

John [GIVES SEVERAL EVENTS]

Patrick [MENTIONS IAM132 AT PLACITO ?? SOLIDARITY WITH MEXICO, SOLIDARITY WITH QUEBEC ON WEDNESDAY].

Ryan [HANDS OUT FLYERS "LAYING SIEGE TO 626 WILSHIRE CCA].

Beth [ENCOURAGES SUBMITTALS TO "OCCUPIED LOS ANGELES TIMES", OLA NEWSPAPER].

JUNE 2ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Moderator:  Kalisa.

Stacker:

Time Keeper:  

Peace Keeper:

Notes/Minutes Taker:  Dennis de la Vega.

INTRODUCTION TO ‘SMASHING PATRIARCHY’ [THEMED GA].

[UPON ARRIVAL ALL ASSEMBLY AT THE PARK (SQUARE) ARE TOP OF STEPS UNDER TREES LISTENING TO KALISA FACILITATING AS MODERATOR AN INTRODUCTION THEY LISTEN INTENTLY].

?:?? pm, Kalisa:  ...?? [KALISA GIVES INTRODUCTION... ...(?Day 246?... ...?Principles of Solidarity?... ...?Agenda?)... ...[AND THE FLOOR TO SHAKTI].

TWO PERSONAL STATEMENTS OF NONVIOLENCE

4:23 pm, Shakti:  ...I believe nonViolence is something that womyn are really good at...

4:23 pm, Neil:  [IT SEEMS HE IS UNAWARE HE IS TO GIVE A PERSONAL STATEMENT OF NONVIOLENCE OR HE IS JUST DOING WHAT HE WANTS (nts: IDK)]...I came all the way from Denver... ...been all the way up the coast of California... ...my direct experience I've been teargassed... ...shot with bullets... ...we kept doing this... ...the Denver Police Department kept declaring... ...'Encumberance'... ...so we started building what's called 'hot pockets'... ...I left with three other people... ...a lot of other people ended up with Occupy Oakland... ...I can't speak for women but... ...definitely for 'equal rights'... ...while it was snowing we sat [DEMONSTRATES]... ...but it's considered a nuisance... ...a thousand people, directing a lot of people... ...[KALISA REMINDS: A statement of NonViolence]... ...how do we keep people calm, direct... ...what's happened...

4:27 pm, Amy:  ...Womyn's voices... ...a lot of womyn are... ...intimidated... ...patriarchy within Occupy... ...because we're living in patriarchy... ...our brothers need to realize... ...they are active... ...they are participating in patriarchy... ...the whole point is that womyn are not public property... ...our bodies belong to us... ...we need to eradicate this... ...that's why were here... ...it's hilarious because I mentioned... ...women need a 'safe place' for womyn... ...talked to... ...she said her boss is going to [provide] a ?tent?... ...You guys might know Fiona Apple... ...expressed that I've been raped by a person whom I a call an Occu??... ...please look at the womyn here not as 'available for your' viewing pleasure... ...a lot of women come in here and they leave because they... ...they say [EXPRESSES MEN'S SEXIST COMMENTS]... ...Womyn's places are in the movement [CHEERS].

4:32 pm, A Man:  ...there are at least 30 women who are raped in Downtown LA...

4:33 pm, Beth:  ...all three of those job situations put me in a bad space... ...told "You can't do this..."... ...I've had knives thrown at me... ...food thrown at me... ...working in the kitchen getting abused by the men... ...and especially in Wrestling... ...the women get paid less... ...we get demeaned by the guys... ...we get subjected to the locker room talk... ...I'm not taking any shit from the guys anymore... ...every time... ...the Sam Resnick situation... ...us ladies have some alarm systems... ...we see and feel things because of the... ...and sometimes the things you say or do to us... ...don't say "Oh, your're a girl you can't..."...

4:36 pm, Mike, Occupy Los Feliz:  ...we are starting a campaign... ...I would like to see it go national... ...[WIELDS A SIGN: Occupy July Buy Made in America or Buy Nothing in July]...

4:38 pm, A Woman:  I've been politically active since 2008... ...noticed since day one, there's major ?sex? ?Phobia?... ...I'm ?not? straight. I love womyn... ...possibly development struggle... ...people who are ... ...running society... ...it doesn't benifit that their wives... ...their womyn... ...and actually have to call it out... ...kick that shit out of our movement... ...they don't belong here... ...why that mentality does not belong here, you don't belong here... ...The One Percent, the Capitalists need us to cook their meals... ...not just means of production but reprodoction... ...we are the ones owning production and reproduction.

4:42 pm, Ed:  Why am I here?... ...about Smashing Patriarchy... ...Beth said... ...you were horrified by what you were seeing... ...it's not good to be horrified and not do anything about it... ...I'm calling upon all my brothers... ...guys don't pull this shit off when there are ladies... ...but when they're doing this... ...that is the time to call them out.... ...women's issues and all the guys were really on board with it... ...dorp that GD patriarchy and get rid of it... ...Oh and my brother that was up here holding up a sign [THE MAN HOLDS IT UP AGAINN]...

4:45 pm, Harriet:  ...retired from General Motors... ...title 7 of the Civil Rights Act... ...law doesn't get passed unless the womyn are in the streets... ...if you didn't get one of these I will hand one to you.... ...People tend to assume that verbal hostility will come to them in obvious form... ...most verbal hostility is far less obvious... ...most men don't realize it if they are unaware of it... ...What's the hostility? But as 'womyn' they are... ...to this...

4:47 pm, Tuck:  ...here to learn from womyn what has been happening... ...aware of my own oppression of my wife... ...also aware of interrupting agendas with... ...their own agenda... ...that we can call those things out right here and right now... ...when there is a womyn's agenda there seems to be this other agenda...

4:49 pm, Freedom:  I'm here today because 'patriarchy' is something that I am willing to learn everything about... ...my daughter... ...Code Pink... ...Women for Peace... ...a space that is being created for womyn to have these spaces... ...Occupy Wall Street calling their own Femme GA... ...Wall Street is talking about doing it monthly... ...encouraging as many... ...as possible... ...going "Ya, we really need this...". and get our movement to have gender equality... ...I just open myself as a resource... ...in sisterhood...

4:51 pm, Donald:  ...Rick... ...some statistics and he got shot down... ...people need to look at statistics and know who their... ...what statistics that have been gathered and put... ...by the public... ...verified... ...probably crimes that have been reportoed versus... ...some ot them did happen and some did get convicted and some others... ...they don't specifically say "rape" but they say "forcible rapes". I guess their talking about "forcible rapes" that have been convicted...

4:54 pm, Rachel:  ...some of them say "Hey, he's a guy what is he doing here?"... ...and then my ex boyfriend... ...and not have to deal with a guy and listen to him say "Hey..."... ...in fact we have a show coming up on... ...It's called 'Iced Stories and Iced Tea', the 9th of June all is welcomed. you'll have stories of women who come from all types of walks of life who... ...you'll get it all there... ...my dad he's... ...mormon. You know how Mormons believe in multiple wives... ...I like playing with guys but I like kissing girls too... ...I'm so sick of it. I'm sorry I've got beautiful double Ds but you don't have to say "Hey, can I touch it?"...

4:58 pm, Jonathan:  ...many of the points that were made here... ...rape and all that stuff, that's terrible... ...I'm not a woman but if you look at how the system goes... ...you can have women bosses... ...black... ...or gay bosses... ...it is not that... ...it is more that in this Capitalist System... ...and the only way that we can look at this is that if you have theory and look at this proportional to the people's demands...

5:00 pm, A Woman:  I consider everyone here, my family.... ...to empower and not to... ...talk a little about what happened last night

5:01 pm, Jessica:  ...there was a film shoot... ...and he put his hands around her neck and she was arrested... ...when a woman is yelling or screaming... ...we have to assess that... ...I feel that my friend was and she went to... ...and the police state comes in and they arrest the victim... ...if it's anyone that's off the street and

5:03 pm, Another Woman:  Also, a lot of the other people were... ...that she was yelling and screaming and... ...some men or group of men like to... ...the situation by calming her down... ...I believe a lot of that has to do with 'patriarchy'... ...if we see people -a gentleman yelling at a woman-... ...and we need to support her... ...it was very disturbing yesterday that she had to go confront the guy who assaulted her by herself...

5:05 pm, Jessica:  ...we need to make this space horizontal... ...I'm not here to respect power trips...

5:05 pm, Barry:  ...Just before moving to Los Angeles... ...building... ...I was asked "Do you have a sister..."... ...The One Percent make more money, especially in Georgia... ...it wasn't that whites were getting more,,,People working a job making a living have every right to have... ...If people aren't able to work in... ...If people... ...abortion rights, equality, and fighting discrimination makes it an issue for everybody...

5:98 pm, Vanessa:  ...patriarchy is the 'act' the ?? and telling people that they know better... ...this movement has the potential to... ...tell people what they need and want... ...it's not that they assume they know what people want...

5:09 pm, Dele:  by saying that "Place of the woman is in the movement"... ...every time a front line is created with equal women... ...all the privileges that I got as the first male in my African family, I wish... ...we are not going to succeed in...

5:11 pm, Lulu:  ...I'm not fully educated in patriarchy... ...learned to not take shit from a man... ...we need to create a space where we all can talk about it... ...this is a beautiful space... ...it is a subculture... ...I've been blessed... ...I would like to see more males here, more younger males... ...if you see your brother... ...I took a bus here... ..."I have to take a bus here."... ...and he was educated... ...first he said "Women are emancipated.." [EXPRESSES ANGER]... ...I bummed a cigarette off a guy... ...he asked "What does this story mean?"... ...story about a 'torch' He's like, "if the torch goes out she dies"... ...it's about parenting and... ...another issue is that 'Why womyn need to collect together" you can say "You are not a bitch"...

5:15 pm, Kalisa:  [ON EMERGENCIES]... ...Does anybody know... ...an act of violence against one of our sisters... ...is there any woman that is homeless at this assembly that needs to say...

5:17 pm, Beth:  ...If you don't have the day off Monday take a sick day... ...because they're going to be talking about park hours. Monday, City Hall, 10 am, BE THERE!

5:18 pm, John Waiblinger:  ...I passed out a flyer on trans ??? 'trans' in the... ...'gender binaries' how we ?determing what is male and what is female... ...[ANNOUNCES AN EVENT]... transgender individuals have more violence... ...against them... ...we'd really like to see more participation in this...

5:20 pm, Kalisa:  ...I was proposing International Women's Strike of... ...?2013?... ...male allies and how we could make... ...girls get together and guys get together... ...there are subconscious levels that we don't even know about... ...we have to really give a shout out... ...The only way we're going to smash patriarchy... ...degrading womyn... ...it hurts to... ...How is patriarchy not jsut a woman's issue? How is...

5:24 pm, John Waiblinger:  ...I think the men need to take responsibility... ...about the men's circle that we've created... ...invite some of the men that haven't participated in the men's circle to come and join us.... ...men, especially white... ...men... ...a story about an anthropologist... ...and "fag" is one of the worst things that you can call a man... ...and homophobia... ...[CONTINUES READING AGAIN] Women of OLA have hoined together to address how our culture and the political system we reside in impacts womyn's

5:30 pm, Ryan:  an how we deal with the... ...deconstructing a dominant... ...

5:30 pm, A Man:  being able to confront things that has been happening here in public... ...there is oppression happening, dominance happening that is not moving us forward.

5:31 pm, Omar:  ...racism within the patriarchy... ...within the systemics capitalism... ...racism has always played a role within the patriarchy of men... ...they said that a kid with 'descriptions'... ...it was crazy. I got handcuffed [HANDS BEHIND HIM]... ...racism is something that we all need to think about... ...of patriarchy... ...racism plays a big role in all of these issues.

5:33 pm, Eddie:  ...when I discussed in the group... ...and with other men... ...it's like "no, this is not femininist ?Policy?"... ...of sexism and rape system... ...I would like to see a lot more men stepping up and... ...

5:35 pm, Kalisa:  They've had six meetings... ...Womyn have less time... ...they have [NAMES EXTRA DUTIES]... ...this is a woman [POINTS OUT SHAKTI] who is working who has two children who is hunger striking... ...understand that this woman is working... ...she is... ...a means... ...at this point in the assembly, this is the place that I want to break in...

5:37 pm, Shakti:  ...I'd like to have is a Women's Collective... ...and also a Womyn's Collective HomeSchooling... ...our children raised the way that we want them to be raised...

GENDER SEPARATED DISCUSSION GROUPS

5:38 pm, Kalisa:  the men:  How is patriarchy not just a women's issue?... ...For the womyn: What specifically should we do?... ...this is... ...the kind of multi-tasking that we have to do... ...

7:04 pm:  ASSEMBLY RETURNS

7:05 pm, Kalisa:  Mic! Check!... ...The womyn are ready to [INAUD.]... ...

7:11 pm, Kalisa:  We womyn asked that the men come up here and... ...listening... ...for the guys to admit and open those wounds... ...we ask that... ...some respect... ...this opportunity to tell you about what is happening... ...rape is happening in the tents... ...also there is violence... ...if a woman asks for a tent and she doesn't get a tent, that's patriarchy right there... ...treated as 'cute', they got treated as cute... ...and the men make it harder on each other to call each other out... ...[DISPLAYS HAND SYMBOL:  This is a point of ovaries... ...if a woman is getting... ...this is a point of ovaries... ...throws up a point of ovaries... ...clear the space. Maybe move the guys out that are intimidating... ...]... ...authoritative MicChecks... ...the voices are deeper... ...this is true--I've dissected animals... ...when you say [YELLS MASCULINE-LIKE] MIC! CHECK!... ...you guys have two... ... that is as objects or invisible... ...none of those is acceptable... ...invisible! Or objectified! None of those is acceptable... ...we're organizing a 'slut walk'... ...it's approaching curfew too... ...[SLAPS HER PELVIS] We've got one of these... ...[A WOMAN INTERJECTS] we have less time. We have more worked...

7:19 pm, Amy:  

Beth: I have a point of contention! ...some things that have upset me... ...I had one of my friends accused of rape... ...I've had many men sexually assaulted... ...and what happened when I went over there... ...to talk... ...I was attacked by this woman's group... ...women [SHOWING THEIR]... ...and if you're not a part of this assembly every day... ...we need to listen to all feelings... ...we have two people who are identified as female, who were born female... ...I'm a girl who doesn't hang out with a lot of other girls. All of my friends are a lot of other men.

7:22 pm, AnaBella:  ...with what Beth said... ...I'm really sorry that that's the way that you feel... ...now we do have perpetrators here... ...a girl who was harassing somebody... ...she was using drugs... ...that's not fair. If you want to discuss everything and... ...these things out... ...Everything begins with ourselves... ...If I don't respect me... ...this is bullshit. It has to stop.... ...People when they get in drugs or alcohol, they switch. It all has to stop and it is not right.

7:24 pm, <:  ...I feel that... ...should have been inclusive... ...this is not about 'men' and 'womyn'... ...as a woman I feel that we should bring all the discussions together... ...We're being biased... ...[AMY INTERRUPTS:  ...and 'Smashing Patriarchy' this is that one time... ...and you saw somebody get up and... ...

7:376 pm, Kalisa:  ...we did put in a lot of time into this agenda... ...also it was on the FaceBook thing... ...that was the point of a lot of this Assembly... ...women have to go... ...womyn have a lot of times that we have to go and... ...now if any female is interested, I know that you didn't choose to participate in our discussion... ...

7:28 pm, <:  ...there's issues of harassment... ...point I want to get to... ...if you unravel everything, it all comes down to one thing... ...and I know that's what I want to see in this Assembly is men coming together with women... ...that's how I want each... ... to treat each other.

7:29 pm, A Man:  ...strongly about equal rights... ...the... ...needs to be discussed... ...and courteously... ...Smashing Patriarchy is not about... ...one gender against another... ...also that word 'patriarchy' should not be used... ...I've encountered women that have tried to use patriarchy and misogyny against me... ...that takes everything away from... ... that

7:31 pm, Jessica:  I agree that we all want horizontal space... ...we need spaces that we can collect with one another, and then we can come back... ...this is not about 'who to blame'...

7:32 pm, A Man:  ...for example my mom has two jobs and she has to take care of kids so... ...technically I'm homeless... ...but the important thing is that we need to unite against... ...thing... ...Instead of fighting against each other against one thing...

7:34 pm, Jessica:  ...I have... ...some men with whom I associate... ...and yes we should have some type of space outside of here... ...and we kind of found this dynamic... ...and you got here late [POINTS OUT <]...

7:35 pm, Jessica:  [LUCAS INTERRUPTS]

7:36 pm, Amy:  ...if you feel like somebody is doing a character assassination you have to say that... ...you do need to check your privilege... ...it's that we want to hear our [womyn's] voices... ...we did have some man shouting throughout the entire GA...

7:36 pm, Lucas:  ...he was talking to him and he was pointed out... ...my tent... ...I saw a woman harassed all the time... ...The biggest... ...was people coming up to me and telling me "Hey, I'm a sovereign individual, don't tell me what to do", and "I could do what I want"... ...and at Occupy that has been the strongest theme that I have heard...

7:39 pm, >:  ...I would like to say this has been a bunch of women wanting to get together and talk about 'patriarchy'... ...if a lot of black people wanted to get together and talk about racism there would not be white people telling them what... ...If a lot of ?? People wanted to get together and talk about ?? there wouldn't be...

[YELLING AMONGST EACH OTHER AGAIN]... ...[AN OWWM SESSION ENSUES]... ...[JOHN WAIBLINGER CENTER TAKES THE FLOOR TO CALM ALL ASSEMBLY]... ...doesn't think that I'm right and everybody else is wrong. [LEAVES THE CIRCLE CENTER, OMAR TAKES CENTER].

7:44 pm, Omar:  ...Dele please one report back.... ...please! Discriminating one person is like discriminating our mother... ...that is just one comment that... ...in the first place... ...cultural theory and cultural intervention as well as one thing that I can't think of right now is...

7:46 pm, Barry:  ...black organization criticized for his... ... he said "Until we... ...and that what we can get done is support our... ...our struggle"... ...but it is perfectly good and perfectly overdue to have a Women's Circle and ... ...to have the men not agree with it...

7:49 pm, Kalisa:  ...prepared a GA... ...and to not have someone say that you're not interested... ...you were given the privilege of time... ...nobody from the womyn's group had a chance to talk because we... ...we gave the men a chance to talk... ...for you guys to give us a chance to talk. It's not that much to ask... ...I know you guys are hurt... ...that's growing...

7:49 pm, Kalisa:  ...I think things are... ...about men telling us what our patriarchy is all about... ...it's hard to really reach out there... ...look it, I'm the only woman standing up here talking... ...at this Smashing Patriarchy GA... ...If you want to start your own Smashing Patriarchy GA... ...

7:52 pm, ?Dave?:  ...said "This is our chance to..." I saw 'twinkie’ fingers all over the place...

7:53 pm, Another Man:  ...this is a very heated topic... ...[TALKING CONVERSATION TO MY RIGHT, THE MAN SPEAKING IS INAUDIBLE]... ...[THEY'RE STILL TALKING].

7:55 pm, [CONVERSATIONS EVERYWHERE, SPEAKER INAUDIBLE].

7:56 pm, ...[SAME MAN AS 7:53 PM IS STILL TALKING].

7:57 pm, AnaBella:  ...sometimes as a woman I see these Radical Womyn I feel they want to castrate the men...

7:58 pm, A Woman:  ...because men use their voices, use their body language,... ...yes, you can wave your hands... ...and I've felt... ...you are not listening... ...we are here to tell you we are not equal because you do that to us... ...a safe place is absolutely necessary... ...I haven't spoken at a GA for about three months [BETH (smiling):  She has PTSD, don't yell at her!, ANABELLA:  She's yelling at me.]...

8:00 pm, An Other Man:  ...so that's what's more important... ...that situation and move on... ...[INAUDIBLE]... ...in all reality there is freedom of expression... ...individual rights... ...you have freedom of speech... ...[ANOTHER MAN INTERJECTS YELLING:  When you cross somebody's space...]...

8:03 pm:  [LAST PERSON ON STACK IS AN INAUDIBLE MAN]... ...[HOWEVER HIS LAST LINE...] You cannot smash patriarchy with patriarchy. I'm sorry. [HE GETS AN APPLAUSE (?BY SOME WOMEN?, ?THE MEN?, AND ?SOME WOMYN?].