Many people and reporters ask us these questions....
Who are we? Why are we here? What do we want?
We are Occupy Wall Street Los Angeles!
Individual, ordinary citizens began meeting to organize one week prior to Day 1, October 1st, 2011. On Day 1 over 3,000 protestors marched onto the lawn of Los Angeles City Hall in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement that began in NYC on Aeptember 17, 2011.
In those days prior to Day we we adopted the Principles of Solidarity http://www.nycga.net/resources/principles-of-solidarity/ and also chose collectively to remain in our integrity and NOT break the law, unless doing so WAS in integrity.
To this end, the Occupy Wall Street Los Angeles experience has been very different than the rest of the Nation, on that Day 5th, Los Angeles City Council announced they stood in solidarity with us, along with the Mayor and with the protection of the LAPD. NEVER before in the history of America has an occuptation come together in soludarity with its local governance and peace officers. On this day there were 160 cities occupied in the United States of America. When news of our official Resolution from the City Council was published, resonance within our community was heard across America, the next morning 567 cities were occupied, the next day 863 cities were occupied... and today there are now over 1,500 cities occupied in the United State and over 30 international cities www.occupytogether.org. Estmates are between 1,000,000 and 3,000,000 globally are standing in solidary with this same single pointed message "ENOUGH" of the financial abuse perpretrated by a banking system owned by less than 1% of the wealthiest people in the world.
I have been on the ground a few days prior to Day 1 and have been present every day since. I am now camping out and fully engrossed in this movement witnessing the most remarkable self-organizing, leader-full movement anyone could every have imagined!
Why are we here?
Our freedom has been hi-jacked!
What do we want?
Our freedom back, guaranteed within the sanctity of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, original venue. First, a economic banking system owned by The People, for The People, and by The people. A banking system that is 100% transparent, auditable, and full of the same integrity, we as citizens of the Unites States of America know is our inherent right. All in-justices rise from this fisure. Once this is resolved, everything else in the world can shift into alignment!
More on these topics later... time to get back on the ground for Day 25 of the Occupation here at Occupy Wall Street Los Angeles!
And a special prayer to all our brothers and sisters in other occupied cities who are not experiencing the peace, harmony, love, and beauty we are witnessing in Occupy Los Angeles. And a grateful thanks and deep appreciation for all the evolutionary leaders camping out on their public properties, encompassing the courage to return integrity back into our financial exchanges with one another! Beautiful people occupy this planet! There is enough for everyone to be provided for... enough shelter, enough clean water, healthy natural foods, family and friends to share and thrive in relationship, and meaningful work in the world for everyone to be a creative expression of joy!
What else would love do?
Lisa Clapier, Media Team
Join us live: www.livestream.com/owslosangeles
12 Comments
Nice, personal reflection - Lisa
Submitted by ctizzie on
And a heartfelt thank you to all those who have worked so hard to make this ongoing 'event' a success... You all truly have labored tirelessly to ensure everyone's safety throughout this 'occupation,' and that should be commended without equivocation!
Naturally, however, I take some issue with a few of the pronouncements contained herein - but I understand (as should everyone) that this is your personal account of how OccupyLA came into being and does not necessarily reflect everyone involved's perspective. Clearly, it is dangerous for anyone to make statements for the collective - and I truly wish people would refrain from doing so as we have yet to solidify statements like these through the only authority - the General Assembly. With such a qualifier, I love the sentiment you have expressed in this blog.
As someone who was involved - albeit through yChat (I was and am unavailable during work hours to attend the pre-occupation GAs and most of the daily events to this day) - in the very, very early stages of this process - I was happy to see some of my encouragements manifested into actions. I never wanted this to take place in Pershing Square, and City Hall seems okay thus far - and I have always stressed I didn't want to see people arrested for the mere act of 'camping' alone.
However, I want it strongly noted that suggestions I myself made to work cooperatively with the City and the LAPD have been taken to an unfortunate extreme. NO Revolution has ever been accomplished that operated with the imprimatur of a lowly (and empirically corrupt) City Hall. Until we confront the fact that this government - as ALL governments - are mere handmaidens to the elite, we will never gain true traction.
There is a reason things are peaceful. There is also a reason our movement is but a fraction of Wall Street's occupational size at the same time in their development. That reason is that we are failing to challenge people, to identify an atagonist, and to actualize that opposition.
Coziness is great. It has allowed us to assemble and get to know each other. But not having an opponent is decidedly not a movement for real economic and social justice. If anything, this movement should be aware that without MAJOR REFORMS, if not revolution, there is no salve possible within the current structure. Any suggestion otherwise might be the mere postulation of careerists who do not reflect the full body (as the GA does) of OccupyLA.
Again, thanks for all your work. I'd love to talk to you in person if you're ever available outside the Media Tent because I do appreciate your work and passion and don't want this to come across the wrong way.
Cheers,
Craig
Well Spoken Lisa
Submitted by Seth Spinolla on
I like your stress on the corrupt (I would say foundationally a criminally structured racket) banking system. I wish more people would focus on educating themselves on this issue; for as you state "All in-justices rise from this fissure".
Without free speech no search for the truth is possible, no discovery of truth is useful. Better a thousandfold abuse of speech than denial. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race.
Reinstate Glass-Steagall!
Submitted by emwoccupyla on
To repeal certain provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and revive the separation between commercial banking and the securities business, in the manner provided in the Banking Act of 1933, the so-called "Glass-Steagall Act", and for other purposes.
Occupy needs to get behind this in a big way. It is only a beginning but if you want to fix the financial sector i.e. Wall Street this is a big deal and one of the reasons it got broken in the first place.
Tinkering with Banking Laws won't cut it.
Submitted by Seth Spinolla on
The whole problem is the fraudulent Usurious 'Fed' Fractional reserve setup. It's a house that was built on shifting sand so-to-speak. Privately debt-created money at interest (which is not created) is skeleton, blood and flesh of a criminal system from get-go that is the cause of most all other ills that afflict society today, not just economically but in every other facet of human society.
I suggest you do some research on how the monetary sytem was set up, how it is a top-down control system breeding all the things occurring today (as it has in the past) thet are destabilising society. There's plenty of information out there.
Without free speech no search for the truth is possible, no discovery of truth is useful. Better a thousandfold abuse of speech than denial. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race.
Getting Rid of the Fed.
Submitted by Weekend Warrior on
I wholeheartedly agree with you if your solution is to nationalize the Fed and create a publically owned Bank of the USA. We need a publicly owned monetary and banking system to protect the public without regard to the profits of private bankers. All profit made by such an institution could go into the U.S. Treasury. Indeed, instead of the bank bailout, the government should have seized the failing banks whose stock had become worthless. But that would have been "socialism," wouldn't it? The present Federal Reserve system was a half-way measure that resulted from the big banks' ability to coerce a compromise that cause Fed to remain a privately owned institution that does not answer to congress or the president.
However, if you're for abolishing the Fed without a Public replacement, forget it. Your nothing but right-wing extremist supporting Ron Paul (who is so far to the right, he makes Ronald Reagan look like chairman Mao). I cannot support repealing the 19th and 20th centuries and going back to a primitive laissez-faire banking system. The dysfunction of that system is what brought about the Fed in the first place. Before the Fed, we only had J.P. Morgan to stablized failing banks.
You End the Fed guys should keep your money out of OWS. You are right-wing counter-demonstrators. Just admit it. You don't even think Wall Street is the problem.
I know that the End The Fed types are well funded thanks to econ-libertarian billionaire "Galts" like the Koch Brothers. Don't try to fool us into giving the same people who screwed us more "economic freedom" to screw us even more. Sell that stuff at a Tea Party ralley along with "death panels." Quit trying to disguise yourself as left-wingers who are mad at the banksters when really your solution is to tax them less, regulate them less, and reward them more. Quit trying to sell us that repackaged trickle down nonsense for a new depression. Without all the money supporting these types of groups, they would still be relegated to the ranks of right-wing lunatic fringe as they were in the 60s and 70s.
EVERYONE NOTE: END THE FED = RON PAUL ECON-LIBERTARIAN/ TEA PARTY TYPES, "NATIONALIZE THE FED" is a sentiment (not an organization) supported from Center to Left and by anyone who believes the interests of the 99% are best served by banking system owned by the people rather than profiteers.
Tom Burns, raroof3@gmail.com
I Agree Mostly-Prosecute and Nationalise the Fed
Submitted by Seth Spinolla on
Perhaps the only thing I have a little bone to pick is with the 'left-right' arbitration box or paradigm (I'm not in it mentally, tho effected in reality). There is the Bankster created 'Left, Right and Center'. I do not agree with Ron Paul's solutions (I thoroughly denounce the Von Mises/Austrian School of Economics). A great deal of Ron Paul's Libertarian coteries seem obsessed with 'Gold' and/or silver or other commodity-backed money. It's a recurring bankster trick.
Here's an article on the Gold Standard called 'Fool's Gold': http://nationaleconomy.net/fools-gold/
Without free speech no search for the truth is possible, no discovery of truth is useful. Better a thousandfold abuse of speech than denial. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race.
"You End the Fed guys should
Submitted by Mahayana on
"You End the Fed guys should keep your money out of OWS. You are right-wing counter-demonstrators. Just admit it. You don't even think Wall Street is the problem."EVERYONE NOTE: END THE FED = RON PAUL ECON-LIBERTARIAN/ TEA PARTY TYPES
Sorry for not falling into your stereotype. I have been against the Fed since the age of 16 before I had any idea of who Ron Paul even was.
So you don't see any problem or conflicts of interest with people like Timothy Geithner, who worked for Kissinger Associates (basically JP Morgan) then worked for the US Treasury Department, then to become President of the New York Federal Reserve only then to return back to government as the Secretary of the Treasury?? Wow, talk about a revolving door. And what do you know, William Dudley, the guy who replaced Tomothy, happened to work for Goldman Sachs.
The Fed and Wall Street are the same thing to me.
The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves - in their separate, and individual capacities. -Abe
Excellent John Adams quote...
Submitted by OccupyNews.net on
There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.
John Adams 1735 - 1826
This is why I believe the banking law that forces a person to default on a debt before they can negotiate new terms on their debt is killing the economy and main street.
If people could renegotiate an existing debt without being forced to default first, main street would not continue to have their assets stolen by the banks.
www.occupynews.net, www.swarmthebanks.com, www.wallstreetchange.com, www.bankprotests.com, www.dailyprotest.com, www.parallelforeclosure.com, www.credit-protector.blogspot.com, www.myalexlogic.com, www.bloggersagainstchasebank.com,
I have been for 30 years and will continue...
Submitted by emwoccupyla on
Well thank you for your imput but I have been a student of economics for most of my life and will continue to be as long as there is a need to be informed. I am always looking for a good book on the topic, any suggestions. One of my personal favorites, at least one that I believe points a way to a better system than what we already hve is "The Ecology of Commerce" by Paul Hawkin. If you are going to suggest "The Creature From Jekyll Island" been there done that. Would it be possible to return to a system of species I would be happy to concider it but am not sure how it could work human nature being what it is. I do not believe in a global currency as long as the present paradigm is in place. I seek to reform the current system working backwards fixing what was broken with the current system, if you have concrete suggestions regarding current legislation to fix the fed great, please propose it but do not attack my suggestion without suggesting realistic alternatives.
Saw a couple streams on the Fed.
Submitted by Seth Spinolla on
Haven't had a chance to peruse this one yet (one-byone), but there are links there which seem to point to various informative sites, also providing solutions perhaps.
http://occupylosangeles.org/?q=node/767&page=1
Without free speech no search for the truth is possible, no discovery of truth is useful. Better a thousandfold abuse of speech than denial. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race.
Occupy Wall Street is about Wall Street
Submitted by wheelboy2 on
I am very thankful that occupy LA is a peaceful movement. I am also glad that the movement is laying out goals that are EASY to find as Corporate media still insist that the movement is unorganized and wishy-washy. My understanding (and why I support it) is that the 1% have taken control of the government and financial system the 99% want protections from the power that the 1% hold. If I am wrong please correct me. Thanks to everyone that have taken up this worthy cause.
Why Taxes Are Not Necessary to Fund Gov't
Submitted by Seth Spinolla on
"Don't be fooled by this chant around the country for a flat tax, a consumption tax, sales tax or any other kind of tax. There is absolutely no authority in the U.S. Constitution to implement any of these forms of tazation without apportionment. It is for this reason and this reason alone, that when it became apparent that the 16th amendment was not going to be ratified by the states, fraud was committed and it was simply "proclaimed" ratified by then Secretary of State Philander Knox.
We don't need any direct taxation and these popular mantras are just new lies to replace old lies. Anyone of these forms of taxation is just another way to fleece the American people to enrich the pockets of the international banking cartel. Please consider the words of Ron Paul: "Strictly speaking, it probably is not necessary for the federal gov't to tax anyone directly; it could simply create the money it needs. However, that would be too bold a stroke, for it would then be obvious to all what kind of counterfeiting operation the gov't is running. The present system combining taxation and inflation is akin to watering the milk: too much water and the people catch on"
Please don't fall for these alternative taxing SCHEMES. The banking cartel doesn't care what form it is they fleece your hard earned dollars (flat tax, sales tax, etc.)-just as long as they continue to steal from us."
http://www.devvy.com/notax.html
Without free speech no search for the truth is possible, no discovery of truth is useful. Better a thousandfold abuse of speech than denial. The abuse dies in a day, but the denial slays the life of the people, and entombs the hope of the race.
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