today occupied dallas protested at two banks, i missed out on it.
Later on we had a speaker, he marched as a teenager with MLK. He related his own experiences to us, and it turns out what occupy dallas is going through right now is not so different what he went through. The city of dallas is asking the occupiers to get a million dollar insurance policy to continue occupying the park or else. It turns out, the same thing happened to him all those years ago, to which he replied "there is no insurance policy for constitutional rights"
The group, earlier this week, had voted to move to another location that the cops said they could stay in. But this location is further away from the action, actually it means the federal building workers no longer have to look at us everyday. He griped at us! To really badly paraphrase him "If MLK was here, he wouldn't care what the cops told him. He'd stay right, and camp out in this park with you. He would not move." The mood of the group changed, and more people rallied that they should stay no matter what rather then let cops push us around.
But the concerns for arrest weren't done. "How many people would have to be arrested for it to matter? Lets say only five people get arrested?"
To be practical, and to get the media attention which in this case would be good for the cause, he explained "You need at least fifty people who refuse to leave and are ready to be arrested" The group will decide tomorrow. At least we have a practical number. As five people staying in the park and getting arrested sends no message at all. He also explained that we should refuse to pay bail and except to stay the entire time. Why? Because the city can't actually afford to keep mere protesters locked up when they need the jail space for real criminals. Hopefully this is as true today as it was for him.
But still, the thought terrifies me - and I don't want to see any arrests. That and mom who knows Im out there phones me everyday "dont you do anything that'll get you arrested" "yes mom!". But there are members in the group who've stated that they are ready to be arrested. If it comes to that, I at least hope the media does coverage so the arrest doesn't go to waste. And if it comes to that, I will protest their arrests!
He gave us great advice on how to increase our numbers, which have dwindled everyday. He basically said, that we all here have a responsibility to organize and coordinate the groups efforts, to rally more people. That's the situation I think all the texas occupy groups are in, which is no surprise really. Yes we've grown smaller, but I think we've weeded out confused people who expect us to become a political party and don't understand the meaning of a social movement.
He explained to us, that while the media portrays us as unfocused with no specific aim - that its a load of bull. The message is clear - 99%. If youre incapable of understanding what we stand for youre like, half alien.
Occupy dallas is getting is really getting its act together. The website is finally announcing when-and-where to be protests (took a few days to get that going! thank you media crew). Hopefully, all the website viewers will snap out of their zombieness and join us tomorrow.
PS. Dreamviews, for all these years you have been the most radical, socially-conscious and aware people I have ever known. Don't be all talk! Show up!
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