Hey everyone!
It's been months and possibly longer. I excuse my absence with my response to the greater "movement" of occupations within the US. The anger is obviously clear and the occuption which originated in New York with Occupy Wall St has spread rapidly. The first occupation paved the way to many others and I specifically want to focus on Los Angeles considering I live here so it's only reasonable. This occupation is significantly important for broader platforms of organizing. Although it feels that a "revolution" is stirring up; I have a tremendous amount of critique. Although it is understood that the people are doing this for the benefit of a broader movement the issues being addressed are not on the table.
Occupy LA (like every other occupations) is primarily white, I want to say Heterosexual and middle class. The amount of privilege at this type of level is tremendous! And I mean tremendous! The idea of an occupation instantly makes me think of Crimethinc-ing ideals. These ideas of "quit your job! and start a revolution!" or vise versa with school. Now, it's very important to think of this idea of occupying on the long term. Many of the people currently occupying are unemployed and never really had to worry about going to work because everything was handed to them! Living in a working class community the idea of occupying will NOT feed your children, pay your bills nor pay your rent. People who are not occupying will visit every so often which serves as a supporting feel for many organizers or folks interested. However, not once have I seen this Idea "go to work and come here" displayed nor have I seen self accountability of the amount of white folks that have occupied LA. If somebody finds the white folks with signs that read "Wall St:Brought to you by my ancestors" or when the morning starts and they thank the indigenous people who's land they are inhabiting please direct me to them. Race does not seem to matter at these type of events. And I'm just calling this an event because It has simply turned into a mixing bowl of the ideas that end up fucking us up over the most and a hippy hngout spot for hipsters and others alike with one group of people of color every now and then (Hmmm reminds me of other failed attemps to start shit up). The amount of fear at this rate is incredible in LA, wording cannot include anything dealing with race or sexuality because it can "jeapordize" what they are trying to get toward. This is a ridiculous thought, race is the key, the damn seed of this broader problem! Undermining the colonization of our people is like saying "i'll cut the weed from the grass but won't pull out the base" so if there is any problem that MUST be addressed at Occupy LA it must be the privilege that the white folks have, which they will deny because if they recognized it, it would have been mentioned long ago. If there is no historical context within this fight in which not everyone is the same it will b a complete mess! Another thing that is not being addressed is the idea of infultration. I'm all for having tech to serve your movements but having a network such as FOX havin access to film and report on the grounds sounds ridiculous. This is how so much other shit fails and people just don't get it. If anything the nes who are SLIGHTLY and I repeat SLIGHTLY ahead of the game is NY, they have attacked FOX reporters and have taken other measures.Why do you think there is such a commotion over in NY with cops? LA was recently told they could not camp out on the grass, what happened? they got off the grass. Although it was addressed that the "law abiding citizen" was out of the question they want to have everyone on their good side which can only work to some extent, and this is no the platform for this type of attitude. People are getting arrested in other places because they refused to follow those rules. Now on my last (only on this because it's getting late but oh do I have issues with this occupation)the police brutality issues are not being addressed and so I won't have to write about that I have Alejandra to cover this issue. So in a nutshell though I don't beleive Occupy LA is going to change anything until it has raised the REAL issues and roots to the problems. However, Occupy LA is a good base toward starting a movement of low income people of color. Through this we can call out those people and like some organizations I have seen inputting your campaigns or ideas within that. Now I need to sleep because it's almost 2am and addressing issues at the moment is not the business. Let's talk in person though and If you have any questions for me, please message me or just talk to me. I think I have most of my responses aligned. Sorry for the grammar and vocabulary errors, it's late.
(And i'll have a part 2 because this does not even cover half of my thoughts)
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