Good Morning from Occupy Boston!
Stories of the Day: If I were a cow on a factory farm, I’d be mad too: Mad Cow Disease confirmed in California. In related news, check out this story on how Big Pharma dominates meat science and how public universities have given up the pretense of serving the public interest and have instead have lapsed into research and marketing arms of large corporations. For the story, click here. For more information on factory farms, check out this informative animated short video, The Meatrix. And for a video of the Occupy the Farm action in Albany, CA, click here. And, a weak labor market already has left half of young college graduates either jobless or underemployed in positions that don’t fully use their skills and knowledge. For more, click here. The Connecticut state Senate approved a bill Thursday that would allow citizens to sue police officers who arrest them for recording in public, apparently the first of its kind in the nation. And, some more good news: imagine… a world where the metric that guides our decisions is not money, but happiness. That is the future that 650 political, academic, and civic leaders from around the world came together to promote on April 2, 2012. Encouraged by the government of Bhutan, the United Nations held a High Level Meeting for Wellbeing and Happiness: Defining a New Economic Paradigm. For more, click here. Finally: check out Occupy humorist Lee Camp’s video message on the May 1st General Strike and why you should participate! (“You won’t be lying if you call in sick to work, because our way of life is sick.”)
Other Occupies/Protests: In calling for a general strike on May 1, Occupy LA stated: “In protest against the corruption of the worldwide marketplace, which has led to illegal foreclosures, mass unemployment, low wages, high taxes and a penalization of all those who do not own the ‘99%’ of the world’s resources, and in solidarity with the immigrant movements of May 1st … we are calling upon the people of the world to take this day away from school and the workplace, so that their absence makes their displeasure with this corrupt system be known.” Occupy LA has posted an elaborate plan to try to shut down business as usual in the city on May Day, including four “car and bike caravans through the urban sprawl of Los Angeles that will culminate in direct action in and around the Financial District of downtown L.A. People from all sectors of the city will have a chance to plug in to the routes from any corner of the city, helping to shut down the flow of capital while addressing the 99%’s major grievances.” Organizers say participants will include Occupiers, union members and community organizations, among others, who will approach the financial district via the cars and bikes from four directions in a “slow, city-paralyzing, carnival-esque descent into the center of the city.”
“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” George Orwell
- What is Occupy Wall Street? A film screening. Occupy HCC (Holyoke Community College) is hosting a film screening of short films produced by Occupy Wall Street in the Forum at HCC, April 27, 3pm-5pm. Come and find out about the Occupy Movement that started on Wall St. and has spread across the globe! There will be a Q&A session following the films with activists from different Occupy groups across the Northeast. This event is sponsored by the Holyoke Community College Student Senate.
- Occupied Critical Mass! April 27, 5:30pm – 8:00pm, meet at Copley Square (Boylston between Clarendon and Dartmouth). Occupy joins forces with Critical mass to bring awareness to climate change and Earth Day. Bring your bikes/wheeled things and meet at Copley for Occupied Critical Mass!
- MA Unite Against the War on Women Rally, April 28, 10am-2pm, at City Hall Plaza. Help defend women’s rights and pursuit of equality. Join Americans all across the United States as we come together as one to tell members of Congress in Washington DC and legislators in all 50 states, “Enough is enough!” All Americans have the right to make decisions about their own bodies, including contraception, without interference from government, business or religious institutions. Please join us as we gather together and show both state and federal legislative bodies that we won’t stand silently by as they propose and pass laws that will impact women’s choices, health, and wellbeing. We need everyone’s voice! These decisions affect all genders, races, and socio-economic statuses! Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/206965382738915/
- On April 28, 2012 from 5pm to 10pm, artists from Occupy Boston will host a gathering with artist and cultural provocateur Steve Lambert. Taking place at Samsøn (450 Harrison Avenue), this event will be an opportunity for Lambert and the greater Occupy community to connect over questions of messaging, humor, culture jamming, and creative activism as the movement heads into the coming seasons. Following the discussion, we will screen the film The Yes Men Fix the World.
- Rally for the Guards at “Art in Bloom”
SATURDAY, April 28, 11:30AM-2PM
In front of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Huntington side)
465 Huntington Ave, Boston MA
(Green Line E to Museum of Fine Arts; Orange Line to Ruggles)
RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/275860625840007/ The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is seriously considering OUTSOURCING their guard union. Some have been working there for as many as 30 years. They would lose their status as museum employees and would be forced to apply for their jobs to an outside contractor with a bad reputation withtheir workers. (IF they get re-hired) The museum would have non-union workers doing their union jobs! Let’s give the top 1% our 100% effort in stopping these attacks! ****This is “THE ART IN BLOOM RALLY” and is a big event for the MFA. Many galleries are fitted with flower arrangements to complement a specific piece of art. This draws thousands in three days. Their next very important negotiations are the first week of May.**** GET INVOLVED WITH THE SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE: Next meeting Sunday, April 29, 5:30pm, Food Court at the Marino Center, Northeastern University, Forsyth St & Huntington Ave, Boston MA. (Green Line E to Northeastern; Orange Line to Ruggles). For more information about any of these events, email misu-solidarity-owner@ yahoogroups.com. - May 1st Training with Occupy Boston: Sunday, April 29, 12pm-3pm, location TBA (see Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/396045130426024/). Gearing up for May 1st? Want to feel more prepared? Join Occupy Boston as we get ready for the General Strike! Direct Action and the Medics will be providing basic training this Sunday in preparation for Tuesday’s General Strike! There will be plenty of fun activities as well as training in basic safety procedures. Join us!
- Boston New Sanctuary Movement Presents A Return to A Faithful Understanding, An Interfaith Conference: Toward a More Compassionate National Debate on Immigration, Sunday, April 29, 2012, 12:30 – 5 p.m. (12-1, lunch provided by Brazilian Immigrant Center), Church of the Covenant, 67 Newbury St., Boston, MAWorship leader: Rev. Rob Mark, Pastor, Church of the Covenant, Boston, Presbyterian/UCCSpeakers, Reflection leaders: Members of the Boston New Sanctuary Movement. Schedule: 12:30 Registration; 1:00 Welcome, opening reflection; 1:15 Current Immigration issues in Boston, and the Boston New Sanctuary Movement; 1:40 Workshops, period I; 3:10 Workshops, period II; 4:40 Closing reflection; 5:00 Networking.
- Sunflower Guerrilla Gardening Day, Sunday, April 29, 10am – Monday, April 30, 12am. Where: Lots, medians, privatized public land, unpleasant public land. May 1 is International Sunflower Guerrilla Gardening Day — people all over the world will be sowing seeds of optimism and planting sunflower seeds. It’s about occupying our city and promoting gardening, public space, food and habitats for all the human and non-humans who share the Boston ecosystem. Let’s plant 1,000 seeds!
- May 1 General Strike! A Day Without the 99%. NO WORK – NO SCHOOL – NO SHOPPING – NO BANKING – NO TRADING. GENERAL STRIKE AND BOYCOTT CALLED! 7am-11am: Financial District Block Party! (corner of Federal and Franklin Streets). Bring a friend and let’s party! Bring whistles, drums, noise makers. Bring street theater ! 12:00pm: Boston City Hall Rally. Can’t make it to Boston City Hall at Noon? Well how about: The Chelsea City Hall? – Gather at Noon – March at 2pm (For More information please contact La Colaborativa (617) 889-6097). 2pm: LoPresti Park Rally/March (Blue Line: Maverick Square) (For more information contact Dominic at City life/Vida Urbana (617) 710-7176). 4pm: Everett – Glendale Park (For more information please contact La Comunidad (617) 387-9996). 7pm: Death of Capitalism Boston Funeral March (Copley Square). We invite people to participate in this piece of street theater which includes puppets, a marching band, and other creative surprises. People will begin gathering at 7pm at Copley Square Park (by the steps of Trinity Church) to put on costumes, puppets and face-paint and get info on their respective role in the funeral procession. We ask that people participate as: mourners (dressed in black), celebrators (wearing neon/bright colors/glow stuff), skeleton block (bring your own skeleton costume). The funeral procession will leave Copley Square Park at 8pm and will travel through areas of wealth and commerce. Continue reading “Occupy Boston Daily Digest for 4-26-12” »