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    Occupy Boston to Join Occupy NH and Occupy Maine on Converging on NH GOP Primary Elections!

    Occupy NH invites you to “Occupy the Presidential Primary”

    Events are starting in Manchester, NH @ 889 Elm Street, Veterans Park on January 5, 2012 @ 5pm and Ending on January 10, 2012 @ 9pm

    Occupy Boston is here to show solidarity with Occupy New Hampshire and Occupy Maine in demonstrating against the politicians who bail out large scale banks without any accommodation to people who have lost their homes. We are occupying because politicians assist companies who move jobs offshore and are protesting against special rights for businesses and the ultra-rich who in turn are allowed to give unlimited campaign contributions to politicians as though corporate money were representative of public speech.

    We are here because there is a rich few that control most of the wealth and means to create wealth, and we will not be idle while the top 1% of Americans have more money and assets than the bottom 40% of this country. We are here to demonstrate for our own domestic issues and are in solidarity with all of our sisters and brothers occupying in over 110 countries in over 3,000 cities and recognize that this is a global movement that transcends the borders of nations.

    We are against politicians of any party who deny people whether for their race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, or class equal access to resources or their rights to work. We are against racial profiling, discriminatory firings, deportations and detentions.

    We are against the fact that in 36 states you can be fired from your job for being perceived as being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and most of the politicians running this election would like to increase that number. We are in solidarity with immigrant workers and families who look to improve their lives in this country and are against fear and hate mongering and the people who wish to malign immigrants for the pitfalls of our economy.

    We are against the idea that money equals speech. We are united against a political system where corporate lobbyists who represent only the interest of the business or industry they are in. We are against politicians who only serve their financiers. We are against political bribery. Money does not equal speech, corporations are not human beings and all human beings are equal! We are here to promote a democracy that is truly by, of and for the people and to advance a new era of economic and social equality! We are the 99%

    There will be non-stop events, debates, street theater, music and entertainment, teach-ins, workshops, events for children and young adults and dialogue among all people.

    This weekend, Occupy Boston will join dozens of Northeast Occupy groups in Manchester, NH to show the national and international media that we are part of the American political debate.  Republican presidential candidates will debate in a room at St. Anselm College on Saturday night, Jan. 7, but our voices will be heard loud and clear outside.   Occupy Boston will provide an embodiment of the “elephant in the room,” displaying the questions and statements that the politicians and media are trying to avoid.

    On Friday, January 6, Occupy Boston will bring a life-sized plywood, media-equipped, livestreaming elephant, which we’ll decorate with all the questions and statements that the candidates should address.  This elephant has gotten too large to ignore!    We’ll decorate it on Friday night, as part of Occupy New Hampshire’s kickoff celebration, and then we’ll bring it along to the debates the next day.  (We’re assuming they won’t actually let us bring the elephant *into* the room with the candidates, so we’ll park it outside with everyone else to welcome the candidates to St. Anselm College.)

    On Saturday, the elephant will join Operation Pride, marching to Victory Park as a response to hateful speech and campaigning of many of the Presidential candidates.

    On Tuesday, January 10, from 3-6 p.m., we’ll follow it up with a Love Police flash mob, to drive the message home.

    Come to Manchester Friday evening from 6:30-8:30 p.m. to launch the elephant, or Saturday through Tuesday to help create this celebration and statement of our determination to change the complacence of politics as usual.  Carpooling and bus-sharing can be arranged on the Discussion tab of http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/Occupy_NH_Primary,_OB.   The current schedule is available at http://occupynh.org/primary/ andhttp://www.facebook.com/events/124596234321440/

    Occupy Boston Hosts Forum on Campaign Finance Reform

    The CUWG addresses a packed house/ Photo by Kendra Moyer

    On January 2nd, 2012,  over 100 Occupy Boston activists and supporters met for a vibrant discussion and strategy session about the role of money in politics.  The Community Gathering, organized and hosted by the Citizens United Working Group of Occupy Boston, was an exciting kickoff to the group’s month-long education campaign about corporate influence on public policy.

    Group members gave brief presentations on PACs, Lobbying and the Revolving Door, and the Citizens United decision, which critics charge has opened the floodgates for unlimited corporate and special interest spending in federal elections.  Guest speaker Arthur Macewan of Dollars and Sense presented on corporate personhood — the extension, through misguided court decisions,   of rights and protections to corporations that the Founders intended only for people.  State Senator Jamie Elderidge discussed legislative possibilities for campaign finance reform, including proposals currently under consideration in the State House.  One resolution introduced by Senator Elderidge, S772 , would demand that Congress ratify and send to the states a constitutional amendment overturning Citizen’s United to “to restore the First Amendment and fair elections to the people.”

    After the presentations, attendees participated in open discussions aimed at developing solutions.  Proposals discussed included: public financing of elections; consumer strategies that would support local economies instead of the  worst corporate offenders; an initiative to get all 351 town meetings to pass resolutions; creating an independent coalition of small businesses; and an Article 5 Constitutional Convention.  Participants also brainstormed ideas for breaking through corporate media outlets that are reluctant to focus on the need for reform (and have a significant financial stake in a system that allows unlimited spending on campaign ads).

    Overall, it was great start to the Work Group’s month-long campaign, which will culminate in a two-day summit on January 20 and 21. It was great to see how engaged people were in open discussions and how committed Occupy Boston activists are to changing our current broken system of campaign finance.

    Occupy Boston joins Grand Procession

    Members of Occupy Boston before the march

    On December 31, 2011, several Occupy Boston participants, including members of Peace Action Working Group and Veterans For Peace, decided to join First Night’s Grand Procession from Copley Square to Boston Common. They jumped in before the end of the procession, with sirens blaring behind them. They started chanting  “Out of the Sidewalks, Into the Streets!” which was responded by with great reception from onlookers all the way down to the end. Some of them even decided to jump into the procession as well. Even the Boston Police Commissioner, whom seemed to recognize the marchers, is noted for waving at the Occupy Boston participants as they made their way to the Common.

    Occupys Boston hosts Social Meet and Greet

    On December 31, 2011, at 5:30pm, about 100 Occupy Boston protesters, supporters, and participants gathered at the Community Church of Boston on 565 Boylston Street. This event showcased the Screen Print Working Group’s brand new screen prints, complete with fabrics and even pins with glitter.

    Prints hanging to dry / Photo by Matthew J Shochat

    There was much cheer and laughter amongst the crowd, who came to celebrate the victories of the Occupy movement, concerns, and ideas of where we will be headed down the road in 2012.

    The Screen Print Working Group had been working some time to acquire the resources necessary for this event, including retrieving one screen print by donation from Occupy Wall St. The fabrics were purchased at Winmill Fabrics in Chinatown, located on Chauncy Street. All shirts were donated for use on the screen prints. Also, many screen print members taught others how to use them properly, who then, in turn, helped others get the prints of their desire.

    Food was provided by donation by Occupy Boston participants and Firedoglake, who have donated to Occupy Boston events in the past.

    It’s a Pillow Fight, Occupy Boston!

    Photo by Matthew J Shochat

    On December 30th, at 5:30pm, about 15 pillow-fight enthusiasts gathered to mark the 90th day of Occupy Boston that began at Dewey Square, the place where the hub encampment of Occupy Boston began on September 30, 2011 and was taken down by Boston Police on December 10, 2011. Occupy pillow-fight enthusiast gathered to celebrate our 3rd Month Anniversary, and commemorate the 141 arrested at the Rose Camp. Event organizers requested participants to each bring a pillow. It wasn’t long before the pillow fight!

    It wasn’t before long that the pillow-fight enthusiasts decided to relocate to the site of the Rose Camp. As more pillow-fight enthusiasts joined making the total 40. The massive contingent of pillow-fight enthusiasts decided to relocate back to the front of the Federal Reserve Bank Of Boston, where the pillow fight turned Gladiator style, until they decided to disperse at around 8:30pm.

    It is important to note that 4 police cruisers remained on site at Dewey Square during the entirety of the pillow fight, as well as 6 that constantly monitored the pillow-fight enthusiasts on foot. Are our tax dollars going to monitor pillow fights rather than fighting corruption and injustice in high crime areas make sense?

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    Occupy Boston Media <Media@occupyboston.org> • <Info@occupyboston.org> • @Occupy_Boston