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/