Peace in the wake of unrest...

This is what its all about. Occupy Oakland evicted, peacefully, and returned to stronger than ever. Totally peacefully. Don't miss the pics, there awesome.

http://www.mercurynews.com/occupy-oakland/ci_19336178

And Occupy Portland evicted, peacefully, and restructured stronger than ever.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/11/occupy_portland_demonstrators_2.html

Here is a clip of the Oakland camp. I decided to go anyway to go check it out. It was very peaceful and well structured, despite what the major news media says. That guy at the end that looks like Wolverine from X-men was my body guard for the day.

Some vids from the march...

Some pics from yesterday's (Nov 12) Solidarity with Egypt March

Here is the sign I held up during the march. It says, "Insurance companies are the new executioners! They sentenced my mom to death. We are the 99%." This sign is courtesy of Carol Carpenter in support of my mom who is battling cancer, but fighting her insurance company wanting punitive treatment over a cure. I am on this trip for her, too.

Guy Fawkes masks in SF are very common. Much more so than anywhere else I have seen.

Peace!

My favorite sign at the march.

An Egyptian activist that gave a speech during the march.

You know it's California when...

I hope everyone doesn't mind...

But I don't think I'll be going to Oakland on this trip. It would be a great time to go check it out, being that they are about to have some real conflicts probably tonight, but it seems like it is mostly street people and gang members (that is what the SF camp has said), and I'm not about gettin shot like the guy a few days ago. I'll save that kind of journalism for when I really get paid to do this.

Occupy Oakland campers defy city demand to leave

One day after a man was shot and killed outside the Occupy Oakland encampment, activists said the killing was not connected to their settlement and vowed to remain despite a city demand that they leave immediately.

Oakland police said they did not believe the shooting victim lived among the 180 tents in Frank Ogawa Plaza, regardless of claims from a camp resident who said the man was her cousin and had slept in her tent.

The victim was shot in the head about 5 p.m. Thursday outside a BART station exit at 14th Street and Broadway, on the doorstep of Occupy Oakland. Police have not released his name, and no arrests have been made. Investigators said witnesses told them the suspect was a frequent resident of the Occupy camp over the past several days.

"This didn't happen in front of Occupy Oakland, it happened on the footsteps of City Hall," said Anwar Ali, who has camped in Frank Ogawa Plaza since the encampment was first set up Oct. 10. "This is a tragedy, one that happens all over the city. It would have happened if we weren't here."

Police hand out notices

While rain spattered the camp Friday, a solemn mood settled over the tents, along with the commonly held belief that the city would use the incident to justify their swift removal. Some packed up their dripping sleeping bags and left, but most seemed settled in for the long haul.

As darkness fell, a half-dozen Oakland police officers arrived and handed out hundreds of notices from the city titled, "Demand to cease violations."

"You must remove all tents, sleeping bags, tarps, cooking facilities and equipment and any other lodging material from the plaza immediately," the notice read. "Your continued use of the plaza for overnight lodging will subject you to arrest."

The reaction was the same as it was to such city demands earlier: near-universal refusal.

"I'm going to go smoke a bowl, take a nap and wait for the raid," one 19-year-old man, identifying himself only as Robert E., said as he gleefully lit one of the notices on fire with several friends. "They won't get rid of us without a fight."

Some city officials said the tent city has devolved from an organized encampment into a street-folk settlement, where longtime homeless people and the mentally ill have clustered with hooligans to create a volatile atmosphere.

"One thing that has troubled me is that we're still calling it 'Occupy,' and this is no longer an Occupy Oakland encampment," said City Councilwoman Desley Brooks, who once camped in the plaza. "This is not the original crowd, not the one that was about the principles of Occupy Wall Street.

"What we have now," she said, "is a mix: homeless, anarchists, gang members, and maybe a handful left who are really about Occupy. To pretend that this is one thing does a disservice to the Occupy movement and continues to give cover to things that are unacceptable."

A few depart

Brooks said she had heard of no plan to clear the camp. But she noted that some people were leaving in the rain, and said it was a hopeful sign that perhaps at least a few were heeding the call.

In a letter sent early Friday to protesters, the Oakland police union said it wants activists to leave with their "heads held high" so officers can "get back to fighting crime in Oakland neighborhoods."

The encampment still has its defenders. A group of 34 local religious leaders gathered outside the camp's "Interfaith Tent" yards from where the fatal shooting took place to renew their support, while acknowledging city leaders would probably close the camp.

"If it happens, it can't be a violent action with police involvement," said the Rev. Deborah Lee of the Interfaith Immigrant Rights Project. "It has to be another way."

This article comes from the SFGate (sfgate.com).

Occupy Portland: Campers share mixed reactions to approaching Sunday eviction, show no early signs of leaving

As Occupy Portland rustled to life Saturday morning, campers showed no early signs of leaving.

Campers waited in anticipation – some in calm acceptance, others in eager excitement – of their 12:01 a.m. Sunday deadline to clear two downtown parks.

Tents, tarps and booths first erected on Oct. 6 were still scattered throughout Lownsdale and Champman squares. Early morning-risers huddled by the coffee booth. Police officers holding masks lingered by the square corners.

Organizers expect that protesters upholding the original political message will stand on the sidelines, leaving a small number of homeless people and those looking for a fight to face off police at midnight.

Charles Stubbs, 32, said he would stay behind to support the people who are now like family to him. For the last three weeks, he has volunteered to patrol the camps as one of the movement’s peacekeepers. As a show of that support, he said he would allow himself to be arrested.

“I feel like my job’s not done yet,” Stubbs said. “I’ll go peacefully.”

There also appeared to be no signs of armed resistance on Saturday morning. After police officers said they removed a truckload of broken rocks and stones on Friday, campers said that most plan to defy police by civil disobedience, not violence. A kids camp has been vacated, and a group of about 100 veterans are expected to later join the movement.

Volunteers at the medical booth said they would stay until the end of the protest. They hoped to stock up at least a gallon of vinegar to treat bodily reactions to tear gas.

On Saturday morning, one of the medical booth volunteers, police and medical personnel responded to a camper suffering from a methamphetamine overdose. Three other overdoses have been reported over the course of the encampment, all related to heroin.

Mayor Sam Adams said at a press conference this week that he worried someone would die from an overdose in the camps. He said he does not want the camp to be "camouflage" any longer for harmful behavior and cited increasing reports of assaults as the main reason for the ordered eviction.

Police officers are prepared to arrest those who stay after the deadline, Police Chief Mike Reese said, and will try to do so in the "nicest possible manner."

This article is from Oregon Live (oregonlive.com).

Taylor goes greek...

"Why, sir, for my part I say the gentleman had drunk himself out of his five senses."

-The Merry Wives Of Windsor

“Yeah, like, we're in a sorority, but we're, like, way cooler than the other sororities. 'Maaaaa'.”

“Yeah, like, the other sororities are like, 'blah blah' and we're just like, 'ma'.”

“Yeah, like, the other girls don't even know and stuff.”

“Hahahahahaha!” Their chorus chimed in unison.

My head was spinning. Blah and ma? It doesn't take a freshman level business class and the first Kanye album to know those aren't even greek words. I don't know what I am doing.

So what am I doing? Partying. In a sorority. I've just entered the lions den. Actually, the lioness den.

“So it's like, Casino Night. 'Waaaaaaa'...” One girl explained.

“Yeah, like a fundraiser. For philanthropy.”

“Ohh, what organizations do you support?” I asked.

“Ahh, like, these T-shirts! Aren't they fab?”

“Yes.” I replied. Merely yes.

“Have a shot! Shot, shot, shot, shot shot! Shot, shot, shot, shot shot...!” Another chorus of voices called out like wolves to the moon. And I shot the liquor.

“So what's your name?” I asked a girl to my left.

“What do you mean?”

“What do you mean, what do you mean? What is your name?” I replied, stunned at the return question.

“'Cccsss'. It's Jessica. Like you even know what that is.”

I needed more liquor.

Several shots and several hours later I found myself in a beer pong game as the first of the fraternity guys arrived.

“We're at the party! 'Yyyyrrrrr'!”

Oh my god. What cruel twist of fate has put me in this place. I wondered if guerillas in the wild used such guttural language. There was nothing Grecian about that meat neck call to action.

“Round a' shots!” A tray of shitty vodka was brought to the table. Here goes... I'm out of here after this drink. 'Slam'.

“Another, 'grrrrraaarrrrr', shot!” The frat guy said. “Shot, shot, shot, shot shot! Shot, shot... and with joy, revel, and applause, we transform ourselves to beasts!”

God damn, I thought, not another sho... wait... “Was that Othello?” I asked the guy next to me.

“Duh, bra.” A tight shirt, body builder brohaus said back.

I took the shot. “Really?”

“This guy needs another one. Pour 'em up, Thad.” Lieutenant Hollister on my left said to the group.

“Well, I'm not...” I stuttered.

“Another round! Another quote!” They all demanded.

Shots raised high, a skinny, horizontally stripped homeboy declared, “Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous-”

“Enough Shakespeare, Thaddeus, I grow tired of his decrepit speech!” Hollister interjected. I... Was... Stunned...

Without missing a beat, Thaddeus retorted, “Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says to love thy enemy!” 'Slam'. “Is that contemporary enough for you, Conrad?”

“Why not start blowing lines and reading The Rum Diaries for us!” Conrad retorted snidely.

“That was a Hunter S. Thompson quote?” I asked, utterly shocked at the complexity the conversation had taken.

“No, Sinatra. Thaddeus listens to more of the Rat Pack than the 60's. Hahaha!”

“Conrad, please. You wouldn't know good music if you heard it!”

I couldn't believe my ears.

“So you say your Contemporary Business Theory class is less fulfilling than you'd hoped?” I questioned Jessica, the girl from earlier in the night. Late night had become early morning and we were all still in high gear.

“Yeah, I started in pre-law but found the classes too undercutting for my moral code. You can't fabricate the laws of nature and principle. That seems to be all we study in that class. Far too Machiavellian for me.”

“Wow, I couldn't agree more. Perspective is important. Despite justice being blind, it can be dumb too.”

“Haha. You seem like a nice guy.” Jessica said. “Did you ever figure out my name?”

“Excuse me?” I replied.

“Earlier I wondered if you knew what my name meant? If perspective is your deal then this is good perspective on myself.”

“No, I'm not up on my name origins.”

“For spotting Othello earlier I expected more...” She said coyly as I blushed. “The first use of the name Jessica was in The Merchant of Venice. She's Shylock's daughter. The name also comes from Hebrew. It means clairvoyant. You know, I could tell you were a nice guy when I first saw you.”

“Thanks. Could I get your phone number? Maybe I can call you before I leave.” I asked.

“Yeah, here it is. I know your not in town long but we should go get coffee tomorrow or something. Call me. Ohh yes, and another note about the origin of my name... My daddy's, like, totally rich. 'Maaaaa'. He owns a mega-yacht.” Woof, I must be sobering up.

“Lets have another shot then.” I said. “Here's to a long life and a merry one, a quick death and an easy one, a pretty girl and an honest one, and a cold beer and another one!” 'Slam'.

“Here here!” Jessica smilingly replied.

I woke up the next morning on the floor of the hallway. As I thought back to the night before, I couldn't believe what I remembered. Sorority girls, fraternity guys... thoughtful conversations. I really had fun.

As I found my phone I realized I had a missed call and a new message from Jessica. I checked the message. As I listened, it became apparent that it was a pocket dial. Most of the conversation wasn't clear until I heard, “My daddy's like totally rich. He owns a mega-yacht.” And then in my own voice I heard, “Another 'Bbuuffmm'! Shot, shot, shot, shot shot! Shot, shot, shot, shot shot!”

“Fuck yeah!” Jessica then slurred.

Had what I thought about last night been a hallucination? It all seems very real- the conversations, the people, the true connection I felt with this new group of friends. It couldn't have been fake, could it?

As I walked out of the sorority, I saw a lot of the same faces from the night before. Without comment I eased my way outside. Once through the door I recognized the brohauses from the beer pong table.

“Dude, you were, like, 'maa' last night, bra.” One said to another.

“'Cccssshhh'! Whatev dude, you were like 'blah blah' and I was like 'mcgrrrrfffff. Right onto Jessica!”

“Dude, it was all those shots man. Shitty vodka, WTF.”

“Next time just tell Thaddeus to quit quoting Shakespeare and we'll be all right...”

I wrote this as my little drummer boy thank you to Nicole, her roommates, and the nice girls of Kappa Kappa Gamma that I met today. Thanks again for the hospitality!

Walkin around U of O in Eugene is a pretty cool way to spend a morning.

More Shout Outs!

Apparently it doesn't take much to see that I'm a person that needs a hand along this trip. Here are a few more people that I'd like to thank for lookin out for me.

Nicole Muskett- Nicole put me up for a night in Eugene with literally 2 hours of notice. Thanks a ton!

Shawn and Mat- I met this wonderful couple at the Rogue Brewery in Newport, OR. We talked about beer, life, and my favorite topic, Montana. They also paid for my beers that evening! Very nice folks. And while I'm talking about Rogue...

Rogue Brewery- Without them I would have not known several things: 1. I was right next to a state park for camping. 2. I shouldn't sleep close to the water because it CAN swallow you right up. 3. Rogue is an amazing, tasty , helpful brewery to weary travelers. Special thanks to Sam and Hannah for some direction in life.

John Monroe- I have known John for years now, worked close with him on some big projects, and I walked into the Eugene's GA tonight and found him facilitating. Talk about a surprise, I didn't even know he was in OR, let alone think about him in regards to this trip. It was great to see you homie!

Ashley, James, Barry, Anthony, and James- These people all gave me rides today. Much thanks for their generosity and conversation.

Also a big thanks goes out to anyone fallowing my blog. It means a lot to me to see the support everyone gives. Seriously, like a record number of posts and day page views. That is all for now. Later everyone.

The view from the back of a truck- gettin a ride 10 miles down the road.

Democracy is a messy process

Organization has been one of the most astounding elements of every Occupy Camp I have visited. You can hear real fatigue in the voice of Mark Bond, the organizer of the Bozeman Occupy march two weeks ago, during our interview after the event. I have heard this in all of the organizers I have talked to since then. It takes tremendous energy to facilitate a social revolution. In this movement, we are all self appointed. We have no leader but each other. And this might just be the scariest part of our undertaking. Given the chance to organize, organizers will step up. Given the chance to antagonize, antagonizes will act out. Given the chance to challenge, challenges will be made for and against our movement. Yet given the chance to live, many have stepped up to create the society we want to see. All of these things have happened. And that is why this movement needs exactly what has occurred: voices en masse, different and similar, coming together to demonstrate life and democracy. Democracy is a messy process when dealing with all of the elements that deserve a voice, not just the convenient ones.

I hear this when I ask people about the major successes and set backs of their camps. Unanimously the biggest problem being the presence of the homeless, addicted, and mentally ill individuals in camps and their associated issues: safety, drug use, and general undesirableness. The other unanimous consensus I find is the decision that these people are as much a part of the movement as anyone else. And though they may take a lot of energy to deal with, evolving society has to start with them. Democracy is a messy process when dealing with all of the elements that deserve compassion, not just the convenient ones.

This isn't the easiest thing for myself, not in philosophy but in practice. One element of the Portland Occupation was the vast number of homeless the camp housed and, again, their related issues. The group of people that welcomed me into their camp also welcomed in a lot of vagrants. And while I know that the only way to have a real social revolution is to address, head on, the problems that these people face, it is still hard for me to feel comfortable in their presence. Democracy is a messy process when dealing with all of the elements that deserve understanding, not just the convenient ones.

So, if democracy is a messy process when dealing with all of the elements that deserve attention, not just the convenient ones, who really needs an education? The middle class in my blood would say we need to educate the street people who need help. But the street person, a very new side to myself no doubt, says my middle class blood needs an education in how to care for real. Homeless, transient, addicted individuals have problems innumerable to my own. They aren't dealing with debt, war, or even a recession. They are dealing with themselves. And many of us turn away in reaction. The real education needs to teach understanding amongst the middle classers, for we are the ones who can change.

Gotta love U.U.'s! Salem seems like an awesome town.

Salem's Occupy!

Can I hitch a ride? Headed south today.

I ended up raising $785 with the generous help of everyone of you!

Thank you so much to everyone! Here is the final list of donators to my project:

Pledges for the Supporter Donation ($1-9):

Mckenzie

Grel

Dustin Sharpless

Pledges for Super Supporter Donation ($10-39):

Katie Thiebes

Steve Hamilton

Alice Hill

Marshall

Frances Moore

Heather Magnan

Ev and George Carpenter

Barbra Ballantyne

Joncasas

Bess Sadler

John Heinecke

Jeff Ottman

Karen Ottman

Elizabeth Kuzzy

Pledges for Champion Supporter Donation ($40-99):

Carol Carpenter

Jayne Ottman

Sharon Smith

Rob Heinecke

In Memory of Rosalie J Heinecke

Peg Ottman

Kari Ottman

Pledges for Hero Supporter Donation ($100+):

Patrick Moore

Aaron Davis and family

All of your donations have helped shape this trip. All of your love has helped me on this trip. Please! Stay involved! Post on the blog or email me anything that you want to. Thoughts. Concerns. Anything! Conversation is the theme of this project. And to anyone who has trouble posting on the blog, you need to create a blogspot or gmail account. It isn't to hard but if it is more involved than you want, just email me at jon.heinecke@gmail.com and I can post a comment for you.

Thanks again 4everyone's help!

A big thanks to a couple of people

I just wanted to acknowledge a few people that have helped me, befriended me, or just made me feel good along the road.

Lacey and Sean- My cousin and her husband picked me up, fed me pizza, and gave me wonderful place to sleep for the night. This was after Seattle. It couldn't have come at a better time.

Jessie from Portland- He invited me right in to his camp. It was the safest camp I have been in, although it smelled like shit. Thanks for your hospitality brother!

Davin and Nick- Two different people I met in Portland that were very chill to me. Thanks guys!

Ian Carmany- Another Portland bro that talked media with me as well as just hung out super chill style. He also gave me hella social proofing at the club. It was crucial. We also walked around Portland looking for liquor one night and I think it was the funnest thing I've done as of yet on this trip. Thanks man, good luck with Cascadia Times!

Frances Moore!- She's my beautiful girlfriend. She's taking care of my more than challenging dog right now. Thanks Babe!

Bethany Huntley and her cool roomies- This is where I am staying right now. They have been very welcoming to me. They have an awesome sweatshirt idea that I think will take off. Thank you guys so much for the bed and food. This one, too, couldn't have come at a better time.

Kevin Burfiend- Despite Kevin being my arch-nemesis, he is a good bro too. You know they say super heros and super villains are more alike than different. I will be staying with Kev before I head to California.

That is all the people I can think of that have helped me on this trip. I cannot thank all of them enough for the warmth and hospitality they have given me. Nothing is ever done individually, that is especially true in my case.

Occupy Oakland is looking gnarlier and gnarlier

This is funny, I just found out Occupy Portland is right next to the police department.

Some some sidewalk existentialism

A new protest in Portland Camp

Starting last night some Occupiers chained themselves to a concrete barrel in a park people have been arrested and kicked out of several times now. Its right next to camp.

This is right after they got set up last night. One things its hard to do chained to concrete: put on a jacket.

Here they are this morning. The camp served breakfast next to them to increase awareness and participation. Another thing thats hard to do: take a piss. People were bringing in buckets and giving them a hand. I didn't take any pictures.

A little about the Portland Occupy camp

Here is the info tent.

Here is the medical and safety 2 tent. The camp is in two parks next to each other so safety has two locations.

This is the kids tent.

Ggggrrrrrrrrrr!!! A kids tent creation.

Here is the Sukkah tent. It is a general holy place for the camp and has seen 3 marriages since it was built.

Here is a shrine is the Sukkah tent.

This is the KBOO tent, a local radio station that is set up here 24/7.

This is the engineering tent.

A bike generator around engineering.

Art tent.

This is the education tent.

The Seattle Sheraton meets Occupy Wall Street: Thoughts on a building

What makes up a building? It has a framework, floors, walls, siding, and windows. It has tables, chairs, desks, clocks, tools, machinery, and any other products designed to make the building function. It generally has a purpose, because, well, people wouldn't build it if it didn't. And parallel to the purpose are the people allowing it to function as what its supposed to be. Finally, it hosts people suited to frequent, by design or by purpose, the building. On Wednesday night, we had a building. In this building was Jamie Diamond.

Who is Jamie Diamond? Well, ol' JD has been a lot of things in his day. From assistant at American Express to C.E.O. of Citigroup (which was the largest financial services conglomerate in the world in its time). He became president of J.P. Morgan Chase in 2004. Then, in 2008, he became a board member of the New York Federal Reserve and C.E.O. of Chase Bank. He personally handled a good portion of the bank bail out money under both Bush and Obama. Not to mention he is reportedly golfing buddies with our current Secretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner. And Jamie Diamond happened to be in the Sheraton Seattle Hotel on November 3^rd, Wednesday night.

What then, you ask, is the Sheraton Seattle Hotel? It's just a building, really. Except, Wednesday night, it was our building.

The day started with a small march to a local bank. The day of action was justly call “March on the Banks”, and we did precisely that. Around one o'clock we gathered at the Seattle Central Community College, where Occupy Seattle is located, and took to the streets. We marched from the campus to a Chase Bank branch about a mile away, chanting slogans, walking in the street, and shutting down traffic. The group was moving peacefully, escorted with SPD.

We effectively shut down the Chase Bank branch when we got there. Light in spirit, and as of yet untouched by police, we kept chanting our demands at the bank. The People's Mic was at full volume, broadcasting the ideas that we collectively shared. It wasn't until the group who had chained themselves inside were cut free, taken outside, and arrested that things began to get hairy.

It was hard to tell who aggravated the situation more, the police or the protesters. Obviously, both sides protect their own when asked about this. Regardless, the situation elevated when one of the bikes the police were using as barriers was used by protesters to push back. And just as Newton's third law describes, the tables quickly turned into a pushing match with Occupiers and police. Then the mace started flying.

I lent my assistance to the very wounded Occupiers hit directly with the spray. As you can imagine, pepper spray hurts in varying degrees dependent on range, accuracy, and the individual. As do the motives of the people that got hit. It seemed most people that got it right in the face had been peaceful and non-aggressive, merely unfortunate martyrs of a sticky situation.

The protesters had, at this point, become fairly frustrated and demonstrated that by walking up and down the street with no real direction. It was quite comical to watch from the periphery as police set up near random barriers and protesters lined up right along side if only to yell at the officers. Tensions were rising but police were giving the group the “respect” they needed to not over-escalate the situation. I think they wanted to only pepper spray the crowd enough. That seems like a contradiction as I write it, though it may be truer than it sounds.

The march then directed its energy towards the city center. We headed for Westlake Park, the place Occupy Seattle had began. A place that has had a very checkered history for Occupants. For one, it had been the location of many tents in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and had only recently been moved out of. It also knew many sleepless nights, many “confiscated” (stolen) tents, and many arrested protesters all thanks to police resistance to the movement. Seattle's Tahrir Square is called Westlake Park.

Tensions deescalated, or maybe tabled is a better word, once we reached Westlake. Music was set up, people danced, talked, and rested for what we all knew was the big action of the day. Our march on the Sheraton Seattle Hotel to stare down corporate greed incarnate. Now we have our setting, the hotel, our protagonist, Occupy Seattle, and our villain, Jamie Diamond. We also have our stage direction: riot.

Tensions were rising from the moment we got to the Sheraton. The goal was to make sure that Jamie and the other attendants of the conference knew how we felt. The conference itself was a University of Washington dinner with JD as the speaker. The conference room in the Sheraton is conveniently located right above the main entrance with big windows facing the street. Big windows that gave everyone attending a good look at the people of Occupy Seattle. Close to one thousand. And the flip side of big windows, they gave us a good look at the people attending. They could see us and we could see fear.

The attendants of the conference were not the only scared people that night. The Seattle Police Department was on edge too. You could tell a distinct difference in the mood of the police from the Chase Bank earlier in the day to the Sheraton that night. First, they had vastly more officers. Second, they had full riot gear – tear gas, paint guns, and lots of pepper spray. And third, you could see the stress of the situation weighing on their faces. Seattle Police are not new to a riot.

November 30 of 1999 Seattle saw some of the largest riots this country has experienced. If you ask any lone time resident about the WTO riots you will get a big sigh and a concerned face. It wasn't a high point in peaceful protesting, to euphemize it. And you could see that sentiment in the faces of all the officers present.

Going into a large scale protest with no real concept of how it ends was maybe the fault of its planners. It was possible they had a direction, but it surely wasn't communicated. Lacking a plan, one was created. We were NOT going to let Jamie Diamond out of that hotel easily. It didn't take long for all of the entrances and exits of the Sheraton to be covered... and for the second round of pepper spray to be used. This is where the organization of Occupiers really did came into play. Medics, though not enough of them, were designated before hand to provide assistance to people feeling the harsh effects of pepper spray in the face. Brutal were the cops, not near antagonized enough to warrant the level of resistance they gave the protesters holding these entrances.

The “Occupation” of the outside of the Sheraton Hotel lasted several hours. And it was sitting there in the pouring rain with over a thousand determined Seattlites in which I began to understand a very important piece to this movement: people saw it as more than just ending corporate greed. They were fighting for their lives. From the younger, revolution fueled radicals on the front lines to the middle class dropouts in back screaming for their chance at a fair deal to past era hippies excited to see real change sweeping like it did in days long gone, we were a motley group with a single message. We don't deserve what we were given.

In the end, lot of people got maced. A few got arrested. Part of it felt like a “mock”-military operation. Lots of people used language like, “guard the door,”, “send runners for reinforcements,” and even, “MEDIC!” The most common thing to hear was, “BANG-A-RANG!” That meant more cops cited. It was certainly very intense. Before Wednesday I heard a lot about non-violence at the General Assembly but that night was anything but non-violent.

A lot of people called Wednesday night a “victory”, further exemplifying the militaristic ideals that many of the protesters held. I don't know if that is how I see it. I saw a lot of aggression amongst both sides, police and public. Argo-perspectives were equal on either side of the fence. And while I see their point, that this has now set a precedent for any hotel that decides to host a Bankster C.E.O., it worries me that the macho victory that Occupy Seattle saw will only escalate the stakes next time this occurs.

I thought going into this that a non-violent movement meant everyone is on the same page. Seeing Wednesday night really made me rethink. Non-violence is not the absence of violence but the presence of mind behind the scenes to deal with the ramifications of violence and make preparations to deal with it in the future. I will only call last night a "victory" if it doesn't happen again. Somehow I doubt that as I write it.

That isn't meant to be hopeless in this situation. I have learned from that night. And I have spoken about it at every General Assembly I have visited since then. Three things are important to understand about the evening of November 2^nd in Seattle. 1. Without a full plan in a protest, start to finish, you greatly increase the chance of unintended aggression and violent spontaneous decision making. 2. We all have the power to collectively decide what we will and will not stand for; we can set any president that we want. And we should. 3. It is imperative that we learn from and decisively spread the lessons we come to during this movement. No victory happens without mistakes and no mistakes are made without the chance to change them in the future. And right now, we are changing for our future.

Remember remember the 5th of November, the terrorist treason and plot. I can think of no reason the terrorist treason should ever be forgot. Happy Guy Fawkes day everyone!

Some whatever building in downtown Portland. It's a beautiful night here.

The Portland camp is AMAZING!!!

Super set up, has wi-fi, tons of cool people, and a group of homies invited me in right away. Way more chill than Seattle so far. I have been helping set up more tarps around our camp and haven't yet got any pictures. And I'm super tired from traveling so I'm gonna take a nap before GA but I'll get stuff posted soon. Later.

In the end...

A lot of people got maced. A few got arrested. Part of it felt like a “mock”-military operation. Lots of people used language like, “guard the door,”, “send runners for reinforcements,” and even, “MEDIC!” The most common thing to hear was, “BANG-A-RANG!” That meant more cops cited. It was certainly very intense and a couple of times I thought I would get kettled in with some of the more aggressive elements of the crowd. (Kettling is a tactic using some sort of fencing to surround protesters and arrest them.) Before last night I heard a lot about a non-violent movement at GA and elsewhere but tonight was anything but non-violent.

A lot of people called last night a “victory”, further exemplifying the militaristic ideals many of the protesters held. I don't know if that is how I see it. I saw a lot of aggression amongst both sides, police and public. Argo-perspectives were equal on either side of the picket. And while I totally agree that this has now set a precedent for any hotel that decides to host a Bankster ceo, it worries me that the macho victory that the camp sees will only escalate the stakes next time this occurs.

I thought going into this that a non-violent movement meant everyone is on the same page. Seeing last night really made me rethink that. Non-violence is not the absence of violence but the presence of mind behind the scenes to deal with the ramifications of violence and make preparations to deal with it in the future. I will only call last night a "victory" if it doesn't happen again. Somehow I doubt that as I write it.

We all gathered in front of the Hotel...

where the guests of the convention and JD himself could see (and hear!) us.

At 6 we marched to the Sheraton Hotel where Jerry Diamond was speaking

Once our march got to Westlake park...

anarchist bluegrass eased the mood of the crowd.

Arm the Helis

By the way, they didn't tear gas old ladies.

A curious event

The police are protecting nothing and the protesters are gaining nothing.

The group then Occupied a street intersection

Then some people started getting maced.

This is one girl who got hit.

These are a few more people.

The protesters inside were cut free and taken outside...

Thats when the protesters started gettin rowdy.

Then we got to the local Chase Branch and were able to close it

Some people chained themselves to the inside of the building and sat down for about an hour or so. Then they got arrested.