[Occupymendocino] Minutes of Nov 5, 2016 Meeting

[Ann Rennacker]

Present: John Fremont, Ann, Sheila, Bob Lane, Dan Baker, Irene Malone, Barbara Moller

- MLK Event coming up in January. Linda Jupiter has conflicting meeting today; she has been a good coordinator for this so should be contacted before next meeting as she has lists of volunteers, ideas on how to manage volunteers.  Sheila wants to think about changing the event to the Caspar Center.  Some people like doing it in Fort Bragg at Trinity Church.  We can decide in 2 weeks and plan.

- Standing Rock protests are heating up as local Native American tribes are going to North Dakota and the militarized police, National Guard and Blackwater Security are attacking and arresting people.  Ancient burial grounds and sacred sites are being bulldozed.   No media are present, but when Amy Goodman from 'Democracy Now'  filmed the brutality of dogs being unleashed on peaceful water protectors, she was arrested for "rioting" and taken to jail.  The charge was dropped to misdemeanor protesting, and some film got out.  Now all the celllphone videos, facebook and U-Tube filming is being blocked by the Corporate Security, which may be a crime.  There are thousands of people in the camp defending the water, tribes from Sioux Nations as well as Navajo and many other tribes including Pomos from the Sherwood Valley Rancheria, Even indigenous people from New Zealand are there! The pipeline will carry 470,000 barrels of crude from Baakan in Canada down through North Dakota and under the Mississipi and Missouri Rivers, which are water sources for millions.  From there the pipeline will go through Illinois and to the Gulf of Mexico, where it will be shipped offshore in tankers and will contribute to climate change.  Ann and Richard are going to an event in Redwood Valley Sunday which is a fundraiser for the Pomo Tribe, and they will bring back information about what supplies need to be donated. Sheila wants to go if she gets sponsored, so we will get her signed up.  Annamarie Stenberg went and may go back, so we can ask her to our next meeting for ideas about how to help.

- Newspaper project did not have enough volunteers step up and this is a project that needs writers, publicity, lots of energy.  John would help with editing and publishing, but when he invited Rex Gresset there was a huge fuss as Rex detests Occupy and thinks John is a pal of Mayor Turners so he "went off" on John with a diatribe.  We need a committee to gather info and bring it to the group for action, but John encourages independent action also.

- Dan said there is a new Mendocino Voice online.  We should contact folks from the Progressive Alliance group and discuss our issues.

- Election is in a few days.  Susan Nutter is organizing a voter count group to view the process at the County building.  Since there was an article in the Newspaper about how Susan Ranochek was blocking observers of the process last election, there is better access to viewing, a stop to blocking the view and more transparency.

- This has been the most contentious election ever, and the Nation is divided.  These are the 2 most unpopular candidates ever and some are worried that after the election there will be a lot of trouble uniting America again.  Michael Moore made a movie called "Trumpland" which is free online.  Conservatives and Liberals must work on how the system is "rigged" and find shared values so the issues can be worked on.  Corporate power is behind most of the inequality and greed that are driving rampant consumerism to destroy public land, fuel climate change and the poverty of the masses.

- Future of Occupy was discussed.  We have 5 big events, and our Monthly Highway cleanup and weekly Street Protest.  The question came up - how many protesters at Standing Rock are from Occupy?  Do we want to continue all or some of our events, or are we running out of steam?  We went around and the opinions were:  Sheila likes the Street Protest and interacting with the public.  We will do the protest 2X a month after the election.  Dan and Ann and Bob all agree we will stand at the Street Protests.  Irene comes when she can, so does Barbara.  We need to bring signs that reflect the current issues.  John cannot do Hwy Cleanup or Street Protests, but likes helping at MLK event.  Bob likes the Street Protests, parades, Hwy Cleanup and keeping up with current issues.   Ann likes all 5 of our events and wants to keep doing all, as the Banks, Oil, Inequality, war and other O/M issues are still foremost and if Hillary becomes our next President we need to help Bernie and Elizabeth Warren keep her feet to the fire!

- Hwy Cleanup  Wed. Nov 9th from 2:30-4:30.  Bob will bring the red truck with our O/M Banner and park it by Frog Pond Rd.

Since there is so much going on now, we will have another O/M Meeting in 2 weeks.

Next Meeting Nov 19, 12-2 at the Company store.

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