I Wanted This To Be Different

I have been very busy following and photographing Occupy Austin although I haven't been sharing much on my blog.  I planned to share some of the beauty I had witnessed  and commend Chief Acevedo and APD for being respectful of the rights of Americans.  Instead, this takes precedence:


A Marine from Wisconsin, Scott Olsen (24), was shot in the head by a projectile fired by Oakland police. When people ran to his aid, an officer threw a flash grenade at the limp body and the would-be rescuers.  As police watched, the critically injured veteran was eventually swept up and carried away by human beings.

It is unfortunate that many officers have yet to understand that most in the Occupations support police, the difficulties and stresses they face and their wage/benefits challenges.  

The following is Oakland Mayor Jean Quan's response:


Taken from her Facebook Page
October 25, 2011
7:30 am

Many Oaklanders support the goals of the national Occupy Wall Street movement. We maintained daily communication with the protestors in Oakland.

However, over the last week it was apparent that neither the demonstrators nor the City could maintain safe or sanitary conditions, or control the ongoing vandalism. Frank Ogawa Plaza will continue to be open as a free speech area from 6 am to 10 pm.

We want to thank the police, fire, public works and other employees who worked over the last week to peacefully close the encampment. We also thank the majority of the protestors who peacefully complied with city officials.

I commend Chief Jordan for a generally peaceful resolution to a situation that deteriorated and concerned our community. His leadership was critical in the successful execution of this operation. City Administrator Deanna Santana developed the plan and secured mutual aid from other departments and the State of California. She will direct departmental teams, including safety, public works, communications, to restore conditions at the Plaza so that it is available for public use.

The City welcomes all Oaklanders to continue to use the Plaza during daylight hours for peaceful protest.


~Mayor Jean Quan


Apparently, 1st Amendment rights expire at sunset.


At the time of this post, there were 9,854 comments on the above Facebook profile post.  I read about 200 and found only one comment supporting her.  The post has been shared 848 times and when I linked my blog to the post.  Apparently, her e-mail address (jeanquan4@gmail.com) has been disabled.

Carlos Miller reported that the mainstream news turned a blind eye as police attacked an unarmed crowd of people exercising their 1st Amendment rights.


What are you going to do about this?

This Caught Me By Surprise

Veteran reporter, Lawrence O' Donnell criticizes police as aggressors. 

His indignation at the treatment of Americans at the Occupy Wall Street gatherings and in daily interactions is apparent.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

If the Tar Sands ad plays before this clip, you might click here 

to read about something you likely missed in the news.

Rally to Restory Sanity - Austin 2010

There was:

Attention getting:

Show supporting:

Representation from the far right:

Same-sex embracing:

Calls to action:

Calls to research:

Voices of moderation:

Voices of reason:

Signs for fun:

And my absolute favorite!:

Deputy House Leader Demands New 9/11 Investigation

Party Deputy House Leader Libby Davies delivers a Parliamentary Petition signed by over 500 Canadians demanding a new 9/11 investigation in Canada's House of Commons on June 10, 2008:



Here is the full text of the petition with the ability to electronically sign here.

PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED

We, the undersigned citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:

THAT, scientific and eyewitness evidence shows that the 9/11 Commission Report is a fraudulent document and that those behind the report are consciously or unconsciously guilty of covering up what happened on 9/11/2001. This evidence overwhelmingly supports the conclusion that World Trade Center Towers 1, 2 and 7 were brought down by demolition explosives and that the official theory of the towers collapsing from the airplanes and the ensuing fires is irrefutably false.

We further believe that elements within the US government were complicit in the murder of thousands of people on 9/11/2001. This event brought Canada into the so-called "War on Terror," it changed our domestic and foreign policies for the worse, and it will continue to have negative consequences for us all if we refuse to look at the facts.

THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to:

(1) Immediately launch its own investigation into the events of 9/11/2001 on behalf of the 24 Canadian citizens murdered in New York City.

(2) Act lawfully on the findings of its own investigation by helping to pursue the guilty parties in the international courts.

Committed to truth and accountability,

Stop FCC Media Consolidation

I have two previous posts with videos on this topic, you can check them out here and here.

Please send the FCC a message by encouraging your representative to co-sponsor the Resolution of Disapproval introduced by Sen. Byron Dorgan.

When the FCC voted this December, it ignored nearly universal public opposition again, when the Senate voted to overturn similar rule changes. The FCC's decision to let Big Media get even bigger will erode localism, diminish minority ownership, decrease competition & journalistic diversity.

Consolidation means fewer perspectives and less news.

Please support the Resolution of Disapproval and encourage your representative to stand up to the FCC

Click here to find and write your representatives in Congress.

Stop the FCC!!!

Speak up now to STOP THE FCC Chairman!!!

December 11th is the last day to contact your representatives to stop the FCC from rushing, against public outcry and public interest, to grant media conglomerates more control. The FCC Chairman wants to allow "A company that owns a newspaper in one of the 20 largest cities in the country to purchase a broadcast TV or radio station in the same market."

Please add your voice to the ground swell of public opposition combating the attempt of the FCC chairman to sneak through a devastating blow to media diversity.

On November 2, 2007, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin announced that the Commission would hold the sixth and final public hearing on media consolidation November 9, 2007 in Seattle, Washington. Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein blasted the Chairman's decision to give the public only five business days notice before the hearing:

"With such short notice, many people will be shut out ... This is outrageous and not how important media policy should be made."

The chairman said, "I've been as transparent as I could be." Since when did it become imperative to keep the public in the dark to protect them?

Please write your representatives in Congress and the FCC. You can click here to have your voice heard.