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We are the 99 percent

Occupy Tampa’s Official Statement Regarding the RNC

Posted 12 years ago on Aug. 11, 2012, 1:48 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
Tags: rnc, food not bombs, tampa

Banner showing face of Martin Luther King, Jr with quote "Today Capitalism Has Outlived Its Usefulness" - MLK
Banner from Occupy Tampa

Occupy Tampa has stood in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street since its inception, and will function as the host occupation for the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL on August 27th – 30th, 2012.

Preparations have included: 1) Securing sleeping arrangements for as many occupiers as we can fit in our current encampment. In order to maximize available space to accommodate as many people as possible, we will (2) remove individual tents and replace them with large canopies to offer shade and protection from the weather. (3) Our liaison with Fire Dog Lake, Sonja Ebron, continues to work with Occupy Tampa by securing items such as sunscreen, bug spray, bandanas, portable water containers, sleeping bags and mats, UV protective shirts and other useful items.

Occupy Tampa has formed a Regional General Assembly to coordinate Occupy groups throughout the bay area, including: Occupy Lakeland, Occupy St. Petersburg, Occupy Bradenton, Occupy USF, Occupy New Port Richey, and Occupy Sarasota. We have tried to plan as much as possible ahead of time, but we want to leave space open to spontaneously produce additional actions by harnessing the number of people that arrive.

Food Not Bombs has called a World Gathering and plans to run feeding operations throughout the duration of the RNC. A week before the Republican National Convention, chapters of Food Not Bombs from every corner of the globe will convene in order to prepare to feed the thousands of protesters flooding into the city. FNB will serve brunch everyday at 10 am, at Voice of Freedom Park, and will also serve dinner before the General Assemblies. We will offer warm-ups at 9 am, including yoga & other light exercises.

We invite everyone to come and take advantage of the preparations we have made, to help ensure that all occupiers and other supporting groups can use this moment of national attention to confront the political status-quo.

We currently occupy a privately-owned, publicly accessible park (fittingly named “Voice of Freedom). The owner has donated the space for use by the Occupy Movement. Facilities include: running water, two port-a-potties, parking, Internet access, and electricity.

Our address is 2101 W. Main St. Tampa, Fl. You can contact us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/occupytampa or through our website www.occupytampa.org.

Peace, Love, & Solidarity,
Occupy Tampa

(Passed by consensus by the Occupy Tampa General Assembly)

Banner with picture of an elephant in a riot police suit holding a baton with text "Repiblican National Convention: Coming to a Police State Near You"

Editor's note: If you plan on attending the RNC to protest, be sure to check here for important information from Occupy Tampa. Other organizations and autonomous websites related to the RNC protests include http://occupy-rnc.org/, http://marchonthernc.com/ and http://resistrnc.org/.

53 Comments

53 Comments


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[-] 5 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Occupy the RNC

[-] 5 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Food not bombs

[-] 5 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Support Occupy Tampa. Protest the RNC

[-] 4 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Don't believe the hype

[-] 4 points by ericweiss (575) 12 years ago

for my brave brothers and sisters:
carry one or two 1' × 1' WET American flags in a zip lock bag
if sprayed or attacked - hold it over your face

1> good protection
2> imagine the videos of cops attacking the flag

[-] 1 points by ExposeTheOligarchs (37) 12 years ago

Good Idea!! I love a good idea! Especially one that's easily done!

[-] 4 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Occupy the Republican Convention

[-] 4 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Occupy the RNC

[-] 4 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Tampa, Tampa Tampa

[-] 4 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

RNC is the problem

[-] 4 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Really Love The MLK Banner!

tweeted this post. {:-])

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[-] 3 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

R's hate women so much they won't call it a hurricane but rather a his-acane! (rim shot) Oh! thank you very much. I'm here all week. Make sure you tip the waitresses.

[-] 3 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

R's=1% tools

[-] 3 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Repubs R the problem

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[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

I really like this one from your collection. {:-])

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[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

It is a good new expression of the old - remixed. {:-])

The bold'ed has always carried recognition and disgust for corruption.

[-] 3 points by Skippy2 (485) 12 years ago

I live in Tampa and will be at the center of the action. A few tips for my good friends attending....Drink lots and lots of water!!!! Its f'ing hot and muggy. Wear large floppy hats. wet a hand towel, lay it on your head, hanging down the back of your neck and put hat on over it. As the water evaporates it produces natural cooling effect. Your blood vessals are numerous and close to the surface on your head. By keeping it cool, you can withstand the heat longer. If you get a pounding headache, immediately move to shade, drink more water and put wet towel on your head. Stay still and relaxed. After your head stops pounding continue sitting and drinking another 30mins. If you suddenly stop sweating and have a pounding headache, feel nausea or light headed, seek medical attention immediately or you may die. Hope this helps. Have fun!

[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Thanks for the heat prostration warning and advice on how to help handle the Heat.

[-] 3 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

All the posters we have in Florida, yet none comment here, and this one comes before the DNC.

It does make you wonder.

[-] 0 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Yeah - I would figure that staunch occupy supporter hchc would be woopin it up.

[-] 0 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

Among many others.

[-] 0 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Think they all went to get dinner together?

[-] 0 points by shoozTroll (17632) 12 years ago

Or re-training camp.

I did post a link to the original training, now they have to change tack again...........:)

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 12 years ago

Nice - keep the enemy tactical leaks a happenin.

[-] -1 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

Dude I've been to the park plenty. What would you like me comment on this thread about? Its all common knowledge in Tampa?

Want me to post all the DA's that we are doing online? Would that make you two little gossipers happy?

I'd say I look forward to meeting all of you there, but thats obvisouly not going to happen, and some for valid reasons.

Check out Romneyville too, another place for protesters to crash... http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/17/us-usa-campaign-convention-idUSBRE87G00X20120817

[-] 4 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

You're gonna protest at the rnc convention?

[-] 0 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 12 years ago

Duh. Ya think? Hopefully the stuff we do gets some coverage on MSM. If not, I'll have video guys down there for most of it, and should be livestreaming a lot of it.

I'll top post the livestream links when the week comes.

It's going to be one crazy cluster fuck, for sure.

[-] 3 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 12 years ago

The MLK quote "capitalism has out-lived its usefulness" comes from a letter written to Coretta. July 18, 1952

"I imagine you already know that I am much more socialistic in my economic theory than capitalistic. And yet I am not so opposed to capitalism that I have failed to see its relative merits. It started out with a noble and high motive, viz., to block the trade monopolies of nobles, but like most human systems it fell victim to the very thing it was revolting against. So today capitalism has out-lived its usefulness. It has brought about a system that takes necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes. So I think Bellamy is right in seeing the gradual decline of capitalism.

I think you noticed that Bellamy emphasized that the change would be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. This, it seems to me, is the most sane and ethical way for social change to take place."

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[-] 1 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 12 years ago

I prefer that quote over the one about ending capitalism. Those wanting revolution have hijacked Martin's words to fit their own agenda. That is exactly what spin is. The very people who claim to be marching for truth, instead distort the truth.

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[-] 3 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 12 years ago

Pure self interest is not limited to just the young revolutionaries or corporate fat cats. It infects very one of us. The only thing separating us from them is acknowledging it exists and doing what is just instead.

[-] -1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 12 years ago

thanks for the knowledge friend!

[-] -3 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 12 years ago

Any time!

[-] -3 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 12 years ago

that's one of the things I love about this forum. Sometimes people post some great quotes and pieces of history that I normally wouldn't have come across.

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Occupy the RNC convention

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Vote out rape confused republicans!

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Vote out anti abortion republicans

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Be there! Stay dry.

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Rock them like a hurricane

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

R's are anti women

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Vote out anti abortion repubs

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Conservative policies created all our problems

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Repubs R 1% tools

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Republicans ARE the problem

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Protest right wing wackos

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Conservative policies are at the root of all our problems

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Occupy the RNC

[-] 1 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

"Fight the Power the be" PE

[-] 1 points by VQkag2 (16478) 12 years ago

Occupy the RNC

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[-] -3 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 12 years ago

lol I love the police state picture at the RNC

Let them eat bombs! Congress cuts social programs to spend even more money next year on war. - http://occupywallst.org/forum/let-them-eat-bombs-congress-cuts-social-programs/

even when this year Federal Discretionary Spending is already 60% defense spending. And they want to increase it?

FOOD NOT BOMBS