Forum Post: A Call For 75,000 Or More To OccupyHouston
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 28, 2011, 11:05 a.m. EST by seshata7
(4)
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Could OccupyHouston along with the City of Houston hosts a Major event for the OccupyMovement? Could OccupyHouston issue a call for 75,000 or more persons to congregate at a park like Memorical park as do Houston Livestock and Rodeo guests while OccupyHouston petitions the City for a redress of grievances including an end to corporate corruption and greed?
Could OccupyHouston host a nation-wide ongoing vigil for socio-political-economic justice similar to the ones occuring in the Middle East? Or is OccupyHouston's thinking too small for Texas?
I thought about this last night when Emily from Allen Parkway suggested that veterans and other OccupyHouston participants take over empty homes in the area. I had already sought out legal ways of utilizing tents within the Houston area and I know that everyone in Houston is familar to how the city has allowed for camping in near town parks like Memorial. http://hlsr.com/events/trail-r…..index.aspx
So, how does a city like Houston turn down a legitimate need for the public to congregate that is not hypocritical?
OccupyHouston, could maintain the downtown locations for in-your-face stratagies and at same time draw from refreshed participants from close quarters.
From 1917 to 1923, the land where the park currently exists was the site of Camp Logan, a World War I US Army training camp. During wartime, the training camp was located on the far west boundaries of Houston. After the war in early 1924, Will and Mike Hogg, purchased 1,503 acres (6 km2) of former Camp Logan land and sold the area to the city at cost. In May 1924, the City of Houston took ownership of the land to be used as a "memorial" park, dedicated to the memory of soldiers who lost their lives serving in World War I.
Sec. 28-49. – Major event safety zones.
(a)Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed in this section:
Major event means a sporting event or other function that is expected to draw 75,000 or more persons to simultaneously congregate in an area of one square mile or less at or near a convention and/or sporting venue within the city.
Safety zone means a zone established under subsection (b), below.
Tent means a temporary structure covered with fabric or another type of membrane. The term is intended to also include canopies and air-supported, air-inflated, and tensioned membrane structures, as well as conventional tents.
(b)Establishment of safety zone. In consultation with the fire chief, police chief, and traffic engineer, as well as the director of planning and development and the director of any city department or other public agency that is acting as the host for a major event, the mayor is authorized to establish one or more safety zones in the vicinity of venues for the major event. Based upon the recommendations of the traffic engineer, the fire chief, police chief and directors, which shall take into consideration the nature of the event, the numbers of persons and vehicles expected, the street and highway configurations, the condition and traffic flows expected on the streets, highways, and sidewalks, the location of police and fire stations, hospitals, and other critical facilities, security plans for the event, and other relevant factors, the mayor shall establish the safety zone and the period that it will be in effect. Any such safety zone shall be established for an area with specified boundaries and shall be limited to a stated period of time at which large numbers of persons and vehicles are expected to be within the safety zone for the event or for activities relating to setting up and taking down apparatus for the event. The order establishing the safety zone shall be signed by the mayor and filed with the city secretary at least ten days before the time period for the safety zone commences. The city secretary shall cause the notice to be published in a newspaper of general circulation at least one time before the period commences and shall post the notice on the same bulletin board used for open meetings notices.
(c)Unlawful acts. It shall be unlawful for any person to erect or cause to be erected or to use or cause to be used any tent within a zone safety during the time that the safety zone is in effect.
(d)Defense to prosecution. It is a defense to prosecution under subsection (c) that the tent is part of the support apparatus set up by or for the major event and was set up by or on authorization of the persons conducting the major event and is not being used for merchandise sales or other activities of a commercial nature.
(Ord. No. 03-1314, § 2, 12-23-03)
http://occupyhouston.org/forum/logistics/a-call-for-75000-or-more-to-occupyhouston/
The soldiers of all of American Armend forces and certainly all displaced veterans are members of the 99% .
I wish Houstonians were more involved. But when you live in a city where oil flows from a pothole on the street, Occupy appears to be a pointless movement.
I know what you mean. Check this out :
http://occupyhouston.org/forum/logistics/next-stage-of-occupy/
"occupy movements should consider moving from their current protest sites to a space that allows them to organize and plan their future.
getting arrested does not help anyone.
living outdoors does not help anyone.
these two actions are good at raising awareness though and their purpose has been fulfilled.
occupiers could solve a lot of their problems by moving indoors.
instead of having to deal with issues concerning weather, police, food and waste they could focus on important issues that can take the movement to the next stage:raising money, planning protests, distributing information to the public, sharing ideas with other occupier cities, determining the best way to impact the political structure from all sides, dealing with publicity, managing resources, organizing, growing, building support, delegating projects, maturing.
the protests have served their purpose.
take the momentum and become an institution that can challenge the political machine. your efforts are better spent solving the problems of implementing solutions rather than scrounging food, toilet paper, bail money and fighting to maintain a tent city. dont challenge city hall where they are strongest, attack where they are weakest.
can you guess where that is?"
I tried your link, but got an access denied message. When the movement moves indoors, it will quickly vanish from sight, from the media and lose its political pressure.
Just register first and then link.
Many members are inviting other OccupyCities to visit Houston for better weather and protest:
OCCUPY THE SUN BELT
Affable Occupy Houston invites other protests to enjoy the mild winter in Harris County
By Tyler Rudick
11.25.11 | 09:00 pm
Regrouping after Monday night's shooting, Occupy Houston is focusing on a new public outreach program — an open welcome to occupiers in colder climates to visit Harris County this winter.
Taking full advantage of the public commentary portion of yesterday's Harris County Commissioners Court meeting, Occupy Houston's Joe Roche asked elected officials to "roll out the red carpet and say howdy" to other occupy groups, requesting commissions to view outside protestors not as municipal trouble-makers, but as potential tourists.
"People often ask what our demands are — here's one of them," Roche told the commissioners, inviting the group to take "diplomatic action" and embrace visiting occupiers as a means to bolster the local economy.
Occupy Houston's Joe Roche asked elected officials to "roll out the red carpet and say howdy" to other occupy groups residing in less forgiving climates.
"This not only will allow a platform for a historic movement, but also allow our leaders to showcase what great things Harris County has to offer," he said. "It’s going to increase traffic at our airports, restaurants, stores, sports facilities and definitely it will exponentially add to our eclectic arts scene."
Occupy Houston is simply playing to its strengths. The mild Gulf Coast weather means outdoor comfort, even in spite of the city's ban on tents and tarps.
"Opportunity doesn’t come knocking too often, and when it does we need to answer," Roche said in closing. "Let’s bring out the convention and visitors authority... maybe put forth some money for us and other occupy movements.”
The cold weather has sparked a variety of new ideas for the 99 percent, including this week's Occupy Black Friday and an upcoming benefit album slated for a winter release.
http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/11-25-11-15-33-occupy-houston-welcomes-other-protests-to-enjoy-the-mild-winter-in-harris-county/
Trying to get the National Guard to come to the party?