Forum Post: OWS GA Minutes, Upstate NY, HUDSON VALLEY CHAPTER!

Thursday, September 29, 2011 Minutes of Meeting

Meeting called by Rio Stover, Toby Stover & Premilla Dixit, at Stovers, 81 Clove Valley Road, Highfalls, NY 12440

EDITED DOWN:

Attending: Stephen & Robin Larsen, founders Center For Symbolic Studies New Paltz; Rosalyn Cherry, activist New Paltz; Farmer Billiam van Rostenberg of Naturally Grown Apples; Andree; Matt Lessner; Toby Stover, Rio Stover, Premilla Dixit.

On behalf of Toby, Rio and herself, Premilla framed their reason for calling the meeting : In solidarity with Occupy Wall street, we see Occupy Wall Street NYC as our non-violent front line and ourselves in the Hudson Valley as its liberating/liberated zone - behind the front line (as we see all solidarity actions across the nation). While our front-line actively engages Wall Street, to categorically reject their "business as usual" as unacceptable, we in the hinterlands must organize to pre-occupy Wall street with our push to get Wall street out of our lives. This meeting is called to consider how to organize with our frontline and behind our frontline. (There was strong and unanimous approval of this framing). The call to Occupy Wall Street came initially from culture-jammers AdBusters, for September 17th. Respondents were invited to identify key issues to address in the occupation; opinion was coalescing around a call to challenge "corporate personhood". Matt pointed out that more issues were identified. Premilla wrapped up her initial framing by noting that the mobilization was swelling considerably from the few hundreds that showed up on September 17. Billiam cited a most recent report today, which claimed that over 150 solidarity responses were active nationwide. Rio stated that solidarity actions were also underway as well on 3 continents, worldwide.

Agenda for the Meeting was presented :

1. For mutual approval, additions and revisions of agenda (Stephen suggested that Mass Media activism be added to the agenda. Stephen felt that to reach the masses, it was important to get mass media coverage of our mobilization, especially to counter the noxious misinformation of the likes of Fox news. Billiam suggested that people had multiple alternative sources and the mass media was redundant; most of us in the room havent watched TV or even read the NY Times in years. Premilla agreed with Billiam, but suggested that although we cannot expect corporate mass media to assist our outreach to the masses or to be sympathetic to our cause, we are within our rights and ought to demand accountability and accuracy in reporting, hence we should consider having a mass media task force as part of our local mobilization. Rio suggested that Stephen consider heading up that effort. Stephen agreed we needed a "media watchdog" group.)

2. Rio explains assembly process: same as Occupy wall street assembly process. For our small group we used it and waived it as needed. We agreed that we would consider a decision taken, if 70% agreed. We agreed that as the group gets larger we will adhere to the formal process, for efficiency. Billiam requested us to take nothing personally, to maintain solidarity and mutual respect at all times. Rio pointed out that the process was designed for active mutual respect.

3. Do we agree we will actively recruit people to go to the front-lines on Wall Street? Unanimous assent. A preference for the word "outreach" over "recruit" was expressed; Toby suggested that "recruit" had a militaristic authoritarian tone to it. Everyone will actively outreach to get more people to the frontline. Billiam suggested it was critical to keep the momentum building. He will outreach through his 25,000 list serve and over 4900 FB friends. Premilla proposed that as a direct affront to Wall street business as usual which routinely wastes young lives in the frontlines of wars just when young people ought to be building the future that should sustain them, their families and communities, we should send our elders to our non-violent frontlines and keep our able-bodied young to build our liberated hinterlands for their sustainable living. Towards this end, she would like to organize a march to NYC of elders, recruiting from townships all along the Hudson valley to join the occupation on Wall street. Toby suggested that the presence of our elders on the frontlines lends respectability and credibility to the mobilization. She suggested that we outreach to AARP. Stephen suggested outreach to the 13 indigenous Grandmothers. Premilla includes Raging Grannies, Grannies for Peace, and the Granny Peace Brigade among others. Robin, Roslyn, Toby and Premilla will confer further via email on the feasibility of Premilla's proposal. Billiam suggested that it is equally important for elders to manifest locally, especially those who cannot get to NYC. (Please note, we came to no agreement as a group as to how we will be accountable to each other about meeting our commitments).