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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV class=mainauthorstyle><FONT size=4><STRONG>by KEVIN ZEESE and MARGARET
FLOWERS</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=main-text>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>Yesterday, a media outlet contacted us to be on a show
about how Occupy had “fizzled coming into this year’s May 1.” The media keeps
looking for encampments or last year’s protests and is missing how popular
resistance is growing and demonstrating all over the
country.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>This year there were actions in many cities on May
Day. On </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>Occupy Washington, DC</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG> we have reports from </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>New York, NY</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG>, </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>Denver, CO</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG>, </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>Portland, OR</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG> and </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>Richmond, VA</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> as a
few examples among many.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><A href="" target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>Allison Kilkenny, the
movement writer for the Nation</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG>, got it
right when she wrote, “<I>Now is actually the time when the most exciting
grassroots workers’ actions are taking place.</I>” She points to
the </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>low-wage
worker</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG>, </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>fast food</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG> and </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>non-unionized</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG> workers actions as examples. As you will see in this weekly
report there are many more examples of the growing popular
resistance.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>Kilkenny also points out that the FBI
counter-terrorism unit in Washington State remains concerned and was
interviewing activists about their plans for May Day. In the end, in Seattle,
there was a mass peaceful march on immigration and an anti-capitalist
march</STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>marred by
police violence and property destruction</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG>.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>While a single day action can show breadth of support,
we prefer campaigns to single day actions like May Day, because a campaign has
the time to build, educate and energize more people. Here is news about a few
recent campaigns:</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>The </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>month long protests against
drones</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> ended with actions on both
coasts. At the Hancock Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, NY, the
Upstate Coalition Against Drones organized a banner drop, conference, rally and
mass protest. Bruce Gagnon, an antiwar activist
who </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>works to
keep weapons out of space</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> and
serves as the </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>Green Shadow Cabinet</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG>’s
Secretary of Space, wrote </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>a thorough summary</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG> of all of the events, and we added photos and a video of
the banner drop. Bruce was one of the 31 arrested at Hancock who
participated in a die-in after reading the names of victims of drones.
And, at Beale Air Force Base in California, </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>protesters closed the
base</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> for hours resulting in long
lines of cars waiting to get in. Five people were
arrested.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>The </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>month-long protests against the Guantanamo
prison</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG>, done in solidarity with the
hunger strike at the prison, have raised awareness of the abusive detention
without charges. They forced President Obama to address the issue, saying he
would try again to close the prison (of course, under the law he could do a lot
more than “try again”). And a petition put forward a few days ago by
Col. Morris Davis, who served in the US Air Force for 25 years and was chief
prosecutor for terrorism and trials at Guantanamo Bay for over two years, to
close the base already has over 110,000 signers. Here is
a </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>link so you
can sign it.</STRONG></FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>Related to these war crimes was the opening of the
Bush LIE-bury. </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>Activists showed up in force</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG> to let all the presidents know that many Americans oppose
their policies of war and militarism. Dick Cheney was arrested! Actually,
it was really Dennis Trainor, Jr. who was wearing a Dick Cheney costume. Dennis
produced a </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>powerful mini-documentary of the Bush protest
events</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG>. And, Bradley Manning, the young
man who blew the whistle on war crimes in the Bush and Obama administrations,
created controversy after his selection as a grand marshal for a gay pride
parade was rescinded by the board. The result: </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>protests against the
group</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> and pressure to fire the
chairman of the board.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>Environmental protests, which
we </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>regularly
report on in weekly newsletters</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG>,
continue. In New York, Dr. Sandra Steingraber and dozens of others
who </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>protested
a fracking waste storage facility</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG> that will threaten their water supply and the health and
safety of their community were </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>released from jail</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG> ten days into their 15 day sentence. It was
Steingraber’s first arrest for civil resistance. She voiced what many people are
learning,</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>“<I>I would do it again in a minute. …Being new to
civil disobedience, I’m still learning about its power and its limitations… But
I know this: all I had to do is sit in a six-by-seven-foot steel box in an
orange jumpsuit and be mildly miserable, but the real power of it is to be able
to shine a spotlight on the problem.</I>”</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>The power of protest has been evident in the effort to
stop TransCanada’s Keystone pipeline. While the approval of the pipeline has
looked like a sure thing in DC, the fact that </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>TransCanada has spent $280,000
lobbying</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> for the approval shows it
is not a done deal. They’ve been bringing in high powered lobbyists
connected to the State Department where the decision will be made. Lobbyists
include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Deputy Campaign Manager for
her 2008 campaign, and a top grassroots organizer for the current Secretary of
State John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign. This
is </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>another
sign</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> that we might be closer to
success than we realize – keep the pressure on. Even if they approve the
pipeline, that does not mean they will be able to build it if protests continue
to escalate. See below for information on direct action training
camps.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>Environmental destruction is one of the key issues
that have led to an inspiring campaign in New York for the
400<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary of the first treaty between the Native Indians
and European settlers – </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>the Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG>. The two parallel rows in the wampum record
the agreement between two nations – Indian and European settlers
– which include a three-part commitment to friendship, peace between
peoples, and living in parallel forever—“<I>as long as the grass is green, as
long as the rivers flow downhill and as long as the sun rises in the east and
sets in the west.</I>” This summer they are planning an epic canoe trip
down the Hudson to renew the agreement, which has been repeatedly violated by
the United States.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>The annual </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>shareholders meeting of Peabody Coal was
protested</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> by a coalition of
miners, environmentalists and Indians in Wyoming. Peabody, the world’s
biggest coal company, has been subjected to </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>repeated</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG> </STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>protests</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> because it
destroys the land, pollutes the air and water, adds carbon to the climate and
steals worker’s pensions. Peabody moved its meeting from its headquarters in St.
Louis to avoid protests, but found they couldn’t hide. The protest in
Wyoming included the arrest of three people for dropping a banner and for
holding a sign in the parking lot that said “Peabody Abandons
Miners.”</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>There are lots of upcoming events as part of the
growing popular resistance:</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- On May 3, the movie </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>Occupy Love launched its
tour</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> in New York, San Francisco,
Los Angles, Seattle and other venues.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- On May 8 there will be </STRONG></FONT><A
href="" target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>nationwide protests against Bank of
America</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> (Muckrock released FOIA
documents this week showing how </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>BoA intelligence worked with DC police
against Occupy Our Homes in DC</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG>.)</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- On May 10 </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>National Day of Actions Against Corporate
Personhood</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> organized by Move to
Amend.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- May 11 </STRONG><A href=""
target=_blank><STRONG>Poor People’s Campaign
March</STRONG></A><STRONG> from Baltimore to DC</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- May 18 to 23 The Home Defenders League and Campaign
for a Fair Settlement are planning a </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>week of actions around
foreclosure</STRONG></FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- May 18 </STRONG><A href=""
target=_blank><STRONG>‘Operation Green Jobs’
March</STRONG></A><STRONG> From Philadelphia to Washington, DC
begins<BR></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- May 22 </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>Stop the Frack Attack People’s
Forum</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=4><STRONG> in Washington,
DC</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- May 25 Day of protests against Monsanto,
everywhere on May 25<SUP>th</SUP>.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- June 24 to 28 </STRONG></FONT><A href=""
target=_blank><FONT size=4><STRONG>Fearless Summer week of actions unites front
line environmental movements</STRONG></FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- July 21 to 28 </STRONG><A href=""
target=_blank><STRONG>Tar Sands Direct Action Training Camp in
Utah</STRONG></A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>- July 27 to August 9 </STRONG><A href=""
target=_blank><STRONG>Epic Hudson River Canoe Trip</STRONG></A><STRONG> as
part of the Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign begins in Albany,
NY.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>You can order or print </STRONG><A href=""
target=_blank><STRONG>OccuCards</STRONG></A><STRONG> to bring with you to
these actions. There are cards for all of the issues being protested above and
new cards are being created.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>The popular resistance is growing. Historian
Howard Zinn in the “</STRONG></FONT><A href="" target=_blank><FONT
size=4><STRONG>Coming Revolt of the Guards</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=4><STRONG>” described a vision of how a broad popular resistance could
bring change, and that is what we see growing in our
midst:</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG>“The prospect is for times of turmoil, struggle, but
also inspiration. There is a chance that such a movement could succeed in
doing what the system itself has never done-bring about great change with
little violence. This is possible because the more of the 99 percent that
begin to see themselves as sharing needs, the more the guards and the
prisoners see their common interest, the more the Establishment becomes
isolated, ineffectual. The elite’s weapons, money, control of information
would be useless in the face of a determined population. The servants of the
system would refuse to work to continue the old, deadly order, and would begin
using their time, their space-the very things given them by the system to keep
them quiet-to dismantle that system while creating a new
one.”</STRONG></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><I><FONT size=4><STRONG>Kevin Zeese JD and Margaret Flowers MD
co-host </STRONG></FONT></I><A href="" target=_blank><I><FONT
size=4><STRONG>ClearingtheFOGRadio.<WBR>org</STRONG></FONT></I></A><I><FONT
size=4><STRONG> on We Act Radio 1480 AM Washington, DC and
on</STRONG></FONT></I><A href="" target=_blank><I><FONT size=4><STRONG>Economic
Democracy Media</STRONG></FONT></I></A><I><FONT size=4><STRONG>,
co-direct </STRONG></FONT></I><A href="" target=_blank><I><FONT
size=4><STRONG>It’s Our Economy</STRONG></FONT></I></A><I><FONT
size=4><STRONG> and are organizers of the </STRONG></FONT></I><A
href="" target=_blank><I><FONT size=4><STRONG>Occupation of Washington,
DC</STRONG></FONT></I></A><I><FONT size=4><STRONG>. Their twitters are @KBZeese
and @MFlowers8.</STRONG></FONT></I></DIV>
<DIV><I><FONT size=4><STRONG>This article is based on the weekly newsletter
of </STRONG></FONT></I><A href="" target=_blank><I><FONT
size=4><STRONG>October2011/<WBR>OccupyWashingtonDC.org. </STRONG></FONT></I></A><I><FONT
size=4><STRONG> You can </STRONG></FONT></I><A href=""
target=_blank><I><FONT size=4><STRONG>sign up to receive this free newsletter
here</STRONG></FONT></I></A><I><FONT size=4><STRONG>. NOTE: We will be
transitioning to </STRONG></FONT></I></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>