15 October to 31 December 2011Since Occupy Merced begun on Oct.15th, 2011 we have organized general assembly meetings that have ranged from 10 to 50 people. We organized marches on the big banks to demand accountability in the massive amount of foreclosures they caused and to encourage people to remove their money from the big banks. We have also done teach-ins on ways to get rid of Wall St. which has no service to our communities because it only takes. Occupy Merced has also organized a occupy yellow pages where people can barter their services or exchange services how they would like. Occupy Merced has also coordinated with other groups including Journey for Justice to organize a human rights march to let the people of Merced know that according to the UN many of us who live in Merced are not getting our human rights met. We have also organized against the UC regents who make millions of dollars a year and we disrupted their meetings. Occupy Merced has also participated in solidarity with Occupy Oakland in the biggest general strike since the 1930’s. We have also worked in collaboration with Tenants Together and passed an ordinance to protect renters from the realty and bank vultures during foreclosures. We are Occupy Merced, we are here, and we won’t stop until we have created a world in which our children’s children can live with dignity, respect, and a safe place to live; a world where our children’s children can live in a healthy environment and wherethey can live in a world where it is easier to love.

We are a decentralized non-violent movement which seeks to restore the rule of law and fight back against the organized criminal class. One tenth of one percent of the population has consolidated wealth in an unprecedented fashion and launched an all-out economic war against 99.9% of the population. We are not associated with either wing of the two party oligarchy. We seek an end to the corrupted two-party system by ending the campaign finance and lobbying racket. Above all, we aim to break up the global banking cartels. We demand that the primary dealers in the Federal Reserve Banking System be broken up and held accountable for rigging markets and destroying the global economy. Through these acts of civil disobediance, we will bring about reforms and quite possibly, save the American dream. We are a leaderless revolution. We are legion. We are united by all, divided by zero. We do not forgive. We do not forget.Expect us. -Anonymous

Movimiento ocupaciónSomos la gente, el 99%, y estamos cansados de la corrupción del 1% que nos controlan y nos explotan. Los ricos, el 1%, abusan nuestros derechos con la protección del gobernó, hacen malas inversiones que está afectando nuestra economía. Ya Basta con la corrupción en el gobierno para el interés de las corporaciones. Si quieren hacer un cambio vengan a las juntas de Occupy Merced los miércoles a las 4pm y los sábados a la 1pm en el Court House Park . Vengan a compartir sus ideas para ser un cambio local y nacional para la salud de nuestra comunidad.

Occupy Merced!by Jason Flores of Merced, published in the Community Alliance

Occupy Merced began on Oct. 15 at Courthouse Park in Merced. Organized and facilitated by young adults,college students and other citizens,they organized general assemblies the week prior to the occupation.

Occupy Merced brought together high school and college students,teachers,retired workers, families, public officials and others who have expressed their growing unhappiness with the oppressive economic,political,social and environmental conditions of the country, state

Occupy Merced

by Jason Flores of Merced

and community. All age groups were represented—children,young adults,the middle aged and the elderly. The occupation also included a campout at the park of nearly 10 people.

People began assembling at Courthouse Park at noon,and by 2 p.m. the crowd had reached nearly 150. Close to 100 signs,with slogans,statements and expressions were scattered across the park grass.

Signs covered issues that represented the concerns of the 99%,such as abolishing the Federal Reserve,the power of corporations and their “rights” as people,police brutality,unemployment,the bailout of “too big to fail” banks,the financial system,immigration policies,foreclosures,homelessness and war spending,to name a few.

The occupation of the park was a peaceful assembly,with a strong sense of unity,as the occupiers realized that they have all been exploited by the same system. With a 17.5% unemployment rate,one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country,60% of residents renting their homes and a high poverty rate,Merced has been severely affected by decisions and special interests that benefit the wealthiest of Americans,corporations,big banks and the financial system.

People in the community are demanding that government be run by,for and of the people,not the corporations and special interests. To stay connected and posted to the Occupy Merced movement, visit www.occupymerced.org.

*****

Jason Flores is secretary of the CA Central Valley Journey for Justice and a lifelong resident of Merced. Contact him at wizmo16@hotmail.com.

Visit the Community Alliance at www.fresnoalliance.com

and community. All age groups were represented—children,young adults,the middle aged and the elderly. The occupation also included a campout at the park of nearly 10 people.

People began assembling at Courthouse Park at noon,and by 2 p.m. the crowd had reached nearly 150. Close to 100 signs,with slogans,statements and expressions were scattered across the park grass.

Signs covered issues that represented the concerns of the 99%,such as abolishing the Federal Reserve,the power of corporations and their “rights” as people,police brutality,unemployment,the bailout of “too big to fail” banks,the financial system,immigration policies,foreclosures,homelessness and war spending,to name a few.

The occupation of the park was a peaceful assembly,with a strong sense of unity,as the occupiers realized that they have all been exploited by the same system. With a 17.5% unemployment rate,one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country,60% of residents renting their homes and a high poverty rate,Merced has been severely affected by decisions and special interests that benefit the wealthiest of Americans,corporations,big banks and the financial system.

People in the community are demanding that government be run by,for and of the people,not the corporations and special interests. To stay connected and posted to the Occupy Merced movement, visit www.occupymerced.org.

*****

Jason Flores is secretary of the CA Central Valley Journey for Justice and a lifelong resident of Merced. Contact him at wizmo16@hotmail.com.

Visit the Community Alliance at www.fresnoalliance.com

Many people have asked what the occupy movement is about and what are our demands. We do not have one specific demand because we won’t settle for the 1 % throwing us another crumb to shut us up for a short while until they take the crumb again.

We want the whole cake and we want it spread equally. Capitalism has made it possible for the chaos we are in and continues to promote it. Capitalism works great for the 1 % that exploit the working class.

The reason why there are so many different voices within the occupy movement is because they are speaking on the many injustices of a corrupt system.

I am here to talk about another way to live that has been misconstrued over the ages and it is called anarchism.

Because of all the misconceptions of anarchism, it is important to address what anarchism is not. Anarchism is not bombs, disorder, or chaos. It is not robbery and murder. It is not a war of each against all. Anarchism is the very opposite of all that. It does not mean less organization it means more organization.

Anarchism is horizontal leadership where everyone has equal and equitable power and say. Anarchism is community empowerment and community accountability where everyone contributes equally and equitably. Anarchism means that you should be free; that no one should enslave you, boss you, rob you, or impose upon you.

It means that you should be free to do the things you want to do and that you should not be compelled to do what you don’t want to do. It means you should have the chance to choose the kind of life that you want to live, and live it without anybody interfering as long as no one is hurt by it. It means everyone should have the same freedoms and opportunities as you and everyone should have the same rights, liberties and opportunities.

Anarchism means a condition or society where all women and men are free, where all enjoy equally the benefits of an ordered and sensible life.

This is one idea of many, the occupy movement has come together to discuss ways to solve our problems and support each other and our communities. Please come to the general assembly meetings Court House Park Merced, Wed. at 4pm and Sat. at 1pm.

On November 5th,, approximately 50 protesters representing ‘Occupy Merced’ marched and demonstrated at branches of three major commercial banks: Bank of America, Wells Fargo and CitiBank. The march was led by protesters holding two flags: one right-side up and one upside-down.

The U.S. Flag Code is a set of guidelines first drafted in 1897 in reaction to increasing use of the flag in commercial advertisements, such as beer. It initially failed at the federal level, but each state had passed their own version by the 1930’s. A uniform federal version of the U.S. Flag Code was approved by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942.

Flying the flag ‘union down’ was a deliberate, symbolic statement that American citizens are in chronic crisis that threatens life and property. The U.S. Flag Code Section 176(a) states:

(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.

For two decades, wall street and major corporations have been exporting middle class and manufacturing jobs overseas. Meanwhile, they lobbied to dismantle laws

America in DistressFlag Conduct, Commercialism

and Occupy Wall Street

by Jeff Freitas of Mercedpublished in Merced County Times

protecting against “too-big-too-fail” banks and predatory lending. Unfortunately, the over-eager public believed that easier access to credit would help accomplish dreams of home ownership, business expansion and college education.

The result was the largest transfer of property and power to the wealthy elite ever seen in history – and government has taken no action has been taken to prevent it from happening again. The crisis is deepening and spreading globally.

The wealthy elite accomplished this, in part, because they cloak their ideologies in patriotism. Bank of America is a good example. Bank of America is a multi-national corporation which operates 371 tax-sheltered subsidiaries and 204 subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands alone. They paid no taxes and received a $3.5 billion refund in 2009. They are holding homes empty in an effort to receive taxpayer bailouts for their ‘debts’.

The roots of their corruption of our American government are deep. But we can begin by acknowledging that they violate and disrespect the U.S. Flag Code, every day. The U.S. Flag Code Section 176(i) states:

(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.

The flag code was first drafted to prevent us from confusing our democratic principles with commercialism.

Why We Do Musicby Tom Hoffman of Mariposa

Music, if properly understood in its fullness, is beauty, sensitivity and power, is life force itself. Music transcends everything a sacred geometry, lifts us into an eternal dimension of Grace, not everyone can hear it that way, thus have no interest. Music is the one universal language of this world.

Every culture expresses music, it brings us together in joy, celebration and unity, transcending us into unity, sharing in Oneness, a union of sanity and understanding, it is indeed a language that defies words. It exists at simple to complex perceptions,

creating an intricate tapestry of color in sound in movement, motion flowing in Grace. Everyone can and should be a musician! To develop their own unique to all existence, voice; at the center of being, the heaven of one’s own heart.

The best way to learn music is to teach it at whatever level you are at. If you just learned a major scale, or composed a symphony, teach those things to another. Bring that joy and fulfillment to the unity of music, either composed or improvised, it’s the process that is important and the why we do it!

Don’t hoard it, give it away freely and the joy is compounded. Find your unique voice and express it as you encourage all others to do the same, teaching others to teach as they go. You’ll be amazed when you come realize the One helping you along in this process of growth and understanding of the “why we do music.”

To understand this process music has to be heard on the inside of you and then you bring it to the outside. You must also have your musical instrument completely interiorized in the instrument that is you! As you hear the music within the instrument of your being, you play it on your musical instrument playing it spontaneously with your inner thought.

It’s as if though the One who “is” you is witnessing this creative process, effortlessly with complete knowledge “observing” what is transpiring... The same holds true in a jazz combo, all improvising as in One Unity of wholeness comprised of each being in highly intelligent beauty being expressed as One idea by the group in complete inner silence, in complete agreement in complete harmony and joy!

Most important is that you have to master yourself in every aspect of your complexity to be fully free in the creation that is taking place. You have to be truly living in each moment as a fresh new beginning, not interrupted of past or future but here and now so the music can live and flow in the full Grace in, of and through you!

creating an intricate tapestry of color in sound in movement, motion flowing in Grace. Everyone can and should be a musician! To develop their own unique to all existence, voice; at the center of being, the heaven of one’s own heart.

The best way to learn music is to teach it at whatever level you are at. If you just learned a major scale, or composed a symphony, teach those things to another. Bring that joy and fulfillment to the unity of music, either composed or improvised, it’s the process that is important and the why we do it!

Don’t hoard it, give it away freely and the joy is compounded. Find your unique voice and express it as you encourage all others to do the same, teaching others to teach as they go. You’ll be amazed when you come realize the One helping you along in this process of growth and understanding of the “why we do music.”

To understand this process music has to be heard on the inside of you and then you bring it to the outside. You must also have your musical instrument completely interiorized in the instrument that is you! As you hear the music within the instrument of your being, you play it on your musical instrument playing it spontaneously with your inner thought.

It’s as if though the One who “is” you is witnessing this creative process, effortlessly with complete knowledge “observing” what is transpiring... The same holds true in a jazz combo, all improvising as in One Unity of wholeness comprised of each being in highly intelligent beauty being expressed as One idea by the group in complete inner silence, in complete agreement in complete harmony and joy!

Most important is that you have to master yourself in every aspect of your complexity to be fully free in the creation that is taking place. You have to be truly living in each moment as a fresh new beginning, not interrupted of past or future but here and now so the music can live and flow in the full Grace in, of and through you!

Re-Occupy Oakland by Megan Thiele of Merced

A heart, a mind and a voice, and I’m not afraid to use them all...or am I?

After this weekend’s events, I’ve come to realize that using my voice is not always as easy as it should be. For example, upon being woken up at 8 a.m. by a Police Lt. and company decked in riot gear, I quickly joined others in breaking down tents and removing objects of value from the area. Once objects were secure, upon retrospect, I wonder why I didn’t link arms with others, sit down against police, against gentrification, against violence and the profit mantra and risk arrest and police brutality.

There are plenty of excuses...I am two hours from home, in someone else’s car, someone else is not responsible for me if I get arrested. Of the four in my group, my partner, whose plan was to occupy a bookstore during the prior day’s march, and whose plan vanished as he marched, celebrated a reoccupation and then tented overnight in solidarity, begins his first ever actual job tomorrow, after a year of applying. It is the birthday of another companion of mine, and her 9 year old is waiting, several hours away, to celebrate with her. And, the rain, oh, the rain. The rain during the hope party the night before, the rain during the night, the rain in the a.m., that surely didn’t help us to unite instead of dispersing.

The facts are clear. We are located in a system of crisis that scholars of the world system have been predicting for years. We live in a racialized society where white people and people of color occupy entirely different spaces, residentially, educationally and publicly. We live in a system that feeds off of exploitation, opportunity hoarding, and the division and diversion of the masses.

We live in a place where a beautiful, young, white woman walking her dog in a recently gentrified area (and who pays $1600 a month in rent) can state without waver in her voice and with a clear conscious, that because her mother was a heroin addict and she has “made it,” everyone else can also make it.

We live in a place where Occupy protesters are viewed as an enemy, locally, by the oppressed, locally, by the privileged, and full blast by the media.

We live in a place where a 25 year old white female reporter can claim to not know how to frame stories on the Occupy movement because she cannot find coherent people involved who want to speak to her. Did she notice that protesters were way outnumbered by police in riot gear on a plaza that has statues of 25 humanitarians? Or, that the monument was in part funded by Kaiser Permanente, a company with a questionable dedication to actual humanitarianism? Or, that the monument is located in a recently gentrified area?

If she had explored more, she might have met the young black man who has a B.S. in mechanical engineering and hasn’t been able to find work, or the recent university graduate who has had to return to his post-college occupation of painting. For better or worse, he now knows the ill effects of working with paint fumes.

She might have met the black man who was given rocks by white people to use against the police...these people were no where to be found Sunday a.m.

She may have met the voice of the oppressed. It’s less likely she would have recognized it.

A Letter To Occupyby Nick Valdez of Merced, published in the Merced Sun-Star

The Occupy Wall Street movement, which has spread across the United States and other parts of the world, refuses to bow to the calls of the people in power to divulge its “platform,” a unitary plan that solves all of the world’s problems. What the people in power know, and what the Occupiers are becoming consistently more aware of, is this: Once a singular platform is put forward, it becomes calcified.

From there, it will be spun into the vast forms of mediation that glut our culture, commodified and turned into a salable object by the market, and overrun by the policies of wealthy politicians. In short, it will be colonized once again by the current system, in all its lifeless, and often deadly, glory.

The power of the Occupy movement lies in its resistance to a singular platform. It represents too many cross-sections of people and interests to become a unitary entity. The beautiful and complex humanitarian impulse behind Occupy requires it to be fluid, mobile and dynamic. It must be able to move with the ever-humming stream of information and the consistent cries of human-animal-biological needs.

The people in power want systems, especially the current one, that trump the needs of the vast majority of human beings. This allows them to consolidate wealth, power and resources. While Occupy must not have a platform, it can (and does) have a set of principles, ideals so simple and so elegant we learn them when we are children: take care of humans, other sensory beings and the places where they live. In other words: take care of people, animals and the environment.

Since systems are an inevitable result of human collective action, these are the underlying values that they must uphold. More than anything, the systems that spring from Occupy must bow to the needs of the people, animals and the environment -- and never the other way around. Any system that does not favor all of us cannot be favorable to us. As a correlative, any system that places objects (money, houses, cars and so forth) above the needs of the three groups will and must be dismantled.

Our current inequalities are a perverse result of human beings becoming subservient to systems that do not uphold the dignity of life or the dignity of the places where life exists. In fact, our current systems do little more than celebrate unnecessary punishment and death.

So we say, “Stay mobile, Occupy. Do not settle for systems that are not fluid, that do not engage with the needs of sensory beings. Never allow lifeless substitutes to take the place of life itself.” If Occupy continues to uphold these principles, rather than finally settling into a monolithic platform, no amount of political and economic swashbuckling can co-opt it.

Activism at UCMRegents MeetingBroken Promises to Support UC Education

The 26-member governing body of the University of California system, known as the UC Regents, cancelled their November 16 meeting at UCSF in the face of massive protests by students and workers. Many protesters had planned to request that regents sign the “ReFund California” pledge to show their support to reinstate taxes on the wealthy, close loopholes in Prop 13, and reduce underwater mortgage debt to provide needed funds for higher education and workers.

The Regents claimed threats of violence resulted in their decision to cancel the original UCSF meeting and reschedule the meeting for November 28 as a four-campus teleconference between UCSF, UC Davis, UCLA, and UC Merced. Many protesters saw this decision as yet another example of the “1%” strategy to “divide and conquer” by trying to spread protesters thin. Yet with only twelve days over a holiday weekend, UC Merced students and teachers utilized the opportunity to reach out to fellow students and other campuses to participate in organizing a coordinated response action.

At UC Merced, protesters assembled and demonstrated in front of the Kolligan Library to highlight the continued tuition increases, budget cuts, and the police brutality against peaceful protesters at UC Davis and UC Berkeley. Rather than be tucked-away to a room designated by UC Merced administrators, protesters broadcasted a live feed of the meeting for all passers-by to listen to students and teachers speaking to the regents during the public comment period.

Protesters speaking at public comment were allowed only 1 minute to speak. Speakers took turns from each campus to discuss their dissatisfaction with the management of the UC system. Testimonies covered many topics, including:

police brutality against protesters by UC police and lack of accountability for administratorslack of the regents transparency and budgetary smokescreens used to dampen criticismthe regents roles in major corporations and insider tradingthe lack of democracy in the management of the UC systemthe hundreds of millions of private dollars which are spent on expensive buildings and special research to benefit corporations rather than teachers and servicesexorbitant student loans and the long-term effects of out of control debtthere aren’t enough jobs for students leaving school to pay off debt

“John Adams once said there are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.” said graduate student Chelsea Carey, “Unfortunately, we have seen both these tactics used by the University of California.”

“Student fees increased from under $4,000 in 2001 to over $15,000 in 2011....You are enslaving students of the UC to debt. More and more students are being force to take out student loans, loans that are not absolved with bankruptcy – even when all other debt is – such as debt accrued by wall street banks such as Goldman Sachs being pardoned using U.S. tax dollars.”

When public comment was completed, the “official” meeting was halted by protesters at each campus, who engaged in “people’s mic” to voice their grievances in unison and encourage the regents to sign the ReFund California pledge. The ReFund Pledge contains:

• Increasing income taxes on California’s wealthiest.• Closing Proposition 13’s corporate property tax loophole.• Implementing a federal sales tax on Wall Street financial transactions.• Reducing underwater mortgage debt to Wall Street to improve the economy.• Reversing tuition increases, layoffs, and cuts to public education and• essential services – ensuring good jobs that provide healthcare and a

dignified retirement.

Once the “people mics” ceased, the “official” meeting of the Regents began. Despite opposition, Regents approved salary increases for administrators, managers and legal counsel – but not teachers.

After the official meeting ended, the UC Merced audience then engaged Regent Ruiz, Vice President Pitts, and Chancellor Leland in an open discussion which lasted over an hour.

Protester: “I don’t think anybody here is saying that cutting the salaries of top administrators is going to solve the problem. What we’re saying is... there’s a revenue problem. Just like you’re saying: “there’s a revenue problem”. But what we’re saying is... you need to tax the wealthy so the state has more money to provide funds for education, so that’s why we came up with a pledge that we are asking you to sign but you are refusing to sign. Because you said it takes a movement to do something like this. So we’re building a movement and we’re trying to say “Are you on our side?” But you are refusing to say that you’re on our side.”

Protester: “What don’t you like (about the ReFund Pledge)? What specifically would you like to change?”

VP Pitts: “Number Five. To pledge to reversing tuition increases, reversing layoffs, reversing cuts to public education and essential services... I can’t do that right now.”

Regent Ruiz: “It’s taken us a long time to get to this point but the Regents are now realizing that the state is a very unreliable partner in terms of funding. Y’know so what are we gonna do? … President Yudof is going to be talking to the California Chamber of Commerce. They have their quarterly meeting and they will be talking about the UC, the issues that we have, and asking “Can you help us?”.

Protester: “I’m sorry, I don’t see the Chamber of Commerce being any help. Actually, they’ve been more of a damage.... I don’t want to rely on prominent business interests for the money.”

By end of the open discussion at UC Merced on November 28th, Regent Ruiz and Vice President Pitts agreed in-person to sign a modified version of the ReFund California Pledge. However, in a later email to protesters on December 8, VP Pitts rejected to sign it.

Pitts: “On thinking about the Re-Fund California Pledge, I’ve decided not to try to reword it or to sign it. I entirely support many of its statements, and will work to enact most of them. I don’t think my signing will add any ‘power’ to the statement, so will refrain from signing.”

None of the Regents agreed to sign the pledge to push for public funding of the UC system. With their current funding request to the state all-but-certain to be declined, their only recourse is further privatization of education by courting major corporations and the Chamber of Commerce. Why would the State of California prioritize funding for the UC system when its own managers aren’t willing to support it?

Our minds and futures are at stake. The Regents have demonstrated themselves to be yet another dysfunctional element of an increasingly regressive American government, unfit to govern the UC system.

A Very Minimum WageBy Prof. Jamey Brzezinski

Back in 1970 I ran out of money and had to drop out of college. I took a full-time job for the then minimum wage of $2.00 an hour working in a furniture warehouse. After taxes I took home about $62.50 a week.

At the time, a friend and I were renting a 2bd/1ba apartment for $70 a month. You could buy an avocado at the local bodega for 15 cents. Gas cost about 30 cents a gallon. A pack of smokes was 35 cents, hamburger 39 cents a pound, and a coke cost a dime. The average Fortune 500 CEO was paid about 30 times what the company’s average employee made.

Now that apartment rents for $700 a month. An avocado costs $1.75. Gas is at least $3.50 a gallon. Don’t worry about smokes since you’re probably not addicted. But if you are they’re about $5.00 a pack. Hamburger is way over $3.90 and a coke costs a buck. Oh yeah. Those “average” Fortune 500 CEOs: they’re making 300-450 times what their average employee makes.

Everything is at least ten times more expensive now than it was in 1970. If you average today’s federal and California minimum wages it comes to about $8.00 an hour. This is only four times the 1970 minimum wage. If prices have gone up ten times what they were in 1970 when the minimum wage was $2.00 an hour and minimum wage has only gone up four times, then today’s minimum wage worker is earning the 1970 equivalent of 50 cents an hour.

If minimum wage had kept pace with inflation since 1970 it would now be $20 an hour. 40 hours perweek, 52 weeks a year equals $41,600 per year. Today we are told earning $40,000 per year puts yousquarely in the middle class. The truth is that someone making $40,000 per year

`has the buying power that I had as a 19 year old earning the 1970 minimum wage of $2.00 an hour. In 1970 someone earning minimum wage was considered “poor” by those earning middle class wages. In 1970 a minimum wage worker could support a spouse and a child, albeit modestly, on that $2.00 an hour. Today’s minimum wage worker with a spouse and a child is eligible for foodstamps. Foodstamps are paid for out of your tax dollars.

The results of all of this is that the middle class pays significantly higher taxes so that CEO’s can be paid ten times more each year than most members of the middle class will earn in a life time of full employment.

WEST COASTPORT SHUTDOWN by Susan Boscaren of Merced

Recently I was asked to put down my thoughts on the port shutdowns for Decem-ber 12, 2011. So I say to myself, what will it be. One word fits, AWESOME!!! But that is not the only word.

When in downtown Oakland that day, the feeling was so “together”. Brother Billy spoke from Zukati Park, several others including someone from the Black Pan-ther Party, and many others, and there was some really excellent entertainment.

There were also pep speeches to make sure we didn’t lose focus. Sure the police were there, just watching.

The march I participated in started at 3pm and it was incredible. Everything went like clockwork. Really smooth. I was very impressed at how organized it was.

My main purpose for going was to support “Occupy” and the ILWU 20 in Longview, WA. I watched as something similar happened with Longshoremen in Liverpool, UK several years ago and Oakland Longshoremen manned their own picket at their port in support.

I believe Occupy stands for the middle class. It stands for the dashed hopes and dreams we have lost, and it is our way of trying to change things for the better: one small step at a time. It stands for the family on welfare getting their benefits cut, as if they were given enough money to buy a house, lobster for dinner, Disn-eyland vacation. It stands for the poor working class barely paying the bills, which have no hope of taking their children anywhere that costs money.

It stands for the middle class, who are a one family large one income, or a two income household and they cannot make the house payments for the home they paid $250,000 for that is now only worth $50-70,000. It stands for those who have lost their jobs and can’t make ends meet, anymore. It also stands for the homeless, the students, the homeless and our children. We MUST have better.

Occupy is here because we can’t bear the burden anymore. We want out!!! We want the rich to pay their fair share, the politicians to stand up for what is right. We the middle class and the working poor cannot bear the burden that should be shared between all U.S. citizens, and is not; and we have had enough.

CITY COUNCIL FAILSATTEMPTED REPEALOF TENANTS RIGHTSMerced city council failed to repeal tenant’s rights in sneaky holiday attempt

City council is may re-attempt repeal in 2012. Stay tuned for your rights!

OCCUPY WALL STREET BEHAVIOR IN FOCUS by Derek Merrill of Merced

A former soldier is hospitalized after being struck in the head by a tear gas canister fired into a crowd of peaceful protesters in Oakland; an 84-year-old woman exiting a city bus in Seattle is pepper-sprayed by police; seated young adults are showered with pepper spray by a UC Davis police officer.In the face of this unprovoked hostility, Occupy Wall Street continues to endure physical pain, remaining committed to nonviolence. And through all this the American public is encouraged to remain polite spectators.

From the media’s standpoint, the behavior of Occupy Wall Street members appears more important than their message. In most accounts of confrontations with authority, whether the police or the UC regents, what we learn is not their political concerns stemming from personal distress, but whether the protesters were well behaved. This viewpoint serves only to protect the incessantly reckless behavior of corporations and to perpetuate an inequality that affects all of us.

Corporate narcissism doesn’t tolerate dissenting points of view. Take, for example, the Supreme Court case of Citizens United. Corporations and unions may now spend unlimited funds to influence the outcome of elections. The ruling was partially based on the fact that corporations are people and the law could not restrict their first amendment right. It is important for corporations to be able to give unlimited funds to potential lawmakers so that those lawmakers will create legislation that increases corporate profit margins at the expense of flesh and blood citizens.

Why, then, focus attention on people merely voicing their opposition to systematic misbehavior? Why single out people who, for the most part, have had meager political influence compared to corporations? To focus on the Occupy movement’s behavior means their urgent messages are ignored. This is a great tactic if the goal is to send the movement into oblivion, to make the protesters seem irrelevant, to turn all of us back into polite, inattentive, and complacent citizens.

The economic and political injustices demand that we not be polite. To be polite under these conditions means to turn a blind eye to habitual abuse. There’s nothing polite about a 29 percent APR, 17 percent unemployment in Merced County or punishing people for losing their jobs by evicting them from their homes.

To be impolite means to draw attention to what is painfully true. It means to finally acknowledge what our weary bodies and fragmented lives have already told us. Most importantly, however, it means we should approach readjusting the imbalance of power with passion, humor and nonviolence. The Occupy movement transcends provincial concerns, motivated instead by the universal belief that all humans deserve a chance to live healthy, decent lives. To act as if the system will correct itself would mean to endure a pain that even the most experienced masochist could not tolerate.

The author is a lecturer at Merced College.