OPDX GA 01 Jan 2012

= Notes =
Notes for the 1/1/12 GA.
20-30 people attending.
= Report Backs =
none.
= Proposals =
== Postal Service March ==
;March: To protect postal jobs and post office services.
;When: 1/8 - 2PM - pioneer square to Hoyt & Broadway. March is "family friendly" and there are permits.
representative from labor on hand, asking for support ( media, street team flyering in particular ), and endorsement of the march.
background given about delivery job cuts and service cutbacks which congress may be voting on soon: putting the concerns of the 1% above the services needed by the 99%.
this is the local union, not national.
;Result: Passed with full consensus: no objections, or stand asides.
== MLK March ==
;March: Sisters of the Road is have a march on MLK Jr day ( Monday the 16th ), and members of OP want to help support them.
Nefi here from Action, representative from Sisters was going to come to present specifics, but wasn't able to.
;Result: Tabled, but: temp check, near, possibly full consensus. People want to support this once full details are available.
== Day of Action ==
The group once called N17, now called the "Action Lab" are planning a day of action on 2/29 - "Leap into Action". David representing.
They want:
# endorsement of the day
# national callout for action.
Message read, handsouts given:
 note taker either needs to type it in, or find it on line. 
 see also? http://www.portlandactionlab.org/
Summarized as: Shutdown the corporations, a target is ALEC American Legislative Exchange Council. Examples of ALEC's work is: 
# Anti-union legislation in Wisconsin 
# Arizona's SB 1070 anti-immigrant law
;Result: Passed with full consensus.
===Questions===
;Q: who's doing the implementation
;A: action lab spokescouncil
;Q: how will corporations be targeted
;A: independent affinity groups just like N17, all under a banner of non-violent direct action: sit-ins, continual lines, mentioned as examples.
;Q: live stream: how to get involved? can we? 
;A: yes, please. meeting day is being chosen, but will be on calendar
 notetaker: there is a http://www.portlandactionlab.org/
===Concerns ===
;!: some sort of amendment that there be report back to OP's spokescouncil. would you be willing?
;A: david and others willing to be at action committee spoke to be available to answer questions, and give updates if needed
=== Questions ===
;Q: will the meeting time be posted
;A: yes, the calendar.
;Q: when would national callout happen?
;A: tomorrow, so that other groups have time to plan.
;S: suggestion that the callout message is very precise and well planned to make it clear to all groups what the target is and why
=== Concerns ===
;!: feeling that outside community may be concerned about our direct actions, and that these actions don't address real issues
 some adhoc discussion, facilitation wants to bring it back into a stack
=== Discussion ===
;- : feel like we're rehashing and trying to add to this existing proposal
;- : call for diversity of actions, not everything has to be decided tonight
;- : doesn't have to be all direct action, we have ability to do creative events
;- : concerns about direct action are valid, but we are doing neighborhood meetings, canvasing - there's lots going on at OP
;S: suggestion that ActionLab give/post examples of possible events people can do to support
;!: earlier concern reiterated: worried too much going on at OP, too much energy being dispersed.
;//: we are dealing with messaging in other proposals tonight, but education effort should be part of this event, and we shouldn't block people's energy to work on these sorts of direct actions
;S: suggestion that media,education campaign be done. not many people know about ALEC
;//: good thing is we have two months to do that!
;Q: what groups are organized to do this
;A: 4 reps here tonight, but N17 had a dozen or a couple dozen of people, and they are ready to work on this
;-: think we can bring the concerns to them but shouldnt require the actionlab to do anything specific
;!: details of D12 weren't well communicated so report back is requested ( this mirrors earlier concern but is by new person )
;-: voice of support for the callout and asking for individual participation
=== Consensus Seeking ===
0 stand asides, 0 objections, consensus.
== Candidate Townhall ==
:http://portlandwiki.org/28_Jan_2012_-_Candidate_Town_Hall
 notetaker switched off ( Simon to David ), as notetaker is proposing. 
 transcriber was proposer, so i will stick to exactly what is on David's notes.
Forum on 1/28 @ PSU w/ Working Families Party
Previous Concerns: 
# time & plan
# WFP will have members meeting after meeting: day of media black out will be in between events
;Result: Passed w/ amendment, with two standasides, no objections
===Questions===
;Q: Is there working group facilitating or an other?
;A: it is another group, not facilitation
;Q: how does a spokes model work for townhall?
;A: breakouts, smallgroups, spokes
;Q: time alotment?
;A: each block 1 hour long, last two will have candidates
;Q: endorsement
;A: [we] will not endorse party or candidate
;-: Greenparty thinking of another forum
;Q:televise, media
;A: yes, livestream. we'll do what we can.
===Concerns/Discussion===
;!: Problem w/ GA is small, we need more ... to get inputs
;//: needs discussion elsewhere
;!: needs facilitation team confirmation by end of week if people don't signup
;!: co-option by [ unions? ] other actors, already happening
=== Amendment ===
;Amend: Include two things in statement:
# OP will not and does not endorse political parties or candidates
# OP encourages direction action outside of the political process
Amendment passes
=== Consensus Seeking ===
2 stand asides, no objections, passes unanimous consent
 User:ios: i think that's actually modified consensus due to standasides....
== OWS-OPDX Theme Months ==
OPDX ( occupy portland ) and OWS ( occupy wallstreet ) institute "theme months" for core messaging. The theme would act as inspiration and guide. January would a trial month targeting "Corporate Personhood". The trial would see if this is feasible. If OWS passes this proposal as well, and chooses a theme month for February, then OP will join OWS in solidarity with their theme. Presented by Professor Patrick.
Further details to be after the trial. The idea is that for following months OP and OWS will alternate.
Tony Z. originally from OP is at OWS, and is working on this from their end.
;Result: passed with general agreement.
===Questions===
;Q: would you ( patrick ) be willing to act as a liaison b/t OP and OWS for this? if it's our turn would you sign up to communicate the word?
;A: "hell yeah."
;Q: is there a DC bus charter for occupy congress?
;A: this is not on topic, will be answered aside.
;Q: Are these direct actions or proposals for direct actions
;A: no. just a label.
;q: are these messages that feed actions?
;a: it could be
;Q: what would your ideal message be?
;A: would like to see a "build something beautiful month" - cobhouses, etc. and other labor normally lost, directed towards something positive
;Q: promote this nationwide?
;A: maybe, some occupies might pick this up just because we are doing this.
;-: if there's emergent issues that come up we can still tackle them
;Q: what about moving "corporate personhood" to next month
;A: already 4 events happening this month on this issue
;Q: how can we influence the choice? what's the process?
;A: explicitly not stated, probably spokes, but that needs to be determined [ after trial period ]
;Q: why can't we just affirm this on a month to month [ issue to issue ] basis?
;A: solidarity, and trust with each other - trusting that we give OWS good issues, and they will give us good issues. this isn't 6months or forever this is about building a structure
;-: we aren't always getting our message across, this might help
;-: maybe this isn't ready for a vote
 adhoc discussion, facilitator wants to bring it back around
;!: there are many different events in a month, this might hurt the messages of smaller events
;A: hadn't thought about that, but it's not meant to disempower, it still states we can do anything [ any other actions ]
;Q: which month is which? 
;A: Jan is "End corporate personhood", nothing else decided yet.
;Q: does GA decide now and in the future?
;A: has to be figured out, we'll come back [ after trial ]
;Q: do you have OWS contacts?
;A: yes.
;Q: what about other occupies?
;A: we're not trying to set other people's agendas, started with OWS because they're the ones who started everything.
;Q: can other occupies jump in?
;A: its just OWS right now
;q: isn't that unfair?
;a: maybe, but we have to start somewhere
;Q: what if other occupies don't agree
;A: that's okay, it's just a theme
;-: this seems like a good thing, a voice is good, we can try it.
;//: this seems like a less intimidating way to start [ consistent messaging ]
;-: i like that it's non-binding, but maybe it should be at some point
;Q: will you make a work group to help make the themes work?
;A: "we have committees. we can get all outreachy and all actiony"
;!: we've had consistent messaging, N17, D12, other actions prove that it's been working. do we really need something else?
;!: there's a line - the last line in the proposal- about "autonomous action trumping process", which isn't good. can it be removed?
;A: yes. i agree.
;!: there are different kinds of months that organizations use: "eat soup" month, vs. "blood drive month" - the blood drive months drive action to get real things done, w/o specific actions we can't get a lot done.
;A: it gives us a starting point
;!: long proposal, want print out
;A: sorry, i only have a few copies
=== Amendments ===
;Amend: how about weekly, not monthly?
;immediate down twinkles, it didn't pass
;Amend: how about "periods" instead of months
;immediate up-twinkles
;P: process, questions and concerns first
;!: worry that "periods" complicates the process, will give rise to conflicts
;-: maybe the duration could be shown on the calendar
amendment withdrawn after hearing concerns
;Amend: would like the themes to be vague enough so it can be widely supported, maybe all 12 months not just one
okay, that's a suggestion, not an amendment
;Amend: tangible way to communicate this, a website for this maybe?
=== Facilitation ===
;-: do we want to table this because there are so many concerns about this proposal?
;//: this is just a trial period, and they will come back with ways to handle these issues
;!: i want to wait on this for longer
;//: right now this is just for january, [ it is january so not a lot of time. ]
back to amendments:
=== Amendments ===
;Amend: tangible way to communicate this, a website for this maybe?
;//: there's an interoccupy website and calendar
amendment tabled.
;Amend: attach a working group to this for working the future issues out
;A: yes, i want to do that.
 User:ios not sure that this was voted on, but patrick agreed to do this.
=== Consensus Seeking ===
;!: i want to wait to hear on wallstreet
4 stand asides, 1 objection, general agreement, passes.
== UN Envoy ==
withdrawn by proposer ( Antonio ) for reasons not given.
= Announcements =
=== Run for the Cause ===
Antonio wants to start a group that could run in the marathon, they supported us, we can run with them
=== Occupy Statewide Conference ===
Antonio wants to work on a way for representatives from all Oregon occupies to meet face to face. requests one person from each committee talk to him and start to get involved.
Occupy Eugene has endorsed this idea.
=== Access, Transparency, Accountability ===
Ongoing meeting, Sat 3-4 at St. Francis to discuss OPDX's policies about accessibility, transparency/disclosure re: meetings, and working groups, etc. and the accountability that comes from agreeing to those policies.
=== Theatre of the Oppressed ===
Sun 1:30-4:30 at Peoples Coop
=== Global Nuke Awareness Day ===
aka. Occupy Hanford
April 15th, this will be a proposal.
speakers, musicians, signed up already.
# seeking a permit in richland
# or, tribal land
# or, if all else fails, bring a tent
could use artists, and computer(?) people
=== D12 Working Group ===
new blockade in mid Jan
speakers coming to 503 union Jan 5th @ 7PM
=== Respect ===
remember even if you disagree with someone's opinions, respect is important
=== NDAA call to action ===
Tuesday Jan 3rd 6PM Directors park
=== City Hall Camping Vigil ===
Do you know it exists?
Have you been there?
Can you sign up for shifts?
people needed for 2-5hr shifts. help end the camping ban!
=== Feather Circle GA/Spokes ===
Next Feather Circle plans to discuss about how GA/Spokes work
 User:ios thinks this is what the announcement was... sorry if i got it wrong.