Occupy Boston Daily Digest for 4-16-12

April 16th, 2012 · · Daily Digest Comments Off on Occupy Boston Daily Digest for 4-16-12

Good Morning from Occupy Boston!

Stories of the Day: Blame the victim: Anu Bhagwati, a former company commander in the Marines and executive director of Service Women’s Action Network, a veterans advocacy group, says she sees a pattern of the military using psychiatric diagnoses to get rid of women who report sexual assaults. CNN has interviewed women in all branches of the armed forces, including the Coast Guard, who tell stories that follow a similar pattern — [they suffer] a sexual assault, [then face] a command dismissive of the allegations and a psychiatric discharge. For more info, click here. And here’s an interesting opinion piece that posits that Either Way, Motherhood Is a Dismal Financial Decision for American Women. And here’s an article on How Mitt Romney Ruined Countless Lives And Helped Create The Welfare State, which includes a 3-minute video by Robert Reich explaining in simple terms how private equity firms help the 1% and hurt the 99%. And here is coverage of the rally by farmworkers, Fair Food allies, and members of Occupy Boston who called on Stop & Shop to join the Fair Food Program.

Other Occupies/Protests: Here’s an artistic way to protest: Lite Brite Activism meets The Peoples’ Movement of Wisconsin with the Overpass Light Brigade. Article with photos here; brief video here.

“It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.” Benjamin Franklin

Upcoming Events:

  • Raise Taxes on the 1% Tax Day Rally and March, Tuesday, April 17, 5:30PM, Dewey Square (South Station). Occupy JP and Occupy Boston will participate, along with many other groups, in a protest against the unfairness of the current tax regime, where people such as Mitt Romney pay at rates far lower than those earning far less, and Warren Buffet’s now-famous secretary pays at a higher rate than Warren Buffet.  The Rally and March will begin at 5:30pm at Dewey Square (South Station) and the march will begin at 6pm and proceed through the city streets, pass by several notorious corporate tax dodgers, and end at Post Office Square. Things to bring:  yourself (most important), signs, noise-making stuff (pots, pans, kazoos, whatever). For a list of co-sponsoring organizations visit http://www.taxdayboston.org.
  • A public hearing on the third and latest risk assessment for the NEIDL (the Boston University bioweapons lab) has been scheduled for Thursday, April 19, 2012, from 6:30-9:30 PM at Roxbury Community College,  Media Arts Building, 1234 Columbus Avenue, Boston. The closest T stop is Roxbury Crossing. 

For almost 10 years, the Safety Net (a Roxbury-based community group) and the Stop the BU Bioterror Lab Coalition have successfully fought to prevent this dangerous high containment  biological laboratory from being opened in the densely populated Roxbury/South End neighborhood.  High-level containment laboratories do research on pathogens that can cause severe illness and death. The highest level (BSL-4) labs study lethal diseases that can be transmitted by air and for which there are no vaccines or treatments.  The lab is located in an Environmental Justice neighborhood which already faces significant health and environmental hazards.

 Two previous risk assessments have been severely criticized by the courts and by a National Research Council panel of experts.   This latest 1700-page effort can be viewed at http://nihblueribbonpanel-bumc-neidl.od.nih.gov/,   The National Institutes of Health have scheduled the April 19th hearing because they are required to offer  community members and other concerned citizens an opportunity to comment on the risk assessment. We must make it clear to BU, NIH, and the political establishment that this lab is not acceptable to us.   It is essential that we turn out in large numbers. Please plan to attend! A large turn-out could have an impact on the final disposition of the research done in this lab. For more information, please contact Ridgely Fuller, ridgelyfuller@gmail.com.
  • What is Occupy Wall Street? A film screening. Occupy HCC (Holyoke Community College) is hosting a film screening of short films produced by Occupy Wall Street in the Forum at HCC, April 27, 3pm-5pm. Come and find out about the Occupy Movement that started on Wall St. and has spread across the globe! There will be a Q&A session following the films with activists from different Occupy groups across the Northeast. This event is sponsored by the Holyoke Community College Student Senate.
  • MA Unite Against the War on Women Rally, April 28, 10am-2pm, at City Hall Plaza. Help defend women’s rights and pursuit of equality. Join Americans all across the United States as we come together as one to tell members of Congress in Washington DC and legislators in all 50 states, “Enough is enough!” All Americans have the right to make decisions about their own bodies, including contraception, without interference from government, business or religious institutions. Please join us as we gather together and show both state and federal legislative bodies that we won’t stand silently by as they propose and pass laws that will impact women’s choices, health, and wellbeing. We need everyone’s voice! These decisions affect all genders, races, and socio-economic statuses!
  • May 1 General Strike! A Day Without the 99%. NO WORK – NO SCHOOL – NO SHOPPING – NO BANKING – NO TRADING. GENERAL STRIKE AND BOYCOTT CALLED! 7am-11am: Financial District Block Party! (corner of Federal and Franklin Streets). Bring a friend and let’s party! Bring whistles, drums, noise makers. Bring street theater ! 12:00pm: Boston City Hall Rally. Can’t make it to Boston City Hall at Noon? Well how about: The Chelsea City Hall? – Gather at Noon – March at 2pm (For More information please contact La Colaborativa (617) 889-6097). 2pm: LoPresti Park Rally/March (Blue Line: Maverick Square) (For more information contact Dominic at City life/Vida Urbana (617) 710-7176). 4pm: Everett – Glendale Park (For more information please contact La Comunidad (617) 387-9996). 7pm: Death of Capitalism Boston Funeral March (Copley Square). We invite people to participate in this piece of street theater which includes puppets, a marching band, and other creative surprises. People will begin gathering at 7pm at Copley Square Park (by the steps of Trinity Church) to put on costumes, puppets and face-paint and get info on their respective role in the funeral procession. We ask that people participate as: mourners (dressed in black), celebrators (wearing neon/bright colors/glow stuff), skeleton block (bring your own skeleton costume). The funeral procession will leave Copley Square Park at 8pm and will travel through areas of wealth and commerce.
  • Occupy New England – M12 Day of Action and Regional Gathering. May 12: Come join Occupy groups from all around New England as we converge in Worcester for a day of action and networking! At Worcester City Hall and Common. More information to be announced.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Please note events are subject to change; check https://www.occupyboston.org for the latest information!

Event Highlights:

  • 6pm – 8:30pm Community Gathering – hosted by Legal WG, at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont)
  • Public Forum featuring our own Joe Ramsey and other speakers: “Reform, Revolution, Resistance”:  what kind of weight do these categories hold for the Left today? How are they used, to where do they point, and what is their history? The discussion concerns a question that has renewed immediacy in light of the Occupy movement.Location – Encuentro 5,  33 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111.
    Time – Monday, April 16, 2012 | 6:30pm until 8:30pm
    http://www.facebook.com/events/423855730963519/
  • On April 16th, students will once again stand up and protest against egregious tuition increases and their ever growing student loan debt. Occupy Colleges encourages students across the nation to voice their opinions on our Nation’s Tax day by either marching to their administration buildings on campus, demonstrating before their respective student unions or simply moving their money from a large bank to their local credit union. Occupy Colleges also asks that students, parents and alumni take the time to sign our “No Cuts, No Compromise” petition to maintain affordable higher-education and legislative budget cuts throughout the country. For more, see this website: http://occupycolleges.org/sign-up-for-april-16th-event

Calendar for Monday, April 16, 2012

7pm – 8:30pm  Climate Action, Sustainability and Environmental Justice WG Meeting, Old West Church (United Methodist) at 131 Cambridge St.

7pm – 9pm Radio WG Meeting, Encuentro 5, 33 Harrison Avenue, 5th Floor

8:30pm – 10:30pm  MetaSpokes WG Meeting. City Place Food Court in the Transportation Building, This working group is exploring Spokescouncil models and how this might be another good organizing tool for Occupy Boston.

Please note! Meetings and their locations are subject to change. We encourage you to check the Occupy Boston Calendar for the most up-to-date information.

These are just some of the many events at Occupy Boston. Check out our Daily Calendar for more information.

Volunteer Opportunities/Announcements: 

Info WG needs you! Interested in helping facilitate communication between working groups, and helping put on Open Houses? Please join us! Several people who were involved have stepped back for various reasons, and we need more people! Meetings are 5:30pm at United for a Fair Economy, 29 Winter Street, Second Floor, Boston.

Occupy Boston’s newspaper, The Boston Occupier, is looking for new staff members, including writers, editors, photographers, and those willing to help with fund-raising and distribution of the newspaper.

For a partial listing of Working Groups looking for volunteers, please click here! For a list of Working Groups with contact info, click here!

For more information on Occupy Boston’s General Assembly, including passed resolutions, click here!  

And if you’re interested in learning more about Occupy Boston and how you can participate, click here! 

Contact Us: Want to subscribe to the Daily Digest? Click here to have it sent to your email inbox every morning! All Working Groups or Occupy Boston events that need placement in the Daily Digest, please email AnnaC@OccupyBoston.org. And subscribe to the Occupy Boston Media Rundown, a daily listing of Occupy-related news, by contacting JohnM@OccupyBoston.org.