President Al Gore at the Dollar Tree

Oh, Dollar Tree, how I love you so!  Who would have thought that I would score all of these phenomenal books for just ONE BUCK?  If you are unaware, Dollar Tree often carries a line of books (and apparently books on CD) that, for some reason, did not sell on a retail (much more expensive) level.  This evening, I stumbled upon a treasure trove of books that I would love to read but am far too lazy and distracted to actually sit down and dedicate time.  But the best part is - I FOUND THEM ON CD!  My finds include, "Broken Government" by John Dean, "Between Worlds" by Bill Richardson, "America Back on Track" by Sanator Edward Kennedy and "Assault on Reason" by President Al Gore.  

I started listening to Senator Kennedy's book in the car as I dropped off some winter clothes to the brave women and men at the Occupy Des Moines encampment - but now that I am home, I have moved on to listening to President Gore's book about the Assault on Reason.  I mention this because he speaks a great deal on the first CD about the importance of a Free Press in our Democracy and how we just don't have it since the Television took over the Printing Press.  The fact that all media is owned by a tiny group of super-rich men who are profit driven, even when delivering the news, has put our Democracy on the brink.  He threw out a great statistic that cited a study about the freedom of press.  An independent study showed that THE UNITED STATES HAS THE 53RD  FREEST PRESS IN THE WORLD.  This reminded me of another study I read about last night which stated that those who watch FOX news are actually LESS INFORMED THAN THOSE WHO WATCH NO NEWS AT ALL.  

Fox News' comedy show, "O'Reilly Factor" put out an interesting spin today about the pepper-spraying of students at UC Davis.  A guest reminded us that Pepper Spray is actually a product of Pepper.  So I guess she meant pepper spraying peaceful college protesters is a GOOD THING? WTF?  Another correspondent was insistent that they cease even talking about the Occupy Wall Street protests because in his opinion, they had already devoted enough time to the movement.  Indeed, Fox "News" is far more interested in telling us about how much time Lindsay Lohan will not spend in jail for her transgressions.  HELP!  Our media has been hijacked by stupid, mindless bullshit stories - and Fox is leading the way! 

So here is the question of the day - where the hell is Al Gore while we wage this battle against the machine?  As we yell, as we scream, as we cry about the insane injustice of income disparity where is the person the American People voted as president in 2000?  As we FINALLY find a voice through social networking and the internet, where is President Gore to support us - the ones he wrote about in his book just a few short years ago?  Since he helped invent the internet, I think President Gore owes it to the people now using this medium to bring about change and give an accurate report about social unrest ... 

I feel like Lisa Simpson when she purchased one of Al Gore's books and a secret alarm was triggered at President Gore's house that someone had actually purchased one of his publications.  If that alarm has yet again been triggered by my purchase of your Book on CD at the Dollar Tree - I implore you, Mr. President, COME, JOIN US - WE ARE THE 99% AND WE ARE LOCATED AT STEWART SQUARE ON 14TH AND EAST GRAND IN DES MOINES, IOWA!

Paris Hilton Joins the Occupy Des Moines Movement ...

So in case you don't know, NOT ALL OCCUPIERS ARE UNEMPLOYED.  Underemployed, CERTAINLY.  Laid off, ABSOLUTELY.  Looking for work because they are over-educated in an under-educated work environment - MOST DEFINITELY!  However, I am none of the above.  I am SELF-EMPLOYED.  Sure, I don't make a great deal of moolah, but I am fortunate that I have a creative outlet so that I don't have to kill chipmunks as sacrifice to the Crazy Gods in the front yard.  

I am - of all things - a Talent Agent!  I know, RIGHT?  How Odd!?  In Des Moines, Iowa? WTF?  It's an interesting story indeed, and one I am not going to entirely share right here, right now.  However, I can assure you, my diligent reader, that it can indeed be time consuming - which can explain away my blogging absence.  

So it's been a while since I last blogged.  Certainly, this lack of blog presence has not been from lack of interest.  Instead, it has been from lack of energy.  Do you ever feel yourself overwhelmed by work, the kids, cleaning the house, washing the nasty car, keeping up with the latest and greatest AND maintaining your presence in a protest and blog about said protest?  Well, that was me for a solid week and a half - for sure!  THANK DOG for Vivarin and Coffee - not to mention the much needed ADD meds prescribed by my much loved V.A. doctor!  

So I am back, and just as fantastic as ever.  So much has happened with the Occupy Des Moines movement since last I blogged that it is simply impossible to update everything in just one blog post.  However, I can say that we had a wonderful rally yesterday at the 'Religious Coalition for Suppression of Critical Thought' on the West Side of Des Moines.  Heaven and I got amazing footage of it and with any luck I might be able to edit it down within the next day or so.  That greatly depends on whether I finish a music video that I promised to some fine folks at a certain television network owned by a certain multi-media phenom who presided over her OWN show for 25 years before recently retiring (hint, hint, wink, wink).  So as soon as I finish that project - I will for sure - upload yesterday's protest.

The most noteworthy point that I must update, in my opinion, is that the Occupy the Iowa Caucuses event is scheduled for December 27-January 3 and we ARE INVITING THE WORLD to JOIN US in Des Moines, Iowa.  It is my greatest hope that we host 100,000 Occupiers from across the nation to our fine state for this never-before-attempted feat.  Keep your fingers crossed with me, dear reader - and spread the word.   

OCCUPY THE IOWA CAUCUSES IS DEVELOPING AND GAINING STEAM.  

We're in it to win it!  

JOIN US!

First in the Nation Caucus Occuption BayBay!

Have you ever been so tired that you feel like you're walking around in a daze/dream-like state?  That's been me for the past three days.  As stated in a previous blog, protesting, while keeping on with your regular, already demanding schedule is absolutely exhausting.  I am now convinced that Elizabeth Cady Stanton was secretly the inventor of espresso.  Seriously, how do these trail blazers stay awake?  I don't think I've ever looked forward to the end of daylight savings time so much in my life.  Do you imagine my babies will honor the extra hour of sleep promised by this odd tradition?  Yeah, that's what I'm thinking too ...

Anyway, Heaven had her court date on November 2nd and it was a HUGE VICTORY!  She gave a fantastic presentation to the mediator regarding how she came to be in the situation in which she was arrested for protesting.  To make a long story super-duper short, the charges were dropped.  They decided not to pursue a case against the high reaching teenage honor student for exercising her first amendment right to free speech.  Imagine that.  

Planning for the First in the Nation Caucus Occupation is coming along beautifully.  As I write this blog, I am technically supposed to be at another meeting to help hammer out the many, many details of the upcoming occupation - but if you skipped the first paragraph, now is a good time to review why I am not currently there, and instead chose to chillax for the evening.  

Anyway, we have a tentative schedule mapped out for the Occupation.  I will put it below so you can start planning ahead.  We have broken into interest groups to assist with the aspects of the planning that interest each person.  I have found myself on the Kick Off Event Committee and helping find Super Sexy Speakers for said event.  God help them, they know not what they have put me in charge of!  We shall see what we can come up with on this one - I'm hoping for awesome, cool Super Sexy Speakers.  FINGERS CROSSED!

So, SAVE THESE DATES:
Tentative schedule for the First in the Nation Caucus Occupation:

Monday, December 26, 2011 - Travel Day - Oh Come Ye, DESCEND ON DES MOINES, IOWA!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 - KICK OFF EVENT.  Occupation Caucus, let your voice be heard - vote for the who, where and when for our peaceful, non-violent protests - just like the regular Caucuses, only more exciting!


Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, December 28 - 30, 2011 - Days of Direct Action.  Join us for protests of candidate's offices and functions. Be heard, be seen, be a presence!  


Saturday, Sunday and Monday, December 31, 2011 - January 2, 2012 - MORE ACTIONS, TBA!


Tuesday, January 3, 2012 - Iowa Caucuses.  Action(s) to be determined.  


Everyone is encouraged to attend, participate and invite everyone you know!  This is a really big, hairy, exciting deal!  It's finally good to be an Iowan!  Yay Corn!

 

Damn It! Occupy Des Moines Makes CNN and I had NOTHING to do with it!

Crappity Crackers!  I haven't missed many General Assembly meetings (every night at 6 PM for anyone who has yet to join us) since the beginning of the Occupy Des Moines movement began.  However, YESTERDAY I took the kids trick-or-treating at Merle Hay Mall instead of fulfilling my moral obligation by putting my two cents in the the meeting.  CRAP!  Of all the GAs to miss!  That's what I get for whoring myself out for candy!  Grrrr!!! What a shocker it was to learn from CNN and the Des Moines Register that Occupy Des Moines will be making a presence/sit-in at the Iowa caucuses from December to January!  Holy moly crap-a-noly!  That'll teach me to take those kids to their events instead of going to the General Assembly!

So CNN was at the encampment yesterday and though the planning is still REALLY, REALLY, REALLY early in the process, apparently we are going to make some kind of a presence at the Iowa Caucuses.  Just for the record ...

LOVE IT!

Seriously, I absolutely love the concept of making a presence during the Iowa Caucuses.  There are only a teeny tiny few things for which the state of Iowa is known; graft in the State Film Commission, Corn Flakes, Ethanol Subsidies and THE IOWA CAUCUSES.  Of Course we should have some kind of presence, taking politicians to task about their allegiance with big monied interests during our moment in the spotlight.  Hell, the only thing that SERIOUSLY disappoints me with this plan is that I DIDN'T THINK OF IT!  DAMN IT!  

So I don't yet know what the activities will entail and I don't know yet how involved I will be in said actions surrounding the Iowa Caucuses, but all will be revealed and hashed out tomorrow after the GA at an 8:00 PM committee meeting for all interested in participating in this fun-filled event (hint, hint to all you by-standers).  Let me tell you, that is ONE committee meeting I WON'T miss!  

FINALLY, Heaven has her court appearance in juvenile court tomorrow morning at 10 AM.  This is our first rodeo with the Juvenile system so we are really going in not knowing AT ALL what to expect.  Our fantastic pro-bono attorney from the Drake Law Center has given us some (presumably) fantastic advice and a heads up about what will happen tomorrow.  I hope for a relatively decent presence from the fine folks with the occupation tomorrow morning.  Though, I am not sure how the Juvenile Court System folks will feel about our Motley Crew showing up in force.  It will certainly be a sight and an experience worth documenting on this humble, humble blog.  

So much to talk about in the weeks to come.  I am excited about the direction this movement seems to be taking and the folks who share this passion are fantastic, stand up folks!  I mean it, they really are awesome!  If you have yet to do so, JOIN US!   

My video from the October 9th Arrests - Occupy Des Moines

n different personalities in the movement and teach ins, we still had to get the kids outfits and trick or treat. It's been so busy that even this blog

entry is coming from my mobile phone.

Halloween weekend has been challenging for an activist family like mine! Between candlelight vigils, marches on the governor's MANSION, squabbles betwee

n different personalities in the movement and teach ins, we still had to get the kids outfits and trick or treat. It's been so busy that even this blog

wn DSM!

Picked up parade permit from City Hall. International Robin Hood Tax Day count Des Moines IN! Saturday, October 29, 10:00 AM. At the Art Park in Downto

Scott Walker Eats Kittens at WDM Fundraiser

Scott Walker is a giant festering boil on the butt of humanity.  There, I said it.  Look, it needed to be said.  Now it is out there and there's no taking it back.  

The Heritage Foundation hired Wisconsin Governor Walker, AKA, Union Breaking Ass Clown, to give a speech at a fundraiser in West Des Moines this evening.  Me and all three girls joined 196 of our closest Union Brothers/Sisters and Occupy Des Moines friends at a fantastic display of people power at the West Des Moines Sheraton to protest his appearance.  The people power was amazing but the police presence was just about as equally intense.  At one point a police officer ordered my two and four year old daughters to get off of the Sheraton's grass and back onto the sidewalk.  Protect and Serve ... indeed.  The reason the babies were on the berm between the sidewalk and the Sheraton's parking lot in the first place is because I didn't want my toddlers too close to the busy road on which we were protesting on behalf of working men and women.  I guess my motherly concern was trumped by corporate property rights.  Damn.  

Less the overly ambitious West Des Moines Police department, the protest was effective - enough to make Scott Walker go in through a back entrance.  Pussy.  What is it with politicians being so brazen in front of cameras but such PUDS when faced with the people they screwed?  Seriously.  We first saw it at that Christian Coalition thing on Sunday night.  EVERY one of the six Repugs were sneaked in through the back door.  Now, Pud Walker did the same at this Heritage Foundation Fundraiser.  I guess we rattled their cages enough to make them sneak around - but they sneak around already, so it's probably just second nature.  Urgh!  PUD!

I'm looking forward to the International Robin Hood Tax Day on Saturday.  We will all meet at the Art Park in Downtown Des Moines and march to Terrace Hill (the Governor's Mansion).  The march begins at 10:00 AM.  I wonder how I would look in green tights.   

Sacrificing Puppies Could Still Score My Vote!

Thank Dog for fantastic weather on this October day in the Hawkeye state because it was a doozie of a busy day with the Occupy Des Moines movement!

We started out with the march and protest at Barack Obama's campaign headquarters which entailed a nice, brisk walk from the park at 14th & Grand to East 2nd Avenue with a double stroller packed full of toddlers and about 120 of my closest friends.  It was a good event.  A bigger crowd than I anticipated because, well, although Obama does continue to make the mistake of attempting to compromise with the terrorists in the Republican caucus, he is still better than any of the other options up for election next year - so I was confident the protest would be sparsely attended.  Hell, for that matter, let us digress - Obama could start sacrificing pug puppies in the rose garden and feeding the remnants to a dolphin he has secretly stowed in a two foot tank below the oval office and he would STILL be better than any of the Repugnant candidates.  HOWEVER, the movement does not affiliate with any political party, so making a statement to the POTUS was a cool gesture to some of the naysayers who insist we are an arm of the Democratic Party.  The Obama HQ provided coffee, donuts and the highest ranking Bama Staffer in Iowa.  Some good statements by some awesome speakers kicked it off, a little soap boxing followed and the staffer offered to answer questions.

Fast forward to the Christian Coalition Repugnant Dinner thing at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.  A smaller group attended, though it could have been partially my fault because I told everyone it was at the Varied Industries Building.  Turns out, there was a computer parts sale there.  The dinner was actually being held at the Knapp Center up the street.  Of course, if you wanted to find it all you really had to do was stick your head out the window and follow the stench of hypocrisy and Scotch.  Anyway, six of the (R) candidates for Prez were slated to be there.  We chanted, we held signs, we smiled for the crush of cameras, we saw NOT ONE candidate.  Pussies.  

General Assembly was at 6 PM so it gave Heaven and I a fantastic reason to leave the fairgrounds before we were plowed over by a busload of angry Christians.  GA went well and best of all, was FAST!  It seems as though it is getting more streamlined and efficient.  So much progress has been made in just 13 days.  I've even become accustomed to the strange hand gestures and now find myself doing Spirit Fingers in celebration of a sale and coupon at the Walgreens.  The cashiers don't seem to get it, but I have hope, one day, they will.  They. Will.  

Dance Party and Open House at 8 PM this evening.  We stuck around for a half hour until I fizzled out, packed our wares and headed to the humble abode to put the babies to bed.  There was still a TON of activity going on when we headed out though.  Screenprinting, music, grilled hot dogs, good convos and kids playing.  I'm quite certain a good time was to be had by all who were not as worn out as my old azz.

Bed.  Now.  More.  Tomorrow.      

Long day of activism. March, protest, GA, dance party. Tired.

Pleading NOT GUILTY because, well, I'm NOT GUILTY!

It was a little more nerve racking than I thought it would be; standing in front of a judge, being charged with a crime and making a plea.  Fortunately, I was joined by two dozen of my fellow protesters during the first of several court hearings this afternoon, so it was a PACKED court room and I couldn't help by feel all warm and fuzzy on this blistery fall Iowa day.  The vast majority of us plead Not Guilty - because, well, We're NOT GUILTY!  The State of Iowa does not have the right to trump that little thing we like to call THE CONSTITUTION with a "curfew" on the State Capitol Building Grounds which prohibits protests after 11:00 PM.  It doesn't work for oppressive regimes, it shouldn't work here.  

To the outsider looking in, court was undoubtedly the boring part of this afternoon.  Far more exciting was the rally and march before our 1:00 court appearance.  First there was a press conference on the Courthouse Steps which - though I was late from dropping off the babies at Fransoly-The-Babysitter's-House - was well received, media heavy and visually entertaining.  The chain gang of peaceful protesters was my personal favorite part of the visual candy offered up for the march from the courthouse to Smells Fargo.  

Upon arrival to Smells Fargo, we were greeted by locked doors and a sign that said they were closed due to an unexpected emergency .  That emergency was US!  WOOO HOOO to all of the Occupy Iowa folks who CLOSED DOWN SMELLS FARGO TODAY!

The first picture above is my first attempt to take a photo of the sign - but some old geezer hit my hand and phone with his bag of groceries in an attempt to jack up my picture.  He and I exchanged a few terse words and I took the second picture without being accosted.  I guess he gave up the struggle once he saw there was at least 100 people willing to back me up on the assertion that Smells Fargo is indeed the Devil.  

So now Heaven is finishing up her home made brownies for the folks at the encampment before we head back in a few minutes.  The General Assembly is at 6 PM, as it is every night.  If you are reading this and have yet to join in the struggle, come, join us!  Any night - 6 PM at the park on the corner of East 14th and Grand.  JOIN US! 

Touching Up My Roots for Tomorrow's Court Appearance

We had a meeting with our pro-bono attorney today from the fantastic and oh-so-awesome Drake Legal Clinic.  "We" being all of those who were arrested two Sundays ago who are interested in having legal representation at the court date tomorrow, where a good number of us will be formally charged with "Trespass".  I cannot speak for everyone, I can only speak for me - and by default, my 15 year old daughter - who TODAY received her court summons in the mail to appear in Juvenile Court on November 2nd - two days before her 16th birthday.  

Speaking on behalf of Heaven and myself, I hereby give the spoiler that we plan to plea NOT GUILTY because, you know what, WE'RE NOT GUILTY!  The State of Iowa does not have the right to tell me or my daughter when and where we are allowed to peacefully protest - period.  The state will assert that Heaven and I were on state grounds against their self proclaimed curfew.  While their "curfew" is not posted, even if it was, I do not believe that it should be enforceable in a Democracy when applying the practice to protests.  Said curfews did not work in Egypt or Libya, why should they be enforceable in the United States?

I was very surprised to see a summons from the Polk County Juvenile Court System in the mailbox today.  Not merely because the Postal Service Sucks (which it does) but because Heaven was told that she would be given only a warning.  Heaven was allowed to leave with my husband around 1:00 AM on October 10th without even signing any kind of citation or even release forms.  The sticking point with Heaven's citation now is that should she be convicted of "Trespass", as they charge, she could very well be kicked off the East High School Debate Team and any other extracarricular activities in which she participates.  This is the GREAT IRONY.  Heaven is a fantastic student who participates in several extracarriculars in order to remain a well rounded teen and add to her college application.  At a tough school like East High School, where 30% of the student body DROPS OUT before graduation, Heaven is a STAND OUT.  But should the system fail her because she thought her Constitutional Right to Freedom of Speech trumped the state of Iowa's curfew - Heaven could very well be thrown into the same category of a football player who commits a rape and is not allowed to participate in any extracarricular or sports program.  UNF*CKINGBELIVABLE!

Again, it will be REALLY interesting to see how this thing plays out!  Court tomorrow at 1:00 PM - Demonstration and Press Conference at 11:00 AM.  

SEND HAPPY THOUGHTS MY WAY!  Wednesday is also a potentially HUGE, HUGE, SUPER HUGE day for work!  Court and work - both hinge on tomorrow - hence why I am touching up my roots right now.  Must Go Rinse ...      

Ketchup, it's not just for burgers!

So who would have ever thought that a week's worth of activism would cause me to fall this far behind in  work and my house would look as though it's about to be filmed for Horders, Burried Alive?  It is physically exhausting to try to keep up with a round-the-clock protest and keep everything your life relatively orderly - and I'm not even one of the super-dedicated who are camping out in the park!  

So today has been my Catch-Up day.  I have spent the majority of the day trying to catch up with phone calls and e-mails and laundry and everything else that has fallen by the wayside since taking on the cause, Occupy Des Mones.  I hope to make the General Assembly meeting this evening but knowing how far behind in work I am and how much left I have yet to do before the 6:00 PM meeting and the committee meetings following, I think the movement just might have to survive just one night without me.  I shall do what I can do to make it though.  

Today is Monday.  Tuesday afternoon is a meeting with the Drake Legal Clinic Attorney for all of the folks who were arrested to get advice.  Then Wednesday at 11:00 AM there is a mass meeting at the Polk County Court House in preparation for the 1:00 PM court appearance that about half of the folks who were arrested are scheduled to attend.  Uh, yeah, I will definitely be at both of those activities since I was one of the folks who were arrested last Sunday evening.  

This is a busy week for my clients too - lots going on with work!  So I'm confident that my house will continue to look as though a stampede of Iowa Cattle came through right before I arrived from a long day of protesting.  As long as neither of the babies get lost in the rubble, I guess it is a small price to pay for justice.  
 

24 Hours of Mayhem!

Holy Iowa Cow Patties, it is hard to keep up with these new fangled things they call, "Blogs".  It's not that I haven't blogged in moons, if you look back, I just blogged yesterday afternoon.  However, there have been SO MANY developments in the Occupy Des Moines movement since that time that it feels like a lifetime since last I made an update.  I have been trying to figure out how to blog from my snazzy, jazzy Blackberry but thus have had no luck.  God, I feel OLD right about now - complaining about the new technologies and interwebs.  


So DAS denied the permit yesterday and blamed the Governor and Attorney General.  The AG and Helmet Head's offices both pointed the fingers at each other and DAS.  In short, no one took responsibility for trying to silence the voice of the people.  Big surprise.  

So there we were, 6:00 PM and ready to return to the pokey for the cause when I find out that Mayor Cownie is prepared to offer a park on East 14th and Grand for occupation to all who wish to occupy and peacefully assemble in collaboration with the other Occupy Movements around the nation.  It was epic.  Helmet Head (Governor Branstad - have you ever really looked at that helmet of hair he has?  It hasn't changed since the '80's!) was all about stifling the voice of the masses when the Mayor of Des Moines stepped forward and offered up an olive branch to assure that the movement would not fall silent at the behest of the state government.  The Mayor made a fantastic presentation at the General Assembly with his Parks and Rec officer in tow.  Certainly the most noteworthy statement was when he announced that he would rather have his police force out catching bad guys than messing with peaceful protesters such as myself.  It seems as though Mr. Hairspray could take a lesson or two from Mayor Cownie.  Debate regarding whether to leave or stay trudged on for a solid hour if not longer.  In the end we decided to embrace the offer and declare it a victory that not all elected officials are in the back pocket of corporations.  Though I smell something familiar here, sniff ... sniff ... sniff ... what is that smell?  It is familiar like fresh chocolate chip cookies ... oh wait, that is the smell of a possible run for Governor by Cownie, challenging Helmet Head.  Time will tell on this prediction, but the smell is distinct and familiar and I LIKE IT!

Fast forward to past the point where everyone broke camp and moved all their belongings to the new site.  

Enter today.  Big march planned - IN CELEBRATION OF WORLD WIDE DAY OF ACTION - starting at the Capitol Building and leading down to Smells Fargo - located at - wait for it - I swear, I'm not making it up - - 666 Walnut Avenue.  Holy Dog, what are the odds on that address?  Seriously!  

Okay, so I filled out the parade permit for 100 and the whole time I was writing, I was thinking, "Good Dog, I hope 100 people show up or we are going to look like a bunch of ass wipes."  Much to my amazement and astonishment and absolute delight, upon arrival at 9:45 this morning, we were met by around 300+ fellow protesters who also are absolutely fed up with taking the corporate screw up that wazoo.  FANTASTIC turn out.  It was electric and exhilarating!  We marched the parade route then had a soap box for something like 45 minutes in front of Smells Fargo where patrons aired their grievances and we left a giant "Sorry we missed you note"  and a bunch of sticky notes made out by protesters.  On the Awesomeness Scale, this march and protest were a Million Monkeys worth of Awesome!  

So plans are moving forward for future marches, teach-in's, demonstrations and (most important) court date appearances.  Community Outreach is important for this new location to work and there are plans for that as well as visibility strategy.  

I was nominated to facilitate the General Assembly tomorrow, which will be a first and is, admittedly, NOT on my bucket list.  However, it is my pleasure to facilitate the meeting as it assuredly will be a learning experience.  I'll keep you posted if anyone throws hard and/or sharp objects during the meeting.  JOIN US!  Tomorrow night at 6 PM!       

CHEESE AND RICE! THEY DENIED OUR PERMIT RENEWAL!

Again!!!!!  This protest has twists and turns at every juncture.  The one thing I was certain of today - absolutely CERTAIN - was that the 8:30 meeting with the permit folks at the Hoover Building would garner us a renewal for the weekend.  WOW, WAS I WRONG!  We didn't even have the opportunity to fill out the request for a renewal.  The five mid-level bureaucrats marched into conference room 8, which was packed with 13 of our activists, fifteen minutes late and with a pre-scripted agenda.  With a very direct approach and passing the buck as much as humanly possible, their spokesman proceeded to inform us that our permit for occupation of the far west side of the capitol grounds had been revoked - though we could reapply for consideration on Monday morning at nine (today is Friday).  ASTOUNDED - that's the only word I can use for this development.  It's as though they were delivering a speech directly from high dollar political donors and corporate entities.  I'm pretty sure I could actually see a hand up each of their asses and as their mouths moved so did the fingers of Governor Branstad, BofA, Chevron, Wells Fargo and the Koch Brothers. 

I am in a mad rush to get back to the encampment right now.  I had to come home and pick up the babies so the husband to go to his shitty, shitty job - and now we are heading back to regroup and plan our next step. 

FREAK!  I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS DEVELOPMENT!  WHAT NEXT?  WILL THE NATIONAL GUARD BE CALLED OUT TO SPRAY US ALL DOWN WITH WATER CANNONS RIGHT BEFORE THEY CART OUR ASSES OFF TO JAIL AGAIN?  FREAK, FREAK, FREAK!!

Big Brother is looking out for us?

Perhaps I should have felt - I dunno - secure(?)  when my mobile phone rang and it was a Police Sargent on the other line this morning.  But call me a little paranoid, when the Police Officer said he tracked me down via Facebook because I made a post about the Occupy Des Moines March scheduled for Saturday, I was a little taken aback and creeped out.  So it's one thing for the police to monitor the Social Networking sites of peaceful protesters who now have a permit to occupy the public land for which they pay taxes, but it's very Big Brother to track down the members of said group and call them on their mobile number about whether we plan to obtain a Parade Permit for a loosely organized function.  Surely, he seemed sincere about his concern for the safety of the participants and for that I am grateful.  That doesn't make me feel less skeezy though about the two calls to my house phone and one to my mobile.  I assume they got my numbers from my newly formed Police Arrest Record?  Even more creepy!  Anyway, when the PoPo's ring and ask you to go to City Hall to obtain a free parade permit, you should probably heed their advice.  I did.  We have our permit.  Still kind of skeezed out by the Big Brother aspect of the whole thing, but at least no one in the march will get plowed under by a bad East Side driver - so that's something. 

General Assembly meetings are going smoother now.  Less bickering and more understanding of the odd hand signals.  There seems to be a plethora of donated food to be consumed by all hungry parties as well.  The tents for different committees, dining areas, storage and living space are also shaping up nicely.  It's like a little community forming right before our eyes.  

Tomorrow morning is the meeting with the fine folks from DAS where we request a renewal of our occupation permit.  After I drop off Ireland to school at 8 AM, we will trek the short hike to the hideous structure we know as the Hoover Building.  As I currently see it, there seems to be no reason why the permit won't be renewed - but this journey has been like nothing I've experienced and none of my predictions have been correct thus.  DAS has been very accommodating to this point.  I am interested to see how the whole thing plays out. 

It's going to be a fantastic weekend with lots of activities at the encampment as well as a marathon on Sunday which will entail thousands of silly runner folk (who runs for FUN?!) going right past our occupation.  Best of all, the weekend will be WARM!  I'm not sure we could ask for more!  Oh, yeah, we COULD ask for victory in our movement.  That AND warm weather ... 

 Piper, the budding protester! 

San Diego protests don't have cold weather suck

Rainy days suck so bad for protests - let alone encampments!  Urgh, I hate the cold!  This was one of the reasons why I was hesitant about returning to Iowa after a ten year absence - because the cold SUCKS!  So I wienied out for the majority of the day today because I didn't really want to take the babies out into the crappy, rainy weather (Heaven toughed it out for several hours after school though, so KUDOS on her dedication to the cause!)]\.  I did drop off a table to the communications tent this morning and returned for the General Assembly (GA) at 6 PM though.  

General Assembly is like nothing I have ever experienced.  There are hand signals and lists of names for people who want to speak (which is everyone!) and something called, "Mic Check" that is quite an oddity where the crowd repeats and amplifies everything the speaker says.  These procedures have taken some getting used to for an old school activist like me.  If you agree with someone, you raise your hands in the air and wiggle your fingers - much like "Spirit Fingers" from the movie Bring it On.  It smacks a little of hippie dippy dodo at first and kind of freaked me out on the first day.  If you disagree, you wiggle your fingers in a downward motion - kind of like a - Booooo.  Weird.  Anyone can block a proposal by raising both arms and forming an "X".  We had a LOT of that when debating whether to apply for a permit to occupy the space 24/7 and I was pretty close to killing my fellow Liberals if the debate didn't end soon!  The Democratic process can be painful and since absolutely EVERYTHING in this group is decided by said procedure, the past four days have been a crash course in patience.  I can only hope that the hundreds of other folks who believe in the 99% Movement have developed the same sensibility as well so that they don't run away screaming about all the freaks with the Spirit Fingers up at the Capitol Building!

So it only took an hour this evening to decide that there will be a mass march down to Bank of America on Saturday at 10 AM.  Senator Dick Dearden's granddaughter is getting married on Saturday at the State Capitol building and we have agreed that we will not get in the way of her special day.  So we will make a march/demonstration in the morning and plan a rally after the wedding at 6 PM where local bands will play and hopefully our numbers will grow by the zillions.  Again, it will be interesting to see how it develops! 

The same movements in Boston and New York are exploding with excitement and people power.  I hope that the one in Des Moines has the same legs.    

 

Day 3 of Occupy Des Moines and I'm already exhausted!

Just because I put the tent, sleeping bags and travel toothpaste in the van doesn't mean I've actually stayed over night at the Occupy Des Moines camp site yet.  But that doesn't mean I am not already exhausted from the movement!

The Sunday night arrest set into motion a string of events, all of which have led me to the current oh-so-flippin-flappin-tired state in which I currently find myself.  

I didn't arrive home until 6:30 AM from the Polk County Jail on Monday.  With taking the kids to school directly afterward, work (thank Dog I am self employed and can be flexible), picking the kids up and taking them to activities AND staying committed to the movement and spending some time with my fed-up-brethren, I am one tired puppy who has yet to catch up on the sleep I missed the first night out the gate.  

One has to wonder, did Ghandi have a caffeine drip?  Did MLK, Jr. have a stash of Red Bull in a mini fridge that he had carried to each event?  How did these great leaders keep on keeping on without a little help of a stimulant?

The movement is like nothing else I have been a party.  With any other rally or movement, there is a set agenda and goal in mind for everything from press relations, body count, and what constitutes victory.  When we planned out the great, "March for Women's Rights" while I worked at NARAL, it was a collaborative effort with Feminist Majority, PPFA, NOW, Emily's List and like a zillion other women's groups.  The mission statement ALONE took three months to create!  EVERYTHING took time, planning, compromise and painstaking attention to detail.  

This movement, on the other hand, has had none of that.  No real planning, no real strategy, no high priced spin doctors, no marketing or media talking points, etc., etc., etc.  Indeed, this movement doesn't have funding, no newsletters, no auto calls from high priced telemarketing firms, no leaders or focus groups paid for with donor funds.  Instead, this movement is running on nothing but raw People Power.  It's exciting and exhilarating - but some times frustrating (EVERYTHING has to be discussed in a Democratic Setting and EVERYONE wants to be heard, no matter how much I don't want to hear them - DAMN IT!).  

But so far it seems to be taking shape.  Three days in and we have secured a permit from the state of Iowa which should keep us from getting arrested again any time soon.  Committees have been established for press relations, legal issues, clean up committees and security during the encampment.  Thus, I have found myself on the Permit Committee and the Press Committee.  Both of which seem to be working well so far.  We did obtain the permit - victory.  AND, we have made mad press for the past three days.  The Huffington Post is nothing to sneeze at baby!

So I am tired, impressed and ready to power on with the Occupy Des Moines movement; but not until I get a decent night's sleep.  Crap on a cracker, I am wiped out - where's my Vivarin?      

In the beginning, Heather created the blog ... after Al Gore gave us the Internet

Never before have I been moved to start, write or dedicate myself to the written diatribe folks like to call a "Blog" until ... about three days ago when I was arrested during the first official day of "Occupy Des Moines" - an offshoot of "Occupy Wall Street".

It's been just four weeks since protesters took to the streets of New York during what they called, "Occupy Wall Street".  I saw the new initiative posted on Facebook and some of my liberal e-newsletters and my FIRST reaction was, "Yeah, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!"  What kind of moron believes that living on the streets of New York would effect change?  I mean, I was just in New York a few weeks ago and it seemed as though there are thousands who do that every day and it makes absolutely NO difference in the way people feel about the injustice of the world.  Seriously.  I expected their, "movement" to fizzle within a week and completely exit my memory bank as fast as my real bank tacks on their $3.00 convenience fee to each ATM transaction.

Alas, I was wrong. 

Within three weeks the Occupy Wall Street Movement had gained protesters from all walks of life - including organized labor - and has dominated the news cycle for nearly two weeks.  Just a few short days ago I told Carl (the husband) that if that movement made its way to Des Moines, we HAD to join in because of how impressive it is that so many people are shedding their apathy and FINALLY becoming involved!

WHAM - Fast Forward to Sunday afternoon.  I opened an e-mail from my super-liberal bud, Ed Fallon which stated that not only would there be a protest on the State Capitol Grounds that evening, but the state police were threatening to make arrests should protesters stick around after an 11:00 PM "curfew".  So of course, I had to make good on my personal promise and show up with my fed-up-brethren to the rally.  I showered, shaved and even put on a little make up.  I figured if there is even the most remote chance that I appear in press, I don't want to look like a dirty hippie and give those Right Wing Gasbags even more ammunition for their arsenal of insulting rhetoric when discussing who they think the 99% entail (important note:  whenever you are representing any kind of movement, for the love of dog, PLEASE look half way decent!  My fellow feminists and all my lefty loonies, I am talking to you!). 

Long story super short (namely because I am running out of time and you are probably getting bored), my 15 year old daughter, Heaven, and I were arrested along with about 50 other protesters after 11:00 PM and a HUGE police presence showed up to flex their very Over-Reacting muscles!  It was probably the most peculiar moment of my life and I will surely speak more of it in the posts to follow.  However, in closing, thirty years of protesting on behalf of every kind of Liberal Loonie cause, I have NEVER been in trouble with the law. 

So starts my journey.  Will this movement fizzle?  Will this movement explode with exuberance?  Will I even remember to blog often enough to make this worth reading?  Who knows - I've never been party to anything this dynamic and spontaneous.  Let's see what this journey takes this mother of three on over the next few months.  It is the GREAT EXPERIMENT OF A MINI-VAN DRIVING LIBERAL. 

BECAUSE I AM ONE OF THE 99% - - - AND SO ARE YOU!! 

JOIN ME!