MONTANA VOTERS STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY

MONTANA VOTES YES TO APPROVE INITIATIVE-166…..

By a clear margin, Montanans made it plain that we are fed up with corporate money & out of state interests corrupting our democracy. I-166 will send a clear message to Helena and Washington DC- We Will Not Accept The Collateral Damage of Corporate Citizenship In Big Sky Country.

I-166: “Ballot initiative I-166 establishes a state policy that corporations are not entitled to
constitutional rights because they are not human beings, and charges Montana elected
and appointed officials, state and federal, to implement that policy. With this policy,
the people of Montana establish that there should be a level playing field in campaign
spending, in part by prohibiting corporate campaign contributions and expenditures and
by limiting political spending in elections. Further, Montana’s congressional delegation
is charged with proposing a joint resolution offering an amendment to the United States
Constitution establishing that corporations are not human beings entitled to
constitutional rights.“ (full text of I-166 go to sos.mt.gov/elections/2012/ballotissues/I-166.pdf)

Stand Up for MONTANA. Stand Up for DEMOCRACY.

learn more:  https://movetoamend.org/mt-missoula

OCCUPY MISSOULA GENERAL ASSEMBLY (GA)

#OM meets 6pm every Monday Upstairs at the Union Hall. 208 E. Main St. Missoula MT. All are Welcome. Bring an Open Mind. Be willing to Listen as well as be Heard.

The People’s Energy Independence Day Parade

Occupy Missoula (and many group/organization/others) will “take it (Independence) to the streets for a July 4 (Wed) Peoples’ Energy Independence Day Parade/Picnic …

Decentralized, unorganized and Independent, we will march, stroll, ride, skate etc
through Missoula, parading our Independence and Inter-dependence!
A whole lot of us (the 99%?) are fed up with the “way” it is and
want to facilitate change. Bring yourselves, your signs, books, soap box, instruments
(and picnic stuff) and let’s have some fun and connect the dots for everyone who shows up.
Maybe our theme will be “What does Independence/Inter-dependence mean to You?”
(An example – not set in stone) Show up at the XXX’s at 11am on Wed July 4 for an Occupy the streets Peoples’ Energy Independence/Inter-dependence Day Parade/Picnic. We will invite and include any non motorized modes of conveyance (i.e walk, dance,  skate, wheel, cart, hop, strut, puppet, hula etc). We will parade through downtown to Kawanis Park where we will picnic from 12 to 5pm supporting our Independence/Inter-dependence. Please join us with your friends/neighbors …

#03:09:06#

The Occupation of the Missoula County Courthouse lawn lasted roughly 3 months, 9 days, 6 hours. This is longer than many other Occupations across the United States, including New York City and Oakland, CA.

Throughout its life, The Occupation inspired compassion and exposed deep mistrust. It served to both unite and divide. Our Occupation was a paradox. Looking back, this seemed unavoidable.

So what now? What remains?

The open questions of our Civil Liberties remain: The Right to Freedom of Assembly; The Right to Free Speech; The Right to Petition for the Redress our Grievances.

The houseless remain also; not just the ones visible on the sidewalks and city streets or invisible in the back woods or nooks and crannies of our community, but the countless others who work by day and sleep in their vehicles at night. Unemployed. Under-employed. Facing Foreclosure. Collateral damage from a jobless recovery.

And the Greed remains. Is it getting better? Worse? Does this bother you?

And our Government is still broken. Unable to respond to a world where things on the ground are moving faster than the top.

So what remains is the Work. Much Work to be done. The hard Work for Real Change — not political rhetoric about Change.

You have now seen the Tents and heard each other’s Voices. This will happen again. How can it be any other way? There is nowhere left to go. We are the 99%.

Occupy the Courts: Move to Amend Call to Action January 20th

Money is not speech, and Corporations are not People!!! Join us for a lunchtime rally and March in support of a Nationwide Occupy the Courts Action

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20th, 11:30-1 PM Move to Amend- Occupy the Courts!!! Rally

• 11:30 meet at the Caras Park Pavilion
• 11:45 march to the Federal Courthouse on Pattee and Broadway
• Rally@ Noon

We invite all participants to bring signs , noisemakers, drums, etc.

“I am a PERSON”, “Money is not speech, and Corporations are not People”

On January 20 Occupy Missoula will be holding a protest rally to commemorate the second anniversary of theCitizens United Supreme Court Decision that granted first amendment protection to unlimited contributions by corporations and individuals to political campaigns as a form free speech. This rally is part of a nationwide Occupy the Courts day of action called by the Move to Amend Coalition (not itself an occupy organization) to build momentum toward the passage of an amendment to the US Constitution to overturn this anti-democratic interpretation. Organizations in more than 100 cities throughout the nation will be engaging in similar actions that day.

The idea of a constitutional amendment was supported by the City of Missoula in a city-wide referendum –which passed with a 75% majority – on November 8 of last year. Recently the Montana Supreme court courageously defended the state’s own Corrupt Practices Act against the countervailing Citizens United ruling which held that even state laws that constrain election spending are constitutional.

Missoula’s Occupy the Courts rally will be held in front of the Russell E. Smith Federal District Court, 201 E. Broadway, during the noon hour on January 20. Participants are encouraged to gather at Caras Park at 11:30 with signs, banners, and noisemakers for an 11:45 march to the courthouse.

The noon-hour rally will feature a panel of speakers well-known to Missoulians: City Councilors Cynthia Wolken & Jason Wiener, State Representative Dick Barrett, Political Science professor Paul Haber, Labor Council Executive Officer Mark Anderlik, and Missoula small business owner Aimee McQuilkin.

OccupyCourtsPoster

Press Release from the Occupy Missoula Encampment Working Group

Happy holidays to everyone from the Occupy Missoula Encampment Working Group!
We’re pleased to stand in solidarity with Missoula Cultural Council in regards to the up- coming First Night Event. We look forward to an evening of holiday cheer, outreach and education for our fellow citizens about local and national issues. We also encourage all artists and like-minded citizens to join us by contributing art to this First Night Event. We’re also planning a public discussion concerning the Missoula County Commission- ers’ rejection of multiple invitations to join us in our meetings with the Missoula Cultural Council Wednesday the 21st.

The Occupy Missoula Encampment retains a positive outlook despite the removal by county workers of a disabled homeless veteran’s tent at 5:30am on the 21st, under the pretext that it was “abandoned property,” as well as the calculated removal of the porta- potty the same afternoon, in order to create a public health issue. The Commissioners also saw fit to request that porta-potty providers not “get involved,” and our attempts to secure another porta-potty have been unsuccessful for that reason.

We continue to remain hopeful, despite today’s actions by the Sherrif, once again at- tempting to confiscate a disabled veteran’s tent under the premise of its being aban- doned. We would like to remind the Commissioners that the tents are a form of Political Protest, protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United Staes of America.

In the holiday spirit of goodwill and peace, we are asking the County Comminssioners to let us enjoy Christmas without engaging the police, without threats of arrest before we have a public forum next week.

press release_OME

Missoula County Commissioner’s Statement on OccupyMissoula 12.22.2011

The County Commissioners will be reading the statement below at their 1:30 meeting today in Room 201 of the Missoula County Courthouse Annex.

Please feel free to contact the Commissioners’ Office with questions.

Commissioners’ Statement Regarding Occupy Missoula
12/21/11

We have directed County staff to communicate with Occupy Missoula about their encampment since its inception in October. We have increased the frequency of our correspondence with them in the last two weeks in an effort to encourage them to remove their tents from the Courthouse lawn. Despite attempts from both our staff and many of the Occupiers to engage in constructive communication, the tents remain, as do the problems the tents present. As a result of Occupy Missoula’s unwillingness to help Missoula County solve the problems their camp presents, we are developing a policy that will prohibit camping on County property. The City of Missoula’s No Camping Ordinance does not apply to the Courthouse lawn. The County policy and the resulting ordinance are still being developed, but would require any group using the Courthouse lawn to secure a special use permit. Please do not mistake this policy as a means to limit free speech. Protests and demonstrations are still welcome on the Courthouse lawn, but sponsors of demonstrations that encourage prolonged use of the public space – a space we are charged with managing – must offer assurances that activities on County property will not jeopardize the health, welfare, and safety of the general public, or restrict the public’s rightful use of a public space.

We have removed the port-a-potty we have been providing from the Courthouse lawn in an effort to encourage the removal of their tents. We cannot continue to subsidize the Occupy camp with tax payer dollars. The port-a-potty was provided as a means to reduce instances of unsanitary conduct and protect the public and our staff from pathogens. We will continue to protect the public and our staff, but can no longer provide a facility to the camp that is funded with tax payer money.

As an interim measure, before the County ordinance is passed, we have directed County staff to identify unoccupied tents on the lawn as abandoned property and remove them.

We have received numerous calls and emails from constituents complaining about the camp for months. We have made every effort to acknowledge the concerns of those constituents while protecting Occupy Missoula’s right to free speech. We ask that Occupy Missoula acknowledge that they have a responsibility to conduct their protest in a way that is accountable to the Missoula community.

OccupyMissoula GA 2pm Sun., Forum at 1pm at the Union Hall, upstairs

Hope to see all of you there! The forum today will be a soapbox and discussion about the Missoula County Commissioner’s decision to evict OccupyMissoula’s encampment on the courthouse lawn.

Missoula County “Requests Occupy Missoula Relocate Their Camp” by Dec. 12

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
200 WEST BROADWAY ST.
MISSOULA, MT 59802-4292
PHONE: (406) 258-4877
FAX: (406) 721-4043

Occupy Missoula Participants:

Missoula County Commissioners and staff continue to monitor the presence of Occupy Missoula on the Courthouse lawn. Missoula County strongly supports the right of any group to peaceably assemble and articulate grievances. The County respects the resourcefulness of the Occupy Missoula group and is grateful for what has been a peaceful and relatively respectful relationship to date despite frustration experienced by each entity.

Missoula County has fielded dozens of calls and emails from County citizens complaining about the presence of Occupy Missoula on the Courthouse lawn. Missoula County staff has spent countless hours developing and maintaining relationships with numerous individuals associated with the Occupy Missoula movement. Staff has seen a significant increase in incidences of unsanitary conduct requiring even more staff time to mitigate the problem and causing increased exposure of County staff to pathogens. The nature and source of the unsanitary conduct, whether from Occupy Missoula or the adjacent population of homeless individuals, is immaterial. Regardless of who the culprits are, the situation is untenable and frankly, well above and beyond what the County should be asking of its staff on a frequency such as this.

Missoula County has been patient with Occupy Missoula, but the movement’s presence on the Courthouse lawn is creating more problems than the County has the staff or money to solve. Missoula County would like to request that Occupy Missoula relocate their camp or use the gazebo without tents during the day. Commissioners and staff are concerned that this request will cause Occupy Missoula to believe the County is trying to undermine their movement. That is not the case. The County must manage its grounds and staff in a way that is responsible to tax payers and residents. This movement appears to be long-term and focuses on issues that are beyond the ability of Missoula County to resolve. Missoula County must emphasize that the current situation inappropriately requires taxpayers to subsidize Occupy Missoula’s camp. Missoula County respectfully requests that Occupy Missoula re-shape the physical presence of its movement in order to address these issues.

Please advise Missoula County of Occupy Missoula’s intentions by Monday, December 12th, 2011. We look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,
Missoula Board of County Commissioners

Letter from County to Occupy Missoula: occupystmt.doc

————-
i’ve setup a discussion thread on our forum.

Here is a list of email addresses that the County sent their “Press Release” to:

Occupy Missoula and OccupyMontana MASS DAY OF OCCUPATION this Weekend

For Immediate Release December 1, 2011

Occupy Montana call to action:

Occupy Missoula and OccupyMontana are organizing a MASS DAY OF OCCUPATION on Dec. 3rd 2011. We are inviting people/ organizations/ groups to sponsor an info tent and build a presence for this one event.

Location:
Missoula County Court House Lawn Saturday 12/3 10AM

Facilitation workshop at noon

Betsy Mulligan-Dague, Executive Director of the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center, at 1:00 pm giving a talk on Non-violent Communication

There will be an Occupy Montana General Assembly at 3:00 reports from around the state – building the statewide network – planning for Dec 17th actions – connecting to the wider Occupy Movement – Citizens Press

Then at 6:00 we’ll have a potluck (sponsored by Occupy Missoula) Music and Drum Circle? Come hang out – may move indoors if too BRR!

Sun at noon there will be a consensus workshop. We will also have a Bradley Manning card making station.

For more information please contact:
Taryn Hart
taryn.hart@gmail.com
(406) 207-1556

Download OccupyMontana D3-4-2011 graphic: (3.4MB pdf)
Download OccupyMontana Banner: (5.2MB pdf)

OccupyMissoula GA stands in Solidarity with West Coast Port Shutdown!

Press Release: Support Grows for West Coast Port Shut Down
From: West Coast Port Shutdown
SUPPORT GROWS FOR OCCUPY MOVEMENT’S COORDINATED WEST COAST SHUT DOWN ON DECEMBER 12TH

As of November 27, 2011, the Occupy movement in every major West Coast port city: Occupy LA, Occupy San Diego, Occupy Portland, Occupy Tacoma, Occupy Seattle have joined Occupy Oakland in calling for and organizing a coordinated West Coast Port Blockade and Shutdown on December 12, 2011. Other West Coast Occupies, including Occupy Anchorage and Vancouver, Canada are planning to join the economic blockade and disruption of the 1% on that date, according to organizers.

“We’re shutting down these ports because of the union busting and attacks on the working class by the 1%: the firing of Port truckers organizing at SSA terminals in LA; the attempt to rupture ILWU union jurisdiction in Longview, WA by EGT. EGT includes Bunge LTD, a company which reported 2.5 billion dollars in profit last year and has economically devastated poor people in Argentina and Brazil. SSA is responsible for inhumane working conditions and gross exploitation of port truckers and is owned by Goldman Sachs. EGT and Goldman Sachs is Wallstreet on the Waterfront” stated Barucha Peller of the West Coast Port Blockade Assembly of Occupy Oakland.

Sunday GA, 2pm at the Union Hall. Forum Starts at 1pm.

See you all there!

Facilitation meets beforehand at noon. The proposed agenda is as follows.

I. Agenda Review and Review of Consensus Process

II. Announcements

III. Working Group Reports and Statements of Proposals (discussions prompted by working group reports will be delayed until after proposal section)

IV. Discussion of Working Group Proposals
i. Finance Working Group Proposal
ii. Facilitation Working Group Proposal

V. Discussion of Stacked Topics

VI. Other Business? Evaluation

VII. Confirmation of Next GA Time and Place

OM Mass Day of Occupation Dec 3-4, Missoula, Courthouse Lawn

Occupy Missoula and OccupyMontana are organizing a MASS DAY OF OCCUPATION on Dec. 3rd 2011. We are inviting people/ organizations/ groups to sponsor a info tent and build a presence for this one event. We want to show our true numbers. We have been told we will be given notice of eviction in advance. So there is a low arrest level for this event. All are welcome!

1. Occupy Missoula has in place a non-violence policy, as well as a policy against the presence of alcohol, drugs, or weapons on-site, passed by consensus of the General Assembly.

2. Occupy Missoula has agreed not to put stakes in the ground due to underground sprinkler system. Tents have to be pitched using ballast.

3. Essentially, Occupy Missoula is just the meeting spot. We will organize a pot luck dinner, but otherwise you should provide for all needs for yourself or group. This includes being responsible for your own food and water, camping gear, and the security thereof while on site, as well as for cleaning up after yourself and any pets you may have.

4. We want a drum circle and request that people bring acoustic instruments!

We would love to see you there!

Occupation Workgroup Meeting 11am Sat, Courthouse Lawn & BIG TENT Raising!

Howdy fellow Occupiers. The Occupation Workgroup has called for a meeting on the Courthouse lawn at 11am, Saturday. This meeting will discuss the ongoing efforts to winterize our Occupation and provide a way for those who haven’t been onsite in a while to plug back into the onsite encampment.

We are engaging in a concerted 3 week effort to dig in and plan for the winter. We need all of OccupyMissoula to commit to helping the Occupation succeed, and to do so we are asking for you to not just retreat into your winter comfy zone, if you have one, but to commit to spending time at the Occupation on a regular basis, and to help focus OM on our encampment and what it brings to our movement.

As a result of fundraising efforts earlier this week to winterize the Occupation, we have purchased a 16×32′ military grade tent! We will put it up tomorrow, so any help is greatly appreciated! Many thanks to Taryn for spearheading this effort, and everybody else who donated and helped out. We also have a porta potty onsite, thanks to Missoula County. How exactly that came about, I’m not exactly sure, but it is welcome.

City/County Threaten to Arrest Occupiers on Courthouse Lawn Monday am

Tonight, Sunday 13 November 2011 at approximately 9pm an emergency meeting was held at the encampment regarding a new threat to arrest campers on the ground if tents are still erected tomorrow morning; their threat, apparently, is to begin making arrests at 9am tomorrow morning.  Emotions ran high as everyone scrambled to figure out what had happened – what was different NOW than yesterday?  Larry the groundskeeper has been contacted by multiple individuals involved in this movement, but it is unclear WHY there is suddenly a new urgency by the city to remove the encampment from the Court House lawn.  It seems to be mostly related to some behind-the-scenes decision made by the County Commissioners, who have told us in meetings that they are “okay with our presence,” when it was perfectly clear from meeting with them and gauging their reactions that they were probably brainstorming ways to remove our presence.  Personally I believe this to be another molehill turned mountain by over speculating gossip, but come morning if there are arrests we will be reading about it in the Missoulian.

Best Regards,
Gabrielle Lafayette