Occupy Austin @ Tumblr

parasitebeans: An Earth Day poster assignment for school. This...

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 10:01:03 -0500

An Earth Day poster assignment for school. This took me so long to finish cause I was being anal about the colors and I really don’t know anything about digital D: But yeah, BEEESSSS.

» (via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:00:50 -0500

» (via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Some great Occupy Southby Events coming up!

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:00:48 -0600

Monday, March 11

2pm, Augmented Reality and Activism Discussion

https://www.facebook.com/events/119705798214182/

8pm, Occupy the Dance Floor

https://www.facebook.com/events/535844116438813/

Tuesday, March 12

3pm, Occupy Austin’s Open Mic

https://www.facebook.com/events/149176335244807/

10pm,

Occupy The Cypher

https://www.facebook.com/events/456151164454917/

Sunday, March 17

1pm,

Austin’s Musical March for Peace

https://www.facebook.com/events/514542341921122/

destroythegop: will-potter: More than 70 cities will be...

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:23 -0600

destroythegop:

will-potter:

More than 70 cities will be protesting corporations that are part of a secretive lobby group called the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, that helps corporate interests literally write our laws.

Reblog if you support #F29 - Shut Down the Corporations!

More info & links to spread the word about ALEC’s mission to turn our Representative Democracy into Theocratic Feudalism…

American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a “corporate front-group” that represents the interests of big-name corporations by drafting legislation for state lawmakers. ALEC, which has the support of conservative heavy-hitters like Koch Industries, Walmart, and ExxonMobil, has written close to 800 model bills as templates for legislators on a wide range of issues.

ALEC Exposed

ALEC Exposed: The Koch Connection, The Nation Magazine

ALEC Funding, PRWatch

American Legislative Exchange Council, SourceWatch

Climate Denial Report on ALEC and Exxon Funding for ALEC, Greenpeace

Governing the Nation from the Statehouses, Progressive States Network

Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, Common Cause

ALEC: The Voice of Corporate Special Interests In State Legislatures, People for the American Way

Corporate America’s Trojan Horse in the States, Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resources Defense Council

ALEC Behind Voter Disenfranchisement Efforts, Center for American Progress

Ghostwriting the Law for Corporate America: American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)

The American Association for Justice Report on ALEC (PDF) May 2010

The Corporations Funding The Annual Meeting of ALEC Think Progress

(via Occupy Austin Police Disclosure Packet of Undercover...

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:01:12 -0600

(via Occupy Austin Police Disclosure Packet of Undercover Infiltration and Manipulation | Occupy Washington, DC)

Court Case Involving Occupy Protesters Resolved A complicated...

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:00:51 -0600

Court Case Involving Occupy Protesters Resolved

A complicated and confusing case involving “Occupy Austin” protesters, the Port of Houston and undercover Austin Police officers has come to a conclusion in a Harris County courtroom.

Back in December of 2011, six members of Occupy Austin were arrested and charged with felonies for using PVC pipe and chains during a protest at the Port of Houston. It turned out that the people who built the restraints and encouraged the Occupiers to use them were Austin police officers undercover as members of the Occupy movement. Now, Harris County prosecutors have dropped the felony charges and the defendants have instead plead guilty to misdemeanors. Greg Gladden represented Ronnie Garza, one of the protesters originally charged with a felony.

All the defendants agreed to sentences that included time-served. Gladden says the fight to reduce the charges was worth it.

Occupy Southby.org

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:00:54 -0600

Occupy Southby.org

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:01:03 -0600

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:01:02 -0600

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 13:00:58 -0600

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 13:01:11 -0600

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 13:00:52 -0600

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Tents Up for Occupy Austin’s Eviction Anniversary On...

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:01:11 -0600

Tents Up for Occupy Austin’s Eviction Anniversary

On February 3 2012, Occupy Austin received about an hour’s notice before a violent police raid which cleared the encampment at City Hall. New regulations imposed a 10pm curfew and rules against tents, bedrolls or other “permanent” structures. As occupiers took the streets, there were several arrests. Activists and journalists were threatened by police ambush and, at one point, a pepper-spray can brandished by Austin Police Officer Jason Mistric. Three undercover police officers that had infiltrated the group in order to entrap its members were present throughout the day.

Demonstrators interrupt Perry speech | Postcards

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:01:06 -0600

Demonstrators interrupt Perry speech | Postcards:

Demonstrators upset about Gov. Rick Perry’s refusal to expand Medicaid coverage interrupted his State of the State speech this morning and were quickly hustled from the House Chamber by state troopers.

One man, identified by friends as the Rev. James Caldwell, a Houston community activist, was detained by Capitol security officers after the 11:25 a.m. incident.

He was later escorted in handcuffs from the building, although troopers declined to say whether he would be charged with disorderly conduct or any crime.

More than a dozen other protestors with the Texas Organizing Project, wearing teal-colored t-shirts, were escorted from the statehouse after the outburst in the House Chamber.

Not long after Perry began his State of the State speech, Caldwell stood in the House gallery and shouted:

“Excuse me Governor Perry, but what do you plan to do about the 7 million uninsured in Texas. Why are you turning down the billions of Medicaid expansion funds?”

Other protestors sitting around him began chanting as troopers hustled to the group, and began escorting them out of the chamber. Perry, who had just announced a tax-rebate plan when the protest exploded, went on with his speech.

The House Chamber, standing room only with dignitaries and state officials to hear Perry’s speech, was briefly astir with whispering as the group was led out.

Ginny Goldman, executive director of the organizing project, said the group held a demonstration earlier in the day outside the Capitol. She said the group tried to deliver a 16,000-signature petition to Perry last September seeking to have Texas accept expansion of the federal Medicaid program.

Perry has opposed that expansion.

“People should not be arrested for coming to a public speech and asking a question,” Goldman said.

Gloria Payne, a spokesperson for the group, said members did not come to the Capitol to get arrested, but to highlight the plight of the uninsured millions in Texas.

“Rick Perry has said repeatedly that he will refuse to accept the $78 billion from the federal government to expand Medicaid coverage for hard working Texans,” she said. “This leaves us no choice but to bring it to the governor’s attention directly.”

Top 10 Photos of Occupy Austin in 2012: John Anderson

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 13:01:00 -0600

Top 10 Photos of Occupy Austin in 2012: John Anderson

anarcho-queer: Texas Judge OKs Ban on Planned Parenthood...

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:00:47 -0600

anarcho-queer:

Texas Judge OKs Ban on Planned Parenthood Funding, Leaving Thousands of Women To Find New Doctors

Texas can cut off funding to Planned Parenthood’s family planning programs for poor women, a state judge ruled Monday, requiring thousands to find new state-approved doctors for their annual exams, cancer screenings and birth control.

Judge Gary Harger said that Texas may exclude otherwise qualified doctors and clinics from receiving state funding if they advocate for abortion rights.

Texas has long banned the use of state funds for abortion, but had continued to reimburse Planned Parenthood clinics for providing basic health care to poor women through the state’s Women’s Health Program. The program provides preventive care to 110,000 poor women a year, and Planned Parenthood clinics were treating 48,000 of them.

Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit to stop the rule will still go forward, but the judge decided Monday that the ban may go into effect for now. In seeking a temporary restraining order, Planned Parenthood wanted its patients to be able to see their current doctors until a final decision was made.

“We are pleased the court rejected Planned Parenthood’s latest attempt to skirt state law,” attorney general spokeswoman Lauren Bean said. “The Texas Attorney General’s office will continue to defend the Texas Legislature’s decision to prohibit abortion providers and their affiliates from receiving taxpayer dollars through the Women’s Health Program.”

Ken Lambrecht, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, said he brought the lawsuit on behalf of poor women who depend on its clinics.

“It is shocking that once again Texas officials are letting politics jeopardize health care access for women,” Lambrecht said. “Our doors remain open today and always to Texas women in need. We only wish Texas politicians shared this commitment to Texas women, their health, and their well-being.”

Planned Parenthood has brought three lawsuits over Texas’ so-called “affiliate rule,” claiming it violates the constitutional rights of doctors and patients while also contradicting existing state law.

Republican lawmakers who passed the affiliate rule last year have argued that Texas is an anti-abortion state, and therefore should cut off funds to groups that support abortion rights. Gov. Rick Perry, who vehemently opposes abortion, has pledged to do everything legally possible to shut down Planned Parenthood in Texas and welcomed the court’s ruling.

Occupy Religion

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 13:01:09 -0600

Occupy Religion:

catmartini:

The Occupy movement addresses power. So does religion, but it does so in conflicting ways. To give an example: it often operates with images of divine authority that echo the powers that be. In ancient times, state religions imagined God as a heavenly monarch, modelled after particular rulers. Today, dominant religion imagines God, often by default, as the boss who calls the shots and rewards religious shareholders. This is not only the message of the so-called Gospel of Prosperity; mainstream churches of all major denominations are found in this camp as well. Who can blame atheists for flagging this kind of theism as the wishful thinking of the status quo?

Yet there are alternative forms of religion, and alternative images of the divine to go with them. The early Christians proclaimed a God who was executed on a cross in solidarity with the people. For this, the Roman elites called them atheists. In the Civil Rights movement, God was conceived as the liberator who challenged oppression and used leaders such as Moses and Martin Luther King to lead the people to freedom.

Jesus himself was a construction worker, and would have been in touch with the many unemployed of his time

In the context of the Occupy movement, fresh images of God are emerging. Some of these images connect us back to ancient and forgotten traditions of liberation, rather like the Civil Rights movement discovering Moses and the labour movement reclaiming Jesus as well as the prophetic traditions. In Occupy, these emerging images might bring us closer to the true nature of the world and of the cosmos than any of the dominant images could.

Dangerously, some Christians in the movement were reminded of where and how Jesus had actually lived. Occupiers camping in the streets could relate to Jesus’ deep solidarity, not with the elites of his time, but with the multitude. Jesus had stayed among those who struggled with life: with the sick, the social outcasts, strong women of ‘dubious’ reputation and working people such as fishermen. He himself was a construction worker, and would have been in touch with the many unemployed of his time, who quite regularly experienced layoffs. Perhaps he was even unemployed himself.

Participants in the Occupy movement could also relate to the way that the divine frequently resists elite agendas. Jesus challenged legalism by healing on the Sabbath. He put the demands of liberation above the law, challenged the myriad uses of religion that kept struggling people down, and defied the conservative impulse to marginalise women and children.

Moreover, he rejected narrow notions of the family — still at the core of conservative politics — and declared that the true bonds of community are not biological but social: ‘whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother’. Unlike dominant Christianity, Christians involved in the Occupy movement could easily see why Jesus would challenge even the temple, the highest symbol of his religion. Thus the basic tenets of Christian religion take on a new life when seen through the struggles of the Occupy movement, which questioned the powerful and entered into solidarity with the proverbial ‘least of these’.

Some of Occupy’s puzzling features also become clearer in this light: not least, the oft-lamented fact that it did not produce a list of demands. What simple list of demands could Jesus have made to Caesar without turning the tables altogether? This movement is not about reformism — the assumption that the system can be fixed by adjusting a few of its problems — but about a new world where power flows from the bottom up.

…

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 13:00:47 -0600

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 13:01:01 -0600

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:01:02 -0600

(via Occupy Austin Gallery - The Austin Chronicle)