Occupy Winston-Salem

://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution
Today, Saturday, September 29th, a huge protest is planned: Spain, Greece and Portugal look to be the big ones. Smaller protests are expected in London, Rome and the Netherlands. It all starts at six pm (Madrid is six hours ahead of EST, so the protests will start at 12 noon – our time, 9 am PST). 40 cities in Spain will be joining the protest, calling it a global emergency and some have tweeted that the Revolution might happen today.

The Spanish Citizens will be surrounding Congress again, demanding the resignation of their government and new elections.

A new tactic of global resistance is emerging: “Surround the Congress.” Following #25S, when thousands of protestors converged on Spain’s parliament building in Madrid to denounce austerity and the kidnapping of popular sovereignty by the Troika and the Markets, similar actions will take place Saturday September 29th across Spain and in a number of European capitals, including Rome, Lisbon, London, Brussels, and Amsterdam. With momentum behind the new tactic growing, AdBusters has called for an October 31 “Halloween Party” on Capitol Hill. http://ht.ly/2sqdVH

Live Streams: Global Revolution: http://www.livestream.com/ globalrevolution All Livestreams Here: http://ht.ly/2sqdVH Spain LiveStream: http://bit.ly/OqbUks Spain LiveStream: http://www.rtve.es/ noticias/directo2 Greece Live Stream: LiveStream: http://www.livestream.com/ stopcarteltvgr

On Twitter, you can follow the #29S hashtag: http://bit.ly/QmE5Mp and the #S29 hashtag: http://bit.ly/P1nNNM Also hashtags: #29sSíSePuede http://bit.ly/R1CfSe and #ows http://bit.ly/QBrzfn

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FOR INFO ON RIDES PLEASE REFER TO DEBRA’S POST BELOW.

IF YOU PREFER TO TRAVEL ON YOUR OWN TO CHARLOTTE PLEASE REFER TO THESE LINKS FOR PARKING & BUSES:
http://wallstsouth.org/parking-bus-drop-offs-maps/

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2012/08/29/charlotte-center-city-dnc-parking.html

DNC and Pre-DNC Events and Protests: Please visit www.wallstsouth.org and http://occupythednc.us/ for more info!

Planned events include:

SATURDAY SEPT 1, 1pm-10pm: Festival Liberacion/Liberation Fest @ Area 15 (privately owned-facility) will be hosting this wonderful concert and workshop event! For more info http://occupywinstonsalem.org/events/liberation-festfestival-liberacion-in-charlotte/#.UCwAr01lQ3g ,http://wallstsouth.org/march-on-wall-street-south/week-of-actions/festivaliberacion/

SUNDAY SEPT 2
1am-5/6pm: THE BIG EVENT: MARCH ON WALL ST. SOUTH (the actual march will begin around 1 pm) http://occupywinstonsalem.org/events/march-on-wall-st-south-charlotte-sun-sept-2/#.UCwBNk2PXng ; www.wallstsouth.org This is an officially approved PERMITTED event: http://www.wbtv.com/story/18649414/protestors-demand-city-permits-for-dnc
8pm-1am: OCCUPY TO FREE BRADLEY MANNING DANCE PARTY DEMCON 2012 RECLAIM CHARLOTTE NC STREETS 8pm in Frazier Park. This dance event is not an official permitted event.

MON. LABOR DAY, SEPT 3
10am-12:30pm Annual Charlotte Labor Day March- Route TBA- please check out this website for updates.http://charlottelabordayparade.shutterfly.com/pressrelease http://charlottelabordayparade.shutterfly.com/
1pm-5pm Southern Workers Assembly:http://occupywinstonsalem.org/events/southern-workers-assembly-charlotte-labor-day/#.UC3SEN1lQ3ghttp://wallstsouth.org/march-on-wall-street-south/week-of-actions/southern-workers-assembly/

TUES. SEPT 4: Occupy the Military Industrial Complex Peace Camp https://www.facebook.com/events/425927754087127/

WED. SEPT 5, 6PM: UndocuNation in NC https://www.facebook.com/events/159532827517272/

Democracy NC and Occupy Winston-Salem presents: A Teach-In on Corporate Personhood and the Citizens United Ruling

Recently, the Citizens United Supreme Court Decision from 2010 has unleashed unprecedented amounts of money into the political landscape, allowing these “super-persons” to influence national and state legislation even more directly than ever. These rulings have brought to light the legal argument that big business lawyers have altered the legal definition of personhood to extend constitutional rights to huge corporations that were originally intended for natural persons.

Want to know more about it?

Understand some things about Corporate Personhood but having a hard time explaining it?

This teach-in will help to explain Corporate Personhood, its origins, and its devastating effects on our rights as natural persons over the past century of its legal evolution.

Wednesday July 18 @ 6:30PM, Central Library Auditorium, 660 W 5th St., Winston-Salem (Refreshments at 6!)

Visit our event page for more info: http://occupywinstonsalem.org/events/citizens-united-teach-in/

Petition kick-off weather forecast tonight, June 1

As much as we would LOVE to kick-off our renewed peititon drive against corporate personhood ”rain or shine” there are severe weather warnings for this evening. For now the petition kick-off is still a GO, however if it is pouring, provided there are no tornado warnings or extraordinary weather, several of us may still get together somewhere downtown this evening near Civic Plaza. TBA depending on weather! BTW if you have NOT signed the online petition, please do so: https://www.change.org/petitions/city-of-winston-salem-stand-up-for-the-rights-of-natural-persons

CHOMSKY TALK TOMORROW/SATURDAY A *SOLO ACT*

UPDATE: The prior Chomsky/Galtung public discussion tomorrow Saturday, June 2 has CHANGED. Galtung will unfortunately NOT be speaking. However on hte good side that means MORE Chomsky for us. Please visit our event page for more info. THANKS:

http://occupywinstonsalem.org/events/chomsky-galtung-talk-expanding-the-global-peace-culture-what-will-it-look-like-and-how-will-it-happen/

Here is coverage of the upcoming NATO Protests in Chicago by Democracy Now,

The protests have been endorsed by Occupy Wall St., Chicago, L.A., D.C., American Friends Service Committee, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Occupy co-founders Ad-Busters, and MANY MANY more orgs: http://natoprotest.org/

Also, here is info on the People’s Counter-Summit happening two days before the NATO Summit at the following link:

http://www.natofreefuture.org/2012/01/conference-info/

Join us on May 3 as we rally and march for justice for tobacco farmworkers!  For over 4 years FLOC has asked Reynolds American to meet with the farmworkers who harvest their tobacco to discuss how to put an end to the human rights abuses occurring in NC tobacco fields. While Reynolds continues business as usual, farmworkers continue to suffer from sub minimum wages, pesticide and nicotine poisoning, uninhabitable housing, lack of water and breaks at work, and fatalities:

10:00am Meet at Lloyd Presbyterian Church

748 N Chestnut St., Winston Salem, NC 27101

Free parking is available at Lloyd, or pay lots are  available downtown.Nearest lot to Reynolds is  across from the front entrance on Main St. between 4th and 5th.

10:30 Demonstration at Reynolds Headquarters

401 N Main St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 followed by Rally at 4th and Trade St. and march through downtown Winston Salem, ending back at Lloyd Presbyterian.

Lunch will be provided.

Did you know? Reynolds is also a corporate sponsor of ALEC, and Reynolds exec David Powers sits on ALEC’s corporate board. Reynolds made nearly 1.5 billion dollars a year in profits last year while most farmworkers continue to live in poverty.  Last year, Reynolds CEO Daniel Delen made 8.5 million dollars. At the same time the company was raking in billions, it also slashed thousands of jobs from it’s processing plants in Winston Salem, leaving thousands of hard working families without a paycheck. Tell Reynolds it’s time to take responsibility for it’s actions and it’s supply chain.  We will not stand by as Reynolds turns a blind eye to human rights abuses, puts profit over people, and supports anti-worker, anti-immigrant corporations like ALEC!

May Day May Day! Stop Everything! Occupy Everywhere! Carpool to Greensboro @ Thruway Shopping Center @ 4PM leaving by 4:15!  March/Rally/Potluck in Greensboro’s Governmental Plaza @ 5 PM!

http://occupygreensboro.org/ai1ec_event/may-day-in-greensboro-an-injury-to-one-is-an-injury-to-all-marchrallypotluck/?instance_id=28476

“AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL   We are currently on the defensive; from attacks on workers’ rights, to the  criminalization of people of color, to the persecution of undocumented  immigrants, to draconian proposals such as Amendment One. They originate as  part of the same system that seeks to divide and conquer, to oppress,  disenfranchise, and abuse the working class. We say enough is enough, we need  to unite our various movements and work together, in solidarity, to create a  new, a better world.
Come talk, listen, march, dance, eat, and celebrate the solidarity among all!”

Heard about the May 3 protest against Reynolds American’s involvement with deplorable labor conditions and A.L.E.C.? Well this Friday, come learn about the organizers, FLOC (Farm Labor Organizing Committee) and their latest campaign to seek justice for farm workers from Reynolds American!

6:30-7PM Meet & Greet
7:15-8:30 Teach-In & Forum

More info: www.supportfloc.org and www.alecexposed.org

Every day is a Tax Holiday for Wall Street and the banking industry! Well we’re here to say: THE HOLIDAY IS OVER!

While Wall St. and the Banks are enjoying unprecedented tax breaks, the US Postal Service is scheduled to be gutted- the consequences of which will close thousands of offices and put hundreds of thousands of postal employees out of work http://www.apwu.org/news/webart/2012/12-026-s1789-april-120330.htm

On Monday April 16, Occupy Winston-Salem and other local activist organizations and local residents will hold a community protest at the Waughtown Area Post Office, tentatively scheduled from 12PM-2PM (media primetime @ 12:30-1:30) the address is 1995 Pleasant St.

The Pleasant St. Post Office services the Waughtown Area Community, many of whom walk to the post office. The Waughtown Area is among the most diverse, predominantly working class communities in Winston-Salem. It is the only Post Office slated to be shut-down http://southwinston-salem.myfox8.com/news/news/63186-residents-protest-waughtown-post-office-closure-proposal after already having faced shortened service hours.

http://ctj.org/ctjreports/2011/11/corporate_taxpayers_corporate_tax_dodgers_2008-2010.php

Join Us for a laid back Power Peep-Makin, Strategy-Buildin’, “Bring Yo Own Bag” Easter Weekend Picnic Today (SAT April 7) from 3-5PM in Winston Square Park (next to Sawtooth downtown)! Lovely weather and good peeps!

Come one, come all and celebrate with us downtown. Sept. 17 is the day it all began in Zucotti Park, n’ believe it er not, we’re already half-way around the calendar year!

Occupy Winston will have an info table at 4th and Trade (Civic Park) from around noon until 5- however this will only be “home base” as we will have petition and flyer-passing teams going around town, a 6′ 5″ Leprechaun on the run from greedy investors and other fun activities!

We will have several petitions and can do some mini-crash-study sessions/mock petitioning if you wanna get yer feet wet before petitioning or flyering.

Please, come by the table or call and we will update you on where different petition teams are going. Come when you can n’ for as long as you can. ALL HANDS ON DECK!!

We will have a meet-n-greet prior to the teach-in @ 7pm featuring local activist Janet Owen. EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT AMENDMENT ONE PLEASE ATTEND THIS MEETING! IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT AMENDMENT ONE ABSOLUTELY ATTEND THIS MEETING!! We will be discussing ways that local activists long-time and new can work together to educate and mobilize the greater Forsyth County public about this upcoming statewide vote on May 8! Click on the flyer for more info:

Several Occupy Winston-Salem members will be protesting NC House Speaker Thom Tillis this afternoon, WED Mar. 7 for his connections with A.L.E.C. (American Legislative Exchange Council) and his championing recent regressive, pro-big business, anti-worker legislation.

Wednesday, March 7th

Lewisville Elementary

150 Lucy Lane,

Lewisville, NC  27023 Rally starts between 4:30 PM and 5:00 PM. Town Hall starts at 6:00 PM

This is not an official Occupy Winston-Salem event and we have not, as a coaltion, chosen to endorse any specific party or candidate- however this will be an EXCELLENT opportunity to continue to expose the depth of corporate dominance over our political process.

For more on ALEC in NC: http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/a-primer-on-alec-its-influence-and-its-presence-in-north-carolina/Content?oid=2666829

 http://alecinnc.wordpress.com/

For in-depth coverage of ALEC: http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

Recent WSJ coverage: http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2011/dec/07/wsmet01-tillis-clarifies-no-new-funds-for-pre-k-ar-1685942/

RAIN OR SHINE FOLKS!!! Our day has had a BEAUTIFUL start (despite the serious faces in the screnshot haha! ) when we protested in fron of Wells Fargo and had another People’s Assembly at City Hall (right across the street).

We will see you ALL sometime 4-6. If you can only come for a bit come 4:30-5:30!!

RAIN PONCHOS PROVIDED! PEACE, LOVE, AND SOLIDARITY!

By the summer we hope to have visited every ward of Winston-Salem at least once if not several times. In response to the media negative hype that the Occupy movement ‘does not have a message’ we will bring specific demands to the Winston-Salem communities and hearing stories of how each aspect of global/national economic injustice affects our region. Every 99 days we will be focusing on several of our Points of Unity and connecting them with the wards that have been affected by these issues. Of course, this does not mean that many of us will not also be involved in other issues such as Foreclosure Prevention, however this campaign will help to ground us and push us to reach out to the Greater Winston Community instead of expecting everyone to always come to us. The 99 day strategy will also help to focus our resources, especially during the colder months and have a ‘road map’ of sorts that we can plan around. We will also be participating in several regional, national, and solidarity actions during this time.

PHASE I: FEBRUARY 14 – MAY 22

#1 Stand Up for Social and Economic Justice!

#2 We the People not We the Corporations!

#3 Free Speech is No Longer For Sale! (Money is not Free Speech!)

(Examples of possible future 99 Day projects could be: Money for Schools not Bombs: Stand Up Against War Profiteering and Education Cuts, Quality Healthcare is a Right not a Privilege, etc. )                                                        (please click image to enlarge)

The Sixth Annual Historic Thousands on Jones was by far the largest ever and a truly blockbuster event! One of the fantastic things about it was that we heard numerous slogans made famous by the Occupy Movement, which is exactly what we are about: galvanizing others to take a stronger stand on corporate greed, corruption, and economic and social injustice! The world is listening- have courage! Onward friends! North Carolina has People Power, yawl!

MEET 4-6p TODAY 2/10 AT REYNOLDS ON MAIN ST TO PROTEST UNFAIR LAYOFFS. If we approach 25 person capacity we will have another group picket further down 4th St!!

http://www.wxii12.com/news/30406698/detail.html
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-reynolds_american_sees_earnings_increase__begins_layoffs_at_tobacco_plant-60440.html

Sometime over the next week, OccupyWinstonSalem.org will be suffering some DOWNTIME. We are migrating control of the domain name to a different server, and this will require a short period where the website will not be functioning.

Not to worry, all of the current content should be retained without any trouble.

Sorry for the inconvenience,
Ethan Smith

There will be NO MEETINGS on Thursday 1/19/2012!!

Please join us at 5:30 City Hall (101 N. Main St.) as the Public Safety Committee reviews City Council Member Dan Besse’s proposal to amend city ordinance 38-3 pertaining to open-air public meetings. This is a concern to all citizens, since the proposed changes severely encroach upon First Amendment Rights to Free Speech.

Show your support against limiting free speech by helping us pack this meeting tonight.The meeting will be held in room 239.

Hope to see you there.

OK folks, it’s go time. Walkupy will arrive in Winston between 1 and 3pm tomorrow (12/31). Here’s what we know, and here’s what you can do to help.

I. Walkupy arrives in Winston at the Besthesda Center between 1 and 3 pm and will immediately move into feeding the homeless (as many as 50 people).

http://occupywinstonsalem.org/events/location/bethesda-center-for-the-homeless/

II.  After the meal we will walk from the Bethesda Center to City Hall, to arrive at City Hall around 4:00. This is not an official “march” or “parade” so be sure to obey all traffic laws (eg, wait for a green light to cross intersections). We will hold a rally (officially called a “picket”), and we have received a permit for up to 100 people; if more show than we can accommodate by separating into smaller groups. This will include a Mic-check stating our particular local and national concerns.

http://occupywinstonsalem.org/events/event/walkupy-ows-peoples-forum-at-city-hall/

III.  Following the rally there will be a potluck dinner at Marvin United Methodist Church. 4401 Indiana Ave, Winston-Salem, NC 27105-2513

IV. Later in the evening there will be a New Year’s Eve party, TBA.

What can you do?

1. We need your presence!

2. Invite friends

3. For the homeless meal:

a. Agree to bring one or more of the following:

1. plates, cups, forks, napkins

2. Sandwiches of all sorts

3. potato salad, cole slaw

4. drinks (soda, water, tea)

5. ice, trashbags

6. dessert

7. other

b. Agree to serve

4. For the walk: Agree to walk and bring a friend

5. For the rally at City Hall: Agree to participate, and bring a friend!

6. For the Pot Luck: Agree to bring food and drink.

7. Contact civic groups and/or churches to get more support.

Please email Mike McGuire right away and let me know what you are committing to for this event (e.g., “I will bring 25 ham and cheese sandwiches”): http://occupywinstonsalem.org/members/01234mike/ (call him if you already have his #!)

I’m sorry the specific times could not be better calculated, but it is hard for Walkupy to be exact due to the nature of the movement, ie, walking long distances.

Remember, what YOU do right now will make or break this event!

We are planning to be a part of Walkupy as they travel through our area. Below I will post the email I sent them and the response I received.

———- Forwarded message ———-

From: Ethan Smith

Date: Sat, Dec 24, 2011 at 10:08 AM

Subject: Walkupy in Winston-Salem

To: contact@walkupy.org

Cc: a_thomas_57@yahoo.com

To Whom It May Concern;

I am a member of Occupy Winston-Salem and am seeking information from you folks about your scheduled arrival in Winston. We established a working group for this event, and a man by the name of Thomas Garner is supposed to be getting in touch with you guys in order to help facilitate planning between you and us; however, as time is very short, I thought I would go ahead and contact you as well.

I have several questions that we need to have answered;

Do you folks have any plans for what to do in Winston and how you are going to do it?

How many folks do you have?
What are the approximate times for arriving and departing?

Do you already have a chosen route (into and out of Winston)?

Since we had not already spoken with you folks about it, we are planning a several things. We need to know from you ASAP to make sure we are on track:

We are attempting to locate a suitable place for you guys to camp (again, how many will there be?)
We are working on cooking meals during your stay

We are planning a parade/march to accompany you into and out of Winston.

Thanks!

Ethan Smith

Walkupy Mobile Occupation Headquarters walkupation@gmail.com

12:30 PM (30 minutes ago)

to me

Thanks Ethan,

You may get more than one response from us also. This is Garth writing here. I do finance and web administration for Walkupy. To answer your questions:

Plans for WInston-Salem are uncertain.

We will have 15-20 walkers.

We should arrive in the late afternoon on Dec 31st and leave by 9AM on the morning of Jan 2nd.

The exact route in and out of the city is not finalized.

About your plans……

A camping spot would be great. We are looking for a place that is suitable for holding a New Years Eve party where we would invite area Occupations. We will not publish the address but rather give it out individually to anyone who calls asking for it. The location does not necessarily have to be “legal”. If we don’t have official permission to be there then it will just have to be somewhat hidden from the road or inhabited structures. If you do not know of a suitable location then we will send our scouts ahead to look for a place.

Meals would of course be…..awesome!

An entrance and exit march would also be awesome.

Thanks Ethan. My number is 618-***-****. Call anytime.

Garth

We got shut down by the Winston-Salem Police Department.

He didn’t care about the ordinance. DO NOT GO TO CITY HALL TODAY. A video copy of this has already been sent to the ACLU. We will be looking for legal recourse beginning TOMORROW.

A sad sad day for THEIR ‘democracy’ but an awesome day for OURS.

**This post has been corrected to reflect that it was the Police Department who evicted the protestors, NOT the Sheriff.**

Hi all- We’ve had a great turn-out for our people’s forum. We were told to leave by the city manager and the police, but we STOOD OUR GROUND and won! This is a major victory…Power the people… We’re talking, singing, and hanging out on the lawn at City Hall. We’re staying up all night! PLEASE JOIN US IF YOU CAN!!

Hi all- The employment march this past Saturday in Greensboro went well. Total we had around 100 participants in the march.  The drumming group that came to our Wells Fargo CEO protest participated also. It was an excellent event. Well done everyone!

Occupy Winston will be CARPOOLING on Sat. Dec. 10th  from Thruway Shopping Center where Borders used to be at 10:30. We will be heading to the GREENSBORO PUBLIC LIBRARY. The March in Greensboro begins at 11:30 at the Library: 219 North Church St, Greensboro, NC 27402. Families are welcome to attend!

Event Info:
Meeting at the Greensboro Public Library heading to Governmental Plaza Saturday December 10th assembling at 11:30 in front of the downtown library, marching through Greensboro to end at the governmental plaza for a rally with speaker from organized labor, the community, and youth. NC has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs since 1990, lost 70k 2009 alone which is the 8th highest loss of manufacturing jobs of any state in the US. The current efforts at economic development paid for by our tax money to attract businesses is broken because it leads to business coming and leaving in unpredictable cycles that devastate the working class. For instance, Greensboro celebrates the arrival Honda Jet while at the same time mourning the departure of American Express. This so called jobless recovery has meant growing poverty and despair for far too many of the people who make up the 99%. We need to imagine and create new ways of developing businesses that are rooted in our community; that producing jobs and community wealth; paying living wages that keep up with inflation; and not polluting the environment. This march is the beginning of our ongoing local efforts to draw together the employed, underemployed, and unemployed in a community wide effort to build a new economy.

On Sat. about 40 of us from Occupy marched for homeless children as part of the Holiday Parade. It went well and the participation turn-out was great! We had about 45 show up for our GA on Sat. at the Central Library. We discussed occupying and foreclosure.

Hi all- Today we had a spirited crowd of about 40 protest John Stumpf CEO of Wells Fargo in front of the Benton Convention Center today. Members from Occupy Greensboro and Charlotte joined us as well as an awesome drumming group that vamped the atmosphere of the protest up!!!  It was a great event and went very well. The response to us from the public was mostly positive, so pat on the back for everyone who participated and well done!

We will be having a facilitation meeting at 5:30 on Thursday Dec. 1st at Krankies.