Official endorsement of HR0610

[grifray]

This is a request for a vote by the GA to officially endorse HR0610 with the name of Occupy Chicago. Other confirmed endorsements so far: Tamms Year 10, Champaign Urbana Citizens for Peace and Justice, Occupy Rogers Park.

What is different about this second proposal:
This proposal adds language to clarify the non-partisan and politically autonomous position of Occupy Chicago. Support of the resolution is not support for any political party, individual politician, or even of the political process itself.
Passage of this resolution would be a statement that the political process should recognize the basic concerns shared by the many Occupations in Illinois.

The proposed endorsement would read (below that is the language of the resolution itself):

Occupy Chicago expresses its support for House Resolution 0610 which: 1)
outlines the many hardships brought upon the people of Illinois by Wall
Street traders and bankers, and; 2) recognizes and supports the
Illinois Occupy protesters in their exercise of First Amendment rights of
speech and assembly.

Occupy Chicago's endorsement of this Resolution does not imply an
endorsement of any individual politician, political party or faction. Occupy
Chicago is a non-partisan movement committed to exercising its
Constitutionally protected rights of free speech and to peacefully
contesting corporate abuse of American democracy.

FULL TEXT OF RESOLUTION HR0610
Illinois House Resolution Concerning the Illinois Occupy Movements

WHEREAS, The people of Illinois are suffering from an ongoing economic crisis that threatens their health, wealth and security, and

WHEREAS, Occupy movements in Illinois are supported by people of all trades and occupations, from school teachers to military veterans, who are stirred to protest economic injustice by the examples of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City and the numerous other Occupy protests across the country; and

WHEREAS, In Illinois, the unemployment rate is 10% (numbering more than 660,000 people), the poverty rate is more than 14% (1.8 million people), and the rate of people living in extreme poverty (income less than $11,000 for a family of four) is nearly 7% (680,000 people); and

WHEREAS, The average after-tax household income of the top 1% of the United States population grew by 275% between 1979 and 2007, and the average after-tax household income of the lowest 20% of the United States population grew by just 18% in that same period; and

WHEREAS, The top 1% of income earners control 40% of the wealth in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The foreclosure rate in Illinois last month was the ninth worst in the country (1 of every 463 units), the rate in Cook County was even worse (1 of 357 units), and nearly 45% of the mortgage loans on Chicago homes are "underwater", that is, the amount of the home mortgage loan exceeds the value of the home; and

WHEREAS, The cost of the foreclosure crisis to Illinois taxpayers in 2012 is expected to reach $12 billion, blighting whole communities with decreased police and fire protection, higher crime rates, less access to health care, poorer schools, deteriorated infrastructure, diminished recreation services, reduced library services, and park closures or reduced park hours; and

WHEREAS, People of all ages (from young adults to seniors) and backgrounds, individuals from all Chicago neighborhoods, and persons who live in the suburbs, downstate cities, and rural areas are lawfully protesting the failures of Wall Street, the subsequent economic crisis, and the failure to address the needs of 99% of the population; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the hardships experienced by the people of Illinois as a result of the economic injustices and we stand in support of the continued peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights by Occupy protesters.

More info: http://yougenics.net/occupyresolution.html

[bodiesuponthegears]

WITHOUT ADDITIONS VOTE NO

This proposal was already voted on and rejected at GA a few nights ago.

Please read the excellent arguments made by mattjohnson and blanketyblank AGAINST this proposal in the previous thread regarding HR0610.

I might be willing to support this proposal however if it were to include a few additions.

If this truly is a call to respect the First Amendment Rights of Occupy protesters, then somewhere in HR0610 it would do well to:

1) Condemn the arrests of any protesters who were simply exercising the First Amendment Rights this resolution correctly champions.

2) Call on the City of Chicago (and any other cities or towns in IL who have arrested peaceful protesters) to drop all charges against any and all arrestees who were simply exercising those First Amendment Rights.

3) Condemn the intimidation and violence directed at our brothers and sisters in the Occupy Movement across the country by some police and and/or elected officials.

The silence of our elected officials (local, state, and national) in directly condemning these arrests and horrifying acts - by those who should be protecting us - is deafening.

The above suggested additions to HR0610 would be an opportunity for our elected officials to redress that silence.

Without the above suggested additions the proposal rings hollow and feels a bit patronizing - I would have to VOTE NO.

[The Sudanese]

-- To my friend "bodiesuponthegears" --
What is hollow about a statement describing how the west side and south side neighborhoods suffer hardships at the hands of Wall Street investors? And all the other poor people too?

If Occupy Chicago can't agree with this statement, and with a statement fully designed to support us, then what is a man like me is doing here? And more importantly, who are you? These hardships are the reality that many of us live with and I appreciate the very important statement by the legislature that it was not due to our shortcoming that we have ended up in wrecked communities, but that of Wall Street.

Is our reality so dismissible to the white Occupiers who oppose this very plainly stated resolution?

I was there for the failed votes and this is what I observed: arrogance.

Those who spit on the hands extended by these legislators must already know that we will win the whole revolution, eh? Perhaps we are much stronger than is apparent on this day.

Until then, we must accept honest help where it comes, and let the rats fight with the rats.

[bartleby]

To Bodies...

I am sorry he has had his feelings hurt and that he feels "slightly patronized." But pardon me if I reply that the dismissal of efforts by fellow Occupiers to obtain some measure of support from the state because it is not enough, feels to me patronizing. And pardon me too if giving the back of the hand to the few, genuinely progressive legislators who have worked hard for the foreclosed, the evicted, the impoverished and the imprisoned in their districts, feels slightly patronizing too.

HR 0610 is not a panacea, of course. It is simply an offer of moral support that may add just a measure of material support and protection to us all. I ask you and the small number of others who oppose this measure, to reconsider. A similar measure to this one garnered 79 of 87 votes at a GA. (It failed by one.) Let's vote on this revised proposal and pass it.

[bodiesuponthegears]

WITHOUT ADDITIONS VOTE NO

I agree with many of the points being posted here.

However, since no specific nor substantive criticism has been offered against the 3 specific additions I've suggested including in HR0610 - I respectfully ask once again they be added to HR0610.

Or explain why they should not be.

[HarryWent]

Dear bodiesuponthegears

Your specific 3 additions cannot be added to the resolution because it has already been filed and is going thru legislative processing down in Springfield; this is Rep Fords resolution addressed to the legislators in Springfield, it is not from Occupy Chicago. The proposal here is to endorse it.

Plus, as I am sure you do not need to be reminded of, there are huge unjust forces dominating the legislative world of Springfield, this means that a resolution such as this as an incredible time getting passed even in the mild state that its content is in now. My guess is that Rep Ford knew this all too well and to have even the slightest chance of passing, only so much can be said. He did not invent this legislative-political nexus concentrated down in Springfield but i would think he knows some of implicit rules & limits, more than we do here. But this of course is an example of the world that we are trying to change. You might think that by endorsing the statements of the resolution, this is a collusion and works against change, I happen to perceive and think things a little differently, here goes...

I understand and agree with Occupy's refusal to yield to traditional structures of liberal politics, I am no democrat or as they say it elsewhere - I am no
third-way'er; for global capitalism with a happy face.

This resolution is not a piece of legislation but involves a small symbolic recognition, by a liberal political institution, of the gross economic injustice suffered by many Illinois people and Occupy movements first amendment right to speak of this

For OC I classify this endorsement as, if nothing else, than a small smart media strategy; for legislators are going to hear a series of facts about the economic devastation of their own backyard and that IF they make light of it, THEY ARE SEEN to be making light of it. Press/TV will cover this, it will be out in mainstream airwaves where a lot of the 99% hear their news, those not on alternet or democracynow. It will produce some coverage amplifying the symbolic boost to all state wide cccupations that accompanies the resolution's recognition of the immense injustices that we are fighting. As was mentioned on the forum here by The Sudanese, in reply to accusation of the resolution's shallowness "What is hollow about a statement describing how the west side and south side neighborhoods suffer hardships at the hands of Wall Street investors? "

Also - I see no difference (of principle) in kind between the endorsing of this AND the joining of OC with SEIU for the march last thursday. Lets remember how as a corporation SEIU is part of the liberal political-financial-legal machine. SEIU gave at least $26 million into Obama's 2008 campaign and on Nov 16, the day before the Nov 17 big action here in the City, Mary Kay Henry of the SEIU posted a video on their site asking for all its members to relect Obama (and I mention this about SEIU at the same time in full respect and support for all its members, they are the ones we fight for)

Lets not be deceived about our state of purity here in the relations we have with any institution, we have to air kiss, have flights of alliance --this is unavoidable and strategically necessary for the movement. We are not yet IN the world we want even if that world is in us, is us. We must be as smart in recognizing this as we are in having the discipline not to let an air kiss turn into a full blown tongue involved snog. I say NO to the snog but I think endorsing the resolution is an air kiss and we have more to gain by supporting it then not. There are times when a militant stand is the only one to take but this is not one of them.

[blanketyblank]

If Occupy Chicago can't agree with this statement, and with a statement fully designed to support us, then what is a man like me is doing here? And more importantly, who are you? These hardships are the reality that many of us live with and I appreciate the very important statement by the legislature that it was not due to our shortcoming that we have ended up in wrecked communities, but that of Wall Street.

Is our reality so dismissible to the white Occupiers who oppose this very plainly stated resolution?

I was there for the failed votes and this is what I observed: arrogance.

Those who spit on the hands extended by these legislators must already know that we will win the whole revolution, eh? Perhaps we are much stronger than is apparent on this day.

Until then, we must accept honest help where it comes, and let the rats fight with the rats.

I hate when the race card is used.

I don't understand the emotion over a stupid resolution that OC had NO say in writing, no outreach for input about something directy related to OC. Maybe a NO will give Mr. Ford and his like an idea to reach-out to OC first, next time, instead of putting words in OC mouth. When it's all over, do we call to thank our corrupt masters for voting for something that is meaningless and already should be a given?

Anyone who sees arrogance in a movement rejecting a stupid nothing resolution in the corrupt Il legislature is trying to coopt it for his own ego-maniacal agenda.

If only OC posted an agenda so I know when to go and vote no to this, I'd be there.

[seemoreglass09]

First of all, it is my understanding that Rep Ford worked closely with several members of the Education committee to develop this resolution.
Second, this is not Occupy's statement, this is a statement about Occupy that the Il house of reps will hopefully make.
Third, it is too late to change the wording on the resolution. It's already on the docket as worded.

I really don't understand all the opposition. Of course they could do more, but they also could do nothing at all. This could be great publicity for us and for our brothers and sisters occupying around the state. It's bringing attention to the cause, and to the real heart of the cause, economic injustice. Yeah, an encampment would be great, but I didn't join occupy because I wanted to fight for the right to camp in a park. I joined Occupy because the foreclosure crisis is out of hand, because the uninsured are left to die, because CHicago is facing austerity cuts while TIF funds buy the mercantile exchange granite countertops in their bathrooms. This statement outlines in stark detail the poverty our state currently faces. It doesn't solve anything, but no one is claiming it does. It draws attention to the issue and the movement.
This is a way to reach out to people who still don't know what Occupy is all about. We can change the story about Occupy back to economic justice.

@Bodies, here is why we should not be condemning the arrests and begging for charges to be dropped.
1 these arrests are local issue, this resolution addresses the whole state.
2 Occupy has already out lots of effort into petitions and protests demanding that charges be dropped. THese are important, but in a way distract from our broader message.
3 Demanding charges be dropped makes us sound like spoiled children. I was arrested. I understood and accepted the consequences of my actions. We CHOSE to be arrested on the 16th and the 23rd. We were arrested because we wanted to make our point, and show our devotion to the cause. I can't speak for the other arrestees, but the point that I was making was not "you should not arrest me." It was "government should not serve the interests of the wealthy."
And, as I mentioned, it is too late to change the actual text of HR 0610.

The movement needs to look forward and stay on message. Our civil liberties are only being threatened because they want to silence the message we came together to spread in the first place.

Lastly, remember THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE TO ENDORSING AND PASSING HR 0610.

[seemoreglass09]

The OChi GA vote is going to be on Friday 11/25.
And remember, the IL house of reps vote is on Tuesday, 11/29.

[CanWeGetThisDone]

Dear all,

1) The language as written is great. HR0610 details how Wall Street has harmed the people of Illinois, and states that the legislature supports Occupy. (There was talk in this resolution of mentioning the arrests but that's another resolution. It didn't make sense here for a variety of reasons...)
2) But, if you want a resolution that says something else, make a proposal about it!
3) Is it only a symbol? Yes! Of course! All our resolutions, rallies, marches -- and occupations of land and space -- are toothless symbols! These symbolic gestures are intended to reach audiences with the goal of reorienting consciousness toward our larger project: to radically reconfigure an economic and political system that reproduces and extends inequality.
4) In this case, the resolution legitimizes a radical message (that Wall Street is to blame for Illinois problems) and it provides a progressive interpretation of the First Amendment in the teeth of reactionary ones like Citizens United decision that treats corporations as people.
5) I agree with seemoreglass09, there is no downside to endorsing a statement we agree with, and that supports us.
6) However, there is a downside to rejecting it: we look like self-centered ungrateful jerks. Echoing The Sudanese, are we really so powerful that we don't need to build a movement, or that we can refuse offers of support from progressives? They were working on and fighting for these same issues long before we started Occupy. Now we are suddenly so much better than them? OMG.
7) Point of fact to some hostile comment: Rep. Ford has been to Occupy, early on. He has gone to the Occupy events in his neighborhood, and he contacted Occupy to see how he could help. He asked for input from Occupy people in the resolution and Occupy people were involved in every step of the process. No one says he should get a medal for this, but you shouldn't lie and say he doesn't care.
8) There is no way to write a resolution at an Assembly, it had to be written in a Committee. It was 100% Occupy people who worked on it, with Rep. Ford.
9) In short, we are still a fragile effort and our success depends on bringing many more people into the movement and resisting tendencies toward self-isolation and sectarianism.

I would also point out, as someone did above, that Occupy Chicago is in the bed of big unions, who basically prop up the whole Democratic party in the state, and the country! Does blankety-blank spend all day complaining about that? Stand Up/SEIU etc. have dumped a ton of money into this, fronted the huge marches, turned out crowds, and put its press machine to work -- for Occupy. (And they don't even reveal who they are or where the money is coming from!)

But, this is a great thing, since they have good politics and are fighting for a legislative environment that helps their members. But, surely they are far more embedded in the state power structure than La Shawn K. Ford! Do you all feel compromised about our alliance with SEIU? Does it bother you that they have more turnout power than we do?

If you are one of the few people blocking this, think again. It looks pretty silly to reject a resolution designed to support us. And more importantly, it is a good, clear, statistical and factual statement on the harm done to people suffering all over Chicago at the hands of Wall Street. That's exactly our message! It would be a a victory to have everyone in the state say it!