Proposal: Let's get rid of the SafetySecurity Committee

[ciwp]

[Hmmmm.... SS... where have I seen that before?....]

I propose that the SafetySecurity Committee be dismantled and abolished due to the following reasons:

1) No union or socialist organization I know of has a permanent "Security" section.
They have a "sergeant at arms" who keeps order at union meetings and who can ask for assistance from the membership in cases of outrageously disruptive behavior in meetings, demonstrations, etc. And that's it.

2) I have never seen any organization organize "security" patrols at even the largest demonstrations (100,000 or more). They simply recruit "marshals" from the trusted members of their organizations or parties who get an armband and who are supposed to protect the marchers during that day's events. Once those events are over, their role as "marshal" ends.

3) Our so-called "security" people have been ( I hate to be so blunt but I have seen them in action with mine own eyes) one of the sorriest-looking bands of ragamuffins since the "Dead End Kids" or "Our Gang" (look it up on Google). We had a young woman on our "security" staff who was about 5'1", 100 lbs. and who regularly "patrolled" HQ hugging a Care Bear.

4) Our so-called "security" people have either been AWOL when shit happens or have been actually involved in semi-criminal or criminal behavior (the disappearance of the "Donations Box"; pocketing cash donations from the public; looking the other way while donated laptops "disappear"; a "security" member who it was found out was a convicted sex offender, etc.)

5) Our so-called "security" people have taken it upon themselves to issue themselves ridiculously amateurish "Photo ID Badges" without even bothering to do background checks on those who are issued the badges

6) Our so-called "security" people are so friendly to the Chicago Police that our Keystone Kops-style "security" force is the most likely means of infiltration of Occupy Chicago by the Chicago Police and other governmental agencies

7) Our so-called "security" people claim that it is "not their job" to do things like secure cash donations from the public handed to us at HQ. If stuff like that's not your job then what, pray tell, IS??

Need I say more? We do not need a "security" force. No other group of our type has one. The one we have now is a sick joke and an embarrassment to the entire Occupy movement and a scandal in progress.

Mark Donaghey
Housing, Donations Committees
Committee for an Independent Workers Party

[Grimaldy]

Undoubtedly the Chicago Police department has a number of its plain clothes people in the security section; that is where security is talked about and planned. The problem is not that they are snooping, the problem is that they often become provocateurs, urging action of some kind, particularly violence. That give the uniformed police justification to use violence against the protestors.

Besides as citizens of Chicago, the protestors have every right to call for and expect protection from the CPD. If someone is seen stealing call an cop and have them arrested. If someone is seen committing a crime, get a cop to take action.