Saturday, November 05, 2011

Occupy it All



OCCUPY IT ALL





          Another veteran was hospitalized, this time from a direct, Brutal beating from an Oakland cop.  It was so bad, that in his cell, he could no longer stand the pain in his stomach from the ruptured spleen, he managed to crawl on his hands and knees to the bars and call for help.  They sent a nurse who offered him a suppository.  He is now in a hospital.  I think it is clear that the 1% will not give up their status without first killing as many of the 99% as possible.

          Israel stopped the two evil foreign vessels in international waters with their dangerous cargo of medical supplies.  They were on their way to Gaza.  A transcript is below, along with a video link, but you probably have not heard much of it because of Israel’s threats of war against Iran.  See, one day, Iran may want to develop a nuclear weapon and Israel only has two or three hundred so they need help.  Wolfgang Blitzkrieg, ex-lobbyist for APAC, asked about the dangerous territory Israel would have to cross.  All these overweight oil barons in nightgowns are in the way, after all.

          What populace there is, I suppose, was watching HLN.  I went into a waiting room and heard them, and it sounded like a live play-by-play of a hockey game on the radio:

“We are waiting now as we can have a verdict at any moment now.  Wait, I just got a note on my blackberry!  We have a buzz, we have a buzz.  I’m told one buzz means they want a break, two buzzes means a question, three means a verdict.  We are on pins and needles.  I’m going to Beth at the court house.  Beth, can you hear the buzz – what kind is it?”

Beth: “No, Vinnie, I’m three floors about the courtroom and can’t hear a thing, I ….”

Vinnie: “No help there.  Let’s go outside to Jane.  Jane, what do you know?”

Jane: Loud and urgent: “We are hear with an organizer with the delegation from Croatia.  What is your name ….”

Vinnie: “No help there, but I hear it was two buzzes, two buzzes, meaning a question.  We are going to try to find out what kind of question – what?  Oh, they asked if they can take a break.  So, I don’t blame them….”

          Fortunately, it was my turn and I was lucky enough to leave. 


We notice that Herman Cain is getting the pro-adultery vote as his contributions and popularity have increased since at least three women recounted instances of sexual harassment.  Perhaps it is the same people who supported Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky hummer debate.

Newt, by doing relatively nothing, is now in third place.


But let’s get on to the dire threat against poor Israel:

From another source:


Democracy Now!

Exclusive: Video from Gaza Flotilla as Israeli Navy Prepares to Intercept Boats

Two Gaza-bound boats carrying pro-Palestinian activists are within 50 nautical miles of their destination, but reports are emerging that Israeli Navy ships have intercepted the "Freedom Waves to Gaza" flotilla. Communication with the boats has largely been cut off. Prior to losing contact, we received two exclusive video reports from aboard the "Tahrir," the Canadian ship. Speaking to Democracy Now! correspondent Jihan Hafiz last night, passenger Ehab Lotayef said, "We are approaching the 100-nautical-mile point away from Gaza, which is usually the point where Israel declares—starts the blockade ... Will they try to come and board us? All these questions are now at the moment of truth. The major preparation we did is to prepare that we don’t want anybody to act in any violent way or in any way that can even induce violence by the Israelis." [includes rush transcript]
Guests:
Jihan Hafiz, independent journalist currently reporting for Democracy Now! from the Canadian ship Tahrir, which is part of a flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip.
Jane Hirschmann, coordinator of the U.S. delegation for the Freedom Waves to Gaza flotilla.
Col. Ann Wright (Ret.), retired U.S. Army colonel and former U.S. diplomat who spent 29 years in the military and later served as a high-ranking diplomat in the State Department. She was a passenger on The Audacity of Hope U.S.-flagged ship in a recent Gaza aid flotilla. She was also on the first Freedom Flotilla.
Related stories

Rush Transcript

This transcript is available free of charge. However, donations help us provide closed captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing on our TV broadcast. Thank you for your generous contribution.
Donate

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AMY GOODMAN: We’re on the road in Syracuse, New York. As we go to broadcast, we’re receiving reports that the Freedom Waves flotilla to Gaza is being approached by Israeli naval vessels. Sandra Ruch, part of the steering committee for the Canadian boat, called in this report just as we went to air.
SANDRA RUCH: ...in Istanbul, Turkey, and I’ve been in constant contact with the Tahrir. He have just lost communication. The last thing we heard was from Fintan Lane of the Irish boat that they could see the Israeli army or navy offshore, and they are at 51 nautical miles from Gaza. So we have now lost communication completely with our boats.
AMY GOODMAN: As we broadcast now, a Canadian and Irish boat are en route to Gaza, about 48 nautical miles from their destination. The Freedom Waves to Gaza flotilla marks the latest attempt by international activists to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza. Earlier this year, Greece blocked the departure of several ships from another flotilla heading to the region. In 2010, Israeli forces killed nine Turkish activists, including a U.S. citizen, on an aid boat called the Mavi Marmara, which was part of the first such international flotilla. The Canadian boat is called Tahrir, Arabic for "liberation."
Democracy Now! correspondent Jihan Hafiz is on board the Tahrir. She filed this report.
JIHAN HAFIZ: It’s the second day of the Freedom Waves to Gaza flotilla, and the Tahrir moved closer to its destination on Thursday. However, organizers remain on high alert. The Israeli Defense Forces threatened to block the boats from breaching the Gaza blockade by sea. Delegates and journalists met to discuss the Israeli navy intercepting the boats and the possibility of violent confrontation. After weeks of secretly planning the flotilla, activists with the Canadian boat finally made physical contact with their Irish counterparts. Although the boats did not exchange passengers due to rough waters, their proximity boosted the spirits of those on both vessels.
KAREN DEVITO: Free Gaza! Free Palestine!
JIHAN HAFIZ: Activists understand their strength is not in numbers, but rather in the powerfully symbolic act of attempting to break the siege despite the risk of another violent attack by the Israeli navy.
MICHAEL COLEMAN: Michael Coleman from Sydney, Australia. I’m representing the Free Gaza Australia on the first Freedom Waves flotilla to Gaza. My family and friends are very supportive, and I haven’t had to sort of choose between too many things. It is a financial strain on me, as I’m only a youth worker, and, you know, social services don’t get paid that well, but it’s money well spent, in my opinion.
JIHAN HAFIZ: Michael attempted to reach Gaza in the summer but never made it, when the Greek government prevented the Tahrir from leaving the country. This time he serves as a member of the crew and expresses his satisfaction about his efforts to end Israel’s four-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.
MICHAEL COLEMAN: Well, I tried to tone down my expectations on this trip, because last time, when we tried to sail out of Crete in June and July, we hit a wall of bureaucratic obstacles, which I didn’t anticipate, and I came back with a definite sense of frustration. So, I came not to have too many high hopes for this trip. But it’s with great joy I tell you I’m now sitting in international waters, and we got out of the bureaucracy in Turkey. And now Gaza awaits us. Yes, there is a level of nerves about being confronted by what I like to term the IOF, the Israeli Occupation Forces. They have a long history of targeting peaceful protesters with violence, which is totally unacceptable, but that’s meant as a deterrent to us.
EHAB LOTAYEF: Ehab Lotayef, one of the organizers of the Canadian boat to Gaza and a delegate on board towards Gaza. It’s now 7:30 Friday morning. We are approaching the hundred-nautical-mile point away from Gaza, which is usually the point where Israel declares—starts the blockade. So, at this point we are getting anxious, in a way, to know when will they put a blackout on our communications, if they will put it. When will they try to come and board us? Will they try to come and board us? All these questions are now at the moment of truth. The major preparation we did is to prepare that we don’t want anybody to act in any violent way or in any way that can even induce violence by the Israelis. All the spirits are good. Everybody is cooperating. We feel that we really have a very successful mission up to now. Everybody is happy with what’s happening. And we are still hopeful to get to Gaza, actually.
JIHAN HAFIZ: Majd Kayal, a 20-year-old university student, is the only Palestinian on board.
What is life like for you in Israel?
MAJD KAYAL: The question of who I am was always—not only for me, for all the Palestinians that grow in Israel, this—the question of identity, of who I am. I am Palestinian, but I am not. But I have a blue ID, which is the Israeli ID. Being Palestinian is not something that you choose. I didn’t choose to be part of the struggle. It’s not—I didn’t make this choice. I was born with it. I was born with the fact that I am suffering from the [inaudible] state, that I am not a citizen in this state, or citizen in a low—in a lower place than the Jewish citizen in Israel.
JIHAN HAFIZ: How do you feel about being the only Palestinian on this trip?
MAJD KAYAL: I feel sorry. I think that it has to be more Palestinians on the boats and in all the boats. I think it has to be Palestinian boats from different places in Europe. I hope it will be soon, not only for Gaza. I really think that we have idea of the return boats, boats of refugees that try to get to Jaffa or to Haifa or to Akka, to the cities that their parents were born. And I believe that only the Palestinian people can liberate itself. We need the support, and we need the world, the whole world, to stand with us, but I believe that only the Palestinian people can fight for its rights. Only the Palestinian people can really liberate itself and liberate Palestine from the colonization.
JIHAN HAFIZ: As the sun set over the Mediterranean, memories of the Mavi Marmara attack reminded passengers of the Tahrir that Israel could strike at any moment. The most violent attack against the peace convoy to Gaza came 95 kilometers off the coast of Gaza, when Isreali commandos entered international waters, stormed the flotilla, killing nine Turkish activists and wounding many others. Activists and journalists began to prepare themselves for a possible surprise attack in the later hours of the morning, as the Tahrir and the Saoirse approached Gaza. They expect to come within a hundred kilometers from the coast sometime during the evening. Jihan Hafiz for Democracy Now! on the Tahrir en route to Gaza.
AMY GOODMAN: Just as we went to broadcast this morning, we lost touch with Jihan, Democracy Now!’s Jihan Hafiz, on the boat, on the Canadian boat Tahrir, as they were moving closer to Gaza. But at this point, we have word that Israeli naval ships have surrounded both the Canadian and the Irish boat in the flotilla. But before we lost contact, Jihan filed this update.
JIHAN HAFIZ: We’re about 82 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza, and the Israeli navy has not been spotted. Activists and organizers on the ships say we’re lucky to have made it this far without an interception by the Israelis. There have been a number of preparations underway here on the boats to prepare for the Israeli navy, if they come. The captain reduced the speed of the boat last night to ensure that both vessels would arrive or would come close to the 100-nautical-mile mark at daylight. If the voyage goes smoothly and the Israelis do not intercept both vessels, then this one and the Irish one would arrive in Gaza nine hours from now at about 2:00 to 3:00 Gaza’s time. Everyone on the boat is excited to have made it this far without the Israelis intercepting the boats. There have been preparations underway all night, as well as into this morning, in the event that the Israelis do board the ships. Despite that, however, spirits remain high, and many optimistic that they will reach Gaza, if the Israelis—
AMY GOODMAN: You’ve just heard Jihan Hafiz. She was just reporting to us from the Tahrir. Now, again, we have just lost contact with the boats, so we’re bringing on Jane Hirschmann. She’s in the United States. She’s one of the coordinators of the flotilla, the international support committee.
Jane Hirschmann, if you can tell us what you understand is happening at this point.
JANE HIRSCHMANN: There are two Israeli warships that have surrounded the—our boats, and they are in contact by radio. And Canadian activist Ehab Lotayef, when he was asked, "Where are you going? What is your destination?" he replied, "The conscience of humanity." And when they repeated that question, asking for his final destination of the two boats, he said, "The betterment of mankind." So, at this point, we have lost contact with the ships, but we know that they are currently surrounded, and they are being contacted via radio. The ships are talking to the Israelis.
AMY GOODMAN: So, you have had contact with the two boats here, the Irish ship and the Tahrir, which is the Canadian ship, where Jihan Hafiz, our reporter, was just broadcasting from.
JANE HIRSCHMANN: That’s correct. But now we have all lost communication with them. They have lost [inaudible] —
AMY GOODMAN: Earlier, hours ago—actually, when we were flying into Syracuse, New York, we got word that ships and planes—this was many hours ago—had actually—were doing some kind of reconnaissance, and then they left. Is this what you heard, as well? It was last night.
JANE HIRSCHMANN: Actually, there was a ship following them for hours. And that is pretty typical in these flotillas, that ships can follow you for a very long time. Then they lost sight of the ship, and they did see an aircraft above. Then they lost sight of the aircraft. And then, in early morning hours, they saw one of the ships again. So it’s just a—
AMY GOODMAN: And Jane Hirschmann, you were on The Audacity of Hope. You were on one of the boats in the flotilla that attempted to leave Greece a few months ago, that was a U.S.-flagged ship. The significance of this secret two-boat flotilla that did make it out of a Turkish port? And, well, we’ll see what happens right now.
JANE HIRSCHMANN: Right. I wasn’t on the boat; I was the—one of the organizers of the boat. But it’s very important that this time we kept it secret. Very, very few people knew. And we had to keep it secret, because this is a civil society action, it is not a governmental one. And we wanted no interference from any governments, because we wanted to do this, and the only way was to keep it very, very secret.
AMY GOODMAN: Jane Hirschmann, I want to thank you for being with us.
We’re here in Syracuse, New York, and I want to bring in Colonel Ann Wright. She is a former diplomat. She quit over the war in Afghanistan. She is here in Syracuse, because she joined with 37 other people in protesting drone strikes, drones that are run from a base here in Syracuse, and we’re going to talk about that in the next segment.
But, Colonel Ann Wright, you were on The Audacity of Hope. In fact, you were on the first international flotilla that was challenging the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza. You were on the boat next to the Mavi Marmara, where nine Turkish citizens were killed by the Israeli military. One of those activists who were killed was actually a U.S. citizen, born not far from where we are now, in Syracuse, New York. Can you talk about the significance of, at this point, what we know is two boats—we lost touch with the Canadian boat about 48 nautical miles from Gaza, but now being surrounded by Israeli navy, but making their way, attempting, to Gaza?
ANN WRIGHT: Well, I can imagine what’s going on on those boats, as the Israeli commandos boarded us in 2010. They storm on board. There’s lots of noise. There’s lots of yelling. There’s weapons being pointed at people. "Get down! Get down! Don’t talk! Don’t do anything!" It’s a very scary time, quite honestly. But what—it’s scary, but it’s this thing that these people want to be doing. There are 27 people among the two boats. They want to be a part of the wave of citizen activists who continue to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
AMY GOODMAN: Describe what happened, as you were next to the Mavi Marmara, the Turkish ship. What was the name of your boat?
ANN WRIGHT: Our boat was the Challenger II.
AMY GOODMAN: How far were you from the Mavi Marmara?
ANN WRIGHT: Initially, we were about a hundred yards off its port stern. And we saw helicopters coming over, starting the assault on the Mavi Marmara. We saw commandos from the boat shooting what we didn’t know at the time was live ammunition up into the stern of the Mavi Marmara. And then, after about two minutes of that, we then took off and tried to outrun the patrol boats.
AMY GOODMAN: And how far were you from Gaza?
ANN WRIGHT: We were about 70 miles from Gaza. We were quite far away, in international waters, as are these two boats, still. Forty-eight miles is still in international waters.
AMY GOODMAN: How many people were on your boat? And why you, a colonel, U.S. military, a former ambassador, deputy ambassador to Mongolia? You quit under President George W. Bush. Why did you go on this boat?
ANN WRIGHT: Well, in my letter of resignation to President Bush, not only did I resign over the Iraq war, but also in my letter I mentioned the unequal policies that we have on Palestine and Israel. And I felt it was important to put my voice and my body where it counted and to be a part of an international group to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
AMY GOODMAN: The Israeli military says they just don’t want weapons being brought into Gaza.
ANN WRIGHT: Well, and these flotillas, these boats on the flotillas, are not bringing in weapons, and they very well know that. The fact that the Israelis continue, after 48 years now of blockading Gaza, of not allowing materials to come in by sea or to go out by sea, is something that international activists are going to continue to pressure the international community, the international community of governments who are supporting the Israelis, and of course the United States government, which is its biggest supporter with $3 billion a year and protection in the United Nations on every vote that concerns Israel and Palestine.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to come back to this discussion around people taking direct action. Again, Ann Wright, a retired Army colonel, former U.S. diplomat, who spent 29 years in the military, served as a high-ranking diplomat in the State Department. In 2001, she helped oversee the reopening of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, then in 2003 resigned her post in protest to the war in Iraq. On two of these flotillas, the first with the Mavi Marmara and then The Audacity of Hope. That was a U.S.-flagged ship.
ANN WRIGHT: That’s correct. The Audacity of Hope was U.S.-flagged, as was the Challenger II.
AMY GOODMAN: The boat that you were on.
ANN WRIGHT: Yes. Both were U.S.-flagged. The United States government has made no investigation itself over the murder, the execution, of the U.S. citizen Furkan Dogan nor the—
AMY GOODMAN: That was the young man who was one of the nine activists on board the Mavi Marmara who was killed by the Israeli military, born because—in the United States, his father was a professor.
ANN WRIGHT: That’s right, born in Troy, New York. He was killed with five bullets to his body, including one to the head to execute him, which we can identify on the Israeli videos that they have now released.
AMY GOODMAN: And we have interviewed his father, and you can go to our website at democracynow.org. We’re going to come back to Ann Wright on another issue, why she is here in Syracuse today, one of the Hancock 38 Drone Resisters. We’ll be back in a moment.

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Thursday, November 03, 2011

Flotilla 3 to Gaza

Again, lots going on, but time is short.  

Here is a transcript of the surprise flotilla to Gaza, day 2:

(I think there is a video link as well):

Guest:
Jihan Hafiz, independent journalist currently reporting for Democracy Now! from the Canadian ship Tahrir, which is part of a flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip.

Rush Transcript

This transcript is available free of charge. However, donations help us provide closed captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing on our TV broadcast. Thank you for your generous contribution.
Donate

Related Links

AMY GOODMAN: A Canadian and an Irish boar quietly left a Turkish port on Wednesday, bound for Gaza. Democracy Now! first broke the news on our live broadcast on Wednesday. This flotilla marks the latest attempt by international activists to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza. Earlier this year, Greece blocked the departure of several ships from another flotilla heading to the region. In 2010, Israeli forces killed nine Turkish activists, including a U.S. citizen, on an aid boat called the Mavi Marmara, which was part of the first such international flotilla.
Well, this latest flotilla, with the two boats, is called "Freedom Waves to Gaza." The Canadian boat is called Tahrir, Arabic for liberation, and the Irish boat is called Saoirse, Irish for freedom. Before they set sail, David Heap, one of the Canadian activists on board the Tahrir, explained the name of the flotilla.
DAVID HEAP: Coming out of the second freedom flotilla, we’re calling what—the current departure "Freedom Waves to Gaza," because rather than thinking of it as separate, countable waves that you can call one, two and three, we’re really thinking of it more as continuous waves of human solidarity, continuous waves of people intent on challenging the blockade in different ways, coming from different countries, from different ports, different groups of boats, whenever they’re ready to go, to challenge the blockade in a way which is less predictable than an annual flotilla, but also more creative.
AMY GOODMAN: We go right now to a video report. The boats are now sailing through international waters. Democracy Now! correspondent Jihan Hafiz is on board.
JIHAN HAFIZ: It’s an emotional moment for activists who spent weeks planning a secret mission to Gaza. After numerous setbacks and complications, an international delegation prepared to set off from a coastal town in southwestern Turkey in hopes of challenging Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip. The activists on board the Irish and Canadian boats dubbed "Freedom Waves to Gaza" organized under unusual circumstances compared to previous convoys to Gaza. Activists concealed all information about the flotilla from the public. A media embargo was in place for journalists invited to cover the event. Video journalists were not allowed to take out their cameras until the boats’ departure. David Heap, a member of the steering committee on the Canadian boat, the Tahrir, explains.
DAVID HEAP: The cameras are just coming out now, because we were keeping it very quiet and discrete before our departure, because we didn’t want to attract attention to it. We didn’t want to put the Turkish authorities in a difficult position. So our departure was just as a private pleasure vessel. There was a discrepancy between what our ships’ papers say, in terms of the International Naval Survey Board and what we’re allowed to carry. We’re certified to carry up to 50 people. They have a regulation that a private pleasure vessel can only take up to 12 people, including the captain. So, very reluctantly, we reduced our delegation, our carefully chosen international delegation, and left 24 of our friends behind. But they’re all with us, supporting the fact that we’re departing. It’s not about us. It’s about the Palestinians in Gaza.
JIHAN HAFIZ: Karen DeVito, a member of the Canadian delegation, attempted to reach Gaza from Greece this past summer, before Greek authorities, under pressure from the Israeli and U.S. governments, intercepted the boats before they could reach international waters.
KAREN DEVITO: It almost seemed like a replay of what happened this summer, when we were unable to sail. That was a manifestation that the blockade has been outsourced, and that was very, very disappointing. This time, we had to leave some people behind. That’s heartbreaking, to leave our colleagues behind. It’s a bittersweet moment. But we really want to bring attention to the fact that ordinary people everywhere should be able to live in peace and in the presence of justice, and without fear in their everyday lives and without fear, overall, that they’re going to be invaded, occupied.
JIHAN HAFIZ: These boxes were labeled as food, but they are actually filled with medical supplies. The Canadian vessel is taking $30,000 worth of medical supplies to Gaza, along with personal letters from Canadian citizens addressed to the residents of the besieged territory.
Although the Turkish coast guard followed closely behind the Canadian and Irish vessels, both boats made it out to international waters safely and began the long journey to Gaza. The main obstacle now that could prevent both boats from reaching their final destination is the Israeli response. In May of last year, Israeli commandos killed nine activists when the first flotilla tried to sail to Gaza.
Activists say they have trained in nonviolent resistance in the event the Israelis board the vessels. Kit Kittredge is the only American delegate. She says those on board are trained in nonviolent resistance and are prepared for the possibility the Israelis intercept the boat.
KIT KITTREDGE: We just reached international waters, so I’m ecstatic. And I also anticipate that the Israeli army, probably, the navy, is probably considering boarding us at some point on our way to Gaza and the siege. And I’m not feeling fearful. I’m feeling actually pretty peaceful. And that’s what we are: we are a peaceful boat and a peaceful flotilla going to end the siege.
JIHAN HAFIZ: As news of the flotilla continued to circulate throughout the night, Israeli forces announced their navy is prepared to block the boats from reaching Gaza’s shores. To prevent a possible assault by Israeli forces in the evening, organizers are planning for both boats to reach Gaza’s territorial borders during daylight hours. In the meantime, both vessels sail freely into open waters. Jihan Hafiz for Democracy Now! on the Tahrir en route to Gaza.
AMY GOODMAN: And we are joined right now by Jihan Hafiz, who is on board the Tahrir. That’s the Canadian boat, part of the two-boat flotilla headed to Gaza right now in international waters. We’ll see if we can hear her clearly.
Jihan, are you there? Jihan, are you there? Jihan, can you hear me?
JIHAN HAFIZ: Yes, I’m here, Amy.
AMY GOODMAN: Ah, very good.
JIHAN HAFIZ: Yes, I am here.
AMY GOODMAN: If you—if you could just tell us the—
JIHAN HAFIZ: Yes, I can hear you. Can you hear me? Yes, I can hear you.
AMY GOODMAN: Yes, we can hear you fine. Can you tell us the latest report from where you are in international waters? You’re on the Tahrir, the Canadian boat. The other boat that is alongside of you, the Irish boat—have you made contact yet? And what are your plans, the group’s plans, on the two boats at this point?
JIHAN HAFIZ: Yes, for the first time today, actually since this trip was planned, the delegations from the Canadian boat were able to make physical contact with the Irish boat. As we’ve been sailing, it’s been—the seas—the waters have been very rough here. So they haven’t been able to board the boat, and we haven’t been able to board their vessel. However, the plan is to continue the voyage, to continue this voyage to Gaza, regardless of the threats coming from the Israeli government. And in fact, both teams met today to hold meetings with the journalists and delegates on board to discuss a strategy for when the Israelis do intercept the boat, if they intercept the boat, and what will take place from there.
We’re about 120—excuse me, 150 to 170 kilometers off the coast of Gaza. It will take us about another day and a half to get there. As I mentioned in the report, the activists and the organizers of both flotillas do not want to reach Gaza’s borders, at least the territorial region, until daylight. They do not want to have a similar situation to what happened to the Mavi Marmara. That boat was attacked in the evening. And they want to avoid any kind of misperception about violence, if violence is committed. As mentioned in the report, as well, there’s also a commitment to nonviolent resistance. There was training for that today on the boats to make sure that if we do come in contact with the Israelis, there will be no confrontation from those on either boats. Aside from that, the spirits have been very high.
AMY GOODMAN: Jihan, is there a boat that is following you?
JIHAN HAFIZ: At the moment, there is not. There was—last night, up until 4:00 in the morning, on our side, there was an unidentified boat that was following us. The only other boat that followed us out of international waters was the Turkish coast guard. So, from the boat, we all presumed it was the Turkish coast guard, but there’s no longer anyone following us. It’s only the Irish boat and the Canadian in open waters.
AMY GOODMAN: Jihan, we—you took us on a tour of the boat you are on, the Tahrir, and we met some of the activists on board—Canadian, Australian, there’s a U.S. citizen on board, as well. Who’s on the Irish boat?
JIHAN HAFIZ: These are solely Irish delegates. Some of them are former members of parliament. We haven’t been able to sit down and speak with them, but we do know that there are three to five on board who are former members of parliament. Also, they’re a group that has been making—that has continuously made efforts, through different initiatives, to reach Gaza. And we haven’t been able to speak with them, but they have been to Gaza a number of times before, some of the delegates. And they planned this on their own, in close coordination with the steering committee here. However, we have not been in touch with them at all. They’ve sort of been on their own in this journey, mainly because of the waters, but also because of the secrecy of the planning of this. So they’re mainly—it’s mainly an Irish delegation.
I also want to mention that the Canadian boat was restricted to 12 people. Of the 36 who were meant to come along on the Tahrir, the Canadian boat, only 12 were allowed on, whereas the Irish boat, they only allowed them to have 12 on, but they snuck some people on their boat. And so, the entire Irish delegation that came to Turkey to take this—to make this voyage to Gaza is present, and they’re heading in that direction now. We have—supporters from this boat are still in Turkey. Some returned home, and they’re working on—they’re working on logistical work, as well as media work, to communicate with people on the boat. The internet hasn’t been—hasn’t been precise at times. It goes out every now and then. But there is a lot of international support from the organizations represented on this boat, as well as the Irish one, including a number of committees around the world that are supporting what these Freedom Waves to Gaza are: essentially, an extension of the Free Gaza movement, which is a movement to break the siege by any means, at any costs.
AMY GOODMAN: Is there fear on board your boat, the Tahrir, the Canadian boat that you’re covering? There are 12 people on board the boat, is that right? The captain, six activists and five journalists?
JIHAN HAFIZ: Yes. There is concern. I wouldn’t say "fear." I think people here are defiant, in that they believe in what they’re doing, and they believe that what they’re doing is peaceful and that they will—even if there is any kind of—if the Israelis do board the boat or intercept the boat, there will not be any resistance, any violent confrontation from any of the activists here. So the concern is mainly losing—losing a lot of their equipment. Some people came here with their cell phones, their laptops. I have camera equipment here. So there’s a lot of concern about, if we do get detained on international waters, what will become of our personal items.
But as well, what will happen when we’re in detention? How long will we stay there? And there are some Arabs on this boat, and they expressed deep concern that they could be detained by Arabs, and possibly their legal rights will not be respected the way the international delegates will be. And so, there are legal teams now working on the ground in the United States and in Canada to ensure that those who have either visa issues or who are concerned about being detained by the Israelis will have full legal rights in the event that something—that the Israelis do board the boat.
AMY GOODMAN: Jihan Hafiz, I want to thank you for being with us, reporting for Democracy Now! on board the Tahrir. That’s the Canadian boat, one of two boats in what they’re calling the Freedom Waves to Gaza flotilla that set sail yesterday from Turkey, bound for Gaza. She’s speaking to us from the high seas. We will follow this journey through the day, through tweets and reports, at our website, democracynow.org.

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Wednesday, November 02, 2011


 Occupy Everything -- Gaza, Wall Street, Oakland, Sweden!



Illustration: from www.whatnowtoons.com.  Keith points to F**** News and how they cover the Occupy Wall Street Movement.  He has captured their absurdity brilliantly.  My only reservation or concern is that perhaps a million of their viewers actually believe them, let alone watch them.  It is a frightening concept.





Occupy Everything! 

In all its pristine idiocy, the U.S. Government has now refused to pay its past-due dues in UNESCO because UNESCO admitted Palestine without Nitwityahoo’s approval.  Israel is now accelerating building in Jerusalem.  The press release below says there are two ships in a flotilla to Gaza and we will follow that as closely as possible.

If Palestine wants to really increase pressure, it should try to join another UN group, the one that oversees patent and copyright issues.  Since the U.S. administration is citing a law that demanded it withhold dues for ALL such cases, they would have to do so in this case as well.  This would force the groups to expel the US from membership and this one would make it possible for India, China, and so on to just grab U.S. patents.  I wonder how the 1% would react to that?  They may bomb someone.

Check out Sweden v. Assange for more information on the persecution of the Wikileaks founder.  They are still pursuing the matter.  Now really, if they want to ask him some questions, he’d offered to go to their embassy in England or some other acceptable location.  Is there something they can’t ask in England that they can ask in Sweden?  Sounds very insalubrious, if such is the case.

In Oakland, they cracked the skull of an ex-Marine Iraq War Vet (two terms) at the Occupy Oakland Movement.  The cops used a projectile, not having the guts to approach more closely, I suppose.  Now, the Longshoreman’s union, SEIU, Teamsters, and several other unions have supported the action.

Other demonstrations and marches are set across the country.

Demonstrations taking place in Nice, France over the Euro crap and a vote on the austerity, so-called, package has been scheduled for Greece in January.  Any doubts as to how the vote will go?  While we are at it, when do we get to vote of what the damn super committee is doing about cuts and no tax increases for the 1%?  Oh, yeah, we are no Greece.

Here are some documents:
Media Release: Two Boats With Passengers from Five Countries (Including U.S.) Are En Route to Gaza Strip
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 2, 2011

Contact:
In New York: Felice Gelman, 917-912-2597 and 917-679-8343
At sea: phone numbers will be released when you call the above press contact

Organizers say: "It is time to lift the siege of Gaza which deprives 1.6 million civilians of their rights to travel, work, study, develop their economy and be free."
The Canadian ship Tahrir and the Irish ship Saoirse have successfully reached international waters, initiating the "Freedom Wave to Gaza." The boats have embarked from Turkey and are on the Mediterranean Sea.  In all, the 2 boats carry 27 passengers from Canada, Ireland, United States, Palestine, and Australia.

Kit Kittredge on board the Tahrir was previously a passenger on the U.S. boat, The Audacity of Hope, which attempted passage to Gaza last July, organized by U.S. to Gaza, a coalition member of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation.


Kittredge said:

"The only obstacles in our way are Israel's military and the complicity of the Obama administration but in our sails is the wind of worldwide public opinion which has turned against the illegal blockade."
Ann Wright, retired U.S. army colonel and former U.S. diplomat said:
"We carry inspiration from the Arab Spring and the worldwide 'Occupy' movements that are demanding freedom and justice. Where governments fail, civil society must act. As Americans we are fed up with our government's unquestioning support of Israel no matter how violent, illegal and  oppressive its actions.  We will not stand by and watch $30 billion of our tax money committed to buying Israel weaponry used to carry out this illegal occupation of Palestine including the blockade of Gaza."
Jane Hirschmann, U.S. Boat organizer, added:
"Our sailing coincides with UN agency UNESCO's recognition of Palestine as a member state, defying US threats to cut off $80 million of US funding in retaliation. This shows the growing strength of opposition by the international community to U.S. and Israeli policies in Palestine. We call on the international community to go further and take effective action to lift the siege of Gaza."
The U.S. Boat to Gaza, The Audacity of Hope, has been held in a Greek port since last July.
###

The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation is a national coalition of more than 380 organizations working to change U.S. policy toward Palestine/Israel to support human rights, international law, and equality. For more information see www.endtheoccupation.org.

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The US Campaign aims to change U.S. policies that sustain Israel's 44-year occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, and that deny equal rights for all.
US CAMPAIGN TO END THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION | PO BOX 21539 | WASHINGTON, DC 20009
202-332-0994 |
USCAMPAIGN@ENDTHEOCCUPATION.ORG | WWW.ENDTHEOCCUPATION.ORG




Guest:
Helena Kennedy, British attorney on the legal team representing Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder and editor-in-chief.
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AMY GOODMAN: London’s High Court has ruled WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be extradited from Britain to Sweden to face questioning over alleged sex crimes. Swedish authorities want to question Assange over accusations of rape and sexual assault made by two women. Assange’s lawyers have argued the Swedish demand is legally flawed and that the sex was consensual. They’re now considering an appeal to Britain’s Supreme Court and/or the European Court of Human Rights.

For more, we go directly to Oxford, England, for an update from Helena Kennedy, one of Assange’s lawyers.
Helena Kennedy, thanks so much for joining us from the BBC studios. Can you talk about the significance of this ruling today?
HELENA KENNEDY: Well, of course, there’s great disappointment amongst the legal team. We had been hopeful that the court would recognize that there had been a number of things that hadn’t been done appropriately in seeking to gain the extradition for questioning. We have to remember, this is for questioning and not to proceed to trial, or even to charging. They still want to investigate and see whether indeed the allegations have substance.
But so, having failed at this stage, it’s for us now to sit down and really review the very detailed judgment which has come down from the court and decide whether in fact there might be issues to take to the Supreme Court. Our Supreme Court has to decide whether there are matters of, if you like, legal moment that need to be considered. It’s not an appeal on the merits; it’s whether there’s a legal issue in here that needs a further consideration. And they will decide whether it passes that threshold. And if they decide that it doesn’t, then of course there’s another stage for us, which is, having exhausted remedies here in Britain, whether we have an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
AMY GOODMAN: Why fight the extradition so hard? He hasn’t been charged, you’ve pointed out. What would it mean if Julian Assange were to be sent to Sweden for questioning?
HELENA KENNEDY: Well, you’ve got to remember that Julian Assange agreed and put forward a number of proposals as to the questioning. He suggested that the authorities in Sweden could come to Britain and, either at the Swedish embassy or at Scotland Yard, interview him about these matters. The fact that Sweden wasn’t prepared to accept those ways of proceeding, I think, fed—has fed his own concerns about the fairness of the whole process. You’ve got to remember that, initially, the authorities had not felt there was any need to proceed with these matters, and it was in a rather, we felt, strange way that the decision was revisited and that another prosecutor in a different city came to a different conclusion. And so, not surprisingly, Julian Assange himself has anxieties about whether he will get a fair trial. And so, that’s why, having made the offer that the authorities and police in Sweden could come and invest—interview him here, that they didn’t want to do that, they want him there, has given him the impression that, in fact, perhaps some decisions have been made already about this and that it’s not just a matter of investigation.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re talking to Helena Kennedy, prominent British civil liberties and human rights attorney. We’re going to play a clip of Julian Assange’s response, on the steps of the courthouse.
JULIAN ASSANGE: I have not been charged with any crime in any country. Despite this, the European arrest warrant is so restrictive that it prevents U.K. courts from considering the facts of a case, as judges have made clear here today. We will be considering [inaudible] step in the days ahead. The full judgment will be available on swedenversusassange.com. No doubt, there will be many attempts made to try and spin these proceedings as they occur today, but they are merely technical. So please go to swedenversusassange.com if you want to know what’s really going on in this case. Thank you.
AMY GOODMAN: Helena Kennedy, if you could elaborate on what Julian Assange said, and does this mean he remains under virtual house arrest now?
HELENA KENNEDY: Well, he’ll remain under house arrest and the very stringent conditions attached to his bail, until a moment when either a court overturns the decision or he is taken to the airport and placed on an airplane and taken to Sweden.
But you have to remember that we’ve had a big change in law in the last decade in Britain, in that we have very much softened up the procedures for extradition and for the handing over of persons for investigation to other European authorities. We have a different kind of arrangement with the United States. But that softening up of the arrangements has been in order for Europe to deal more expeditiously with matters. There were often long delays before cases were dealt with. And so, there was a reluctance in our courts to go against the spirit of that, which is that if another country in Europe connected to the European Convention and so on—if they make a request, that there has to be a very powerful case not to do it. And we had hoped that we had passed the threshold in the legal argument in the court of appeal, but the judges, by and large, are rather predisposed to go with any request. And so, we knew it was going to be an uphill struggle, simply on the technicalities of this, rather than on the merits.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you for being with us, Helena Kennedy, prominent British civil liberties and human rights attorney, on the High Court’s decision in Britain right now that has just been handed down, denying Julian Assange’s—denying his appeal not to be extradited to Sweden.

Creative Commons LicenseThe original content of this program is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Please attribute legal copies of this work to democracynow.org. Some of the work(s) that this program incorporates, however, may be separately licensed. For further information or additional permissions, contact us.
Guests:
Clarence Thomas, former secretary-treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10. Today he joins us as a spokesperson for the Million Worker March Movement.
Boots Riley, hip-hop artist with the bands The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club. He’s a resident of Oakland participating in the Occupy Oakland protests and today’s general strike.
Jose Vasquez, U.S. Army veteran and executive director of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Joshua Shepherd, U.S. Navy veteran. He was standing next to former U.S. Marine Scott Olsen at Occupy Oakland when Olsen was hit in the head with a police projectile, fracturing his skull.
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Donate

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AMY GOODMAN: In Oakland, California, protesters are launching a citywide general strike today that will include an attempt to shut down the nation’s fifth-busiest shipping port. The strike is expected to draw thousands of people to downtown Oakland, many responding to police attacks last week on nonviolent protesters with Occupy Oakland, including two-time Iraq War veteran Scott Olsen. During the strike, protesters intend to picket banks, businesses, schools, libraries, and any employers who try to reprimand striking workers. Protesters are connecting with the history of general strikes on the West Coast, frequently citing a 1946 action in Oakland where 100,000 workers shut down the city for two days.

This is Louise Michel announcing the strike at an Occupy Oakland press conference.
LOUISE MICHEL: We stand here at the intersection of Telegraph and Broadway. This is the epicenter of the Oakland General Strike of 1946, the last general strike in the indigenous lands now occupied by the United States. This Wednesday, November 2nd, the people of Oakland are going to make history once again as we shut down the city in a general strike and mass day of action, called for by the general assembly of Occupy Oakland.
AMY GOODMAN: Several major labor groups, including local units of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents port workers, have voiced unofficial support for the strike. The executive board of the Oakland Educational Association, whose 2,700 members teach in the city’s schools, has also endorsed the day of action. Meanwhile, SEIU Local 1021, which represents 1,750 city workers, has encouraged its members to take—to participate in the protest.
While some small city businesses plan to close for the day, port officials said the docks will remain open. City offices will also continue with business as usual, though city administrators said city workers could request to participate in the strike.
Meanwhile, the city’s police union has slammed Oakland Mayor Jean Quan for handling of the protests. In an open letter, the police union write, quote, "Is it the city’s intention to have city employees on both sides of a skirmish line? It is all very confusing to us," the police wrote.
At the White House, Press Secretary Jay Carney was asked about the police crackdown in Oakland. Let’s go to his response.
PRESS SECRETARY JAY CARNEY: We understand the frustrations that are being expressed, specifically with regard to the need to make sure that Main Street and Wall Street operate by the same set of rules, and the general frustration with the need for jobs and economic growth that creates opportunity for middle-class Americans. And certainly we have a long and noble tradition of free expression and free speech in this country. We also—it’s also important that laws are upheld and obeyed. But that—I mean, that’s a broad view. I haven’t had a discussion about specific cities or instances with the President.
AMY GOODMAN: When we come back from break, we’ll be joined by two veterans, Jose Vasquez, executive director of Veterans Against the War, and we’ll be joined by Joshua Shepherd, who is a Navy veteran and was standing next to the former Marine Scott Olsen at the Occupy Oakland protest Tuesday evening when police shot a projectile that fractured his skull. We’ll also be speaking with Boots Riley of The Coup and with Clarence Thomas, who was a spokesperson, a former secretary-treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10. Today, he’s a spokesperson for the Million Worker March Movement in Oakland.
This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. Back in a minute.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: Boots Riley performing in Oakland. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman.
Iraq War veteran Scott Olsen is continuing to recover from serious brain injuries after a projectile fired by police at Occupy Oakland last week fractured his skull. Spurred by the attack of one of their own, military veterans are mobilizing to increase their presence and profile in the Occupy movement at large. Today, members of the New York City chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War are convening on Wall Street to march in their military fatigues from Vietnam Veterans Plaza to Liberty Square, the heart of the Occupy Wall Street movement. They’ll hold a press conference urging more veterans to join the movement and raise their concerns, from multiple tours of duty to post-traumatic stress disorder, to the hardships of pulling their lives back together when returning to civilian life.
Well, Democracy Now! has spoken to a number of veterans since the Occupy movement began. At Occupy Louisville, we spoke to Gulf War vet Brian Smith and Iraq War veteran Gary James. Then, at Occupy San Francisco, we spoke with Iraq War veteran Aaron Hinde, a close friend of Scott Olsen. Let’s turn to some of their voices.
BRIAN SMITH: My name’s Brian Smith. I’m from Louisville, Kentucky. And I’m here because this is our moment to stand up and to voice the grievances—to voice what we’ve all been thinking of for a long time. The system does not work for us. The system works against us. The politicians we’ve elected are not looking out for our best interests. And we’re here to tell them that we’re no longer going to put up with that. We’re here to put fear in them. They’re running scared right now. They’re trying to divide us. They’re trying to denigrate the movement. We’re not going to allow that to happen. We’re going to stand together. We’re going to stand united. And we’re going to show them what it looks like when millions of people take to the streets demanding their rights.
I’m a veteran, and I’m pretty disgusted that—just recently it came out—that the largest banks around the country were taking advantage of a VA home loan refinancing system. It’s a government program designed to help veterans refinance their home loans. And all of a sudden, all these banks got together and decided, "We’re going to find a way to charge hidden fees. We’re not allowed to charge attorney fees under this program, so we’re going to find a way to charge hidden fees in order to recoup those losses that we would otherwise not get on the free market." So, apparently, they all came up with the same idea at the same time. In my idea, that’s collusion. I’m talking about Bank of America. I’m talking about Citibank. I’m talking about PNC, which is right behind us. They were all part of this collusion to basically violate the contract that the government has with veterans to take care of them.
GARY JAMES JOHNSON: Well, my name is Gary James Johnson. I’m here because it’s—you know, I’ve been viewing this for a while now. I’ve sat through and seen things that are not right, with the government, the government policies. I’m ex-military, and I can barely even get a job right now. I have to—
AMY GOODMAN: Where did you serve?
GARY JAMES JOHNSON: I served in Iraq for about a year and a half. I joined the military because I thought it was my obligation to help protect this country, to also, you know, just do something, because I was really, you know, eager to do something that would help everybody, you know? And right here, right now, this is another way I can help, and help people out, that—who won’t speak up, who won’t sit there and take a stand, who’s too afraid that they might lose their jobs, may sit there and lose their houses, might get their houses foreclosed. They might sit there and take away people’s houses—they could sit there and take away people’s houses, they could take away their cars, but they can’t take away their voice. That’s in the Constitution.
AARON HINDE: As a veteran or as an active-duty servicemember, you swear an oath to uphold and protect your country, and that is carried with you, even if you go out of the military, that sense of responsibility. And because of that vigilance, it seems veterans are always on the cusp of these types of social, progressive actions that are going on.
AMY GOODMAN: That was Iraq War veteran Aaron Hinde of Occupy San Francisco, Iraq War veteran Gary James Johnson of Occupy Louisville, and Gulf War veteran Brian Smith, also of Occupy Louisville.
Well, for more, we’re joined in New York by Jose Vasquez, executive director of Iraq Veterans Against the War. He was in the Army for 14 years, applied for conscientious objector status in 2005, was honorably discharged in 2007. And we’re joined by Joshua Shepherd, Navy veteran, member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. He was standing next to former Marine Scott Olsen at Occupy Oakland when Olsen was hit in the head with a police projectile, fracturing his skull.
We welcome you both to Democracy Now! Joshua, let’s start with you. Describe what happened on Tuesday night.
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: I was joined by Scott Olsen after I had already been there, and—
AMY GOODMAN: At Occupy Oakland?
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: At Occupy Oakland at 14th and Broadway.
AMY GOODMAN: And why were you there? Why were you there?
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: I was there mostly to lend a voice of credibility and sanity to the—what I knew would be a very tense environment. So I was standing there in uniform. And Scott was standing shoulder to shoulder with me, very peaceful. I was waving a Veterans for Peace flag. And that’s—
AMY GOODMAN: We have the video images of that. And then what happened? About what time was it?
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: It was 7:30 in the evening or so. And it descended into chaos quickly. And I’ve never seen war, but that was as close to war, or a war zone, as I could imagine.
AMY GOODMAN: What was taking place?
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Yes, just the tremendous use of force, the escalation of force, from Oakland PD and the assisting agencies. It was traumatic.
AMY GOODMAN: And so, can you then explain what happened to Scott?
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Sure. Everybody dispersed, rightfully so, due to the concussion grenades, tear gas, etc. I stood my ground. And so, then, the crowd was obscured, so I was not aware that Scott was hit until we had regrouped a couple blocks away.
AMY GOODMAN: Because of the tear gas cloud.
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Yes. And so, thereafter, he was rushed to the hospital.
AMY GOODMAN: And the reports of what happened, the reports that we got, as we have the video of him laying in front of the police line—you were very close to the police line, is that right?
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Yes.
AMY GOODMAN: So he was lying there, his face covered in blood, in front of the police line. Protesters came back—as you said, a lot was obscured by the tear gas—to help a person who they didn’t know, but they saw was on the ground.
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Right. And then they were further dispersed from that extra gas canister.
AMY GOODMAN: From a kind of flashbang grenade?
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Right, yeah, thrown into the middle of them as they tried to rally in his defense.
AMY GOODMAN: And so, then they came back to pick him up, because that—
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Yes.
AMY GOODMAN: —scattered them for a moment—
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Right.
AMY GOODMAN: —the shock of it.
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Right.
AMY GOODMAN: And he’s in the hospital now. Have you visited him?
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: I have not been able to. He’s since been moved to an undisclosed location, you know, for his own sake and his family’s sake.
AMY GOODMAN: Jose Vasquez, as I travel the country, I meet veterans at every encampment I visit. In Louisville, you just heard Brian Smith and Gary Johnson talking about why they were there. Going down to Occupy Wall Street, it is common. Why are veterans gathering at these Occupy encampments?
JOSE VASQUEZ: Well, Amy, it’s clear that veterans are part of the 99 percent. You know, we—veterans, when they leave the military, are, you know, much more likely to face unemployment and homelessness. Many people are forced to reenlist because they’re facing a tough economic situation. I think people that are currently serving see what the economy is like and, you know, oftentimes against their own best judgment, decide to reenlist because they don’t want to come out into this economy.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to go also now to Berkeley, to California, where—have two guests there. Boots Riley, hip-hop artist with the band The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club, resident of Oakland, who’s been participating in the Occupy movement and today’s general strike. We’re also joined by Clarence Thomas, past secretary-treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10. He joins us today as a spokesperson for the Million Worker March Movement.
Boots Riley, Clarence Thomas, welcome to Democracy Now! Clarence Thomas, what is this general strike all about?
CLARENCE THOMAS: What this general strike is all about, Amy, is this. This is a call to working people, not only throughout the United States, but throughout the world, to retract their labor. The only time that working people can gain the attention of the bosses or the ruling class is when we withhold our labor. That is the greatest action that we can take against capital. I think one of the things that’s most critical about this is that we in the labor movement understand that it is very difficult to organize a general strike within a week’s time, but I think what is really interesting and significant about this is that in response to the attack on the Occupy Oakland activists, which was so brutal, and as you made reference to the serious injury of Brother Scott Olsen, the attention of the world is on this movement. And this is the appropriate response.
I also think that it’s also important to understand that it was not labor who made this call, but it was the general assembly of the Occupy Oakland movement. But the majority of the people in this country do not belong to a union. Only 7.2 percent are members of a union in the private sector, 12 percent overall. So I think that it is very important to understand that young people, which are the driving force behind this movement, are looking at an uncertain future. Students are facing $1 trillion in student debt. A society that does not care for its young people is a society that has no future.
AMY GOODMAN: The longshoremen, that you were the past secretary-treasurer of, what’s their involvement in this strike, Clarence Thomas?
CLARENCE THOMAS: OK, well, we are in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement. We are also in support of the Occupy Oakland movement. We are a democratic, rank-and-file union, and we have not had an opportunity to vote on the matter concerning a general strike. Having said that, if there is a picket line today, longshoremen will not cross that picket line. And at the same time, we also have free will. I am not working today, and I’m certain that there will be other members of the ILWU who will not be working, because we understand the importance of strikes. It was 1934 in San Francisco where two maritime workers were killed, which led to the general strike in San Francisco, culminating in us being able to have a coastwide agreement.
And I just want to make another quick point, Amy. Today, when young people in the community march to the Port of Oakland, they are doing so in solidarity with longshore workers in Longview, Washington, who are fighting the face of Wall Street in the workplace. EGT, an international grain conglomerate that receive subsidies from the Port of Longview, then turned around and double-crossed the community and the longshore workers. For 77 years, longshoremen have handled grain in the Pacific Northwest. And the driving force behind this is Bunge Limited. It is an international food concern and agribusiness, and also trades on Wall Street for the last 10 years. This is the face of Wall Street on the waterfront. So I think that this adds focus to this emerging movement.
AMY GOODMAN: Boots Riley, talk about your involvement and what you expect to see happening today in Oakland, why a hip-hop artist is involved with Occupy Oakland.
BOOTS RILEY: That’s what I would like to say. What I would like to say is that this general strike puts some teeth to the slogan that we are the 99 percent. It’s not only that we are the 99 percent and that they are the one percent; it’s that the one percent gets all of their wealth by exploiting the 99 percent. And we want to show—we want to show people that they can take it back if they want to.
My involvement is that I visited Occupy Wall Street early on. I also, earlier in the year, visited Syntagma Square in Athens and Barcelona, where a lot of this gets its inspiration from. And I visited Occupy Oakland a couple times and performed for them. When they were evicted, I got involved in helping put out the word for people to show up at 4:00 for the march to take back the plaza. And somebody handed me a bullhorn and—while we were marching, and it just—you know, I’m here. I’ve been involved since then.
AMY GOODMAN: And what do you expect to see happen today, Boots?
BOOTS RILEY: I think—well, I’ll say this. The other day we had 3,000 people at a general assembly, meaning 3,000 organizers to start with. So, if you take that and see that those 3,000 organizers were working hard overtime to make this happen, and on top of that, we’ve gained momentum since then—the SEIU has jumped in, and they are encouraging their workers to take the day off and, as a matter of fact, phone banking and doing job visits to get their workers to take the day off. And all the unions, the OEA, the teachers’ union—many people are taking the day off and just informing parents that they’re not going to be at work. High schools are walking out. Community groups are involved. Churches are—there are clergy that are showing up with their bodies. There are going to be a lot of people.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to get—
BOOTS RILEY: So, I would say, we start with the 3,000 that are organizing it, so that will at least be there, and we will probably have multitudes more than that, tens of thousands of people out.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to get both of your response—
CLARENCE THOMAS: Amy, if I may add, black labor is also in support of this. The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Northern California chapter, will be involved. There will be demonstrations at banks and various other financial institutions today.
I also would like to add that I think one of the things that separates the Occupy Oakland movement from others are three things: number one, no politicians; number two, no political parties; and number three, the absence of police presence at the Occupation camp. And I think that this is very significant, because I know that with respect to the trend that we find between the Million Worker March Movement and the Occupy Oakland movement is mobilizing and organizing in our own name, independent of the two Wall Street political parties.
BOOTS RILEY: And like I said, I think that this is a significant move for the Occupy Wall Street movement, in general, because the criticisms of the Occupy Wall Street movement is that the message is unclear. Well, we’re sure that with the millions of dollars in loss that will happen from us closing the port today and the profit that’s lost from this day, from this general strike, that the message will be sent loud and clear to the one percent. This is just a warning shot. It’s just a one-day strike. There is no contract to negotiate right now. What we are saying is, is that the working class is about to get more militant, and we’re about to get more organized.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to get your response to Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, who was an organizer herself. She attempted to speak last Thursday at Occupy Oakland encampment outside City Hall. After she was denied a chance to speak, she recorded a video message and posted it on her Facebook page. This was it.
MAYOR JEAN QUAN: What I wanted to say to you tonight is how deeply saddened I am about the outcome on Tuesday. It’s not want anyone hoped for. I understand it’s my responsibility, and I want to apologize to everyone about what happened.
AMY GOODMAN: Can you explain the role of Mayor Quan, who has actually taken on the police before, is now being criticized by the police for saying that Oakland workers can take vacation time to be a part of the protests, and yet the Occupy Oakland group, encampment, is very angry at her, Clarence Thomas?
BOOTS RILEY: Well, let me say this. One, Mayor Quan ordered the police to evict the Occupy Oakland encampment, and as soon as they were evicted, even though it was violent and with tear gas and rubber bullets, she sent out what basically amounted to a victory letter that day, so—and only had anything slightly regretful to say about it after there was a protest against it. And the message sent out from the city that says that there will be no retaliation against workers is only because we have momentum behind us, and it’s only because the unions are behind us, and it’s only because the community sees what’s going on. It’s not a favor.
That being said, as you said, Quan was an organizer, was politically left, or is. The point is, is that when you elect a politician, it has nothing to do with their personality. Politicians perform a function, a role in government. And the role of city government is not one that serves the people, unless the people make them do what the people want.
AMY GOODMAN: The interim police chief, Howard Jordan, defended the use of force to break up the camp. He said the decision to move was based on public health and safety, due to defecation, fire hazards, sexual assault incidents, violent behaviors, and denial of access of medical aid. Your response?
CLARENCE THOMAS: If I may address that, Amy, it has been termed that the reasons for the police taking the actions that they have are somewhat analogous to the weapons of mass destruction that was the rationale for going to war in Iraq. In other words, these allegations are really unfounded. The question about sexual assaults, that hasn’t been proven. If there was a question concerning health and safety, the camp is very open to having conversations with department heads. It does not prohibit that kind of activity. But let’s say that those reasons are—were in fact true. Was it the appropriate response to come down in a shock and awe, using so-called non-lethal weapons that have put an Iraqi veteran in a trauma center? I don’t think so, because people have a right to peaceably assemble, and they have a right to free speech. And that’s exactly what is being exercised and what is being challenged.
We need to understand one thing: the police represent the one percent. And as we saw in Madison, Wisconsin, where the police took a position in support of the workers, and they were non-aggressive, once that begins to happen, then we will really begin to see the breakup of the one percent, because that’s what they rely on. They rely on the police. They rely on the military. And once the American people stand up to that, then we’re going to see a new change in direction.
I just want to also say this. Schools will be having—teachers will be walking out, and there will be teach-ins dealing with such issues as social justice, the purpose of general strikes. So this is going to be a momentous occasion. We’re looking forward to it today, Amy.
BOOTS RILEY: And let’s say this, that everywhere you go in Oakland, people are talking about it. You know, you pass someone on the street talking, they’re talking about this general strike. It’s not only big news all over the world, as you know, but everyone is excited and ready to take part in history.
AMY GOODMAN: And so, what is being suggested for shop owners to do, for banks to do, for people to do in Oakland today? What is the request of the Occupy Oakland encampment?
BOOTS RILEY: There are convergences—
AMY GOODMAN: Boots Riley.
BOOTS RILEY: —at 9:00 a.m. There are convergences at 14th and Broadway at 9:00 a.m., noon, 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. The 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. convergences are actually marches that leave sharply at 4:00 p.m. to—the first one at 4:00 p.m., to go and take over the port, and the second one at 5:00 p.m. to march and take over the port. We are going to shut down the 7:00 p.m. shift. We need to leave at those times. So, for those listening, be there at the 4:00 p.m. march. If you can’t be there at the 4:00 p.m. march, be there at the 5:00 p.m. march. And these marches are leaving on time.
AMY GOODMAN: Clarence Thomas, do you see this as representing a turning point in this movement today and also with the people at Occupy Oakland working with unions? You talked about SEIU. You talked about the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
CLARENCE THOMAS: Yes, I really do, because if nothing else today, Amy, there will be a new discussion about the whole issue of working people withholding their labor, working people becoming proactive. I think that—yes—and so, as a result of that, I think that this is a new beginning. It is a watershed moment. And not only that, Amy, but we’re also seeing the emergence new coalitions. And that is very, very important in terms of building the movement. I think that, for too long, the labor movement has not really embraced the social justice movement. There’s been too much concern about business unionism. We now see international presidents, such as Bob McEllrath of the ILWU and James Hoffa of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who have sent statements of solidarity supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement. This is a breakthrough. The things that are happening today, where unions are acknowledging the call for a general strike—many of them cannot call for a general strike themselves, but the rank and file of their respective unions are turning out. So this is a turning point, and I think that it is a significant shift, and we will be able to see the ramifications of this in the future.
BOOTS RILEY: Well, and the other thing is that—
AMY GOODMAN: Boots Riley.
BOOTS RILEY: As he said, most of the working class is not unionized. A lot of the working—ILWU is probably the most militant union I’ve heard of and the most militant union out there. But many people feel that unions aren’t militant enough for them and don’t do anything. The Occupy Wall Street movement, in general, by putting this idea out there that the one percent is leeching off the 99 percent, is making a new discussion, making people figure out how to withhold their labor and come and put their issues on the table with the ruling class all over the country and all over the world. And this marks a new day in direct action organizing. It’s not just—we’re not just doing something strictly for the media. We’re doing something which will—which can stop the mechanisms of industry long enough so that we can make—we can negotiate a different deal. Now, of course, today is just a one-day thing. But again, what we’re doing is we’re showing our power. And someone else will replicate this somewhere else in the country, somewhere else in the world. And, you know, it’s about to be off the hinges.
CLARENCE THOMAS: This is a fight-back movement, Amy, in the true sense of the word.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you both for being with us in Berkeley, talking about the general strike that has been called for Oakland, Boots Riley of The Coup, Clarence Thomas, past secretary-treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10, now a spokesperson for the Million Worker March Movement.
I want to get final comments from our guests in the studio here in New York, both veterans, Jose Vasquez, executive director of Iraq Veterans Against the War. And Jose, talk about the march today in New York of vets, of soldiers.
JOSE VASQUEZ: Well, the Scott Olson incident in Oakland has really galvanized the veterans community across the country. There are veterans speaking out online, showing up at their local Occupies. And what we’re trying to do today is put a real presence of veterans at Occupy Wall Street and across the country. We’re calling on all veterans and active-duty military personnel to show up at their local Occupy and let someone know that you’re a veteran. Let them know how you feel about the movement. And we want to basically put the voice of veterans out there in the public. We also want to start organizing veterans’ committees at all of the different Occupy events. And we want to ensure that people fully understand that veterans support this movement.
I want to pick up on something that Clarence Thomas said a minute ago, in that the one percent uses the police and the military to sort of maintain what they have. And I’m here to let you know that the military and the veterans are getting angry about how the people are being treated.
AMY GOODMAN: In fact, a lot of police are vets.
JOSE VASQUEZ: Absolutely. Yeah, there’s tons of veterans.
AMY GOODMAN: Have you been speaking with police at Occupy Wall Street?
JOSE VASQUEZ: I have, and I actually know someone who works in one of the counterterrorism units, and he’s supportive of Iraq Veterans Against the War and understands that people have the right to free speech, the right to assembly. And we also know that, you know, many veterans are going into the police force because of the economic situation. That’s one of the few jobs that military personnel can get easily after leaving the military. But we are here and, you know, just want to let folks know that it’s—not all veterans support what’s happening. We’re extending our oath that we swore to defend the Constitution.
AMY GOODMAN: And Joshua Shepherd, you were in your Navy fatigues when you were standing in front of the police at Occupy Oakland, just before Scott Olsen was hit in the head, his skull fractured by the police projectile on Tuesday night. Will you be in uniform when you march today? And what brought you to New York from Oakland?
JOSHUA SHEPHERD: Yes, I will be. I came to New York in solidarity with the veterans. Veterans have been silent for too long, because what they know is not what Americans want to believe. And veterans are finding their voice now and realizing they are just as much a part of the 99 percent as the rest of the movement. And they have a special credibility with their service, so they’re speaking up and joining the rank and file and the 99 percent.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you both for being with us, Jose Vasquez, Iraq Veterans Against the War, as well as Joshua Shepherd. Joshua Shepherd, a Navy veteran.

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