Just a reminder…
and
Thanks for all that you do!!
I talked to Wayne Hancock from the Parks and Rec Advisory Board and we talked about the proposed resolution to restrict “Occupation” of public land. He said that he didn’t believe the “camping” rule should apply to protests such as our Occupation of Albert Johnson Park. He is going to ask the City Council to remand the resolution back to the Parks and Rec board so they can discuss it more and listen to public comments. He thanked us for what we have been doing and said that he definitely wasn’t the only one on the Board who thought that an Occupation protest was different from camping. It was a joy to talk to him.
With this in mind, I think it would be a great idea to contact the 7 members of the Parks and Rec advisory board and voice our belief that an Occupation protest is not to be confused with camping. We should also voice opposition to any encroachment on our 1st Amendment rights and, specifically, the proposed rule change. Here is the contact info:
Mr. Isaac E. Chavez Mr. Ron Camunez
isaacchavez@hotmail.com wroncamunez@yahoo.com
Mr. Eli Guzman Ms. Dawn Rue
guzmankarate@yahoo.com drue64@gmail.com
Ms. Alice Ward Mr. Mark O’Neill
aliceward@zianet.com coachoneill@msn.com
Mr. Wayne D. Hancock
One week to the day of Occupy Las Cruces dismantling their campsite, members today kicked off phase two of the movement by offering three “thank you” mic checks to the citizens and city of Las Cruces at the Farmers Market in the downtown mall.
Five videos are available for viewing by following these links:
On Tuesday, 2/21, at the Las Cruces City Council Meeting, Parks and Rec will be asking the Council to pass a new rule that would basically make it impossible for us or anyone else to “occupy” a public space. The rule says that any “camping” has to be in conjunction with an event and is limited to 7 days. Though I haven’t been able to find out what the fee for this would be, I think we can reasonably assume that it will be much more than the $20-$25 per day we were paying for permits. This would effectively price us (and most citizens) out of carrying on an “occupation” protest.
Occupy Las Cruces’ occupation of Albert Johnson Park (in front of Branigan Library) was a huge success and we would hope and expect that future occupations would be allowed. There is no doubt that they are trying to squelch our 1st Amendment rights to free speech and peaceable assembly, and we must stop them.
I do want to remind everyone of how cooperative the City, LCPD, and Parks and Rec have been up to this point and we are extremely grateful for this. HOWEVER, this proposed rule change is a move by Parks and Rec to take away the rights they have previously respected. I have talked to the Director of Parks and Rec and he has told me that this is in direct response to a few voices who disapprove of the Occupy movement. Even though our supporters far outnumber these detractors, Parks and Rec is willing to take away our constitutional rights in order to appease a couple of loud (and probably wealthy) folks.
We have the much greater numbers, so let’s teach them what LOUD truly is. We are asking our supporters to make calls, write emails/letters, and/or attend the City Council meeting on 2/21 from 1-5 at City Hall (adjacent to Branigan Library). Obviously write or say whatever your heart and mind tells you to.
If you do want an idea of what you could include, you can write/say something like:
“The Occupy Las Cruces movement has been great for our city. They peacefully and respectfully created a space for the community to gather and have a dialogue. Though they have recently left the park to take the movement to the streets, they, and all citizens, should be able to occupy public spaces in order to peaceably assemble and demonstrate. I urge you to respect the 1st Amendment rights of the people of Las Cruces and deny the rule change proposed by Parks and Rec. that would effectively render any similar future occupation impossible.”
Please contact as many of these officials as possible in as many ways as possible (Letters and Sound Offs in the LC Sun-News are great too)
Mayor-Ken Miyagishima mayor@las-cruces.org 575-541-2067
City Councilor (District 1)-Miguel Silva miguel.silva@las-cruces.org 575-541-2066
City Councilor (District 2)-Greg Smith gsmith@las-cruces.org 575-541-2066
City Councilor (District 3)-Olga Pedroza opedroza@las-cruces.org 575-541-2066
City Councilor (District 4)-Nathan Small nsmall@las-cruces.org 575-541-2066
City Councilor (District 5)-Gill Sorg gsorg@las-cruces.org 575-541-2066
City Councilor (District 6)-Sharon Thomas sthomas@las-cruces.org 575-541-2066
City Manager-Robert Garza rgarza@las-cruces.org 575-541-2076
Parks and Rec 541-2550
Director-Mark Johnston mjohnston@las-cruces.org
Executive Administrative Assistant-Carol Conners-Lyons clyons@las-cruces.org
LC Sun-News
Letters to the Editor (300 wds or less)(Name, Address, Daytime Phone) letters@lcsun-news.com
Sound Off! (1-3 sentences) soundoff@lcsun-news.com
Please also sign our petition at:
City of Las Cruces: Protect the 1st Amendment Rights of the People of Las Cruces
or
http://signon.org/sign/please-help-occupy-las
Occupy Las Cruces thanks you all for your support. We hope to see you at the City Council meeting on Tues, 2/21. Let’s make sure they know that WE ARE THE 99%!!
In lovingkindness,
Jason
By Reyes Mata III/rmata@lcsun-news.com
LAS CRUCES — More than a dozen Occupy Las Cruces protesters closed their campsite today with a pledge that their movement against the nation’s richest 1 percent would move from tents clustered near City Hall and into the streets of the region.
“We have really incredibly talented individuals here who need to be out in the community more, rather than just in the park,” said Michael “Sasha” Miller, an original “occupier” of Albert Johnson Park outside of Branigan Library.
The Occupy Wall Street movement — the central protest from which the Occupy Las Cruces protest sprang — started Sept. 17 of last year in New York’s Zuccotti Park, and is critical of the corporate influence that protesters allege the richest 1 percent of society has on government.
Thousands of people throughout the country started similar campsites in their local communities to show support. The Occupy Las Cruces campsite began in late October and today represented 107 days of “occupying” the city.
“We accomplished our mission. This was our first big step,” said Tom St. John, 75, who has been at the movement’s campsite nearly every day since late October. “We are really thrilled that we have put into motion locally the energy that is going nationwide.”
Read the rest of the story here.
Pictures from Saturday’s Phase 2 party can be seen on Facebook or, if you don’t have a Facebook account, you can view them here.
The Occupy Las Cruces family and friends gathered together at Albert Johnson Park Saturday, January 28, 2012, to celebrate three months of social activism in pursuit of equality for all people. You can see all 58 pictures on Facebook, or, if you’re not on Facebook, you can see them on this blog.
(Mayor Ken Miyagishima chats with Las Cruces Bulletin photographer Nicolas Bañales at Albert Johnson Park.)
