99%

We are successful! Here are two videos from the February 21, 2012 Las Cruces City Council meeting wherein we argue our First Amendment Rights

fattymoon — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:31:30 +0000

By following this link you will be taken to a blog with two videos. The first video is the complete portion of the city council meeting regarding a proposed change to Parks and Recreation rules, rules which we believe would violate our First Amendment rights.

The second video is shorter and contains only the public input before city council.

If you wish to watch the entire video from which the above two portions were pulled, follow this link and follow these directions… Click on the “Video” link on the far right of the Archived Videos box, the one that says 5h 24 m, and the video player window will open. If you wish to find where the section dealing with the Parks and Recreation rules change begins, move the little handle to 49:10.

We need EVERYBODY (that’s you!) to attend Tuesday’s City Council meeting… speak your mind/protect everyone’s freedoms

fattymoon — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:13:52 +0000

Just a reminder…

Tomorrow, Tues 2/21, Parks and Rec will be proposing a resolution to the City Council that would grossly and unnecessarily infringe on our 1st Amendment rights. Please attend the Council meeting at City Hall from 1-5 if you can. Also we need people to express their feelings on this to our local officials. For more info, including contact info go to:

http://occupylascruces.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/urgent-call-to-action-please-help-us-protect-everyones-first-amendment-rights/

and

http://occupylascruces.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/update-urgent-call-to-action-please-help-us-protect-everyones-first-amendment-rights/

Thanks for all that you do!!

UPDATE – URGENT CALL TO ACTION – PLEASE HELP US PROTECT EVERYONE’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS

fattymoon — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:36:54 +0000

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

wdhancock@gmail.com Thanks for all that you do!!

In lovingkindness,

Jason

Occupy Las Cruces – Look for us!

fattymoon — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 01:51:29 +0000

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:

Urgent Call to Action – Please help us protect everyone’s First Amendment rights

fattymoon — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:46:27 +0000

Please Help Occupy Las Cruces Protect the 1st Amendment Rights of the People of Las Cruces

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

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

Occupy Las Cruces leaves Albert Johnson Park as Phase 2 begins

fattymoon — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:30:14 +0000

By Reyes Mata III/rmata@lcsun-news.com

Posted: 02/11/2012 06:24:04 PM MST

Christopher Hadsell of Las Cruces reads the testimony board, which was created by Occupy Las Cruces protestors, during a potluck event for the final day of the group’s encampment Saturday at Albert Johnson Park in front of Thomas Branigan Library. I don’t believe there are no jobs, I just believe they are tougher to find, Hadsell said. (Shari V. Hill/Sun-News)

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.

Occupy Las Cruces: An Evolving Revolution

fattymoon — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:53:49 +0000

We would like to invite the Greater Las Cruces community to a special potluck in the Park as we celebrate the Start of Occupy Las Cruces Phase 2. All are welcome this Saturday, February 11th, from 2 – 5 p.m. in Albert Johnson Park in front of Branigan Library.

Occupy Las Cruces (OLC) wants to share some of our accomplishments with community. For the last three months OLC has done the following things:

Maintained a 24 hour peaceful demonstration site in our public park
Expressed our solidarity with National Occupy movements
Participated in a national day of protest against “Citizen’s United” Decision
Participated in the national movement “Move Your Money Day”
Built a respectful dialogue with our Police Department, Parks Department and Local officials
Explored common goals in support with other community groups
Participated in state-wide protests at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe
Developed an educational and thought provoking Facebook page, accessible to everyone
Attended foreclosure hearings
Handed out Fliers at the Farmers Market
Protested the harmful behavior of banks
Raised consciousness on negative affects of NAFTA
Supported student concerns of the privatization of NMSU
Conducted multiple teach-ins
Public Mic-Checks around the Las Cruces community
Staged a 150 person walk-out.

OLC has decided it is time to activate the next phase of our revolution. We are moving out of our tents and into the streets. On Saturday Feb. 11^th OLC will no longer reside in Albert Johnson Park. We want to continue to welcome the community to join us for upcoming and on-going events. We will Occupy multiple areas of public space in diverse ways.

We would like to thank everyone who supported the camp, in any manner. The Las Cruces community was fundamental in creating this success and we can all feel pride in our accomplishments.

We are very excited to see how our revolution will evolve and how we will continue to strive for the 100% to enjoy abundance, fair representation, harmony and well being.

In solidarity,

Occupy Las Cruces.

Occupy Las Cruces Protests on 2nd Anniversary of Citizens United

fattymoon — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:02:11 +0000

KTSM News Channel 9 covered the event.

More photos, courtesy Claudia Piper, here.

Occupy Las Cruces celebrates 1st quarter occupation

fattymoon — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:45:46 +0000

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.)

fattymoon — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:45:35 +0000