Occupy Oakland spurs large police response for “Move-In Day”

Saturday was dubbed “Move-in day” by thousands of Occupy Oakland protesters but was most noted for the tense confrontations with area police, infiltration of Oakland City Hall, and more that 300 arrests.

Citizen journalists broadcast live video streams on ustream.com while activists kept Twitter full of updates throughout the day. After a tense and unsuccessful occupation attempt of a vacant convention center in downtown Oakland that afternoon, protesters regrouped in front of city hall and announced a new occupation of an undisclosed location.

A march of about 500 people began to move north and snake through city streets as the evening sun set. Music could be heard playing through an amplifier at the rear of the crowd as protesters chanted “Whose street? Our street!” The heavy presence of police in riot gear attempted to contain the growing march about 15 blocks from city hall, but many protesters scattered to avoid becoming victims of kettling—a police tactic used to corral large numbers of people.

Momentum of the march was soon directed away from police as protesters on bicycles darted through the neighborhood. Protesters turned around and began to march south but encountered riot police at 23^rd street near a YMCA. By 6:30 PM the protest was completely surrounded on Broadway by riot police on foot and in vehicles.

Reports suggest an individual already inside the YMCA had unlocked the doors to help some protesters slip away from the crowd. Police quickly tightened the perimeter around the march and announced over a loudspeaker “you have failed to disperse and are now under arrest.”

The sprawling march was condensed to the sidewalk by police and some skirmishes appeared to unfold. Police were seen tossing bicycles away from the building and crowd while some protesters were allowed outside the perimeter and away from the arrests. Some protesters shouted their name to citizen journalists as they were filed down the sidewalk in handcuffs. One protester was seen being led away by police with a small amount of blood streaming down his face.

Police vans and buses entered the area near the YMCA just before 7:30 PM. Meanwhile, a small group of protesters returned to City Hall and several entered in hopes of holding a General Assembly within the city council's chambers. This group had little support from fellow occupiers as office furniture and documents were removed from the building. An American flag was also removed and onlookers failed to stop its burning.

Many protesters remained in the unlit park outside as, for nearly 20 minutes, only three police officers were available to secure the entrance. Police reinforcements eventually arrived by the dozens as the number of protesters grew in the area. One protester was then taken by ambulance to the hospital after she was allegedly “clubbed in the kidney” by an Oakland police officer during an earlier march.

Another march of about 50 protesters soon left Oscar Grant Park and headed toward Oakland Police Department to support those arrested at the YMCA. Contempt for law enforcement was high among this march as chants for “total freedom” blared from a bullhorn and were echoed by the crowd. Police scanners began relaying to officers throughout the city that resources were thin, but police still swarmed the area around the march.

Upon reaching the police department, the protesters began howling into the night sky to show support for the arrested protesters. They quickly turned their attention to a police bus, however, as it approached the building and entered an underground garage. Protesters ran towards the closing door and shouted for the release of those arrested when a canister was thrown from inside the building. The canister was returned before the door shut completely—protesters nor police were seen wearing protective equipment.

Police quickly advanced on the march as both groups navigated through streets littered with overturned shopping carts and trashcans. One protester was seen trying to tie his shoe while others told him there was no time as a line of police quickly shortened the space between them. The march returned to Oscar Grant Park just after 9:00 PM and police established a riot-line across 14^th Street.

The intersection of 14^th and Broadway quickly filled and a standoff ensued between occupiers and police. Officers from neighboring law enforcement departments were seen with Oakland police but without name badges. Shouts of “go home” and “fight some real crime” were heard from protesters as more police filed into the area. A girl approached the police line and began to dance for a moment before she turned and walked away, at which time she was arrested. One citizen journalist reported the “imported cops” were responsible for her arrest.

Around 10:00 PM, after a final act of defiance in the form of an impromptu sit-in, police gave a 5-minute warning for protesters to disperse. The warning was met with thunderous disapproval from the crowd—completely drowning out the voice on the police bullhorn—but ultimately heeded. Police made one final advance across the intersection but the crowds stayed on the sidewalks.

A citizen journalist reporting for The Revolution Will Be Streamed on uStream.com commented “Every sort of dispersal weapon was used today. Other than the LRAD, pepper balls, smoke bombs, tear gas, bean bags, rubber bullets—I saw all of those being used. Lots of flash bangs. I think people were just pissed off by how the police retaliated today. People felt they needed to do something.”

Thanks to ustream.com users punkboyinsf, OaktownPirate, TRWBS, and OakFoSho for the live stream of the January 28^th Occupy Oakland footage.

-MDS

A second look at Second Sun

Anniston business Second Sun, Inc

manufactures high-efficiency LED

lighting for many commercial

applications which replaces current

high-pressure sodium and florescent
lighting technology

While dark economic times continue to linger worldwide, a change can be seen just west of downtown Anniston.

For over a year, Second Sun, Inc. has been making high-efficiency, high-output light fixtures using solid state LED (light-emitting diode) technology to provide business owners with cost-cutting solutions, address environmental and energy concerns, and challeng the common notion that US-based manufacturing is dead.

Jack Meacham, CEO of Second Sun, says his company's light solutions are for “any industrial or commercial operation” to replace current lighting options with LED technology. According to Meacham, nearly all manufacturing and warehouse buildings currently use older lighting such as metal halide, high-pressure sodium, or florescent lights to illuminate large areas. “Since we compete against these other lighting options, we can save anywhere from 50 to 80 percent off of current power costs.” He also adds that  LED lights will last over 10 years, where “comparable metal halide will usually last one to two years and require a myriad of maintenance issues.”

Meacham also explains how Second Sun can find advantages through recent government legislations to promote future growth. In an effort to address rising energy costs and consumption in the United States, former President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 into law. This legislation plans a transition to more efficient lighting technology, and as a result, manufacturing of incandescent light bulbs has begun a gradual decrease. Meacham estimates that LED lighting will be one of the few technologies to survive “the entire menagerie of lighting. Even flourescent will probably fall to the wayside.”

A standard high-pressure sodium (left) in the parking

deck of Regional Medical Center in Anniston is tested

against an LED light engineered and manufactured

by Anniston businessman Jack Meacham

Jack Meacham ultimately hopes Second Sun will help the local economy by delivering cost-effective technology to business owners while showing “that [manufacturing] doesn't have to be done in others countries. It is not about the cheapest product, it is about the biggest value for your dollar.” Over the next few years, Second Sun plans to add manufacturing jobs and spur growth for a wide variety of employers. Most aspects of manufacturing will be done “as close to this area as we can get.” He promotes the idea that any US business can still compete on a global level by offering and utilizing highly innovative and efficient products.

“For years that was the advantage of making things in the US. Since a vast majority of products have now become the 'throw-out paper cup', the US needs to begin focusing on the bigger picture.”


-MDS

Battlefield Burnout

Wrote these lyrics this morning. They kinda read in an interesting manner, and I haven't posted much lately.

Until now...

Broke down on the side of the road, letting in this moment of losing control. So tired are these legs of mine as they pump this beat in double-time while I'm caught up in a childish dream. I guess I lose—never thought it would happen to me. My ears are in throbbing pain wishing something new while staying the same. No. I have to go. I have to leave. Wield the strings or wield the sword; which was better for me? Burned out from that last little stretch, but finding out I'm not quite slipping just yet. These things that I plainly see are the reasons for an illness which necessitates a remedy. By now it seems that I would have learned the metaphors are a bad substitution for hurt. So lay down on the battlefield. I'll take a look at the sky and tell myself that I have to know. I have to see. Wield the pen or wield the sword; which one's better for me?

-MDS

There's something happening here

...but what it is ain't exactly clear.

Yesterday's gathering in Zinn Park was much smaller than Anniston's first General Assembly, and people may get disheartened by that fact. However it is sort of exciting for me personally since the faces I saw yesterday were not at the first General Assembly. During the past two weeks, 20 people from a slew of different backgrounds cut the TV/internet lifeline and physically gathered in hopes of seeing something change in Anniston.

Over the past month or so, I've probably talked to around 50+ people in the greater Anniston/Oxford area that, when asked about their personal feelings of the rapid growth of the Occupy movements, say the same thing: "I want to see something happen in Anniston." The desire for drastic change thrives in the Model City and surrounding areas, but the road paved with good intentions won't get us anywhere different.

If you're reading this, it's safe to say you also want to see something happen in Anniston. What is that something everyone talks about?

• Full-time occupation?  

• General Assembly working with city leaders? 

• Support for regional occupations like Birmingham or Atlanta? 

• Support for veteran Anniston occupiers (the homeless that occupy against their will)? 

• Demonstrations against banks, Monsanto/Solutia, or other parasitic "for-profit" entities? 

• Employees in the countless low-wage service jobs staging a mass strike?

It's probably time the conversation replaces that something everybody wants with an actual goal.

-MDS

A Neighborly Call to Action

I did some outreach today and there is plenty of skepticism about the Occupy Calhoun County Facebook group. Instead of critiquing every little point, however, I'm simply going to ask which individuals are ready to take OccupyCalhoun from a mere Facebook group to an actual coordinated movement in Calhoun County?

Being in Anniston will make this movement unlike most throughout the country. Local political views are a stark contrast to those in NYC, Oakland, and elsewhere, but we all share the same outlook: nothing will get better based on our country's current course. Many of our neighbors are waiting for either a politician or a group to come onto the scene with all of the answers to the barrage of questions. During their wait, the fact that Anniston is OUR town and OUR movement has been lost in the mix. The city council will not help coordinate direct action in the area. The county commission will not help coordinate direct action in the area. Training kits don't exist. We have to figure this out on our own.

I've seen only 2 mentions about gatherings: A General Assembly at 10am on November 4 and a march on the following day. This information is difficult to locate and incomplete. I plan on spending this evening trying to find resources to help with coordinating, but there is one major problem for me on a personal level: I can't really verify any information posted anonymously on a FB group. I'm happy being obnoxiously loud about this movement, and we'll definitely need others to be just as loud. We can only hide behind a Guy Fawkes mask for so long.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

That is the First amendment to the Constitution for a reason. So whaddaya say we "peaceably assemble" and "petition the Government for a redress of grievances?" Seems more proactive than watching cable news...

-MDS

The Bulldogs' star player unstoppable by Cleburne County

HEFLIN - Early in this 4A region game, the Anniston Bulldogs and Cleburne County Tigers were two strong and evenly matched teams. Despite an early touchdown by the Tigers’ Christopher Ervin, the Bulldogs took advantage of their strong running back Troymaine Pope to overwhelm the Tigers with a 49-35 final score.

“He’s just outrunning us” said Tiger head coach Michael Shortt. The 5’9” 137-pound Pope racked up 174 yards in the first half alone, including an 81-yard touchdown run and a subsequent 2-point conversion halfway through the second quarter to give Anniston an 8-point lead.

The Tigers quickly answered back with a 39-yard rush by Rocky Hayes to set up a drive that slowly wore down the Bulldog defense. With 13 seconds left in the second quarter, Hayes made a dramatic dive into the end-zone to put Cleburne County within 2 points of Anniston. After a successful 2-point conversion, the Tigers had tied the game 14-14 by the half.

The second half was a much different story as both offenses, defenses, and even special teams pulled out all the stops. Pope again stole the show for the Bulldogs in a mere 47 seconds with 65 yards in 2 plays to put Anniston up by 7.

The Tigers then took the ball at their own 20-yard line, but after an unsuccessful drive deep in their own territory were forced to punt. The 6’4” 261-pound Anniston senior Jeremy Thomas got his arms up and blocked the punt to put Anniston at the Tigers’ 1-yard line. The Bulldogs easily capitalized on this field position to gain a healthy 14-point lead. 14 seconds later, Cleburne County returned a long kickoff for a touchdown, reducing the Anniston lead by 7.

The Tigers continued to gain yards and points against the Bulldog defense both on the ground and in the air, including a 35-yard pass to Alexander Lee and rushes by Christopher Ervin, Antonine Phillips, and sophomore Christian Henson which set up a 2-yard touchdown rush by quarterback Matthew Norton. The Cleburne County offense managed 7 first-downs in the second half (compared to 2 by Anniston) but their defense was only able to shut down the Troymaine Pope running game on a single drive early in the 3rd quarter.

When asked how the Tiger defense could stop Pope, Coach Shortt simply replied by saying “we’ve got to tackle better. That’s what it comes down to; blocking and tackling.”

Progress instead of politics

As a Community Blogger for the local newspaper, I first try to decide which direction to go. As the Dr. once said: We can't stop here. This is bat country.

As I begin my blogging project with The Anniston Star, I feel the need to first address the disconnect many in my generation feel with the general concept of news outlets. We've grown up for the past three decades having most everything prepackaged with bells, whistles, and eye-catching artwork—a technique that has proven successful for industries profiting from goods like cell phones, video games, music, and movies.



However, an industry that hasn't been able to catch our attention for more than a few days is one I personally refer to as the “news-media” industry: and international group of corporate-owned television and radio networks that commonly report news through an entertainment business model. While more often than not the companies within this industry seem to put quality journalism a close second to their bottom line, there are stand-out factions that continue to damage an otherwise respectable and necessary profession.



A recent example of the more extreme side of the news-media industry is the Fox News Sunday interview with Comedy Central's Jon Stewart. From the start of the interview, Stewart defended his description of Fox News as an “...agenda-driven, 24 hour news-opinion, propaganda delivery system.” Chris Wallace asked if Stewart thought “mainstream” news organizations like ABC, NBC, The New York Times, and others were “promoting a liberal agenda” and Stewart blamed their media bias on “sensationalism, conflict, and laziness” rather than political agendas.



In an attempt to prove a mainstream agenda, Chris Wallace showed a clip of ABC's Diane Sawyer exhibiting a “liberal bias” in her report of Arizona immigration laws. Stewart was quick to admit that her description of the new law could easily misinform viewers, but her description was not necessarily promoting the liberal slant that Wallace claimed Fox News tries to counteract. Stewart went on to give an example of the news-media's bias across an entire industry when he reminded Wallace of a news story from the previous day—when 24-hour news outlets abruptly ended live coverage of a press conference once a story was no longer a story:

“3 networks—Fox, CNN, msnbc—are going live to the Nancy Pelosi news conference because they are sure, coming on the heels of Anthony Weiner resigning, that she is going to make some sort of incredible statement about 'I am disappointed in Anthony Weiner.' So they are all locked on it, and the whole time there is hand-wringing: 'Aww, I can't believe we have got to go and do this. The American people don't care about this. They care about jobs. They care about the economy. That is what the American people care about. We are about to go live to Speaker Pelosi.' She is about to do that. She steps up to the podium and says what? 'I am not going to comment about Anthony Weiner. I am going to talk about jobs and I am going to talk about the economy,' and what did everybody do? So what is you're proof again about the partisan agenda and what I do? That is the embarrassment. The embarrassment is that I am given credibility in this world because of the disappointment that the public has for what the news-media does.” (Jon Stewart on Fox News Sunday - 19 June, 2011)

Pundits, talking heads, and average citizens dissected the interview for days. The left snapped at Fox for editing a short (yet poignant) portion of the interview during their replays—technically the unedited version is available on their website. The right paraded a remark made by Stewart that was blatantly false—his point was later reiterated and verified on The Daily Show.



Chris Wallace offered his own final opinion of the conversation when he told Don Imus "...if you were a liberal, you thought that [Stewart] just wiped the floor with me. And if you were a conservative, you thought I just wiped the floor with him." This statement perhaps speaks louder than the entire 24-minutes Stewart and Wallace shared; the very sensationalism, conflict, and laziness described by Stewart can be seen in both the producers and consumers of the news-media industry.



However, The Anniston Star's Community Blogging Project will hopefully prove to become and new way to finally blur the lines between news-media “producers” and “consumers.” A younger and more tech-savvy generation is becoming more involved in the economy and government—and in a time where television, radio, and newspapers are losing ground to the internet as the main news source for the public, the distribution of information concerning government and economic issues becomes that much more important. Instead of dwelling on the failure of mediums like cable news networks to inform 'We the People,' I'm excited to instead do my part in a network of citizens who want to see progress, not politics.

-MDS