Three Parts All the Outrage

Grab your reading glasses and hunker down for the longest post I've had in a long long while, I promise it will be an interesting ride.

Part I: My Experience at the 2008 Republican National Convention

S. and I boarded a bus headed for St. Paul Monday at 2 a.m. We traveled with the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War group. The group was a diverse bunch of old, young, black, white, Hispanic, Indian, and everything in between. The ride up was peaceful and motivating albeit lacking sleep ( boo ).

Our bus was one of the first to arrive and we noticed an extremely heavy police presence as early as 10 o'clock. Officers were stationed at every single intersection and we estimated there to be at least 3 officers for every pedestrian on the street. Despite our solidarity with the permitted marchers we linked up with a group that needed help with a planned demonstration. Seeing as how I could not get arrested due to a date with some babies the next day we agreed to help when needed and maintain a safe distance as legal observers.

The group we were working with planned to create a "lock box" where people tied, taped, and connected each other to make a more secure barrier to block an intersection where delegates would be arriving.

Sitting feet away from a squad car that sat at the corner of the six way intersection the demonstrators planned to block, we felt aimless and a little anxious wondering how the five or so protesters we were with was going to pull this off. Eventually, two of the demonstrators approached an officer and asked directions to the march when out of the bushes, off of bikes, from across streets and over walls approx. twenty demonstrators swarmed the intersection quickly attaching themselves securely to one another.

I was pleasantly surprised. Their group was well organized and everyone fearlessly worked together connecting and planting themselves in the intersection. Within seconds traffic was stopped up with angry Minnesotans honking up a storm in the midday heat. Within minutes additional squad cars arrive. At this point officers were non-aggressive allowing me to stand with them and listen in on their plans as to what they were going to do about this little problem. After a while I was bored of shuffling around and feeling brave so I offered water to the people blockading the street. They all seemed to be very congenial and peaceful people that had passionate views about the state of our government, and we all quickly became friends.

Approximately twenty minutes went by and traffic had to be re-routed (success). Many angry cars had to be turned around and we witnessed a semi hopping a median (dangerous AND illegal). Additional squad cars arrived and what appeared to be a horse trailer... the total number of police on site was approximately 10-15. Rumors of teargas floated around so we decided to forgo our legal observation stance in order to ensure the safety of our new found friends. Armed with vinegar, water, goggles, and bandannas we outfitted the demonstrators prepared to withstand teargas.

Across the intersection some people were illegally being searched so I walked over to make sure they weren't being bullied and in the process I got bullied by an officer in full riot gear screaming at the top of his lungs for me not to cross the street. Of course I crossed the street, but eventually I turned around when they let the kids go. Another officer tried to give me some advice to stay out of the street for my own good. While non-aggressive I told him that I wanted to make sure my friends were okay and was not willing to comply. He then told me to open my bag. I was caught off-guard by this seeing as how I was clearly only an observer mostly standing on the outside and making sure of the safety of the people protesting. Without my consent he grabbed my bag and opened it, which is illegal because I didn't consent to a search and he didn't have a warrant (know your rights!). Of course he didn't find anything except for a water bottle and three disposable cameras.

Pissed off I walked back to the group.

A small meeting was held including the people in the lock box and the other twenty or so loose demonstrators blocking the road and it was decided that the "loose" demonstrators would head downtown towards the march. The walk was very long and sweaty but spirited and mischievous while still remaining completely peaceful. We stopped at a coffee place to fill up our water bottles and headed back out. Six of our demonstrators saw an opportunity to further delay the convention and sat down and locked arms in front of a chartered bus carrying delegates.

Unfortunately this is where our peaceful day gets a little dicey. Police officers storm the six kids yelling and spraying their faces with pepper spray. No warning was given before the pepper spray was used within inches of the face. The officers then dragged the kids across the concrete separating them and putting them face first on the ground. They cuffed them and then continued to step on the backs of the demonstrators to hold them down. The demonstrators were then lined up and sat on the curb.

We requested an ambulance be called for one of the demonstrators who badly reacted to the pepper spray and then we called the legal network set up to help protesters against such things.
An ambulance was called twelve minutes later. The awesome legal team showed up before the Minnesota medics!

Long story long, it was my first brush with police brutality and I am appalled! Of course this is only the tip of the iceberg. While we were trying to maintain contact with our friends in custody and make sure their personal belongings (ie car and cellphone) were taken care of a few miles away chaos was ensuing.

Splinter groups from the PEACEFUL permitted march broke away and clashed with cops prompting a police state where officers tased, tear gassed, rubber bulleted, and used something called concussion grenades. Yes, their was mild property damage (a few broken windows and flat tires ... no really that's it), but the level of brutality and disregard for civil rights was completely unacceptable. There are multiple reports of credentialed journalists being arrested for absolutely no reason, except for the simple fact that they were reporting! Here is a prime video example:
The woman being arrested is Amy Goodman. According to Journalist Mike Burke, "Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism’s top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and the subsequent criminal charges and threat of charges are a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists." This isn't the only journalist arrested. An AP photographer was arrested along with many others members of the NON-corporate media.

This is the United States and our voices are being silenced by force. As of right now over 300 hundred people have been arrested and the numbers are growing. I just received a text message from organizers that policed just snatched someone out of the PEACEFUL March For the Poor, and is now arresting them. If you'd like up to date messages on the things that are going on text Follow RNC08 to 40404. For more contextually full updates click on this link to go to INDYMEDIA.ORG.


Now Some Visual Candy:





Thank goodness for independent media! Like I said that's only the tip of the iceberg, youtube RNC08 protests.

Peaceful Protests Met with Guns and Arrests

(For up to the minute updates click above)

"The convergence Space is open as of 2 PM today. The police ransacked the building Friday night, bursting in with guns drawn, throwing people to the ground, and breaking down doors inside the space. They took with them computers, boxes of protest literature, maps, cell phones, digital cameras, a video camera, the landlord’s pvc piping, and poster making supplies. The evidence receipts given contain no mention of feces or human waste, and the landlord can attest to the lack of sleeping mats on the premises. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s office then closed the building for a “fire code” violation. Fire code violations are also being used to close the houses of activists, with officials saying that if the doors on homes that they knocked down aren’t fixed by tonight they will board up the homes. Today, Saturday, the city council representative for the ward that the Convergence Space is in was able to contact the Department of Safety and Inspections who are the actual authorities to determine if there is a code violation. The director of the department came to the space and ascertained that there were no code violations to be found.

Moving Forward

A public meeting was held in Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis today that was attended by hundreds of people in solidarity with the victims of police violence. Several police raids were conducted on homes today and protest organizers were taken into custody. Police continue to target organizers of protest activities and is “disappearing” any activists they can find. We are calling on everyone interested in protecting their freedom of political speech to maintain a round the clock vigil at the Convergence Center to help prevent further police violence and intimidation. Public pressure is also needed on elected officials who are bowing to the wishes of Bush and friends. The Sheriff’s office continues to lie and spread misinformation in a PR campaign to try to curtail protest plans."

(lifted from a nornc.org official press release)

As fate would have it, I'm better (mostly) in terms of health and a two seats on the bus to Minneapolis opened up. S. and I are leaving tonight at 2 a.m. I just hope I don't get arrested. Not because I'm afraid, but because I have some babies to take care of on Tuesday.

Direct action is a beautiful thing.

Happy Labor Day!

PRESS STATEMENT FROM RNC WELCOMING COMMITTEE AFTER SHERIFF AND SPPD RAID OF CONVERGENCE SPACE

FRIDAY AUGUST 29 2008

Assitant Police Chief Bostrom has talked about the St. Paul Standard, and on the anniversary of last years’ critical mass police riot, we saw its true face. The ramsey county sheriff’s dept and the SPPD raided the RNC convergence space and detained over 50 people in an attempt to preempt planned protests of the rnc on Monday.

Looking for items found in any twin cities house like jars, paint, and rags, this attempt to portray us as criminals and destroy our credibility has already backfired as evidenced by the masses who have come to support us.

We are now accused of a simple fire code violation -which is outside the scope of the sheriffs department and clearly not justified provocation for a forceful raid with guns being drawn. Children and elderly people were inside the convergence center when the police violently busted down the doors. The police may claim that the raid was executed according to protocol - however, the violence inherent in this action may only be a hint of the violence to be expected on Monday and beyond, and is only a hint at the violence perpetrated daily by the police.

The convergence center is simply a gathering place and is not used for illegal actions - it is a place for workshops and trainings. Tonight we were watching films and sharing food.

This action will not deter us from our plans to protest the RNC on September 1^st. We want to invite all people who oppose this police oppression to join us on Septemeber 1st. See you in the streets.

###

Blah

The boys got me sick (again), and it looks I won't be making it to the HUGE anti-war protest at the RNC. Boo.

On the upside, I've been thinking hard about ways to get active and utilize resources that aren't a couple hundred miles away.

I would like to say that I'm really impressed by all the action I'm seeing in many of the groups and collectives and networks that are organizing for the conventions. If only we could maintain a fraction of that enthusiasm to work on future projects as a unified community.

If you're wondering why people are marching at the RNC the simple answer is because we are angry at how our government is representing us (the people; you me and your children). It's not enough anymore to sit at home and gripe about dumb laws, but ultimately put up with them. This is our country and we should decide how it is run. What is important to you is almost always not what is important to a rich, white, conservative, over forty business man.

Let's open a national dialogue with everyone we know about what it is we really want as a nation, and in our communities.

From Nocturne

Tonight I sat in a dark theater and sniffled. Tomorrow you may not be able to recognize me.

In life I was heroic at times, at
other times quiet as a mug of milk.
- Dan Chiasson, The Afterlife of Objects

Drop Acid Not Bombs

I've spent the afternoon watching documentaries, reading, and writing about everything that is wrong with my culture. I'm in a pretty saucy mood, albeit a little bitter. Hopefully I can make it to this on Thursday for at least a bit of a laugh.

Sigh.

But on the upside Google has an impressive array of documentaries you can watch FREE online. Enlightening.

But What of This is My Life?

Isn't it just the worst when you discover a lovely website only to realize it hasn't been updated since January 27, 2005?

Almost as awful as peppermint baths being interrupted by the outside world.

But not worse than the distance between where you are and where you want to be.

Eres espectacular!

Recently I came to the sad realization that I had lost most of the Spanish I had once known. As I've gotten older I don't get to see my Spanish speaking relatives as much so I am not forced to interpret or communicate.

To remedy this sad malady I decided to get serious about not only relearning the choppy Puerto Rican slang I was brought up with, but really trying to master the Spanish language. I've been rallying around accent marks and tongue trills for a couple weeks now, and to my surprise it's coming along really well. No, it's not like riding a bike, but more like an exciting adventure in a radio flyer.

Seldom do I stick to anything and it's extremely rare that I'm actually excited about said "thing." I know that I have a ridiculously long way to go, but ,unlike usual, the prospect of mastering a skill is highly exhilarating.

Furthering my joy was a series of magical events:
1) I watched a travel show about Spain, and sort of fell in love.
2) My boss watched said show with me and was all "Oh my gosh you really need to go to Spain I think you'd really really really dig it; It's totally your type of place."
3) I found a book about everything Spain perched atop a box of books that someone put out on the street for the taking. (that shit was right on top)
4) In the bourgeois laundry room on the community book case I found 4 magazines on speaking Spanish and traveling to Spain accompanied by four respective audio cassettes.
5) My uncle Fredi has been working on our family tree, and recently discovered our greats hailed from the Canary Islands (off the coast of Spain). Super cool.

So long story long ... I want to visit/slash live in Espana, really badly. I also like when the world sort of converges and gives you a little push in any direction. Anyway, can't you see the Last Unicorn bashing around Spain all messy like?

Cada hora que paso contigo mi parece un segundo. Ay ay! (ha ha)

Decadence

Can one ever be fully immune to the temptations of beauty, truth, material, and love?

Here Nor There

So starts another year of living a couple lives in a couple different places. Perhaps this year I will live a little more satisfied and a little less frustrated.

Though instead of two different homes, I'll be split amongst four.

How long will it be before I won't feel like eggs scrambled up for someone else's breakfast?