Greg McConnell: Is Oakland Worth It?
This guest post was written by Gregory McConnell, President and CEO of the Jobs and Housing Coalition, which represents major businesses in Oakland.
Many Oakland business people are asking whether Oakland is still a good place to invest. As I talk to small and big business people all around the city, I hear the constant question. Is it time to pack up and leave?
Phil Tagami told me that several tenants have talked to him about leaving the Rotunda and taking hundreds of jobs out of the city. The small shops in Frank Ogawa Plaza report that business is off 30 to 50%. The Tribune Tower managers say they can no longer tolerate the fact that their building is frequently forced to close because Broadway between 13th and 14th Streets is usually the epicenter of unrest.
On Wednesday, a client attending a conference at the Marriott called and asked if it was safe to eat at Jack London Square, I told her no, it had been shut down. Another business group that has invested in Oakland brought its national board of directors to the Bay Area. They too had plans to stay at the Marriott and visit potential sites in Oakland for new investment. Instead, they went to San Francisco fearful of riots and unruly mobs.
City officials are assessing the impact of the occupancy on our fragile economy. They will be looking at reduced sales at restaurants, lost revenues at retail outlets, lost leases, and lost jobs. We will have empirical evidence soon, but for people who lost a lot in broken windows and shattered confidence, and workers who have been told to go home, or have been laid off, the impacts are already known.
All of this begs the question. Is Oakland worth it?
No, if our leaders allow long-term unlawful occupancy of our public spaces. No, if the police are forced to hide away in the City Center parking lot under a “minimal presence” order, thereby forcing property owners to arm themselves and risk their lives. No, if graffiti and broken windows are acceptable. No, if the city does not protect the people that employ the 99% and serve the residents.
On the other hand, there are many reasons to say yes. Oakland is still one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It is rich with caring, intelligent people who work hard and engage in community affairs. We have young entrepreneurs who are opening small businesses. We have new innovative companies like Pandora, Sungevity and BrightSource Energy that are bring thousands of jobs to the city. Large corporations have established foundations that give back, Kaiser foundation and the Rogers Family Foundation are just a couple of examples.
Most Oaklanders share the outrage at the failure of our economic system. It rewards a small segment and seems to ignore the plight of every day working people who are losing jobs, homes, investments, and worse, the optimism that has always allowed us to think that our lives will get better. The Occupy Movement has brought this to our nation’s attention. For this, we are grateful.
Nevertheless, we have to distinguish between our shared anger at Wall Street and the occupancy of Frank Ogawa Plaza and lawlessness in our streets. Oakland’s business people are not Wall Street profiteers. They are people like you and me who wake up in the morning and work to feed their families.
The owner of Café Teatro hires four people to sell coffee and sandwiches. She is not rich and she is not exploiting anyone. The owner of Rising Loafer is in the same boat. Well before the occupancy, she frequently talked to me about her outrage at corporate America. Tully’s supported the occupancy with donations of food and cleaning supplies, before their windows were smashed. Each of these businesses will be forced to shut down, and the people they employ will be jobless, if the unlawful occupancy of Ogawa Plaza and violence in the streets continues.
I believe that this too shall pass. It needs to happen soon. If it does, YES, OAKLAND IS WORTH IT. But, if we don’t do something soon to change our downward spiral, we may lose the city.
On Thursday night, I took visiting business people to Pican Restaurant. My mission was to help a local business, which has seen a 40% decline in sales over the last few weeks, while trying to give potential Oakland businesses confidence that the city is still functioning. I hope others will do something similar to support Oakland businesses that create jobs and revenues for this struggling city.
We all honor Oakland’s long history of promoting peace and justice. Nevertheless, we need to acknowledge that there is a big difference between supporting efforts to change Wall Street and the unlawful encampment that is destroying the city, our local business people, and their employees.
I urge the residents of Oakland to tell our leaders that support for changing Wall Street and ending unconscionable corporate greed, does not equate to support for an on-going unlawful occupancy. Please write the Mayor, the Council, and the City Administrator. Tell them to end the occupancy and lawlessness in our streets. Let them know that this caring community also cares about working people and businessmen and women who bring jobs to the city.
When we make that clear, I trust that our leaders will find a way to end the unlawful occupancy. If they do not, perhaps we will need to end the occupancy outside and inside city hall.
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- len raphael: Unconfirmed that MJQ laid off 100 employees today, blaming RDA court case. How much did she and the CC waste in legal fees betting against Jerry’s lawyers?
- ralph: No, Livegreen, Occupy Oakland is doing plenty good. They are the poster children for the new, “This is Your Brain on Dope” Campaign.
- Livegreen: They seem to b determined to shut down Oakland and little else. They’ve forgotten Wall St. I can’t help but think the Officers who were preventing them from breaking in to City Hall could have spent...
- gregory mcconnell: The Occupest disrupted City Hall today. They managed to make it difficult, but not impossible, to go into City Hall. They demanded that people who accosted cops on Wednesday should be released. I was out...
- livegreen: I watched the M-Y mtg last night, & it was painful. Jose is a nice guy, but he has difficulty running a meeting that gets anything done. They debated for about 1 hour whether they should discuss recommendations...
- len raphael: The murder of 5 year old Gabriel Martinez. Got a call from an acquaintance who lives in East O and often gets supper at his family’s taco stand. She asked where she can sign up to help on the recall.
- Ravi: I’m sure that all of those Quan diehards (“a recall would be a waste of time and too expensive”) are very gratified that this lovely and deserving woman is having such a good time. No doubt they prefer...
- len raphael: JQ “”I’m actually having a lot of fun,” she said after rehashing many of the lower moments from her first year in office.” “http://www.insidebayare a.com/news/ci_19651889R...
- Ravi: And regarding police reform and the crime thing, Judge Henderson could decide to put OPD under Federal jurisdiction because the terms of the NSA haven’t been fulfilled by the City Administration. Those folks in City...
- len raphael: Harbinger of things to come to the City Council when they eventually have to make similar decisions. But they won’t. The Fed bankruptcy judge will do it for them.
- livegreen: Yeah, but OUSD has to do something. There are way too many schools for the school population. There’s simply no choice. At least they’re willing to make the tough decisions. Unlike the City of...
- len raphael: Are those school board recalls entirely over the school closing decisions? Different groups or one umbrella?
- Ravi: Two recall petitions for Quan; five recall petitions for five school board members.
- len raphael: City says there are now 7 concurrent recall petitions. Not clear how many are for Quan and how many for Council Members. Direct democracy at work.
- Ravi: Can the Oakland City Council lead? Nope, nor can the Mayor. It’s up to the citizens, who are deeply divided and have been for a very long time.
- len raphael: Oakland Local is the only on or offline general circulation media that shows understanding of the depths of our fiscal situation and understands that it’s causes precede the real estate crash. One of these...
- Mkilian: Related to the Cal Supremes haircut to Oakland with respect to RDA and the immediate need for a “fiscal operations plan” is another issue put forth in Oakland’s internet newspaper, Oakland Local, is...
345 Responses to “Greg McConnell: Is Oakland Worth It?”
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November 7th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
I don’t advocate businesses being damaged such as windows being smashed or walls being spraypainted. I do question exactly how much business itself has been affected — I’m talking about businesses that are not physically surrounding the plaza. I know people who work in downtown Oakland — some in buildings surrounding the plaza. They’ve gone to work every day and have walked around every day, often buying lunch from a downtown proprietor. A few times they’ve been sent home early, but they’ve never been unable to actually get to and from work. I also don’t recall Jack London Square being shut down. I think some businesses were likely having issues before Occupy Oakland and that they’re looking to shift the blame.
November 7th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
Can downtown Oakland (which includes everything from Jack London Square to Uptown in the eyes of a visitor from outside our fair city) survive only on business from residents and downtown employees? I doubt it. We need destination eating, drinking, and entertainment (good luck with destination retail). Expecting visitors to analyze the geography and demographics of Oakland is a bit too much to ask–they just see a riot and reconsider.
November 7th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Oakland survived the earthquake. Oakland survived the Fire. And Oakland will survive this. I am one of those downtown workers and I am determined to go about my daily routine, and support all the local businesses I usually support. I am not going to let frantic news reports looking for the next shocking scoop influence where I go or what I do. We are going to get through this.
November 7th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
“A few times they’ve been sent home early, but they’ve never been unable to actually get to and from work.” When employees can not work business does not happen. When employers can not guarantee a safe work space, employees start to think about working elswhere and employers start to relocate. This how it works in the real world not the fantasy camp of OO comrades.
Business has been greatly affected. The afternoon that OO and its splinter orgs were out destroying WF other businesses closed early. The Bank of the West on Broadway closed at 2:30. The Starbucks on W Grand also closed its door for fear of being next. The OO and its splinter people fed up with the excesses of a small dry cleaning businesses shattered the front the businesses front window. The dinner crowd at Ozumo was incredibly light we were told because of the riots. The riots are hurting this city.
November 7th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
What about the people who live near there and call DT & UT home? They should put up with the nightly riots because others can leave?
November 7th, 2011 at 4:55 pm
To my knowledge, Jack London Square has not been shut down – my wife works there and says OO hasn’t really affected JLS.
What seems crazy is that OPD and the city went after OO tent dwellers that were largely peaceful and then failed to do the same when hooded anarchists started smashing windows (as they’ve done in the past during many other protests or periods of unrest in Oakland). This is completely backwards.
It’s important to remember that the vast majority of the OO participants are not directly confrontational with OPD or downtown merchants. And, although they aren’t proposing many solutions, they are pointing fingers in the right direction.
Due to the Occupy movement across the country, the national conversation has shifted completely from deficits to wealth inequality. How exactly this will play out remains to be seen, but it’s refreshing to hear real talk, not Republican nonsense. Let’s do remember this is a very wealthy country with a GDP that has risen steadily over the last generation, but has truly benefited relatively few Americans. This is a result of poor policy, not a lack of wealth.
If I was young, well educated and unemployed, forced to live at home – I’d be angry too.
November 7th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Thank you, Greg, for urging common sense and those that have common sense to write to our elected leaders, who appear to have none.
Some of the comments here totally mystify me. “We will survive this?” I hardly think that is the point. Is that some sort of excuse to avert your eyes and not deal with the reality? A fire and and earthquake are acts of God. This is a totally man-made disaster and there is absolutely no comparison. Our elected leaders openly ALLOWED and encourage this disaster to happen. An equivalent analogy would be seeing a small grass fire, knowing that it will soon become a conflagration, and throwing some gasoline on top of it.
And I guess Jennifer thinks that if businesses are harmed, but not that much, then it is all okay? This just shows the total egocentricity and utter lack of compassion these so-called “progressive” supporters of OO have. They are so f-ing “progressive” that they have set back economic redevelopment in downtown Oakland 15 years, according to Pat Kernighan,.
The campers need to go NOW!
November 7th, 2011 at 5:02 pm
Chris, there’s nothing wrong with protesting and changing the national conversation. There’s nothing wrong with being angry. You can be and do all of those things without illegally camping and infringing on other people’s rights. Not to mention the fact that they are totally shooting themselves in the foot because they are rapidly losing mainstream support.
You might be frustrated with “Republican nonsense,” but right now, I’m frustrated with “liberal nonsense” that is destroying our City. Remember, a lot of these folks (the Oakland contingent) actually want to destroy capitalism, not fix it.
November 7th, 2011 at 5:30 pm
Jack London Square was not closed down — people were at Heinold’s the evening of the march to the Port enjoying drinks. Miss Pearl’s had a big water break last week and may still be cleaning up from that — any closure there was not due to protest.
That said, I do have a nonprofit client whose office was closed last Wednesday and has been greatly inconvenienced by Occupy. I live down near JLS and am really tire of this. I think a lot of people agree with the Occupy sentiment, but not the tactics. I still have no idea why the Port was targeted.
November 7th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
If you told people JLS was shut down, then YOU are part of the problem hurting Oakland business. No such thing was true.
I had a lovely dinner at Encuentro the Tuesday night that the helicopters were out helping police roust peaceful folks from the OO camp. The story in the Chronicle about the owners of Restaurant B or whatever it’s called? Right there in the lede was their nostalgia for when they had a wait list every night… 2007. FOUR YEARS AGO. OO has been there for six weeks. What happened in the meantime? A massive recession!
I live in Adams Point and regularly go out in the Lake Merritt, Telegraph, Uptown, and DTO areas. And I support #occupy here in Oakland and elsewhere.
Salon got the headline right when it comes to this business-slanted yellow journalism: “Great city forced to read swill.” http://www.salon.com/2011/10/29/great_city_forced_to_read_swill/singleton
November 7th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
I’m starting to think that Oakland’s politics are not only divisive but selfish too. Clearly, different groups of people seem to view OO quite differently:
Those (few) who oppose both OWS and OO
Those who favors OWS but are fed up with OO because they’re affected by it (i.e., work, live, or do business in or around downtown)
Those who both favors OWS and OO because they’re not affected by the latter (or simply fail to recognize the correlation btwn the never-ending riots and Oakland’s economy)
Those (read: mayor, council members) who flip-flop around the issue because don’t want to upset their voter base.
This does not look particularly promising, and I even wonder if there’d be enough support to recall the beloved major. Maybe, as someone suggested, we do need to see the riots and OO spread to Rockridge, Montclair, and Lakeshore to expand the base of those finally able to connect the dots and see where this is heading in the long term.
November 7th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Ivan: “I’m starting to think that Oakland’s politics are not only divisive but selfish too.”
That’s it exactly. Oakland is locked up in the grip of a Mayor and a City Council for whom political survival and ideological pretense are all. There is no vision for this City; there is no commonsense; there is no understanding for how to manage a city the size and complexity of Oakland.
There will be no change, sadly, until most of the bums are thrown out, starting with the Mayor.
November 7th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
@Marleenleee,
Very, very well said!
November 7th, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Business people in Jack London Square were called and urged to let their employees go home. The Port released its workers. I stand by my post.
The janitors in my building on Ogawa Plaza have lost work on at least two occasions because the building closed based upon safety concerns, and I have personally seen the footage of Tagami staring down an angry mob. Oaklanders should never have to choose to stay or leave based upon safety concerns. That is the point of my post.
Those who agree in the righteousness of peaceful civil protests have my support Those of us who believe we have a right to be safe also have that right. These rights are harmonious until thugs change the game.
Lawlessness is not the same as peaceful protest!
November 7th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
Of course those of us who live downtown, uptown, Lakeshore, or Adams Point know how to navigate this town and know what’s safe and what’s not. Can we spend enough money locally to support the level of commerce that a city of this size needs without outside investment?
Meh, my friends in the ‘burbs and in SF don’t like coming out here anyway. I can commute to work through Piedmont, shop in Emeryville, and go out in SF. And I can tell folks I meet there how proud I am to have lived next to OO. Maybe we can built a monument downtown and bring in politico-tourism?
But damn it, this idea that OO is cost-free, or that someone else deserves all the blame, is really galling. A movement like this, no matter how just, has a real cost born by real people. Meditating while others break windows doesn’t separate you from what’s going on. Your presence in our city affects us, no matter what your intentions. The idiots in city hall are a big part of the problem but not the whole problem.
Perhaps the movement is important enough that the collateral damage is worth it. If so, stand up and say so. Own it, please, and make your case. Don’t deny it.
November 7th, 2011 at 8:21 pm
The earthquake lasted less than a minute and clean up and rebuilding started immediately. The fire burned for about 24 hours and smolderred another day or so. As soon as it was safe, clean up and rebuilding started.
OO has no end in sight. It is this lack of critical thinking about the damage to Oakland that is hard to swallow. It doesn’t matter if the demonstration on Wednesday was mostly peaceful, if your property was spray painted, your windows smashed, if you lost a day’s pay, then who cares if it was mostly peaceful? The fact is, if OO did not exist, there would be no weekly riots. The rioters have used OO for cover and OO has refused to disavow their violence. The No Justice No BART folks who wore out everyone with their Monday night demonstrations about police violence and cell phone accessibility have pimped off of OO to flog BART.
Many of the people in OO feel angry and powerless and are looking for a way to express that anger. For the first time in my life, I have some understanding how Jim Jones was able to get hundreds of people to move to South America and end up committing suicide.
The enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend.
November 7th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
comment to Annoyed ~ I have to say you managed to trivialize the after effects of two rather devastating disasters. remarkable.
November 7th, 2011 at 9:59 pm
I live a little over half a mile from Frank Ogawa plaza.
Long before Occupy Oakland, downtown became a ghost town after dark. In fact, by 6pm, most of City Center is shut down! There are people who want to shop and eat here and nothing is open! The same is true on the weekends. In fact, when the Oakland Marathon was in town, lots of out of towners were looking for a place to grab food, and were amazed that City Center was all closed. I had to direct them to nearby neighborhoods.
I used to actually prefer to lock my bike at the West Oakland BART station and take the longer ride home than have to try to unlock in that creepily empty plaza at 14th street. Ever since Occupy Oakland arrived, I feel safe in the plaza. Co-workers from San Francisco housesat for a friend who lived in Uptown Oakland a few months ago, and said that they were “creeped out” by how empty the streets were. They had been considering moving here, but were turned off by that experience. I invited them back out here on Wednesday, and when they saw the streets filled with people, they started asking me about good neighborhoods to rent in!
Lots of the examples of businesses closing or people being inconvenienced center on Wednesday, which was the day of the General Strike. That was a one time deal. There were people bent on making trouble, and they did. But the majority did not, and who knows how many people came to Oakland that day for the first time?
I don’t want any small local business to suffer because of the occupy movement. From what I’ve heard, there are folks from the movement going out and meeting with local businesses this week to discuss concerns and mitigate the impact. This is a vital step and I hope that folks will really hear those concerns and make the necessary changes. I am making a point to buy from at least two shops I haven’t been to before in the plaza this week.
Greg McConnell is a developer and a past supporter of anti-rent control policies. This is not to vilify him, but to point out that he has a vested interest in painting the picture of Occupy Oakland in a negative light. The story about JLS not being “safe” felt like a reach – JLS was far enough from the part of the port where people were gathering that it wouldn’t have been affected. Pican Restaurant is at 22nd and Broadway, which is also far from FG Plaza. If their business has declined in the past few weeks, I would blame the change in weather before thinking about Occupy Oakland.
My final point is this – those who are concerned about Oakland’s economy should be looking to Jane Jacob’s theory of vibrant, walkable neighborhoods. We need more stores that stay open later and we need more people to live near their stores or have easy access to them. Jack London Square is a great resource that fills with people every weekend (Farmer’s Market, Pedalfest, Eat Real, etc.), and most of the storefronts sit largely empty, which discourages people from regularly filling that space or wanting to live there. Downtown Oakland stays open for the office workers but closes for the residents, which forces us to go elsewhere for our needs. Businesses have been affected by a downturn in the housing market that predated Occupy Oakland – lots of those condos that were supposed to fill downtown and uptown with full time residents are going empty. People have less disposable income to spend. And all signs point to the fact that we’re about to endure another “dip” in the national economy – how we will shore up and protect Oakland? If you think tearing down the camp is the answer, you’re taking the easy way out.
November 7th, 2011 at 10:52 pm
A Petition for Recall of Mayor Quan was filed this afternoon at the City Clerk’s Office.
There was a ten day waiting period after the Notice of Intent to Circulate Recall Petition was filed on Oct 24th. The Mayor responded at the end of the 10 day period last week.
The Petition itself is the same as the original version that was the Notice of Intention with the only allowable change being the appending of the Mayor’s response.
The City Clerk has an additional 10 days to review the documents and then if approved, the petition goes to print and signature collection starts.
At that point the Petition is effectively public domain, in that anyone can collect signatures and submit to the Clerk for verification.
Without going thru the same process, the petition cannot be altered in any way.
A copy of the filing dated Nov 7, 2011 should be online at recallquan.com and at recalljanquan.org by end of tomorrow.
-len raphael
Vote No on Quan’s H,I,J
November 7th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
Would someone please tell me exactly how I’m supposed to take seriously commentary that says JLS has been “shut down?” This entire piece is filled with similar sweeping generalizations. Now if Mr. McConnell wants to address the specific reasons behind the decisions that have turned JLS into a near ghost town be my guest, but problems down there long predated OO or anything to do with BART police shooting an unarmed rider in the back.
There is no excuse for graffiti and absolutely none for smashing windows of banks or anything else, but it wasn’t OO that turned some unsightly tents in the Plaza into a police riot. And I can definitely say that looking out my window at four helicopters noisily hovering over downtown night after night kept me away much more than OO ever did or could.
November 8th, 2011 at 2:35 am
People who do not live in Oakland do not make a distinction between OO at 14th and Broadway and Ozumo in Uptown. It is an important point lost on a number of you. Ozumo and Pican opened 2008/2009, I think the people who work there have a good idea of what is affecting their business.
Past news reports have shown that protests rarely stay in a confined area. Residents of other cities make a decision to skip DESTINATION Oakland to avoid being caught up in this stupidity. When employers send their employees home early, it means fewer people staying downtown for dinner. When I see a mayor who allows this crap to continue unchecked, I advise my out of town friends and family, who are looking to stay in a BART friendly hotel, to stay in Union Square. I’m thinking about their safety.
Cities tend to recover from natural disasters, outsiders do not attribute the damage to city officials who lack the capacity to act decisively. But when our elected leaders allow the inmates to dictate the conversation, then it is hard to recover.
James is anti development. I don’t point this out to villify him but he must realize that without additional residential and commercial development in the downtown area the neighborhood will remain unwalkable.
Can someone tell me how I am suppose to take seriously someone who writes, ” lots of those condos that were supposed to fill downtown and uptown with full time residents are going empty.” I have news for you buddy most of those buildings are fully occupied.
The problem is not unoccupied residential buildings. Guess where these people are during the day working and for the most part not in downtown Oakland. Some do but must don’t. The downtown and uptown areas need more businesses such as Clorox, Pandora, KP etc. These people spend money at local restaurants during the day. But when businesses either shutdown early or refuse to locate here, we all suffer.
If you think leaving up this camp is going to attract new businesses to the area, then you are sorely mistaken. If OO really wants to help these businesses, then they can do like Marvin K. Mooney.
November 8th, 2011 at 6:56 am
James, thanks for not vilifying me, but let me set the record straight. I have never developed anything in my 62 years on the planet. I wish I had the talent and resources to do so.
Yes, I have worked to modify rent control policies and have been successful using lawful procedures in the process. I also served as director of rent control in Berkeley and as an executive in the Wash., DC, rent control program.
But so what, this is not about me. This is about the unlawful occupancy of Frank Ogawa Plaza and related civil unrest.
I won’t go into your other points other than to say that I am glad you feel safe. Most people feel quite the opposite. That is why the city of Oakland has released its employees on at least two occasions that I know of. Businesses in Jack London Square were advised to send their employees home last Wednesday. Shops around the Plaza were advised to close because the police could not guarantee their safety. Vandals broke windows, sprayed graffiti on buildings and I have personally seen people getting drunk at the Plaza, fighting, cursing, and defecating in public spaces, even after the portable toilets were installed.
I understand that the end is near for the occupancy of the Plaza. Does that mean we cannot continue to seek change of Wall Street practices. No, in fact, we can focus attention better when people direct their actions at Wall Street and not hard working people who are trying to make a living and who work to make Oakland better.
Council Member Desley Brooks, who camped out for a few days, and represents the hardest hit district in the city, spoke eloquently at the City Council meeting about the difference between seeking justice, jobs and hope, and unlawful continued occupancy of the Plaza.
I agree with her. Peace.
November 8th, 2011 at 7:31 am
Our company is in East Oakland. We employ more than 100 people here. Oakland is important to us.
OO is not hurting our business, but it is hurting our ability to recruit the high quality workers we need. The problem did not start with OO, it started with crime, but OO has surely made it worse. Being in Oakland has become a competitive disadvantage for us.
We are not leaving Oakland, but that is because we live and love Oakland. But I am not sure how or why an outsider would invest here.
I wish the people on this board could come together with a solution, and not pick apart each others positions. Oakland needs us to listen to each other and work together.
November 8th, 2011 at 9:35 am
Damaging the prospects of Oakland is not what this protest should be about. Oakland needs every single job and business can get. This protest needs to be in Washington against the Political Establishment both Republican and Democrat that set up the policies that pitted our workforce making $7.50 to $50.00 per hour against an offshore workforce making fifty cents to $5.00 per hour and then turned around and bailed out the banks and wall street interest with no penalties or compensation for our taxpayers who funded it. Stop penalizing the local communities and focus your attention where it belongs. Our Mayor needs to decide whether she is a Mayor and a Leader of all of the city or a protestor, and she needs to do it soon.
November 8th, 2011 at 9:41 am
How exactly did I trivialize the fire and earthquake? If you are in favor of OO then that’s fine but please don’t put words in my mouth. I thought the point was crystal clear. The fire and earthquake lasted a finite amount of time and the city was able to move on when these events ended. When is OO going to end? When do we get to start moving forward and rebuild downtown. Jesus H. Christ.
November 8th, 2011 at 10:03 am
People can vilify OO and the entire Occupy movement all they want, but I know one thing for certain.
The past spring and summer the country saw both parties play a game of one-upsmanship about who could be “brave” and cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid more than the other side. The supposed “Hope and Change” guy being at the front of the line to do the cutting. Now, after decades of ever increasing inequality and ever increasing corrosive money in politics the conversation has finally, FINALLY turned a little bit towards those questions instead.
Jack asks for a solution. I’m sorry to say but this IS part of the solution, because the way things were going wasn’t working very well for lots of parts of Oakland, East or otherwise – or doesn’t a 16% or 20% unemeployment rate (which well predated OO) scare people? We should all be grateful that the response HAS been OO rather than something with blind destruction at its core.
November 8th, 2011 at 10:16 am
I’m reposting because I wasn’t able to edit the first post before the edit function timed out.
I thought the point was crystal clear. The fire and earthquake were natural disasters that lasted a finite amount of time and the city was able to move on when these events ended. The moving on took more than a decade for downtown and some of my neighbors still don’t have chimneys. That is what is so galling about the OO because downtown has just gotten back on its feet and now it’s something else except we don’t know when or if OO is going to end. When do we get to start moving forward and rebuild downtown? Again. Jesus H. Christ. I lived here for both disasters. I spent the night of the fire buying goods that were needed by first responders and schlepping them to St. Vincent De Paul’s even though I live nowhere near the hills. I know people who lost their homes in the fire. I know one couple who left Oakland because it was the second time they lost their home in a wildfire. I clearly recall how the earthquake devastated downtown Oakland with a number of buildings that were no longer safe for occupancy. A number of my neighbors had damage to their homes from the earthquake. People died in both of these events. But the city was able to move forward and rebuid. People in West Oakland forced Caltrans to move a freeway right of way, something no one had ever accomplished before. How is stating that Oakland was able to move forward from two natural disasters but can’t move forward from OO since we have no idea when or if it will end is trivializing anything? If you think a comparison is valid between two natural disasters and an occupation that is your choice. I think it is completely invalid.
November 8th, 2011 at 10:58 am
PRE – citing the old “ends justify the means” argument. Sorry, don’t buy it. Numerous groups and movements were able to achieve monumental gains without having to set fire to buildings, pee in doorways, destroy business or hurl rocks and bottles at the police. Women getting the right to vote? Women getting the right to have a legal abortion? Yes, changes in policies and laws can be achieved by lawful action and effective advocacy and persuasion.
Not sure if you listened to the speakers at last week’s City Hall meeting. It didn’t sound like too many of them were concerned about Wall Street, Washington, abusive lending policies or foreclosures. In fact, a lot of them probably couldn’t even explain the first thing about how Medicare or foreclosures work. Rather, a lot of them were all reveling in how fun it was to live in their little commune and how it was contributing to their sense of “family” and “purpose” and self-actualization and personal growth and yada yada yada. You never heard so much self-centered, self-righteous hippie tripe.
Occupy Oakland does not appear to have any coherent message about reforming Wall Street. Rather, it seems to be about (1) making sure youth curfews and gang injunctions are taken off the table; (2) paying tribute to Oscar Grant and Lovelle Mixon; (3) destroying capitalism; (4) keeping schools open; (5) telling the police to f___ off; (6) telling the government to f— off; (7) “decolonizing” public space; (8) giving the homeless a place to stay; (9) giving the new “community” an opportunity to explore anarchistic utopian ideals, and God knows what else.
The fact that these messages are garbled, incoherent, unappealing, or unrelated to the OWS “movement” in general has not stopped our City officials saying they “support” the movement. Could they please specify what exactly they support?
Yeah, unemployment is bad. OO will only make it worse.
November 8th, 2011 at 11:56 am
The Mayor’s office just put out the following statement:
“Oakland is a city of the 99% and last Wednesday’s peaceful demonstrations showed support for the broad goals of creating job and reducing income inequality. However, as a city, we are carrying a disproportionate share of the burden. Overnight camping and the continued presence of a small, unsafe element are impacting both local businesses and our neighborhoods.
Local businesses are hurting because of vandalism and reduced patronage. Neighborhoods are hurting because city services already stretched by budget cuts face additional demands responding to emergencies downtown.
We are a city of the 99%. Oakland has the highest rates of unemployment, poverty and foreclosures of the major Bay Area cities. We are struggling under the weight of budget cuts at the local, state and federal levels. While we support the call for broader participation in political and economic democracy, we cannot ignore violence, property destruction and health and safety issues in Frank Ogawa Plaza.
This situation is costing us real jobs. We can’t afford to lose a single job.
Oakland has demonstrated its support for the 99%. Now is the time for the encampment to show its support for Oakland.
We call, once again, for dialogue between representatives of the encampment and the city to move toward a peaceful resolution.
We ask the many Oakland individuals and organizations who have shown their concern to reach out to the encampment directly.
And, we call on protesters to assure Oaklanders that further demonstrations will be peaceful and that violent demonstrators will be isolated.”
Sounds like they’re going to try one last dialog Wednesday evening. It looks like the Mayor’s office is still conflicted between the initial message and the actual events.
At least they’re moving in the right direction. The anarchists are leaving no choice, even for those who’ve been actively participating in the camp.
November 8th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Most likely, if OO doesn’t reform it will either be shut down in it’s current form -or- transform into two separate organizations, one existing vs. one that is peaceful & cooperates with the City.
This is what the Mayor might be shooting for…
November 8th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Ask yourself why the Occupy groups in most other cities around the country have kept their movement on point, not damaging the economy and image of the city. The answer lies in the nature of Occupy Oakland and the vacillating non-leadership of mayor Quan. Her latest this morning is to ask OO publicly, please talk with me about resolving the problems. That’s it. Talk.
Occupy Oakland is only the current, most egregious example of mayor Quan’s failures. To stop the failures and open the way to a safe, thriving Oakland, we must recall Quan, repudiating the decade of policies she has promoted on the city council and now as mayor.
The recall committee is working the processes as fast as possible to get the recall petition ready. If you want to be notified when and where you can sign the recall petition, use the link within
http://www.orpn.org/Quan_Occupy2.htm
November 8th, 2011 at 1:14 pm
“Now is the time for the encampment to show its support for Oakland.”
I’ve spent a few evenings down at FOP talking to random people, and I’ve yet to randomly meet an Occupier who knows much about Oakland, much less one looking to support Oakland. Oakland is a venue for the event. When OO is done, most of these folks will move on and never consider the consequences.
November 8th, 2011 at 1:45 pm
PRE,
East Oakland has an unemployment rate of over 50%. It is disgusting. It is what I, and many people like me are trying to fight. OO is killing us.
OO is a disaster for Oakland. People, business and families are fleeing. The 1% are not leaving because they were never here.
Can’t we help people in a way that works for everyone? Oakland is not the enemy, Quan is not the enemy and the police are not the enemy. You are confusing evil with incompetence. Oakland simply does not have the depth of political skill to handle a situation like this. We are over our heads, bankrupt and leaderless.
I am not trying to vilifying OO, I am vilifying the destruction of a city that I love. Why can’t we work together to both help Oakland and our community? If OO won’t work with the city, how is it helping Oakland?
OO, our city and country’s leaders are all the same. They are screwing us while smiling and telling us they are saving us. It is all about them.
November 8th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
annoyed ~ let me clarify my thoughts for you re the response to the two disasters, speaking as someone who was very, very involved with community responses to both: Countless hours of meetings, preparing for testimonies, assisting with various activities associated with rebuilding community spirit, and on and on, for months and months ~ I know I am not alone here, as far as the community outpouring that occured with respect to those events. While yes the shaking lasted barely a minute; and yes while the fire burned for a finite length of time ~ the aftermath has lasted to this day, more than 20 years later. 20 years of my life. Maybe you just woke up and kept on with your day, and those things didn’t impact you that much directly and that’s why you think the way you do. So, that’s why it felt like you were trivializing what I was bringing up, by way of comparison with what we have today. It all comes down to this ~ if you care about Oakland you do what you can each and every day. I’m sorry if I didn’t make my point clearly.
November 8th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
So much for my efforts at trying to have civic shared responsibility. We should all stay in our residential silos.
But back on topic, you’ve still missed the point I was making whch is that the fallout from natural disasters and an indefinite occupation are not comparable. If that means I am trivializing the recovery from the fire and earthquake, well, whatever.
November 8th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
A # of the Mayor’s BBON people are urging other citizens to attend the OO General Assembly. On the one hand it’s positive to get the broader, more reasonable citizens involved.
On the other hand it’s interesting that our elected Officials are appealing to citizens to have their voice counted at a General Assembly of an outside movement.
Does this validate OO as another Political Party? Or an additional, secondary, Municipal Government?
November 8th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
I do not negotiate with terrorists. The laws of this city are clear. By law, the pie people do not have the right to camp overnight. The IC and CA were right to evict them and the mayor was wrong to allow them to recamp. The only thing that needs to happen now is have them removed. And I use them broadly.
November 8th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
is there a minimum age requirement for voting at an OO ga ?
November 8th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
“Does this validate OO as another Political Party? Or an additional, secondary, Municipal Government?”
Ya sure, you betcha. Whatever happens is democratically valid! And what, pray tell, is the primary “Municipal Government?”
November 8th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
You’ve got to love this piece from the HuffPost! Guess what bank did OO choose to deposit their $20,000 donation from OWS?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-j-hunt/occupy-oakland-banks-loca_b_1082930.html
Oh the irony!
November 8th, 2011 at 8:34 pm
At the begininng of the Occupy movement, I thought interesting. I told myself, I could be in support of this, if there was a concrete goal. We are 6 weeks in, and there is no end or goal in sight.
I support the idea of OO. I do not know how the rights of OO relate to camping out in Frank Ogawa Plaza. Or looting Oakllectiv. Or breaking windows at Tully’s and Whole Foods.
Over the past 2 years, my sister’s downtown Oakland employer has closed 8 times due to random riots or violence downtown.
Our big brother to the west has nonsense protests frequently. I can’t think of a single incident where businesses were forced to shut down due to the threat of escalating violence or riots.
If potential and current businesses and downtown leasees are voicing their displeasure, than dozens of others aren’t saying a word and planning on moving. It is troubling that we have heard from dozens of current businesses. This will continue as long as our city allows nonsense to take over and destroy our streets.
Frankly the city’s decision making process on OO reflects the leadership for everything else: lots of meetings and no decision or action. No one wants to voice and opinion and risk someone getting mad at them.
Enough! It is time for perception that it is OK to trash Oakland to stop, and it is time for some leadership that has the gumption to fight for it.
November 8th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
why is it that not a single tent has gone up in the Dellums Building Plaza, barely a block away from City Hall. Guess no one wants to mess with the feds. Hmmmmm. Might as well stay in good ole ogawa plaza.
November 8th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
I have said nothng about the strawman of whether or not “the means justify the ends.” The issue is that, clearly vandalism and property destruction aside, YOU do not have the right to decide what means the people take to bring their issues before the government. And you absolutely don’t have the right to decide whether or not what they want to discuss is valid or not.
On a practical level, if the Mayor wants to have police riot number two on Wednesday she can go ahead with that but I have a strong feeling that the sequel will be even worse for everyone involved than the first time around.
November 8th, 2011 at 9:37 pm
Ivan,
I guess OO does not have any local members, who can open a credit union account.
November 8th, 2011 at 9:47 pm
A group of concerned citizens, business people, and Oakland residents will be gathering at the Den (@ the Fox) this Thursday to discuss the issue and find solutions (you’ll find familiar faces there…). Plan to attend!
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=175390965885700
November 9th, 2011 at 6:38 am
Greg, thanks for this. You do great work. Please keep it up.
If anyone is interested, I have a blog post up examining how RCV led to a weak Quan administration due to the ambiguity of her popular mandate. Obviously that’s not the only part of the story, but it’s definitely part of why we currently have weak mayoral leadership in Oakland.
http://georgewillcoxon.com/2011/11/09/popular-mandates-legitimate-authority-and-ranked-choice-voting/
November 9th, 2011 at 6:40 am
Also, Floyd Huen (Jean’s husband) is interested in weakening the Mayoralty and City Council even further. From an email:
The idea of neighborhood assemblies is exactly what the Town Halls were meant to be; we did 8 of them with the last being the biggest, almost 600 people at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. It you see this is as a alternative power structure, so be it. The ideas of issues that flowed from these are the basis for us to work on as priorities for the city, neighborhood by neighborhood.
We wanted to use these to judge the next group of canididates for council next year.
Could these eventally replace the council in that neighborhood meetings could become a direct form of democracy using the NCPC approach ? Of course they could . It could begin with the budgetting process going forward.
But starting all over again does not REQUIRE rejecting everything we have in the meantime. It requires sophistication in building the new community within the old one. That is why we ran Jean for Mayor and that is what we are trying to accomplish. All of these proposals are up for discussion and trying out. The whole purpose of Block by Block Orgnanizing network is the beginning of this new type of organizaition in each neighborhood: based on block by block. The Inside work within the government must serve the outside work: the building of block by block and neighborhood by neighborhood organiatization to activate ALL residents of Oakland to govern themselves. We just celebrated our first annivesary the same night as the city council meeting.
I think the vision of both movements is very similar.
However if Jean is recalled this will suffer a big setback. The situation at City Plaza must be resolved soon. There must be some form of meaningful negotiation so that the larger goals can be worked out together. The GA’s can keep on happening at the plaza observing the time limits. The sleeping overnight can occur somewhere else; or decamping and coming back together can and should continue.
Floyd Huen
November 9th, 2011 at 7:58 am
The occupancy of Oakland will soon end. The center voices in Oakland are speaking up in larger number. The effects on businesses and workers are being made more clear every day. City costs are high and revenues are plunging. As a consequence, services are being reduced, including the social safety net for the poor, youth, seniors and the homeless. Meanwhile, the occupiers still have no plan, no clear voice, and show no respect for the city and its residents.
This will soon end. I hope it is peaceful. But if the anarchists take to the streets, our police department, with the aide of others, will do what is necessary to maintain order. There may be dark days ahead, but that is the price for living in a civilized society that operates by the rule of law. Whatever happens next, the people of Oakland must stand together and show the resolve to see this through.
Oakland holds firm our commitment to the right to free speech and assembly. Those rights are guaranteed by our constitution and our collective conscious. We also hold firm the rights to make a living, create jobs, and maintain safety in our streets.
We will bring the encampment to an end and we will send a message that Oakland is a city that honors protests and its laws. I am confident that the people of Oakland will stand together.
November 9th, 2011 at 8:10 am
Quan using her BBBON (block by block) org run by her husband Floyd to stuff the ballot box at tonight’s OO general assembly vote is dangerous at worst and stupid at best.
Quan’s major backer, Nick Vigilante, has been mass posting on neighborhood yahoo sites calling for residents to come to OO and vote for the resolution forswearing violence and property destruction.
Just the kind of strange cynical manipulation that you get when you cross a retired Homeland Security/Justice Dept guy like Nick Vigilante with a stuck in the 60′s radical like Quan and Floyd.
Quan wants that vote to provide cover for her, Nadel, Brunner, and presumedly Kaplan to defeat attempts by the council to order an end to the encampment. Barbara Lee even butted in to support the encampment.
At best Quan sends in enough people who’ve never participated in OO assemblies to pass such a resolution, what 90% majority? Not likely. Then at the next GA, the vote is reversed.
Whatever the moral persuasive power such a vote would have on the black bloc people would be lost by its manipulated taint.
If the OO people come to the conclusion themselves to forswsear violence and smashing, that might mean something.
At worst, Quan, Floyd, Vigilante and her block captains are sending normal residents into a volatile situation where black bloc people will have had plenty of time to prepare.
Is Quan going to ask OPD to pull even more cops out of East and West O for for political machinations? She should.
You figure she justifies risking the safety of the carpet bagging residents the same way supporters of the encampment justify the harm it’s doing to Oakland: in the long run we’ll all be better off by striking a blow at the 1%.
Same old same old, that right wingers and left wingers use to sacrifice people for their goals.
Quan can’t even run her own city, now she wants to run OO also.
-len raphael, temescal
Vote No on Quan’s H,I,J
recallquan.com
November 9th, 2011 at 9:57 am
Wow. Jean Quan and her hubby are a real box of Fruit Loops. Is there a time for the meeting on Thursday? Thanks.
November 9th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Actually some BBON people have been at the camp since the beginning. Under the guise of making it more peaceful they are trying to find a way to keep it going and, perhaps, turn it to their own advantage.
Let’s see what luck they have: OO not only deposited their $10,000 in a Wells Fargo but according to the Chronicle under the account of the “Long Haul Anarchist Collective”.
OO has already effectively been infiltrated & taken over, but not by Floyd. Good luck turning that around, BBON.
November 9th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
repost from temescalneighbors of BBBON’s Nick Vigilante:
Hello Everyone,
Occupy Oakland will consider an Anti-Violence resolution at its General Assembly meeting this Wednesday beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Frank Ogawa Plaza, accross from City Hall. The resolution will come up for consideration at some point after the meeting begins, attendees will get an opportunity to speak about the resolution, and then the resolution will be voted on. Successful passage of this resolution is an important first step toward bringing an end to physical attacks and violence which have occurred during or after Occupy Oakland events. I encourage everyone to attend the Occupy Oakland General Assembly meeting and vote “YES” for this resolution. Bring a jacket or wear warm clothing because it will be cool outside. Parking will be available on city streets. There are also several parking garages; one in back of City Hall, one in back of the Federal Building, and one under City Center across from City Hall. These garages charge a parking fee, and they close each day at around 11:00 p.m.
Here is the Occupy Oakland resolution:
—————————————
ANTI-VIOLENCE PROPOSAL:
WHEREAS, OCCUPY OAKLAND SEEKS TO EXPAND THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT TO EFFECTIVELY DEMAND THAT THE 1% PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE AND THAT OUR SOCIETY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE 99%;
and
WHEREAS, TO THAT END OCCUPY OAKLAND HAS INVITED FAMILIES, CHILDREN, THE DISABLED, ELDERLY AND ALL OTHER SECTORS OF THE 99% TO OCCUPY OAKLAND EVENTS;
and
WHEREAS, PHYSICAL ATTACKS AGAINST PERSONS AND PROPERTY ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF THESE PERSONS AND LIMITS PARTICIPATION IN THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT;
and
WHEREAS, SUCH ATTACKS ARE CONDONED BY NEITHER THE MAJORITY OF OCCUPY MOVEMENT PARTICIPANTS NOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE 99%;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THOSE WHO LAUNCH PHYSICAL ATTACKS ON PEOPLE OR PROPERTY ARE NOT WELCOME TO DO SO AT OR NEAR OCCUPY OAKLAND EVENTS AND ENCAMPMENT.
——————————————
Nicholas Vigilante
November 9th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Annoyed, I think it’s “Froot Loops,” unless the saying doesn’t come from the cereal.
November 9th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Thanks. I don’t eat the stuff so who knew?
November 9th, 2011 at 4:36 pm
from Rockridge Neighborhood Watch Site (no politics allowed).
Karen Ivy is secretary of the Rockridge NCPC:
“Think hard before going downtown tonight
We’ve seen repeated calls for residents to show up at tonight’s Occupy Oakland general assembly and vote for the agenda proposal against using violence and property destruction. This despite the fact that the newspapers regularly report on a group of about 150 people, usually called the “black bloc,” who insist that violence should remain in the toolbox and frequently try to shout down speakers arguing for peaceful protest. The “black bloc” is a completely unpredictable factor, there’s no way to tell what they’ll do; and they almost certainly know about the calls to come down and vote. Whether you believe in the principles of Occupy Wall Street or not, the situation in the OO General Assembly tonight will be potentially dangerous.
If the proposition passes the GA vote tonight because of a bunch of people who only show up tonight, the “black bloc” will almost certainly try to put it on the agenda again shortly, in hopes of defeating it in a general assembly which isn’t full of one-time voters.
If the OO campers pass the resolution against violence and property destruction by themselves, that will be a very strong statement about the movement; if they don’t, that’s an equally strong statement about the movement, in the wrong direction.
Think long and hard about showing up at the General Assembly tonight, and don’t go unless you are prepared to cope if the situation turns violent.
Karen Ivy
karenivy@…”
November 9th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
The latest escapade with council getting shouted down, then shouting back….
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/09/BAH61LSRPF.DTL&tsp=1
Scott L
November 9th, 2011 at 5:40 pm
The Chronicle reported the OO GA has to vote 90% to pass anything. If true, nothing will change. The Mayor then needs to make a decision about the camp. & OO will either split in 2 or end.
Either the Mayor acts to end the Camp, or finds a way to save face by using BBON to form a 2nd OO movement, or does nothing and looks leaderless, forcing the Council to override her.
Since they appear to have 5 votes it is my impression they can vote to instruct the City Administrator (CA) to remove the camp. Please correct me if I’m wrong about their ability to do so.
November 9th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Hey Scott! Are you on MDisc or just MSIC?
November 9th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
What do you bet that Kaplan “abstains” at the last second when the decision comes whether to evict OO ?
She has that abstain thing down to an art on controversial issues where she wants to be able to please both the maximum number of voters.
It makes her look like a pure opportunist.
November 9th, 2011 at 9:39 pm
I for one am sick of the camp for a number of reasons and the main one admittedly is selfish. I own a start up video game company based here in Oakland, we do testing on games. My testers generally work in two shifts a regular hour 9 to 5 shift and a late shift from 6 to 2am. i have been trying to get contracts and investments but due to the OO movement many of the companies i talk to have reservations about doing business with a company located at 14th and Broadway. I will soon be moving my business 66 Franklin in JLS but even still investors and companies fear that i will have to delay or slow their projects due to unrest in downtown. SEGA flat out told me that they will not do business with me because they do not believe that a company in Oakland can attract and retain the qualified individuals needed to perform the tasks they need done. i told them that that was absurd however that doesn’t change their mind. Its no so much that i believe what the OO people are saying is wrong, its more that they are perpetuating the negative stereotype our city already is struggling thus with. stifling the very minimal growth that we are experiencing. Add that to the truly useless city government we have and you are left with a major city moving backwards rather than surging forward. Oakland has a lot of catching up to do and i just don’t believe that OO is helping us do that.
November 9th, 2011 at 9:39 pm
http://oaklandlocal.com/posts/2011/11/quan-occupy-oakland-protesters-leave-now
November 9th, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Looks like the council is in charge, leading Quan.
November 9th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
Re Kaplan, I’ve been watching her on a number of issues, and much as I have issues with how Quan is handling things, we surely dodged a bullet with her.
I remember during the debates for Mayor on the blight issue and abuse she repeatedly said how blight was a real issue, and the city was doing what needed to be done. When the Grand Jury report came out, she had the nerve to say she had been pushing for reform on that issue all along!
Yes, Kaplan will stay away from any real decisionmaking or taking any stand. For me things have cleared up a lot over the blight issue/extensive citywide abuse, and now OO. Kaplan, Nadel and Brunner are simply catastrophic for making any real progress.
November 9th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
recall quan
November 9th, 2011 at 10:46 pm
George- I found this interview on BBBON by one of the founders explaining their anti-government agenda and political aspirations.
(Q): What is the agenda of BBON?
James Vaan: (A)
Last night we did adopt a mission statement but it’s not quite complete. So far it says, “The mission of the BBBON is to build stronger and more sustainable communities for the benefit of all Oakland residents by: developing and building grassroots leadership in neighborhoods, increasing participation, communication and transparency in all civic activities, influencing policy in all democratic institutions, and working with businesses, government, community based organizations and civic institutions, to achieve social, political and economic justice in a collaborative partnership led by residents.”
In practical terms, we invision this organization to be a city-wide umbrella that would be focused on activating people in their neighborhoods. We ultimately see that the organization would involve itself with electoral campaigns and selection of candidates, and to extend that influence and be a force in city processes.
We might want to have observers assigned to each of the city’s commission and boards – there are some 40 of those – so we can push certain things and not push others.
One of the first things we’ll be joining in is a clean up day happening for Martin Luther King weekend in District 7. We’re going out and leafleting the neighborhood the weekend before. We’d like to help communities green their neighborhoods, work on streetscapes, plantings, house painting.
We don’t want to be in conflict with existing organizations doing civic patrols, environmental work, etc. We hope to augment but not supplant these organizations.
*********
Except the City Attorney, the Police Chief, Dir of Public Ethics, a police department…you know, all those that might get in their way.
November 9th, 2011 at 11:17 pm
Quan rumored to have hired a high powered SF spin maester a couple of weeks ago. Presumedly paid for by her campaign committee.
Up till now looks like she was her stubborn self, listening to her family instead of to the consultant.
Much slicker Quan release. She’s sticking to the script now.
November 10th, 2011 at 7:27 am
I was wrong. The consultant, Nathan Ballard, supposedly just quit saying she wouldn’t listen to anything.
November 10th, 2011 at 8:07 am
Yesterday, I attended the press conference led by Council President Reid which was interrupted by angry protesters. I fully associate myself with Ms Brooks comments. “These are people who believe everybody ought to have a voice, yet they came down here to silence our voices.”
This was not the so-called “small band of anarchists” who infringed on the rights of the Council and community leaders to peacefully express their views. These were mainstream OO’ers.
It appears that their actions yesterday backfired and crystalized what is going on in Oakland. People all over town saw with their own eyes their version of democracy at work. If you agree with them, you can speak. If you do not, they will try to shout you down.
OO does not respect our city leaders, our community groups, or our businesses. It is really too bad because a lot of people who have suffered in the economic meltdown could help make change, but OO choses tactics that are offensive.
I don’t know anyone who has worked harder than Ms. Brooks to try to bring hope to the poorest people in Oakland. She camped with OO when the protest started. Now she is vilified and attempts are made to drown out her voice. They don’t know her well. She will not be silenced by an angry mob.
So much for dialogue and open exchange of ideas.
November 10th, 2011 at 8:59 am
You don’t mess with Desley.
November 10th, 2011 at 9:09 am
wasn’t the woman leading the chanting barrage against the Councilmembers, identified as an organizer for CNA (CA Nurses Assoc) ?
CNA was a major financial backer of Rebecca Kaplan in her last mayoral bid.
Was the CNA employer acting in a private capacity on her day off, or was she acting in the course of her duties as a representative of CNA?
November 10th, 2011 at 10:12 am
I attended last night’s GA for the 1st time. It was worth attending – once. I’ll try to return if time permits, wherever it ends up being.
But I must say there were far too many “Fcuk the Police 24/7″ responsibility shirkers, people who were all for property destruction/vandalism for myriad reasons. Too many shouters/screamers. GA is not as bad as jerry springer, and the facilitators really tried. Most people (80%) seemed positive and willing to try. But I can imagine us getting to the Detroit level if we let clowns prevail.
Really too bad about a CNA professional protestor (not representative of #OWS) shouting down city councilmembers. No respect at all for civic discussion.
I think it would have been okay for one minute to get a point out, but not the whole time. We are not Mexico here. Yet.
A strong, clear proposal needs to be made at the next GA or two. You only need three people to submit your proposal to oaklandoccupyfacilitation(tors?)@gmail and then go up and give your presentation.
Shouldn’t be so hard. Just need to clearly define what your proposal is FOR and AGAINST. And define your terms. (“violence” for one…)
Attacking private property locally…well that is almost going back to the Chinese Cultural Revolution disaster. We must not go there.
November 10th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
So was BBBON able to overcome the OO GA’s 90% vote threshold to get OO to renounce violence?
November 10th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Didn’t pass.
First resolution failed, 2nd was withdrawn.
I’m not a fan of this site, but this is a readable version that fits the conversations I’ve had with two neighbors and several other locals who attend OO meetings, including “facilitator” meetings.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/11/10/18698631.php
November 10th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Greg, that video of protestors shouting down Council members and community leaders was astounding. You and the other folks up there did a great job of comporting yourselves well in the face of such juvenile antics.
While I originally supported the occupiers, I think this phase of the movement has run its course. OWS and associated groups including Occupy Oakland were extremely successful in the changing the national debate. It’s time now, though, for them to declare victory and disperse. If they persist, sentiment will swing completely against them and they will be marginalized as a left-wing Tea Party.
While I think the occupation should end, I am not so sure calling on the Mayor and OPD to do it is the right answer. Based on past history, I do not believe they have the ability to end the occupation without further violence. I was looking forward to the meeting at the Den this evening to discuss alternative means of ending the occupation. But alas, much as the press conference was shouted down the other day, threats of violence were able to get this meeting cancelled.
November 10th, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Quan is constantly pulling the rug out from under her most loyal supporters, like Don Link of North Oakland.
In this latest example, reversing course, again, and telling OO to leave their encampment just an hour before her BBBON lieutenants were telling people to come down from Montclair and Glenview to vote at a GA that obviously was going to run very late at night.
She treats her supporters like dirt. I’ve lost count how many times Don Link has assured everyone that Quan is tough on crime, and then she lays off cops, and undermined Chief Batts. Then Don Link had to come up with a story why Batts was terrible for Oakland and good riddance after initially saying how great he was.
Speaking of Batts, the name keeps coming up from very different sectors of town when people ask who they would want to replace Quan.
I’m down with it, but doubt if Batts would want the headache.
-len raphael
Vote No on Quan’s H,I,J
recallquan.com
November 10th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Don & Nick think the Mayor is a coalition builder. So I guess they continue to hope she can build a coalition in support of manageable Public Safety. How they figure that the Mayor is to form such a coalition without good, well managed Law Enforcement I don’t understand.
Especially when they chose the Mayor, no matter what, over a Chief who actually DID build that coalition.
November 10th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
What cracks me up about Don Link and some other BBBON people, is that they deny that BBBON is a front group for supporting Quan and her agenda. Its funny because at the beginning, BBBON was completely open about that and about working to elect candidates who support Quan’s agenda. Even today, their web site features a big picture of Quan and Floyd surrounded by admirers.
Nick Vigilante of BBBON was her campaign co-chairperson along with Sandre Swanson.
-len raphael
recallquan.com
November 10th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
btw, what is Quan’s agenda? Or is it Jean Quan dressed in progressive clothing?
November 10th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
In my younger days, I worked for Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. One evening they held a rap music-related event that quickly got out of hand: attendees were breaking down/jumping gates, smashing windows, openly using drugs, etc. The solution? Universal played country music at top volume, turned on the sprinklers and wheeled out search lights to point at the crowds. The entire park was empty in less than 2 hours – and this was a crowd of about 20,000.
Although many of you may be too young to remember, in the late 70′s/early 80′s Hare Krishna devotées became a fixture at US airports, aggressively soliciting passengers. My life at that time required frequent air travel and going through the airport was like running the proverbial gauntlet. Someone – bless him or her – came up the the bright idea of using Cricket Clickers: small, handheld metal crickets that when pressed make a distinctive, irritating clicking noise. When Hare Krishnas appeared, all of the passengers in the immediate area surrounded them and CLICK CLICK CLICKED the Hare Krishnas into submission. It was so effective, Airport personnel were handing them out for free. Very quickly, Hare Krishnas abandoned airport solicitation.
RE: OO, rather than begging, doing a rain dance or using force, why not simply create a physical environment that makes staying undesirable? This is a task at which City of Oakland government excels so success is virtually guaranteed.
November 10th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Now that’s thinking creatively. Luv it!
November 10th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
I too am ready for the occupiers to decamp and go back where they came from (oh and it would be nice if they helped clean up before they left, but I’m not holding my breath). This ongoing trashing of Oakland, and lack of caring about what they break or destroy is really wearing thin. I have not been to one of those meetings, so I base my opinion on what I read, and if it is true that they cannot disavow violence to people AND property, then they have lost whatever sympathy I might had felt. The thing we should be doing is gearing up to defeat the Republicans and to support Obama. Practically everything the Occupiers complain about can be laid at the doorstop of the Tea Party and their supporters ~ can’t they see that? And if not, why not?
November 10th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
Patrick, those are great ideas. I’ve thought about similar ideas myself. Perhaps some sort of noxious gas that smells horrible but isn’t actually physically harmful? Combined with annoying noises/music, plus bright strobe lights that bring on headaches? Are there any apartment dwellers or nighttime businesses in the area that could be negatively impacted?
Of course, however, the problem initially was not getting them to leave. The problem was keeping them away. The police actually did a great and peaceful job of clearing out the camp initially. No violence, no tear gas. The problems started when the campers brought in reinforcement and the riot started the next night. How are you going to prevent a repeat of that? Strong police presence I think is the only option. Also, they will need to construct a real fence around the grassy area to keep people off, and maintain a strong police presence in the area for some time to make sure they don’t return.
Maybe we should compile a list of ideas and send it to Mayor Quan, since she seems to have none.
November 10th, 2011 at 5:09 pm
Any lessons to be learned from People’s Park ?
(Patrick M, re the hare krishna, and there I thought they all had gotten jobs as mortgage brokers)
I don’t think OPD wb using their sonic cannon, though it is much safer than anything else.
For nighttime, there are high intensity laser dazzlers. No, can’t use those either.
Rather than station 100 cops at FOP round the clock for the next 2 months, maybe just maybe Jerry will lend us the National Guard sans guns?
Could cause fatal flashbacks to some of Quan’s most fervent baby boomer supporters. So better rule that out too.
November 10th, 2011 at 6:17 pm
AA,
They can’t see it because the Tea Party is not the cause of the problem. The Tea Party and the Pie People have more in common than they do differences.
I have a feeling that recent activity will put an end to this movement quickly. The all inclusive policy of OO just did them in.
November 10th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
And now someone has died.
November 10th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
Yep, just next to the OO encampment.
And, one of the OO folks went on record on TV stating this is in no way related to OO because “there are shootings in DTO every day” same exact words.
“Shootings in DTO every day” I just couldn’t believe the lies from this out-of-towner…
November 10th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
Two shooting related events in Occupy Movements on the same day (the other being VT). City leaders across the country need to examine the issue of safety with these camps. The situations were different but the dangers are the same. It seems to me that there may be at least one lawsuit in the making against the city for allowing OO to break the law while the city knew the potential risks.
November 10th, 2011 at 7:42 pm
I do not recall murders at 14th and Broadway before OO. This is the consequence of “minimal police presence” I am very angry that OO tries to say this is what happens in downtown Oakland. To the contrary, this is what happens when lawlessness is allowed.
End it now!
November 10th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Len: “btw, what is Quan’s agenda? Or is it Jean Quan dressed in progressive clothing?”
Quan may be wearing what she thinks is a progressive costume, but the party she has been invited to is at the asylum. Quan is, quite simply, nuts. And most of the CC members are right behind her–right on the cusp of lunacy.
Marleen: “Perhaps some sort of noxious gas that smells horrible but isn’t actually physically harmful?” There is such a substance, easily purchasable on-line, even from Amazon. It’s called “Liquid Ass.” For some light relief in this very sorry time in Oakland you might google that word and read some entertaining tales about how to use it.
Greg McC: “I do not recall murders at 14th and Broadway before OO.” Unfortunately all the bad consequences of having an incompetent, emotionally unstable Mayor have come together this week. But we need to keep in mind that Oakland has had a history of more than 40 years of about 100 murders a year and up to 1000 shootings a year with entirely too few complaints. We seem to get upset if a cop shoots someone. Then it matters. Citizens shooting citizens somehow just doesn’t rate in this nutty town. There! I just said it! Maybe Quan is exactly the right Mayor for Oakland.
November 10th, 2011 at 8:21 pm
I have only lived downtown since moving to Oakland. I can tell the pie person with some degree of certainty that shootings at 14th and Broadway / DTO do not happen everyday.
November 10th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
This kins of result has been the concern from the beginning (& why IDLF has been calling for no encampment since then). That OO has not been willing to talk to any City Officials, to have their own police force, & to consider OPD by it’s mere presence to be a provocation was all setting itself up for this type of accident. This is the very reason we have “law enforcement” to begin. Pull them, and then we have the absence of “law enforcement”.
My Q: why was there no Law Enforcement near Ogawa Plaza? Were they told not to be present there (presence = provocation, etc.)?
Because, as Greg says, minimal OPD presence was then bound to lead to this.
And referring to Ralph’s reference to lawsuits, this was also predictable should there be an accident (the same reason the CA & IDLF have been arguing for an end since early on).
The Mayor & BBBON will try to spin this as spin from her opponents, but with an absence of City Officials, OPD & no communication with OO, something was bound to happen sooner or later
November 10th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
ralph, i also think oo people have more in common with teapartiers than they realize. But my american history aint what it never was, but at least within various past us mass movements there were combos of anti big business, anti central banks combinded with anti immigrant anti catholic anti semitism.
quite a few of the teapartiers are anti overseas military, libertarian drug liberalization.
seems like the main difference is that oo’s see the solution as redistributing the wealth of their 1% to the lower 99 and sort of want a much bigger federal govt; where most teapartiers would want the govts out of all pockets and a much smaller govt.
interesting that a few conservative economists argue that too much wealth concentration is bad for economy.
November 10th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
It is time to put some sting into our objections to the course this city has taken. It is time to boycott the city of Oakland.
The OO has truly taken power.
Yesterday we watched as the OOers shouted down the cc members demanding something be done and that was the end of that media event (with the slogan that they are the 99%).
Tonight, after the shooting, Police Chief Poodle was shouted down by OOers demanding their lights get turned on, and Poodle quickly retreated.
The mayor then made a pathetic and limp demand that the OOers leave immediately. She is afraid to step out of her office to make a public statement for fear of being confronted by Those With the Real Power in Oakland, so she talked privately with media cameras rolling.
Hey folks, this city is out of control. Camp Lovell Mixon has intimidated and chased away the media when they feel like it, the police are instructed by Mayor Ah Q to not make their presence known in the Camp area, for fear that they may get upset. The OOers own the city, and the citizens of this city have done nothing. Totally pathetic.
Send them a message. Boycott this city until they bring law back to this city.
November 10th, 2011 at 9:22 pm
The only remaining questions are when will the camp go, and which side of the lawsuits will Dan & Michael Siegel be on?
November 10th, 2011 at 10:14 pm
We’re working as fast as we can to get the recall petitions ready for signing. At least 10 days away.
Only wish we could add several council members to the recall list. It should be easier the next time.
len raphael, member of
The Recall Mayor Quan Committee
recallquan.com
November 10th, 2011 at 10:35 pm
Murder in April: http://oakland.crimespotting.org/crime/2011-04-11/Murder/213054
Of course, that’s not really the point. Does one block away matter? Two blocks? Three blocks? It’s missing the forest for the trees.
November 11th, 2011 at 12:50 am
@79 Pat – v funny! Good idea.
Strobe lights, light deprivation should help. We use it at Gitmo all the time.
#OO is total fail because of disdain for external AND internal police. No police = anarchy = chaos = crime = what happened Thursday.
Time for OCCUPY Oakland to go read Matt Taibbi’s blog, Culture of Life News, Market Ticker and TheOilDrum and figure out what the real economic issues are.
November 11th, 2011 at 2:17 am
LiveGreen- “The only remaining questions are when will the camp go, and which side of the lawsuits will Dan & Michael Siegel be on?”
A: Since Michael Siegel is a member of the radical group, BBBON, you can assume the team will be suing both sides!!
November 11th, 2011 at 6:56 am
Oakie,
Please don’t boycott the city. The council does not care at this point.
Business in Oakland is getting killed. Please support them. If they close now, they probably will never come back.
November 11th, 2011 at 7:52 am
Oakie, Boycotting the city will only advance the cause of people who want to shut it down. Please support our businesses. Shop and support the business men and women trying to make a living in this time of strife.
Jack, I hear your frustration, but I disagree with your statement that the Council does not care. Five of them, Reid, De La Fuente, Brooks, Kernighan and Schaaf, held a news conference on Wednesday to say that protests are OK but illegal encampment is not.
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