Friday was a good day for waking up in Freedom Plaza and for occupying the headquarters of the drone manufacturers. Fast forward to minute 44 on this video http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17729809. Their intelligence about which way we were coming from was no better at keeping us out of their building than the CIA's intelligence is at making sure the "right" people are murdered with the drones.

Friday was a good day for marching to the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial and talking about his opposition to militarism, racism, and consumerism. 

And finally Friday night, the people of Freedom Plaza hesitantly found their democratic voice. Nobody despises touchy-feely process discussions more than I do. I prefer majority rule to pseudo-consensus any day, and I only wiggle my fingers when the air gets below zero and I need to keep them warm. But after enough process had been processed, our crowd began to hold informative discussions and make informed decisions. 

What helped a lot was the requirement that the microphone be turned off late at night and our adaptation of OccupyWallStreet's human microphone, in which statements are repeated by the crowd. Only very rarely did anyone need statements repeated in order to hear them, but the repeating of them cut down on side conversations and kept speakers to concise statements.

We decided on activities for Saturday through a process that allowed people to feel ownership over their occupation of Washington, D.C. We'll be headed over to the National Mall in the afternoon, but starting at 11 a.m. we'll be reaching out to tens of thousands of visitors to a street festival called The Taste of D.C. Here's the content of flyers we'll be using, prepared ahead of time by Catarina Correia and others:

A Taste of DemoCracy

Are you craving a little peace with your pinot?

Some justice with that jasmine tea?

Then come by FREEDOM PLAZA, just a few steps from where you are, for ORGANIC and SUSTAINABLE solutions to the problems we face.

Join us in demanding that the PEOPLE get a seat at the table.

Nothing tastes sweeter than democracy in action.

"A newcomer to the DC market, A New World serves authentic American fare with a twist.

You won't be disappointed."—Jane Doe

"It was so good, I didn't want to leave."—John Doe

Sample menu on reverse side

October2011.org

 

A NEW WORLD

A fresh dining experience where no one is turned away and all items are available 24 hours a day, every day

ORGANIC FREE-RANGE ELECTIONS

Served with a paper trail, instant run-off voting and garnished with public financing

SAUTEED SINGLE-PAYER HEALTHCARE

A heaping portion of healthcare served free of charge, accompanied by mental, dental, and vision benefits and drizzled with free prescription drugs

PAN-SEARED PEACE

Fresh-picked world peace, sustainably grown, accompanied by a weapons reduction and war-crime accountability

JUNIPER BERRY JOBS

Perfectly seasoned jobs package served with paid leave, worker rights and safe and dignified working conditions

PEOPLE-INFUSED GOVERNMENT

Marinated for centuries in democratic principles and prepared without  lobbyists

POMEGRANATE PUBLIC EDUCATION

Sprinkled with well-paid teachers and completely NCLB-free

PUBLIC MEDIA TORTE

Layered with facts and served with our famous "truth" sauce

David Swanson is the author of "War Is A Lie." 

  

---