[Toughy]

There has been conversation around the word 'occupy' and some of the goals of the many affinity groups involved in this coalition.

One of the things I learned, in my years as an activist, is coalition building is messy....much like democracy. There are always things individuals and the various affinity groups disagree about. When you seek to organize around a commonality....in this case the unfair distribution of wealth and how to rememdy that problem...you always HAVE TO build coalition with those you may disagree with about other issues.

My years taught me that WAR (a berkeley based anarchy group) will always show up. They are generally the ones who break store windows, set fire to dumpsters, throw rocks and bottles at police, and generally try to provoke police. What makes me sad is the po po take the bait. They don't have to do that. The po po, in all their protective gear, can simply not react. Actually they should be there to direct traffic and provide assistance to those who are involved in protest march/rally/gatherings. The police should be my friend........my nephew is a cop.........I can't imagine him with riot gear, tear gas and rubber bulletts........

Actually they can NOT wear all that gear and show up in their regular uniforms to aid and assist protesters in their right to free assembly and the right to occupy the streets. This is actually what happened in San Francisco in the very early years of the GRID/AIDS/ HIV protests. The po po WALKED with us when we marched. They were there to protect and serve protesters. SF got a new police chief and that all stopped and the violence began. Diane Feinstein (the new mayor) ordered the police to allow the White Night riots, however she neglected to control those police who came into the Castro for revenge.

The Health Department can engage in constructive dialogue on the health and safety issues involved in long term tent encampments. The Health Department (and the police) are there to help and serve the community. They should be doing that. If there are health issues, then the Health Department should act in concert with the encampment to insure the health of those people. Work with them around sanitation and food safety. Figure out how to have clean toliets and handwashing stations. Figure out how the police will deal with any violence that might occur within the encampment.

It is encumbant on EVERYONE, government and citizens, to work together so the experiment of democracy in the US can continue. Government IS the people.

If we are to build solid useful coalitions that will bring about equality for everyone and equitable distribution of wealth that creates a solid middle class....we MUST take the good with the bad. Coalitions are never easy, but organizing around those things we share in common is the only way to change the system.

I gots lots o issues with anarchists, communists, tea party folks and others. However I am willing to work with them where we agree.

I'm rambling now and will stop