Occupy Tulsa Releases Its Demands

[Conan71]

From the Occupy Tulsa Facebook page (via KRMG):

Of course these people don't have liberal leanings whatsoever.    Discuss.

Rough Draft thus far

1. moratorium on all foreclosures in the City of Tulsa. The City of Tulsa to divest from all major banks, and corporate money to be removed from politics on all levels. That all banks who have taken TARP funds and State taxes immediately make restitution of those funds or submit to a foreclosure of all spaces and event centers sponsored with their name. That all corporations receiving federal subsidies immediately submit to audit and enforcement of restrictions limiting tax evasion, or submit to repossession by the employees of those companies by laid off and currently employed workers for the benefit of the people.

2. A citywide effort undertaken to solve the underemployment problem in Tulsa, including open talks towards a living a wage and an increased accountability for all employers towards their employees on all socioeconomic levels of employment.

3. That all vacant and distressed land be open for the community use, for gardens, community centers and idea banks to generate solutions to the problems in our government. That the city invest in a serious commitment to rebuilding and revitalizing gentrified and ignored parts of the city through proper allocation of funds and that we increase accountability and transparency in the spending of all federal funds given through stimulus money.

4. That the City A of Tulsa and private sector businesses collaborate together to end the impoverished state of food availability on the North and West sides of the city, and put an end to the food desert continually increasing across our city through neglect on the part of the city administration.

5. All forms of weaponry used by multiple law enforcement officials – including, but not limited, to rubber bullets, pepper spray, verbal abuse, arrest, foam batons, long-range acoustic devices and more – are not to be used on those exercising their First Amendment Rights to petition our government for redress of grievances. We do not accept interference with freedom of the press or the people's press, we assert our rights giving the public freedom to document police actions in public spaces. We will not tolerate brutality or intimidation.

6. We assert our right to an open plaza, Chapman Centennial Green, known to us as Solidarity Square, for people to peacefully assemble, voice grievances, speak freely, hold our General Assembly and come to the people's consensus 24 hours a day as needed, with tents and all the amenities of an occupation without restrictions of insurance, curfew or other targeted forms of discrimination against our group. That each voting district in the city be given a synonymous area where the people may establish an occupation, erect tents and come to the people's consensus 24 hours a day as needed with the same provisions against restriction.

7. The City of Tulsa to pressure the State to start a convention, as provided for in the Constitution, to remove corporate personhood, as is created in the Citizens United legislation, and to remove corporate money from politics at a local, and state as well as national level. That the City of Tulsa disenfranchise from fossil fuel corporations and denounce fracking for what it is, a systematic poisoning of the environment, and a unilateral abuse of those lands without regard to the wildlife, the land or the water supply that belongs to the people of those areas.

8. That the City of Tulsa recognize a need for clean energy alternatives and immediately call for solar and wind energy to fuel public spaces and pronounce requirements towards those same clean energy sources for all major corporations, while working to make technologies affordable in partnership with the people so that they may move towards energy independence and reduce the use of foreign oil in our economy.

9. That the City of Tulsa begin a dialogue towards solutions at the local, State and Federal level on the issues of student debt, tuition hikes, rising food and energy costs as well as the lack of effective public transit. This is a city that requires a more user-friendly transportation infrastructure for those who do not have private transportation.

10. That the city of Tulsa put pressure on the State to begin a discussion towards treating education including higher education as a right, and work to decrease costs to the people for education on all levels through solutions provided by the people, as well as a forum created by all universities across the state of Oklahoma for facilitation of this discussion.

11. That all war-based corporations making weapons in the state of Oklahoma should have their taxes allocated to helping the distressed and impoverished through direct funding for public transit, community centers, and anti-war education.

12. No cutbacks in city services or attacks on the wages, work conditions and pensions of city employees, including but not limited to teachers, police officers, fire fighters, and all other city employees.

13. A repeal of Right to Work legislation which cripples collective bargaining rights, and limits the rights of workers to unite for better pay, working conditions and expression of grievances against employers. That workman's compensation, pension, and death benefits from work related injuries be cemented as rights in the Oklahoma State Constitution over against any legislation that would seek to limit these rights.

[AquaMan]

Nothing too outrageous though. There are several that are left proposals, but some appear to be Libertarian, some biblical based and the first one fairly conservative. Mostly they appear to be visions of sugarplums from those not yet hardened by the cynicism of middle age. I wish them luck.

[Townsend]

I looked to verify the origin and can't find it on the FB page I found.

[patric]

Repealing Right To Work doesn't fit the ideology, and seems a bit out of place.

And it should have never come to the point where citizens are asking local officials to respect the constitutional guarantee of free speech.
The Bill of Rights isn't local option.

[carltonplace]

Its stupid for the police to use "less lethal" weapons on demonstrators. This is the US after all and not Egypt.

[guido911]

The more I read about these bozos the less inclined I am to help anyone other than my family any more. What's the point? It's never enough.

[DolfanBob]

This sounds like the people who put bricks in their toilet to conserve water. Of course I could be way off on that. 

[Red Arrow]

This sounds like the people who put bricks in their toilet to conserve water. Of course I could be way off on that.  

Multiple bricks and then they wonder why it doesn't flush completely.

Edit:
Thereby requiring multiple flushes which results in using more water than the original design. 

[RecycleMichael]

Your title is wrong. You wrongly called these demands.

This was a list of grievances to be discussed at their own Occupy Tulsa General Assembly.

First you attack them saying they can't articulate what they stand for and then you wrongly list a facebook reference as demands.

You are becoming the FOX News of TulsaNow.

Speaking of Fox news... Yesterday I am listening to KRMG (I know better) and they promoted thier upcoming stories at the top of the hour. The top story was Herman Cain was "reassessing" his campaign and the second story was American Airlines filing bankruptcy.

The largest employer in our town filing bankruptcy (news that affects tens of thousands Tulsans (7,000 employees and families and thousands more who work for small businesses that rely on American Airlines as a customer)...and it is second billing to a story about a republican candidate whose polling yesterday was in single digits.

They should be ashamed to call themselves local news. 

[heironymouspasparagus]

You are becoming the FOX News of TulsaNow.

Becoming?

[Red Arrow]

You are becoming the FOX News of TulsaNow.

We should get Mike Rowe on board.  It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.   

[Conan71]

Your title is wrong. You wrongly called these demands.

This was a list of grievances to be discussed at their own Occupy Tulsa General Assembly.

First you attack them saying they can't articulate what they stand for and then you wrongly list a facebook reference as demands.

You are becoming the FOX News of TulsaNow.

Speaking of Fox news... Yesterday I am listening to KRMG (I know better) and they promoted thier upcoming stories at the top of the hour. The top story was Herman Cain was "reassessing" his campaign and the second story was American Airlines filing bankruptcy.

The largest employer in our town filing bankruptcy (news that affects tens of thousands Tulsans (7,000 employees and families and thousands more who work for small businesses that rely on American Airlines as a customer)...and it is second billing to a story about a republican candidate whose polling yesterday was in single digits.

They should be ashamed to call themselves local news. 

You might want to go back and re-read some of the whopper thread titles you've created over the years.

I'm fairly meh on KRMG as well, but to their defense, AA was the top story when I tuned in yesterday morning.  Cain's announcement came later in the day after everyone had been inundated with the AA story.  As well, there really wasn't anything new to the AA story even by dinner time last night, just local bankruptcy attorneys with no ties to the case getting free advertising by spouting off their opinion.

Finally, what about these little bits don't sound like demands?

"We assert our right to an open plaza..."

"That the City of Tulsa disenfranchise from fossil fuel corporations and denounce fracking for what it is, a systematic poisoning of the environment, and a unilateral abuse of those lands without regard to the wildlife, the land or the water supply that belongs to the people of those areas.

8. That the City of Tulsa recognize a need for clean energy alternatives and immediately call for solar and wind energy to fuel public spaces and pronounce requirements towards those same clean energy sources for all major corporations, while working to make technologies affordable in partnership with the people so that they may move towards energy independence and reduce the use of foreign oil in our economy."

[Breadburner]

Your title is wrong. You wrongly called these demands.

This was a list of grievances to be discussed at their own Occupy Tulsa General Assembly.

First you attack them saying they can't articulate what they stand for and then you wrongly list a facebook reference as demands.

You are becoming the FOX News of TulsaNow.

Speaking of Fox news... Yesterday I am listening to KRMG (I know better) and they promoted thier upcoming stories at the top of the hour. The top story was Herman Cain was "reassessing" his campaign and the second story was American Airlines filing bankruptcy.

The largest employer in our town filing bankruptcy (news that affects tens of thousands Tulsans (7,000 employees and families and thousands more who work for small businesses that rely on American Airlines as a customer)...and it is second billing to a story about a republican candidate whose polling yesterday was in single digits.

They should be ashamed to call themselves local news. 

Pot meet kettle....Its Sandy under your skirt.....

[cannon_fodder]

From the Occupy Tulsa Facebook page (via KRMG):

Of course these people don't have liberal leanings whatsoever.    Discuss.

Rough Draft thus far

1. moratorium on all foreclosures in the City of Tulsa. The City of Tulsa to divest from all major banks, and corporate money to be removed from politics on all levels. That all banks who have taken TARP funds and State taxes immediately make restitution of those funds or submit to a foreclosure of all spaces and event centers sponsored with their name. That all corporations receiving federal subsidies immediately submit to audit and enforcement of restrictions limiting tax evasion, or submit to repossession by the employees of those companies by laid off and currently employed workers for the benefit of the people.

a) Stop all forclosures?  I don't get it.  You sign a document saying we will loan you money for a house, if you don't pay us back we have the right to sell the house to repay the loan.  You break your side of the agreement and stop paying, and the other side is just told too bad?  If there is something dirty on a mortgage or forclosure isn't done correctly - fine.  But otherwise it is government interference in private contract rights for no reason.  Furthermore, the City of Tulsa doesn't have this authority AND isn't "invested" in any major banks.

b) I'd be a fan of removing corporate money or AT LEAST making it perfectly transparent.

c) Banks with event centers named after them:  BOK & Spirit Bank.  Number of those banks that have TARP/bailout funds:  0.

d) Never, but NEVER would a company be subject to seizure by the employees.  Take it away from subsizing taxpayers and strip ownership rights because managers made poor decisions?  Flat out no.

2. A citywide effort undertaken to solve the underemployment problem in Tulsa, including open talks towards a living a wage and an increased accountability for all employers towards their employees on all socioeconomic levels of employment.

Sure, sounds great.  Doesn't mean much, so lets do it!

3. That all vacant and distressed land be open for the community use, for gardens, community centers and idea banks to generate solutions to the problems in our government. That the city invest in a serious commitment to rebuilding and revitalizing gentrified and ignored parts of the city through proper allocation of funds and that we increase accountability and transparency in the spending of all federal funds given through stimulus money.

Sure.

4. That the City A of Tulsa and private sector businesses collaborate together to end the impoverished state of food availability on the North and West sides of the city, and put an end to the food desert continually increasing across our city through neglect on the part of the city administration.

Poor development and poor developmental demands by the population = food deserts.  I believe the City worked hard to get food into the North side with reasonable success.  Recently new developments have brought food to the West side.  As development continues we will continue to get more, or people will choose to live in more urban areas with more access to food stocks.

5. All forms of weaponry used by multiple law enforcement officials – including, but not limited, to rubber bullets, pepper spray, verbal abuse, arrest, foam batons, long-range acoustic devices and more – are not to be used on those exercising their First Amendment Rights to petition our government for redress of grievances. We do not accept interference with freedom of the press or the people's press, we assert our rights giving the public freedom to document police actions in public spaces. We will not tolerate brutality or intimidation.

Freedom of speech is not an absolute right.  Under this guideline I can do as I please and claim it is freedom of speech - when the police lawfully order me to move I can say no and the situation is over.  Blocking roads.  Disrupting public meetings.  Or just viliolating city ordinances.  I don't think the TPD handled the Occupy protests too well, but the above is simply not workable.

6. We assert our right to an open plaza, Chapman Centennial Green, known to us as Solidarity Square, for people to peacefully assemble, voice grievances, speak freely, hold our General Assembly and come to the people's consensus 24 hours a day as needed, with tents and all the amenities of an occupation without restrictions of insurance, curfew or other targeted forms of discrimination against our group. That each voting district in the city be given a synonymous area where the people may establish an occupation, erect tents and come to the people's consensus 24 hours a day as needed with the same provisions against restriction.

Who determines who is a protestor and who is a bum camping in a public park?  Who has to provide facilities?  Can I simply camp there during Mayfest to be close to the action?  Again, this is unworkable.

Redress the ordinance to make it workable to protest 24/7, make the bond smaller, require renting facilities.  I like the protestors there, I like people speaking up for what they believe in.  I've stopped and talked, I honk when I drive by... but the above isn't a solutation.

7. The City of Tulsa to pressure the State to start a convention, as provided for in the Constitution, to remove corporate personhood, as is created in the Citizens United legislation, and to remove corporate money from politics at a local, and state as well as national level. That the City of Tulsa disenfranchise from fossil fuel corporations and denounce fracking for what it is, a systematic poisoning of the environment, and a unilateral abuse of those lands without regard to the wildlife, the land or the water supply that belongs to the people of those areas.

Petition for less dependence on fossil fuel is a good thing.

Asking government to look into hydrologic fracking (fracking has always been required) to determine impacts is a good thing.  Particularily with regard to the water supply.  Hydraulic fracking IS forcing chemicles underground - the impact must be better understood.

But stopping it entirely would cost the State millions in tax revenues, royalty holders millions in revenue, thousands of workers their jobs, and millions of people hundreds in higher utility bills.

I'd be happy with a study and a move towards laws making it easier to hold drilling companies liable for destroyed wells.  You used chemical X near this well, this well didn't have problems, now it does... make it right.  Clearly if the problem is systematic a ban or some sort of change would be required. 

Top prize goes to the person who designs a fracking technique that uses just water, or salt water... non toxic anyway.

8. That the City of Tulsa recognize a need for clean energy alternatives and immediately call for solar and wind energy to fuel public spaces and pronounce requirements towards those same clean energy sources for all major corporations, while working to make technologies affordable in partnership with the people so that they may move towards energy independence and reduce the use of foreign oil in our economy.

Duplicate as per above, but also contradicotry.  Forbidding the most efficient means of extracting domestic energy is not encouraging energy indepependence.  Encouraging alternate energy sources is a good idea.  Covered above...

9. That the City of Tulsa begin a dialogue towards solutions at the local, State and Federal level on the issues of student debt, tuition hikes, rising food and energy costs as well as the lack of effective public transit. This is a city that requires a more user-friendly transportation infrastructure for those who do not have private transportation.

Solution to student debt?  Let's start with students not borrowing money to party, buy new cars, and live beyond their means.  I know PLENTY of people who used student loans on such things.  This from someone who went to college for 8 years and has a pile of student debt.

Tuition hikes?  This goes hand in hand with the student debt.  Making loans HARDER to get will make tuition level out.  Most students will max out their student loans - most Universities will raise their rates to absorb all the Federal money available.  They go hand in hand.  Universities are a government subsidized consumer market - the subsidies are dropping off but the consumers keep buying.  And so long as you get your hamburger today and don't have to pay for it tomorrow most 18 year olds don't care.  I wish the state would help pay for more education - but that's not happening.

Food and Energy?  Food is heavily subsidized and the markets messed with in all sorts of ways.  Add food stamps, food banks, WIC, and other programs and more government is not the answer.  Energy has been heavily covered above.

10. That the city of Tulsa put pressure on the State to begin a discussion towards treating education including higher education as a right, and work to decrease costs to the people for education on all levels through solutions provided by the people, as well as a forum created by all universities across the state of Oklahoma for facilitation of this discussion.

I agree that we need better education all around.  I have been pleased with my son's educational opportunities (even though he's a, well, he's not doing as well as he should) here.  BUt generally our population is under educated.

Higher education should NOT be a right.  Sending someone to college who is poor performing or undereducated or simply isnt willing to put forth the effort is a waste of resources and that persons time.  Not everyone SHOULD go to college, many people would be better off NOT going to college and learning a trade.  Not because they aren't smart enough, but because it is a better economic decision.  If education was a right more people would go that really don't care if they were there.

As I see it, college is currently available to anyone who raelly wants it.  State schools have very reasonable entrance requirements and Federally subsidized loans cover the cost of State schools... which in many areas do a great job educating people.

11. That all war-based corporations making weapons in the state of Oklahoma should have their taxes allocated to helping the distressed and impoverished through direct funding for public transit, community centers, and anti-war education.

Who is a war-based corporation?  As far as I know, we don't have any companies that produce weapons for the military (other than military installations).  Nordam?  Mining?  Oil and gas?  Recyclers?  Chemical factories?  The airlines? Companies that buy government bonds that fund the war? Tinker suppliers?  Suppliers for Enid or Lawton bases?  What about real estate companies that own apartments near the bases - are those war based corporations?

What is anti-war education?

And taxes should be correlated to their purpose - transportation doesn't fit?

12. No cutbacks in city services or attacks on the wages, work conditions and pensions of city employees, including but not limited to teachers, police officers, fire fighters, and all other city employees.

13. A repeal of Right to Work legislation which cripples collective bargaining rights, and limits the rights of workers to unite for better pay, working conditions and expression of grievances against employers. That workman's compensation, pension, and death benefits from work related injuries be cemented as rights in the Oklahoma State Constitution over against any legislation that would seek to limit these rights.

I thought Oklahoma's right to work law essentially said that a Union can't demand all employees join?  Seems like a two way street...  if you want to join a union you should be able to.  If I don't want to join a union I shouldn't be forced to.  Oklahoma probably tacked on some extra stuff to jab the unions, but generally... anyway, odd fit for this discussion.

[guido911]

You might want to go back and re-read some of the whopper thread titles you've created over the years.

http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=17727.0

http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=18154.0