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The Change In Focus At Occupy Oakland The Occupiers Turn Their Sights From The Banks And The Mortgage Lenders To Oakland City Hall And Police Headquarters Oakland's Government Watchdog Passes, And The Council President Bestows Belated Honors The Oakland Tribune Believes That Many Of The Problems Inherited By Mayor Jean Quan Were Caused By Mayor Ron Dellums' "Neglect." Really? Who Would Benefit From Recalling Mayor Quan? Don Perata And His Friends Don't Appear To Be Started The Oakland Mayoral Recall Movement, But They Stand First In Line To Reap The Possible Benefits
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THE CHANGE IN FOCUS AT OCCUPY OAKLAND
For some months now, our friends over at Occupy Oakland have appeared to be changing their focus from opposing the banking and financial industry—where they began—to opposing the government of the City of Oakland, and, most especially, the Oakland Police Departmen A quotation from an Occupy Oakland participant in a January 9 Oakland Tribune article following a chaotic Saturday night march in the downtown area highlights that trend. "The rising importance of police conflict and government crackdowns on citizens trying to exercise their First Amendment rights is becoming a much higher priority for people inside the Occupy movement," the article quoted 59 year old protester Diane Reiner. "For people like me, who originally joined to focus on national broad financial issues, media and politicians being controlled by corporate money, now this direct oppression by extreme policing is becoming a higher priority." (“Oakland Police Arrest Six Occupy Protesters In Saturday Night March”) This is not an “official” position of Occupy Oakland, which, in principle, at least, has not given up opposing the 1% as their main goal. But it’s in Occupy Oakland’s actions, not their official rhetoric, by which they must be judged. And since Ms. Reiner has been identified by the East Bay Express as an “Occupy Oakland member,” and has posted frequently to OO’s facebook page, her views have to be taken as reflecting at least some of OO’s activists and members. [More...]
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