Strike the Inertia!
August 25th, 2008 strongwindsaheadSTRIKE THE INERTIA! or
How I learned to stop worrying about electoralism
and start taking steps towards dismantling it…
by spoonboy
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Anarchists 1 Police 0- Dissidents Reclaim Occupied Denver
August 24th, 2008 strongwindsahead
Protestors from New York to San Francisco are hailing this afternoon’s actions at Funk the War and Reclaim the Streets an inspirational success. After marching through the streets in an un-permitted breakaway snake march, Anarchists and Anti-Authoritarians have revitalized feelings of pride and possibility in protest in the streets.
The breakaway snake march lasted approximately two-and-a-half hours. Demonstrators and police had three tense stand-offs. After police demanded protesters disperse, they did. And then they reconvened and continued the occupation of public space, several times.
Approximately 20 demonstrators surrounded by police escaped into a multi-story parking lot, ran up the building, and chanted enthusiastically from the roof to the delight of the crowds below.
The classic Whose Streets Our Streets chant gained real meaning for the protesters as they reclaimed the parking lot, the streets, and a sense of possibility that hints at the transforming power of a public in rage at the war and fueled with a tremendous sense of joy and liberation.
Reports indicate that the police acted violently, shooting some sort of weaponry into the crowd and arresting a protesting youth. Police used horses to attack demonstrators.
Despite police violence, the victory in the streets was had by these non-permitted demonstrators who proved that public explosions of joy and liberation are still possible indeed.
Disrupting the DNC: Making a Break From the Politics of Assimilation
August 24th, 2008 strongwindsaheadBy strongwindsahead
We find ourselves in a pivotal time in world history with the Bush Regime drawing to a close. An immoral, costly, and unwinnable war rages on, people are feeling the hit of a corrupt economy, and ecological crises are now too large to ignore. This and other byproducts of neoliberalism is propelling people to call for something different.
It is in this space for desired change that the direction of social movements will be shaped. For those in power, the challenge of maintaining the legitimacy of a system which continues to widen the wealth gap, relies on imperial violence and throttles forward with unsustainable development and consumption is becoming more and more daunting. For the protectors of state power and free trade agreements it is essential that they acknowledge the disparites and injustices of the world in a way that casts them not as the purveyors of violence that they are, but the remedy to it.
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Where is the Convergence Center?
August 21st, 2008 ringokamensAgain, the center is at 4301 Brighton blvd (43rd and Brighton blvd, west side) and there is a bus stop for the 48 that goes right there. You can catch the 48 on 15th street downtown between welton and champa
Hint: Look for the welcoming committee, a group of awesome people in green sashes/decorations that can help you plug in and answer your questions.
Master Schedule of DNC Protest Events is Out!
August 20th, 2008 strongwindsaheadThe master schedule for all DNC related events is complete. Click here for a .pdf, or click on the image to enlarge. There are a few mistakes on this events calendar, and we are doing our best to get out updates which accurately reflect what is really going on.
Updates: Spokes councils! All spokes councils will be at the convergence space at 4301 Brighton, blvd, in denver. the following is the times of the spokes councils. each spokes council will discuss the next day’s actions
Saturday: 6:00 pm (general spokes for the week and sunday planning)
Sunday: 7:30 pm
Monday: 2:00 pm
Tuesday: 8:00 pm
Wednesday: 9:00pm (tentative)
Unconventional Denver Organizing Update!!
August 20th, 2008 strongwindsaheadWell, we’ve almost made it. The Democratic National Convention starts in five days which means that in four days, the real party begins. Unconventional Denver is putting the final touches on a week worth of festive and liberating actions, and now all we need is you. Here are a couple updates to bring you up to speed on what’s happening in Denver, what to expect, and how to plug in.
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Unconventional Denver Sexual Assault Policy
August 20th, 2008 strongwindsaheadUnconventional Denver Sexual Assault Policy
a work in progress
This sexual assault policy is a work in progress- with the complicated issues around sex and consent no one policy can detail all the best responses to the crisis of sexual assault. We intend this to be the guidelines that we follow in all of the organizing around the DNC in Denver, and hope that other communities can take this and use it as an adaptable tool to fight rape culture and further our struggle for a society equipped to confront assualt and rape. We welcome and encourage input from people and groups as we are NOT experts on this and believe that we can only further our understanding of resisting rape culture through sharing our experiences, difficulties, and pains around this issue. Many thanks to the RNC Welcoming Committee for creating such a strong and useful policy, off of which much of this is based. Thanks also to the community groups and individuals around the country who helped us form this policy.
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Denver Convergence Center Opens Its Doors!
August 15th, 2008 ringokamens
Yes, it's that awesome
It’s confirmed! On Wednesday August 20 the Denver Convergence Center opened its doors. This is a safe space for our movements to converge, meet, work, discuss, plan, and celebrate. It will be open 24 hours a day during the entire Denver mobilization and will have space for folks to have meetings as well as paint signs, build puppets, hold trainings etc.
The convergence center is located at 4301 Brighton Blvd, to the northeast of downtown Denver. It is space large enough to materialize our wildest fantasies. The RTD bus 48 stops directly in front. It can be caught at Speer and Colfax as well as 16th St and Curtis.
The space is going to need lots of help with staffing as well as donations of things like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, etc. So stay tuned for a wish list of what the center will need and plan on swinging by to say hello and lend a helping hand.
Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente Announce Their Participation in Anti-war, Anti-human rights Abuse Events Before the DNC
August 14th, 2008 jillCynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente Announce Their Participation in Anti-war, Anti-human rights Abuse Events Before the DNC
August 14, 2008
As the United States activated Navy ships and the Air Force to begin an airlift of non-specified goods into the former Soviet state of Georgia, and military exercises began in the Persian Gulf near Iran, I received communications from certain individuals among the Colorado Greens who were organizing campaign support events there, suggesting that I not participate in an anti-war program being organized by other individuals in Colorado.
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Rage Against the Machine to Play Tent State!
August 14th, 2008 Tent State UniversityHere’s the Story:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1592815/20080814/rage_against_the_machine.jhtml
Tent State has also announced speakers, including Mark Rudd of the Weather Underground: