Governor misinformed or misleading?

I heard and interesting story two weeks ago while engaged in the weekly Saturday Occupy Rapid City protest on a corner along Main Street in Rapid City.  The story was being related in a casual and conversational way, similar to discussing the weather or some other interesting incident of a less than cataclysmic importance.  When hearing this type of recounting of a seemingly innocuous happening some my reply, “That doesn’t surprise me.”

A delegation of visiting members of British Parliament and other British officials were visiting South Dakota in the early part of June.  On June 6 they were in Pierre where the story has it that one of the members of the group asked Governor Daugaard about the Occupy Movement in South Dakota.  In the story, the Governor’s reply was something to the effect that “we don’t have that in South Dakota.”   The Governor must get his news from Rapid City news sources where the activities of the Occupy Movement are not reported on unless it offends an entity like Duhamel Broadcasting.  In addition to the every Saturday protests in Rapid City, members of Occupy Rapid City have given their support to and participated in the protests by several groups in Rapid City since their local beginning in October of 2011.

It is a little hard for outsiders to track the local Occupy Movement since it does not have a hierarchical structure or an official organizational membership list.  However, there are several South Dakota Occupy Movement group websites that list members numbering from seventy or so to nearly on hundred.  There are also quite a number of people that post on these sites that appear to think of themselves as members of the Occupy Movement even if their names don’t appear on a group page membership list. 

It is obvious that participation has waned considerably from what it was during the first exciting days when it was new concept for a lot of people with, perhaps, less than realistic expectations.  Still it is less than accurate for the Governor to tell our British guests that “we don’t have that in South Dakota.”

Note:  Here’s a few other Occupy websites to check out http://occupyrapidcity.org/, http://www.occupybrookings.com/, http://www.facebook.com/OccupyOfRapidCity, and http://www.facebook.com/groups/occupyblackhills

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South Dakota Peace and Justice hosts Occupy Rapid City panel

By Greg Olson with editorial and memory help by Clay Uptain

Tuesday night the monthly meeting of the Rapid City chapter of the South Dakota Peace and Justice organization hosted a panel of Occupy Rapid City members.  The focus of this meeting was ‘The Significance of the “Occupy” Movement in Contemporary America: A Discussion.’   The panelists were volunteers and each of them spoke from their own point of view regarding the Occupy Movement.  The panel was comprised of three noteworthy members of our Occupy Rapid City community and yours truly. Each panelist spoke from the heart about the Movement with emphasis on particular aspects that spoke specifically to them.  While these panelists generally share similar views they did not speak as representatives of the diverse membership of the Occupy Movement.

Clay Uptain spoke of his background as a criminal justice system professional and how the Occupy Movement’s worldwide significance and his interest in the spiritual and social aspects of what that means, not just for Rapid City, but for all of humanity.

Jim Petersen shared that he is a Veteran pilot and feels that the Defense budget is way out of proportion and that it needs a significant reduction. He also listed other issues that he felt continued to be of specific relevance to the Movement.  He elaborated on each of the items that he referred to and how they related to the essential central issues of the Movement’s Occupy Wall Street beginnings. One of the key issues he mentioned was that our country has slowly degenerated into a plutocracy. We are no longer a democracy. He also discussed the National Defense Appropriations Act that eviscerated the Bill of Rights and has put our nation under indefinite martial law.

Peggy Detmers related how her background made many of Occupy’s central causes important to her.  She has a background in biology and is currently working with a biochemist identifying toxins in our environment. She issued several challenges to the listeners to join in the activism of the Occupy Movement.  This call to action was well understood and has been historically shared by most if not all of those in attendance of this gathering of the local South Dakota Peace and Justice group.

For my part, I tried to express how the Occupy Movement provides a venue or outlet for the “frustrated” majority or for the percentage of the population that should be able to associate with the movement, “the 99%.”  At the same time the Movement has avoided the partisanships of political parties.  The Occupy Movement provides the bridge between many groups on issues that are important to all of us, regardless of political, religious, or other divisive group definition.

All of the panelists seemed to agree that the Occupy Movement was a continuing catalyst for activism as well as for civic and social responsibility.  Evidence of this belief can be observed in action; two Occupy Rapid City members are serving on a task force formed by the Rapid City Council that was successful in getting the City of Rapid City to formalize and update its procedures for where it keeps its money.  The effort deemphasized the reliance on big banks and financial institutions and focused on the city including more small and locally owned banks and credit unions.

Help Restore Our Civil Liberties

Friends-

We can put an end to a shocking assault on our civil liberties: Last year's National Defense Authorization Act included language that could allow the military to detain civilian suspects INDEFINITELY without charge or trial.

This year's NDAA could come up for a vote as soon as next week and we have a prime opportunity to reverse this travesty of justice.

Click here to fight back: Email your member of Congress right away:

http://act.demandprogress.org/letter/ndaa_next_week/?referring_akid=a6160083.1904117.lFZrva&source=auto-taf

Congressmen Adam Smith and Justin Amash will put forth an amendment to make it clear that the military does not have the power to arrest and indefinitely detain civilians without charging or trying them. Please urge your lawmakers to support their efforts and help us spread word far and wide.

Just click here to email your member of Congress right away.

http://act.demandprogress.org/letter/ndaa_next_week/?referring_akid=a6160083.1904117.lFZrva&source=auto-taf

Thanks!

Public announcement from Occupy Rapid City

Event Schedule:

The demonstration on Saturday May 12 will focus on the income disparity and corporate malfeasance that initially sparked Occupy. These issues have not gone away. From banks foreclosing on families by using fraudulent documents to Wall Street speculators creating a bubble in oil futures to the one percenters continue to lie, cheat, and steal in order to further enrich themselves. Meanwhile more and more Americans are struggling just to survive. There really is “too much month at the end of the money.”

Come on out this Saturday and stand with us. You will be glad that you did.


http://occupyrapidcity.org/

WOMEN UNITE – MARCH IN SOLIDARITY

WOMEN UNITE – MARCH IN SOLIDARITY

What:  A call to action to defend Women’s Rights with a March in Solidarity

Why: A nation-wide event to focus attention on current legislation and efforts that challenge rights of women and families.

When:  2:00 PM - Saturday, April 28, 2012

Where:  Meet at Memorial Park Band Shell and march through downtown Rapid City.

Who: Local citizens who wish to join with Americans from across the United States to tell members of Congress and legislators in all 50 states “Enough is Enough!” should attend. If you are troubled by the prevailing trend of laws, especially in South Dakota, that threaten women’s right, you are encouraged to participate. If you dislike negative campaign language and the anti-women rhetoric in the media, please plan to ‘march in solidarity’ with others that feel as you do.

Miscellaneous: Participants are asked to bring relevant signs that are appropriate for a family-friendly event.

More information can be found at www.unitewomen.org, on Facebook at Women Unite! (what is your link)? March in Solidarity or contact us.

In Western South Dakota, Contact: Holly Sortland at 605-786-5256

Occupy Rapid City to highlight Miss Representation

Guest post from Occupy Rapid City:
This Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 12:45 pm Occupy Rapid City will walk from Main Street Square to KOTA in order to shine a light on the role of the media in disempowering women. KOTA continues to broadcast Rush Limbaugh in spite of his documented attacks on women. He has repeatedly and infamously referred to any women who are politically active on equality issues as “femi-nazis.” He seems to think that the only appropriate role for women in the 21st Century is to remain barefoot and pregnant.
Not only does KOTA continue to broadcast Rush Limbaugh, but it also aligns itself with the one percent corporate interests in this country, rather than the ninety-nine percent of the rest of the population. The more general role of the corporate owned and controlled media locally and nationally in marginalizing and disempowering women was exposed in a recent showing in Rapid City of Miss Representation. This film highlighted the many ways that women are sexualized and distorted on a daily basis in our media culture. It is a documentary film by Jennifer Siebel Newsom and features interviews with Condaleezza Rice, Katie Couric, Nancy Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Geena Davis, Rachel Maddow, Margeret Cho, and Rosario Dawson. It documents how the media only wants to focus on trivial and sexualized aspects of women, instead of having an honest discourse on the issues that women are raising. One example in the film was the media’s focus on Sarah Palin’s legs and physical appearance instead of the substance of her political stances on the issues.
The recent local showing of this film was sponsored by PROJECT RESPECT.ORG, an organization that “works to combat sexual and gender based violence amongst South Dakota’s Native American youth by promoting healthy, responsible and respectful relationships.”
Proceeds from the event went to WAVI-Working Against Violence, Inc., an organization that “works to create a community free of domestic abuse and sexual assault through advocacy, education and support services.”


The following statement is by Jim Peterson of Occupy Rapid City:
As you may or may not be aware, the Occupy Rapid City group has weekly demonstrations every Saturday, beginning at noon at Main Street Square. The overarching theme is always corporate control of every facet of our lives, but a weekly emphasis is chosen based on a timely issue currently in the limelight. This Saturday, April 21, we will try to bring to the attention of the public/media the concerns depicted in the recently shown movie Miss Representation. More specifically we will try and connect the dots between the media and the objectification and degradation of women. We will meet as usual at the Square, at noon, with appropriate signs and then around 12:45 walk the two blocks to the KOTA studio to once again shine a light on Rush Limbaugh’s disgusting behavior, vis-à-vis women. The previous demonstration at KOTA was an appropriate response to a specific episode, but the bigger issues pointed out by Miss Representation need to be addressed also.
We would encourage every woman you know (and men !!) to join us for an hour or so this Saturday. The reality is that one short demonstration is not going to affect significant change, which is why Occupy groups step up continuously…. PLEASE take the time to join us and encourage all your friends and group members to do likewise. Signage which speaks to the points raised in the Miss Representation film would be most helpful and appropriate. If anyone has any questions have them call me at (605) 342-6245. Thanks for all that you do to make our community a better place……..Jim Petersen
###

For More Information:
Mary Ellen Uptain 605.341.0724
Jim Peterson 605.342.6245
Occupy Rapid City occupyrapidcity.org