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JAN 1 -Despite what I felt were several setbacks for the OSD movement in December, I began the year 2012 with high hopes (I have a copy of the Mayan prophecy for the date 4Ahau 3Kankin/23December2012. It aint over folks). JAN 2 -When about a dozen of us OSD members arrived at Singer Park in Pasadena, I soon realized how wide reaching the movement was. I'm not sure of an exact count, only that thousands of Occupy movement people were there(Most media reports I saw undercounted the numbers.). It was a diverse cross section of American society. The signs costumes and music were amazing to experience. The vibes were so powerfully postive that I wished I could hold onto them forever. To this day I still carry a few pictures in my battered old cell phone. The reception that we received that day as we marched behind the main parade was overwhelmingly in our favor. Accept for a handful of Wisconsin Badger fans(Rose Bowl game), a group of vocal religious extremists(who got shouted down by a combination of Occupy marchers and parade spectators) and a very confused Latina who looked to be wearing some kind of city workers uniform(I got into it with her. She was one of those confused people who insist nothing ever came from protesting). All in all it was a rejuvenating day for myself and I hoped the OSD movement. JAN 5 - These were days of continued harassment of the Freedom Plaza Occupiers by the SDPD. The names Grant and Mansanala are jotted down in my notebook though no specific reason is given. By this time the dwindling number of OSDers in Freedom Plaza was leaving the remainder bitter and frustrated. Some OSDers plain gave up but most took off for Occupy strongholds in Washington DC, Oakland or Los Angeles. Some of those left "on the steps" were the most vocal of us and so they just gave the SDPD a reason to retaliate. JAN 11 -My notes list this as the date for the Homeless Connect meeting at the rental hall there in Freedom Plaza. Many homeless people that I spoke with avoided the event because they said it was just the city trying to register the homeless for later, more sinister purposes. Like massed deportation. As one fellow Occupier put it. "Someday they'll burn out on scapegoating Arabs and Mexicans. Then who does the system shine its blame light on?" JAN 12 - The middle of January 2012 was a time of intense soul searching for me. I was turning fifty in a few days and wondered if I should spend my precious few spare hours of each day standing on the corner of 3rd and B, holding a sign that said, "I WORK, I VOTE, I OCCUPY." As I gazed at the handful of die hard American Patriots around me, I lit a another cigarette, passed out a couple of more and raised my sign up high. JAN 13 -Last night the SDPD parked in the plaza and glared its spotlight for about an hour on the cold OSDers huddled on the steps of Freedom Plaza. No reason given. None needed I guess. JAN 14 -On this day part of the OSDers left for Washington DC and another group to the MLK march in Long Beach. I myself would take part in the MLK march at the waterfront in San Diego. Another good reception. JAN 18/19 -This was when the OSD began falling apart beyond help. This was when the damage being done to the movement by paid political operatives, oppurtunistic rogues, informants and agitators finally took its toll. The grass roots movement that started it all had become a bickering mass of self interests and sabotage. JAN 20 -Today Ernie was sweated by the SDPD. Ernie is an intelligent, soft spoken man who had been regularly sweeping up the steps of Freedom Plaza on behalf of the OSD movement from early on. He also regularly dispensed food and supplies to the overnight OSDers there. His morning arrival with hot coffee and a broom was always greeted with thankful salutations . Up until this day, no one had said a word about Ernie sweeping the plaza. But on this day the SDPD gave him a hard time and he told us he was going to stop doing it. The SDPD's hassling Ernie for sweeping the plaza left a cloud over the group. Messing with Ernie was like targeting a medic. Not very Geneva convention. JAN 31 -The gloom created by Ernie's departure was compounded by a suspicious incident that took place on this night when an SDPD officer snatched up John K's satchel from the steps at Freedom Plaza. John K is an OSDer who had alienated many OSDers by his blatant amassing of information, up to and including GA meetings which some did not want themselves filmed in. As well as being caught surriptitiously filming the apartment where other OSDers lived. Most people assumed John K had a wealth of info in that bag. And now the SDPD had it. "Coffee's Ready, Gotta Go...!!!"
JAN 1 -Despite what I felt were several setbacks for the OSD movement in December, I began the year 2012 with high hopes (I have a copy of the Mayan prophecy for the date 4Ahau 3Kankin/23December2012. It aint over folks). JAN 2 -When about a dozen of us OSD members arrived at Singer Park in Pasadena, I soon realized how wide reaching the movement was. I'm not sure of an exact count, only that thousands of Occupy movement people were there(Most media reports I saw undercounted the numbers.). It was a diverse cross section of American society. The signs costumes and music were amazing to experience. The vibes were so powerfully postive that I wished I could hold onto them forever. To this day I still carry a few pictures in my battered old cell phone. The reception that we received that day as we marched behind the main parade was overwhelmingly in our favor. Accept for a handful of Wisconsin Badger fans(Rose Bowl game), a group of vocal religious extremists(who got shouted down by a combination of Occupy marchers and parade spectators) and a very confused Latina who looked to be wearing some kind of city workers uniform(I got into it with her. She was one of those confused people who insist nothing ever came from protesting). All in all it was a rejuvenating day for myself and I hoped the OSD movement. JAN 5 - These were days of continued harassment of the Freedom Plaza Occupiers by the SDPD. The names Grant and Mansanala are jotted down in my notebook though no specific reason is given. By this time the dwindling number of OSDers in Freedom Plaza was leaving the remainder bitter and frustrated. Some OSDers plain gave up but most took off for Occupy strongholds in Washington DC, Oakland or Los Angeles. Some of those left "on the steps" were the most vocal of us and so they just gave the SDPD a reason to retaliate. JAN 11 -My notes list this as the date for the Homeless Connect meeting at the rental hall there in Freedom Plaza. Many homeless people that I spoke with avoided the event because they said it was just the city trying to register the homeless for later, more sinister purposes. Like massed deportation. As one fellow Occupier put it. "Someday they'll burn out on scapegoating Arabs and Mexicans. Then who does the system shine its blame light on?" JAN 12 - The middle of January 2012 was a time of intense soul searching for me. I was turning fifty in a few days and wondered if I should spend my precious few spare hours of each day standing on the corner of 3rd and B, holding a sign that said, "I WORK, I VOTE, I OCCUPY." As I gazed at the handful of die hard American Patriots around me, I lit a another cigarette, passed out a couple of more and raised my sign up high. JAN 13 -Last night the SDPD parked in the plaza and glared its spotlight for about an hour on the cold OSDers huddled on the steps of Freedom Plaza. No reason given. None needed I guess. JAN 14 -On this day part of the OSDers left for Washington DC and another group to the MLK march in Long Beach. I myself would take part in the MLK march at the waterfront in San Diego. Another good reception. JAN 18/19 -This was when the OSD began falling apart beyond help. This was when the damage being done to the movement by paid political operatives, oppurtunistic rogues, informants and agitators finally took its toll. The grass roots movement that started it all had become a bickering mass of self interests and sabotage. JAN 20 -Today Ernie was sweated by the SDPD. Ernie is an intelligent, soft spoken man who had been regularly sweeping up the steps of Freedom Plaza on behalf of the OSD movement from early on. He also regularly dispensed food and supplies to the overnight OSDers there. His morning arrival with hot coffee and a broom was always greeted with thankful salutations . Up until this day, no one had said a word about Ernie sweeping the plaza. But on this day the SDPD gave him a hard time and he told us he was going to stop doing it. The SDPD's hassling Ernie for sweeping the plaza left a cloud over the group. Messing with Ernie was like targeting a medic. Not very Geneva convention. JAN 31 -The gloom created by Ernie's departure was compounded by a suspicious incident that took place on this night when an SDPD officer snatched up John K's satchel from the steps at Freedom Plaza. John K is an OSDer who had alienated many OSDers by his blatant amassing of information, up to and including GA meetings which some did not want themselves filmed in. As well as being caught surriptitiously filming the apartment where other OSDers lived. Most people assumed John K had a wealth of info in that bag. And now the SDPD had it. "Coffee's Ready, Gotta Go...!!!"