Stephen Edwards will be here the 19th to discuss it with anyone interested.

Walmart work group came up with idea for banner and signs at the Walmart on Freedom Drive. GA Approved.

GA came up with time and day of Walmart Action December 15th 2012 at 2pm.

Woo will be making announcements flyers for action and will pass them out at Drinking Liberally and put the file online for others to print and use.

Discussed using Action Now space to paint banner and signs.

Left wing carpool was discussed- Lots of people anticipating on going but no one knows for sure so rides can’t be offered.

Woo summarized the marxist conference

Woo summarized visit to Occupy Chicago office and GA

Durbin Action on the 10th from 4-6 was discussed. Will be taking part in action with other entities. Drew may have a skit to do.

Occupy .org and .com have expired. GA approved using Occupy finances to renew domains

Walmart actions were discussed in solidarity with workers and strikers nationwide. Work group formed to come up with a plan and present it to the GA.

Press Release

Occupy Springfield IL Holds Rally Decrying Actions of NATO as Secretary General Rasmussen Visits

NATO’s Actions as the Military Arm of the Global 1% Lead to Civilian Deaths and a New Culture of Imperialism

 (Sept 21, 2012, Springfield, IL) – “NATO has from the beginning been an endeavor to protect the monetary interests of the global 1%.  Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the demise of its primary opponent, NATO has assumed its natural role as the military arm of Wall Street.  Through a series of seemingly haphazard “humanitarian” interventions and occupations NATO’s bomb loving culture has left scores of dead and injured civilians across the globe.”

On September 21, 2012 NATO Secretary General  Anders Fogh Rasmussen will speak in Springfield at Southwind Park, at the invitation of the Springfield’s Commission on International Visitors.  While Springfield’s Mayor, Mike Houston, has said that he is honored to have Rasmussen speak in Springfield, Occupy Springfield would like the Secretary General to answer for the deaths of civilians across the globe who have been on the receiving end of NATO’s militarism.  Whether the decade long occupation of Afghanistan or the “humanitarian” air campaign to liberate Libya, countless civilians have lost their lives thanks to NATO’s particularly violent brand of democratization.  NATO and their Wall St. brethren have worked tirelessly to veil their self-interested motives in populist rhetoric and calls for democratization.

There has been a lot of discussion surrounding the recent anti-American protests throughout the Muslim world.  One has to wonder which has a greater effect on global opinion; an obscure film or the deaths of countless innocent civilians at the hands of their “liberators.”  We cannot earn the trust of those we seek to help by dropping bombs without regard for the “collateral damage.”  We cannot expect one act of assistance to undo the damage of decades of support of authoritarian regimes and occupation.  We must seek out a new path that seeks to benefit the people and not the elites, the consumer and not the corporation, humanity not greed and economic interests.

As the world tremors with unrest and revolution, we must reject NATO and the 1%’s new culture of imperialism.  We cannot, as a society, support a militaristic brand of diplomacy that uses drones to bomb first and aim later.  As the 1% pours hundreds of millions of dollars into buying the loyalty of the next “Leader of the Free World,” they spend much more to try and bomb their way to peace.  While NATO is just a piece in this puzzle, they must answer for their crimes against humanity; their crimes in the name of the almighty dollar.

WHEN: Friday September 21^st, 2012, 5pm

WHERE: Southwind Park, Springfield, IL

###

New format proposed and accepted.

GA’s will follow as:

Call for help- people asking for help for existing projects.

Announcements

Proposals- Suggestions for actions or discussions

Call for help:

Deanna and Deven will be doing an action where they do there own labeling for GMO foods on grocery store shelves. Anyone willing to participate is invited. Get ahold of Deanna for details

Announcements:

FUF is having several events-

Sat, Sept 22nd from 1-3 at the Lincoln Public Library in North Carnigie room will        present Freddy Pinky

Oct 9th 607:30 David Cobb from Move to Amend will be in town

October 13th Congression Candidate Debate- So far only John Hartman is confirmed.

Nov 10 from 12-2 Adam Stone will be in town for a Meet the Author event.

Action Now is having it’s first city wide meeting August 15 on the Old State Capitol Plaza at 5 pm.

Proposal:

Debrief about the Occupy Illinois State Summit- extending the next summit through to Sunday was discussed.

Summary of Summit was also discussed

Occupy Illinois Action for Friday August 17th was discussed for the Special Session. Will meet across street from Capitol (2nd and Capitol) to rally for a day of awareness and education.

Joining up with any unions that are there that day that rally against the pension cuts.

Possibly have delegates go in and talk to legislatures

Make an informational flyer to handout. Drew and Lara are working on fact checking for this.

Several people are getting ahold of media contacts for Aug 17th action.

Discussed actions to take to save Griffen Woods. Going to start focusing on this issue.

1. Food prep for the State Summit was discussed- Lara is talking to the Unitarian Universalits church, Cindy is talking to her church,food donations from Decatur supporters and occupiers were announced and use of coffee makers by lara and woo were offered
2. Accomodations for out of towners during Summit were discussed with Deanna and Woo offering house space to 3 peopleand camping space for 8, Drew offered space for 2 and Lara will have space for 5 for one night , other options will be persued , to be discussed further.
3. Itinerary was given ( itinerary is posted on the Occupy Illinois Summit page )
4. Times for food service in the itinerary were set
5. Friday: 8-8:45; 12:15-1; and5:30 . Saturday 9-9:45 ;12-1245 .
6. the question of when the Governors Luncheon would occur was asked more info to come
7. The idea of attending the Equal Wage Rights Rally was offered
8. The question of an action during the special session the 17th was posed and germinating ideas was suggested
9. Joining in an action concerning the graduated tax was brought up …more info to come
10. Upcoming actions by FUF were presented attendence on a personal basis but not as a group was decided
11. Funds were dispersed for purchase of food supplies for the summit . $70

Discussed possibly getting radio exposure for the foodraisers. Possibly with Ray Lytle (WMAY)?

Mary Ellen and Woo will put out a media advisory for foodraiser.

Reaching out to churches and getting email addys to make contact and see if they can announce or print in church bulletins about foodraiser.

Contact Captial Group to get word out about food raiser.

Proposed to next time donate to Choice Community Homes (the homes that took in homeless Joe).- Approved

Morning of the 28th there will be a clean up on the east side with St. Patrick Cathedral @8:30.

Drew is oranizing an Occupy State Summit. Proposed to have it at Southwind Park.

Also discussed having an Occupy Music and Speaker festival at Southwind Park.

The number of GA’s was asked to be reduced from 3 to 2 per week. It was proposed that Tuesday @ 7 and Saturday @ 130 be the times and dates for GA’s. – proposal was passed

Scott Walker @ the Chamber of Commerce Assembly was discussed. Civil disobedience has NOT been approved by the GA and any action intentionally resulting in arrest is outside the support of OSI.

Action Now and SEIU have an action for Tax Day @ 330 pm 4/17.

Teach In- Friday 4/13 @ The Pharmacy@ 7 pm Pat Langley on the Correlation between Occupy and Act Up.

Foundation for a United Front will have a week of events April 24 through the 30th for LGBT week. April 28= panel event and other events will be posted as announced.

AJ Segneri will be running for county board in District 287 Chicago pre NATO trip. Check forums Haymarket Festival was brought up as a future event.

Outreach tactics were discussed

Press Release

Occupy Springfield, IL Stands in Solidarity with Illinois Unite Against the War on Women for Rally at the State Capitol

At a time when legislation is being written, in Illinois and across the nation, that would violate a woman’s right to decide her own healthcare we stand with those who would fight such injustice

(March 29, 2012, Springfield, IL) – “Over many months we have seen an ever increasing number of legislative bills coming up which represent a direct attack on women and their reproductive rights. In Illinois specifically we are looking to bring attention to two pieces of legislation: House Bill 4117 would implement unnecessary new regulations on women’s health clinics, possibly causing closures of smaller clinics, and make legal and safe abortion less accessible. House Bill 4085 would require abortion providers to take an ultrasound image of the patient’s fetus after a request for an abortion.

Both of these bills stand between a woman and her right to decide her own medical care.”

Occupy Springfield, IL stood in solidarity today with Illinois Unite Against the War on Women. In front of the Illinois State Capitol building a rally regarding the recent attacks on women’s rights was held. Several other Occupy groups from the Midwest region were also in attendance.

All over the U.S. we have seen an increasing number of bills before legislatures attempting to pass laws to limit a woman’s right to reproductive healthcare. These bills range from making it more difficult for women to get birth control via their employer’s insurance to incredibly invasive procedures as a prerequisite for terminating a pregnancy. We are here today to specifically stand against House Bill 4117 and House Bill 4085, both which cross the line of individual rights and are only feeble right wing attempts to sidestep Roe v. Wade.

The closure of clinics could result in limited access to exams and screenings and other important healthcare services. A woman’s decision regarding healthcare is personal and private and should have no outside interference from the government. The ACLU has stated, “There is no reason – other than playing politics with women’s lives – to single abortion out for excessive regulation.” It also serves as a distraction away from the many other rights the government is stripping away from its citizenry. Occupy Springfield, IL will continue to help raise awareness to the oppressive assaults that are slowly looming over us and stripping us of our liberties.

###

MS Word Version

 
Mary Mac asked to be made an admin of the fan page to help keep it updated and
open it more for new users Dee or Woo will add her ASAP.

Announcement of bookstore co op (not Occupy related) meeting 7 pm @ Holyland diner. Questions should be directed to AJ.

April 17th Chamber of Commerce has asked Scott Walker to speak in springfield. An
action in coordination with other Il Occupiers has been suggested.

Calling businesses that are part of the Chamber to tell them how we feel about the
Chamber supporting this speaker was suggested.

Cautioned against us being seen as only protesting republicans.

Call was made for hosting other occupiers attending Scott Walker event. (yes)

Illinois Unite Against the War on Women on march the 29th reminder was given. Contacts in Chicago were asked for by Woo.

Announcement- Wolfpack group being started. Call made for members. Contact Drew.

Drew was asked about Jefferson park plots.It is in the works

Woo was asked about the PO box. Getting it this week

Teachin was discussed. Low attendance noted. Warehouse space was applauded.

Flier of suggested anti war actions was presented for the info to be added to
the page.

Chris B announced he was resigning from both the media spokesperson position and
the head of the group working on progressive tax. Woo, Maryellen and Rachel Smith
were suggested to take over @ media and Drew is taking proressive tax.
Meeting times were moved to 7pm instead of 7:15 pm @ the Old Capitol Plaza. Rain
meetings to be held @ Gallina’s