Hi Folks,
I believe in total liberation. I want to better connect ideas of human, animal, and earth liberation to create a more unified radical movement. I think it’s really important that we work towards stretching the traditional ideas that humans are at the top. As radical thinkers, we should work towards ending any hierarchal notions. I want to end domination and exploitation in all forms- not just a few. As a vegan feminist lady, I hope to illuminate the interconnectedness of the oppression of women and the oppression of non-human animals. I do, however, recognize my privilege as a white, middle class, mostly heterosexual person and hope that you all can bear with me as I grapple with that.
My name is Rylee and I currently live in Portland, Oregon. I take classes at the university here and study things like Lesbian Literature, Social Change, Minorities, Spanish, Elementary Education, Queer Studies, Black Feminism and so on. I work really hard to push myself out of my comfort bubble to better understand systems of oppression that I am less familiar with. I work at a collectively run café cooking vegan food for students. I’m currently working on a radical-themed embroidery series that I’m really excited about. Two friends and I are working on a zine that focuses on the role of men in feminism. I love lemonade and knitting and sleeping. I have been reading a lot. Fall is the best season. I like pumpkin baked goods more than anything in the whole world. If you’re in Portland, let’s be friends.
Let’s do this. Because We Must.
Tuesday night, Occupy Oakland was attacked by the police. They were physically forced out of their camp early morning, and later attacked again during a peaceful
non-violent demonstration. One of the victims of this attack was Scott Olsen, who is now in the hospital recovering from a coma and a fractured skull after the police fired an unknown projectile at him. The news of the attack spread like fire, and cities around the country were already planning marches of solidarity with Oakland. Keeping their word, demonstrators in Cairo, Egypt marched from Tahrir Square, to the U.S Embassy in support of Occupy Oakland today, October 28th 2011.
At the same time of the solidarity oakland march, Tahrir Square was home to a larger demonstration about issue’s that 
hit closer to home for the people of Cairo. The people are demanding that the military’s power be dismantled, and put in the hands of a civilian government after the brutal, torture and death of Essam Ali Atta.
“Essam Ali Atta, a civilian serving a two-year jail term in Cairo’s high-security Tora prison following his conviction in a military tribunal earlier this year for an apparently “common crime”, was reportedly attacked by prison guards after trying to smuggle a mobile phone sim card into his cell. According to statements from other prisoners who witnessed the assault, Atta had large water hoses repeatedly forced into his mouth and anus on more than one occasion, causing severe internal bleeding. An officer then transferred Atta to a central Cairo hospital, but he died within an hour.”- Boing Boing
As some have noted, Essam was the same age as Scott, the victim at Occupy Oakland; making both of them victims of state brutality.
Below is the proposal passed by the Occupy Oakland General Assembly on Wednesday October 26, 2011 in reclaimed Oscar Grant Plaza. 1607 people voted. 1484 voted in favor of the resolution, 77 abstained and 46 voted against it, passing the proposal at 96.9%. The General Assembly operates on a modified consensus process that passes proposals with 90% in favor and with abstaining votes removed from the final count.
PROPOSAL:
We as fellow occupiers of Oscar Grant Plaza propose that on Wednesday November 2, 2011, we liberate Oakland and shut down the 1%.
We propose a city wide general strike and we propose we invite all students to walk out of school. Instead of workers going to work and students going to school, the people will converge on downtown Oakland to shut down the city.
All banks and corporations should close down for the day or we will march on them.
While we are calling for a general strike, we are also calling for much more. People who organize out of their neighborhoods, schools, community organizations, affinity groups, workplaces and families are encouraged to self organize in a way that allows them to participate in shutting down the city in whatever manner they are comfortable with and capable of.
The whole world is watching Oakland. Let’s show them what is possible.
The Strike Coordinating Council will begin meeting everyday at 5pm in Oscar Grant Plaza before the daily General Assembly at 7pm. All strike participants are invited. Stay tuned for much more information and see you next Wednesday.
Kellie Marshall and Victor Vandoren were arrested on October 10th, 2011 at a mink farm near State Stone Park in Iowa. ”According to court documents, Marshall and Vanorden cut an exterior fence at a mink farm on Memorial Drive and then used bolt cutters to cut several holes in a chicken-wire fence. Officers reported in the documents of finding maps, hiking equipment, police scanners, a machete and more than $700 cash in a vehicle parked next to a gate at the property.”
It is unclear whether or not Kellie and Victor were able to let any animals escape, but they both deserve our support regardless. As you can see, they are facing some pretty heavy charges. (As of Oct. 20th. 2011) ANIMAL FACILITY-DESTRUCT OF PROP/INJURY TO ANIMAL (Class D Felony), BURGLARY 3RD DEGREE (Class D Felony), POSSESSION OF BURGLAR’S TOOLS (Aggravated Misdemeanor), and CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 4TH DEGREE (Serious Misdemeanor).
They really need our help with their legal fee’s, as well as our overall support. Below, you will find the paypal donation link, and their current addresses where you can write them a letter of support! Please make sure your envelope has a return address on it, or it will not be accepted. Keep in mind, they are not convicted of animal liberation, it is only alleged, so do not speak of the case in the letter!
Letters of support and donation for their commissary fund can be sent to:
Kellie Marshall / Victor Vandoren
Woodbury County Jail
PO Box 3083
Sioux City, Iowa 51102
Donation
Money orders can be sent to Victors mother at the following address
Victor and Kellie Fund
c/o Bonnie VanOrden
5145 Porterstown Rd
Keedysville MD 21756
Hello everyone,
I am a self-taught computer scientist. I’ve been doing that for about 10 years. My specialty is low level programming and computer security. I’ve been vegan for 6 years and I volunteer as an organizer for an animal rights group in the town I live in.
I will be writing about computer security tactics, current events related to computers and their security, and I will be posting tutorials to help activists stay safe.
As activists, we feel it is important to know defensive strategy when working online or on a computer in general. I feel most activists naively use computers to conduct their research and set themselves up for compromise. It is my goal to help change this and start a movement of activists that can detect fundamental vulnerabilities early.
Well, my cats are hungry and are begging to occupy my bed, so I will leave you with the promise that I will help you use a computer securely. Word.
