Occupy Boston accused of racism by own offshoot

[hack89]

Source: Metro Boston

A member of Occupy the Hood Boston, an activist group focused on social inequities in urban communities, said the group formally separated from Occupy Boston.

Community activist Jamal Crawford said elements such as “racism and white privilege” have been “hindrances to forward progress,” in an e-mail he sent to occupiers, demanding certain things change. “I can’t say all of OB is racist or OB itself is racist we witnessed and experienced white privilege and racism,” he said.

Last week, Crawford sent the “demands” to garner support for OTHB.

Demands to Occupy Boston
1. Establish a day dedicated to people of color.
2. Occupy Boston must clean itself up and establish order.
3. $2,000 donation from Occupy Boston to expand outreach.

Read more: http://www.metro.us/boston/local/article/1030829--occupy-boston-accused-of-racism-by-own-offshoot

---

Maintaining cohesion is going to take a lot of effort on the part of OWS if different groups decide their particular issue is not getting the proper respect. Once the new wears off and the long grind through winter sets in, the GAs will be tested.

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Occupy the 'Burbs." - 'Burbsters (Sub)

[laureloak]

2. No wedgies. OCCUPY will stay united.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Javaman]

6. So how often do you come to boards to willfully disrupt things?

your transparency is only outshone by your ignorance.

tootles.

[ecstatic]

3. There have been similar complaints about Occupy Atlanta

The way they treated Rep John Lewis was disgusting!

[FreedomVoice]

4. Spintering off causes a loss of power and distorts

a message thats clarity is already questioned by outsiders more everyday. I hope the movements can hold it together, but i guess opinions and human nature come into play in every group at some point. This is either a revelation or the beginning of a slide down a slippery slope. I really hope its a revelation.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

14. Exactly...

... while I am sure that members of OB are sympathetic to the plight of those in the OHB, they state they (OHB) are focused on, "social inequities in urban communities". That is great! But by splintering off, you decided to go your own way and yet want to co-opt what OWS/OB have established. I don't care if your splinter group is about saving the whales, saving the rain forests, etc... The Occupy movement needs to keep it's focus on corporate and political corruption. Getting sidetracked from that goal only dilutes the main message, which the right wing has been begging to happen.

I wish OHB all the good fortune in the world. I am sure they have valid complaints and issues with their local entities and it is their initiative to split off to focus on the said, "social inequities in urban communities".

BTW, my save the whales outreach would love to demand $2,000 from some group so I can start organizing, too.

[MADem]

7. It is impossible to tell, from what little the article provides, if this guy has a genuine beef or

if he's just trying to shake down Boston for 2K. There are no examples to illustrate his accusations. He doesn't say what he experienced in terms of "white privilege and racism"--or the article isn't telling us what he said.

WTF does "...clean itself up and establish order" mean, precisely? The health department is down there every day--it's one of the "cleanest" sites in the nation.

Where would the 2K go? How would it be used? What sort of "outreach?"

I'm not feeling this, yet. My mind could easily be changed with more specifics, though.

[Uncle Joe]

11. I agree, what are the specifics?

"It is impossible to tell, from what little the article provides, if this guy has a genuine beef or if he's just trying to shake down Boston for 2K. There are no examples to illustrate his accusations. He doesn't say what he experienced in terms of "white privilege and racism"--or the article isn't telling us what he said."

[MADem]

13. I guess we will have to wait for a more complete report. This is the only article I have seen on the

topic.

[Odin2005]

8. Ugh, here comes the folks shoving ideological wedges into the movement!

:grr:

[fascisthunter]

12. the true enemies of the movement

[chrisa]

9. Some on the left wing can be just as racist as some on the right wing.

Sad but true. We shouldn't assume racism is exclusively a right-wing problem.

[fascisthunter]

10. another anti-OWS divisive piece

it will never work... same poster, different day.

[rayofreason]

15. Stupid Judean People's Front - Splitters!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS-0Az7dgRY

[Taverner]

16. Doesn't surprise me. Boston can be that way.

I wouldn't be surprised if this happened at Occupy SF too...