Occupy 2012 roundup: NDAA, victories against corporate personhood, descending on DC, general strike!
On New Year’s Day, President Obama signed into law the latest National Defense Authorization Act, which includes new powers for detaining US citizens and further entrenches the prison at Guantanamo Bay in American policy. Occupiers, some of whom see the new powers as likely to be directed at them, mounted a roving protest in New York on January 3. NDAA will also be a focus of the Occupy Congress action in Washington on January 17, which has reportedly just secured permission from the Park Police to hold a protest.
The day after Occupy Wall Street’s General Assembly passed a Resolution to End Corporate Personhood by consensus, the New York City Council approved its own resolution against corporate personhood on January 4. This comes after similar resolutions in several cities, including Los Angeles, as well as Montana’s vow to uphold a ban on corporate campaign contributions, despite the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Corporate personhood is the focus of Occupy the Courts, a nationwide day of action on January 20, the eve of the second anniversary of Citizens United, spearheaded by the preexisting coalition Move to Amend.
A number of events are planned around Martin Luther King Day, including a worldwide “candlelight vigil for unity” on January 15, “Occupy the Dream” protests at all 13 Federal Reserve sites around the country on January 16, and Occupy 4 Jobs actions on January 14 and 16—which purport to fulfill King’s hope just before his death to mount a mass action against unemployment. Posters about Occupy 4 Jobs are among the first Occupy posters I’ve seen in my predominately African-American neighborhood, suggesting that the movement is enlarging its demographic reach. Then, for the anniversary of King’s death on April 4, Occupy the Dream is planning for big mobilization in Washington.
http://wagingnonviolence.org/2012/01/occupy-2012-roundup-ndaa-victories-against-corporate-personhood-descending-on-dc-general-strike/
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