Okay first diary...
Occupy Sacramento started October 6th. I'm an average middle age, middle class white guy, who occupies a cubicle 8 hours a day, and a civil servant. I'm absolutely positive that I am the 99%. I was actually a little fearful, and maybe a little scared to show up in Cesar Chavez Park on Thursday after work. This isn't New York, and I didn't think there would be many people there. I was wrong.
That night, they topped about 500 people, had our first General Assembly, after a march on the Capitol, and Capitol Plaza (a long street lined by our favorite targets - BofA, Chase, Citi, etc.) The SAC PD was generally nice, and so we were too. We formed a security committee, which met with the police (State, County, and City), and we all agreed that it was best to police ourselves and save the cops some hassle. The cops agreed. However, recently, an measure was passed by the City that allows the cops to roust the homeless that camp out. They told us that at 11pm they would first cite, and then arrest anyone in the park. Dozens volunteered to be arrested :). And they were, about 20 of them. They were released the next morning, given court dates, and told they were 'banned from the park for life'. Some of those photos are on line (I can't figure out how to put photos up here yet). When I showed up after work today, I went to some of the speakers of the GA and asked, "Really? Banned for LIFE?". They told me that the police had backtracked and told the crowd that it was 'a mistake'. They told us if we had phone numbers for any of the arrestees (some made it back anyway), we should call them. I had one, so I called him. His name is Jethro (really). I told him he could come back and that I had his backpack. He was there two hours later. These guys are heroes. Every person the SAC PD arrests, makes the numbers of people double the next day.
More beyond the Orange (insert clever name here):
So, tonight, the new rule is midnight everyone gets arrested. We decided that ex-ball player, Mayor Kevin Johnson had been ignoring our rights. (I carry around a large sign with the text of the First Amendment on it). We had a GA, a well written, well thought out, group petition was created, demanding that the Mayor stop the midnight harassment (we occupied all night last night in any case - they can't arrest us all). We voted on it (Yes is hands up, fingers waving back and forth, and no is arms crossed), and decided to make it a living document. It was unanimous, and so it was sent. It was about 5:40 (three General Assemblies per day), and we were told that some anti-war protesters were over at the Federal Building, and we had another vote and decided to join them! I didn't think there were that many cops in Sacramento! We obeyed the crosswalks and lights, but we are allowed to keep our bullhorns so we got very loud. I would say about 9 out of 10 cars passing us smiled, honked loudly and waved (the cops rolling their eyes). About 1 in 10 gave us the finger. They'll come around :). Then we marched on the banking center again, and seriously freaked out a lot of people in a swanky restaurant in the banking building we were in front of (we came down an empty street, no other restaurants in sight). The guards at the bank building doors quickly locked the bottoms of the doors. We chanted at them - YOU ARE THE 99%, WE ARE THE 99%, etc. Finally I saw a guard smile and only facing us (not his boss), he gave us a thumbs up. He is the 99% too. We went back tired to Cesar Chavez park to cheers and jubilation. We also came back to Fox News cameras, KCRA, and others with their bright camera lights. After the onslaught of tweets today that said, "Occupy Sacramento" doesn't even know why they are there, we made sure to let everyone know that if they decided to get interviewed, they should only refer to themselves, rather than our GA. If the GA has a statement to make, we will make it. We will decide what our most important demands are, and then a vote will be made - this is true Democracy after all. Fox News reports can go, well you know. At least they are covering it.
When I figure out how to add photos, I'll report in again.
When I left this evening, I estimated about a thousand people. Many more volunteered to be arrested tonight. We are making the cops look like assholes. They threaten us, and we demand that they carry out their threat, or begin obeying the First Amendment. They keep handing us publicity.
More later - The Evolutionary.
UPDATE * UPDATE * UPDATE 1/08/2011 12:45 PM PT
This is Mrs. Evolutionary trying her hand at posting while Mr. Evolutionary is replenishing the 99% who have set up shop at Sacramento's Cesar Chavez park. We went to the Occupy movement this morning, asked what was needed and went off to gather supplies and foodstuffs. We came home to collect some other supplies (think ice chest, used paint brushes for making signs, and shoe boxes to keep small office supply things organized) and then I sent Mr. Evolutionary back down to Occupy Sacramento with his SUV brimming with goods for the rest of the day and part of the night.
You're wondering why I sent Mr. Evolutionary back out to protest and did not go with him? We have animals that need feeding and exercise, a front yard garden that needs tending, and bills that need paying. The Evolutionary household is not the Jetson's household - it doesn't take care of itself and nothing runs on auto-pilot. So while Mr. Evolutionary is protesting, Mrs. Evolutionary is behind the scenes providing logistical support. And that includes updates to this post.
Updates to follow.
-Mrs. Evolutionary.