Multiple thousands, possibly tens of thousands strong, a vast army of orcs Occupy Education CA peeps will arrive in Sacramento, CA on Monday, March 5th to protest education funding cuts, tuition and fee hikes, and crushing student debt. The gathering will culminate with a massive convergence at the Capitol.
Jerry Brown! There is no way out. They are coming.
One part of the Occupy Education California action began at UC Berkeley about noon on Thursday, with a march to meet up with other education supporters at Oscar Grant Plaza in Oakland. Then an intrepid band of fifty began a "99 mile" march to Sacramento.
Thursday night found them in Richmond. Friday evening in Vallejo. The plan is that Saturday night will be spent in Vacaville, making it into Davis on Sunday to be triumphantly greeted by Occupy Davis and many others at the University. From there, motorized marching machines (otherwise known as buses) will transport them across the delta causeway and into Sacramento on Monday morning.
At the rally at Oscar Grant Plaza in Oakland
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Marchers about to cross Carquinez Bridge into Vallejo
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More pictures.
The latest tweeting:
Christopher Yee @ChrisMYee
The break is over for the #99milemarch. "This movement is unstoppable. We're going to the Capitol," they chant as the leave the Valero.
Christopher Yee @ChrisMYee
The trail follows the 80 freeway, so the #99milemarch just passed the Jelly Belly factory.
Christopher Yee @ChrisMYee
The #99milemarch has stopped to rest at a Valero off the 80 freeway near Rockville Rd.
Christopher Yee @ChrisMYee
The break is over for the #99milemarch. "This movement is unstoppable. We're going to the Capitol," they chant as the leave the Valero.
Christopher Yee @ChrisMYee
Many cars honk in support of the #99milemarch at N. Texas and E. Tabor in Fairfield.
Will their voices be heard?
In at least one sense they already have been. Polling on a
millionaire's tax which would have the majority of revenues obtained thereof go directly to education funding is doing best of
all proposed ballot initiatives regarding raised taxes.
Jerry Brown has been trying in vain to take the millionaire's tax off the table, leaving his less progressive proposal which would temporarily increase the sales tax and income taxes on those making over $250,000 to be voted on. (A third proposal, Our Children, Our Future, is also gathering signatures).
But he is not succeeding. Recently MoveOn conducted a poll of its membership and reported that 94% wanted MoveOn to get behind the millionaire's tax. The measure is also supported by the Courage Campaign, the California Federation of Teachers, and the California Nurses Association. It's unlikely to go away and very likely to qualify.
It will take far more than this one initiative -- assuming it even passes -- to put California education back on track. Once one of the best education systems in the nation, it is now one of the worst. Once a higher education system that promised an almost free education to anyone who could qualify, now many students are faced with crushing debt upon graduation, to say nothing of decreased job prospects.
And yet the California Legislature remains unable to act. Stymied in some cases by a 2/3rds requirement to raise any taxes or fees, and it others by DINOS who refuse to pass progressive legislation like single-payer health care once there's a chance the governor might sign it, it seems that if California is to get its shit together, it will have to be done one ballot initiative at a time. (No matter how many times and how much people say they hate ballot initiatives).
But getting tens of thousands of people onto the streets of Sacramento can't hurt. Monday will be interesting.
Info
Here is the latest schedule for Monday:
10 am: Mass March Beginning at Southside Park at 6th and T Streets
11 am: Rally at the Capitol Building
12:30 pm: Lunch at the Capitol Building
3:30 pm: General Assembly and Nonviolent Direct Action Training to Occupy the Capitol!
5:30 pm: Rally on North Steps in Solidarity with Occupy the Capitol
Buses are leaving early Monday morning from many campuses and other locations:
UC Santa Cruz: UCSC East Remote Parking Lot, 6am, March 5
UC Davis: ARC Parking Lot, 8am or 9am, March 5
City College of San Francisco: 50 Phelan Avenue (Upper Parking Lot,
Near Riordan High School 7:30am
SF Civic Center: 7:45am
Fresno State University: Student Recreation Center at Woodrow and
Shaw Ave, 6am, March 5
Berkeley: Bancroft & Telegraph, 7:30am, March 5
UCR: University Avenue adjacent to Parking Lot 24, 12:30am, March 5
UCM: Kolligian Library Traffic Loop, 7:30am, March 5
6:05 PM PT:
Peter Papadopoulos @papadoooloo
@occupyedca: the #99milemarch is just past Fairfield now..follow at #99milemarch or at this... fb.me/1q1sUhXeL #osfsu #osf #occupysf
6:43 PM PT:
Christopher Yee @ChrisMYee
The #99milemarch is now on a bike path that follows the 80 freeway. Darkness has fallen.
7:10 PM PT:
screendocdan @screendocdan
#99milemarch is currently working its way toward Vacaville on the trail alongside I-80... 4ish miles from camp for the night