‎”I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something.

So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make new mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”

-Neil Gaiman and his take on 2012

 

Back in June, I ran for Vice Chair of the Democratic Party here in Utah because I support a diversity of tactics working within and outside of the system. I’m quite proud of this speech and wanted to share it. If you’re not a Democrat, replace the word Democrat with American or Human and all of the sentiments still apply.

———

Almost five years ago, I packed up the trunk of my rear-wheel drive sedan and moved across the country to a new place that many told me I would never be able to call home. I smiled and told them that maybe they were right, but I needed to discover that for myself. The wild west was beckoning and I could not resist the call of a fresh start even if family and familiarity would be thousands of miles away. I insisted I was looking forward to the challenge.I am not going to lie to you; my first year in Utah was a big adjustment, especially considering I had to start from scratch making friends. But the real issue with my first year here was that I let those naysayers echo in the back of my head. I was so focused on how Utah was not New Jersey…that I could not enjoy Utah for what it is.The beauty of that realization was that I then recognized my role in making Utah my home. I bought a house. I got a job that I was passionate about. I stopped talking about moving back to New Jersey and I began calling Utah home. I sought out causes in which to invest my time and effort long-term. I committed to making Utah my home. By taking ownership of my frustration, I also took ownership of my ability to explore solutions and be a part of that change.

In exploring this newfangled state, I threw myself into the lion’s den and sought out a job in Governor Huntsman’s office. I was invited to and attended the wedding receptions for several of our LDS interns. I took those same interns out to the lawn for the Prop 8 demonstrations and we discussed how it was important to recognize and protect the people’s right to ask for redress of their grievances.  What I found in these experiences was more curiosity rather than condemnation.

But honestly, this election really does not really have anything to do with me. I ran for office because I wanted to offer you a choice. I wanted to remind you that you always have a choice. The reason I am running for Vice Chair of the Democratic Party is that I recognize that my voice is stronger when it is combined with your voice. We as Democrats need to empower each other to explore creative solutions in our communities. We need to encourage those who are participating with us in the fight even if we do not always agree on their approach. It is going to take those individuals who are ready to step outside their comfort zone to lead that fight — and I have a feeling many of you here today are ready to do just that.  I will not pretend that I know your communities better than you do. What I will promise you is that I am ready to listen and ready to have the difficult yet productive conversations that will help us elect Democrats in all 29 counties.

Right now, our state and our nation sit at a pivotal crossroad. Voters, especially in Utah, believe their voices do not matter. Let me assure you that the banks who pillaged your retirement accounts and the CEOs who deny personal responsibility for the Red Butte oil spills want you to believe that you do not have a choice.  They have driven a wedge between us. They tell us we have to choose Medicare or Social Security. Education or roads — but all of this is a distraction. They have us pointing the finger at each other instead of putting aside our differences and looking outward together.

I know these conversations will be difficult, but if there is one thing you can say about someone from New Jersey, it is that we are used to people not agreeing with us. Today I am here to promise you that I am not going anywhere. I will be here with you as we fight for our values.  Utah is my home.  Utah is our home.

In the months leading up to this election, many of us from different backgrounds have already come together to form committees that have explored and detailed our strategies for fundraising, communications and recruitment. I am Co-Chairing a committee specifically tasked with electing more women into office.

Our job as the people is to cultivate a common consensus that makes it impossible for our voice not to be heard. If we want clean water and clean air, If we want well-funded schools, If we want prohibitions against discrimination — we the people are responsible for making those decisions inevitable. We cannot let our participation in our government stop at the ballot box. The time has come to move beyond the tired bitterness of being Democrats in one of the reddest states in the nation. We must choose unity over divisions and send a clear message to those who are frustrated with the status quo that the Democrats are the ones with the solutions and the Democrats have the organizational skills to design solutions.

We have a responsibility and commitment to the next generation to build upon the work gifted to us by previous generations: those who decided to be teachers even though they would never be rich and those who taught through their example by putting their bodies calmly in the way of injustice through civil disobedience.

I am asking you to elect me as the next Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Utah.  I am asking for your vote because of the respect I feel I have earned from so many of you on several issues.  I am asking for your vote because of my commitment to the Democratic Party. I am not just an activist, I am not just a woman, I am not just a union supporter. I am a Democrat that fundamentally understands that we need to all work together to elect more Democrats and that means empowering women and men of all ethnicities, youth and seniors, gays and straights, centrists and progressives.

I am asking you – all of the above – for your vote today.  Thank You.

My name is Deb Henry and I am running to be your next Vice Chair.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Occupy Salt Lake to host #OccupyThanksgiving Potluck Dinner on Thursday, November 23, 2011 at One World Cafe in conjuction with a Gratitude March to and from our current 24-hour location at West Gallivan Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. We welcome anyone in the community who would like to share a meal with the rest of the 99% to join in the festivities throughout the day. Positive attitudes, curiosity and constructive conversation are always welcome. Bring something to share with the community if you wish to do so.

One World Cafe has generously donated use of their kitchen to prepare potluck options to share dinner and sitting space with the community on Thursday afternoon. One World Cafe will be functioning as Occupy Salt Lake’s community kitchen until further notice. Anyone wishing to donate natural, organic food to the Occupy movement can bring donations to One World Cafe.  One World Everybody Eats (OWEE) is a cafe and nonprofit community kitchen based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Its motto is “a hand up, not a hand out.” The community kitchen concept is similar to that of a soup kitchen, but incorporates volunteer and common-effort aspects closer to those of a community garden. The restaurant has sliding scale pricing during normal operating hours but our dinner will be offered for FREE. Donations to #OccupySLC are always welcome or donate to One World Everybody Eats, here.

If you have ever been curious about your local Occupy Salt Lake movement, this is a wonderful open-house for you to learn more.

The schedule is as follows:

• Wednesday, 3pm, One World Cafe (of One World Everybody Eats Foundation, a 501c3) – Food Preparation and accepting donations of food, time and solidarity.
• Wednesday, 6pm, General Assembly at One World Cafe.
• Thursday, 9am, Food Preparation at One World Cafe
• Thursday, 12 noon, meet at Gallivan Plaza for music, activities and sign making.
• Thursday, 2pm, Gratitude March to One World Cafe
• Thursday, 2pm – 4pm, #OccupyThanksgiving Dinner at One World Cafe
• Thursday, 4pm, Gratitude March back to Gallivan Plaza
• Thursday, 4pm until ? – More music and activities at #occupySLC at the Gallivan Center

Love, Hope and Solidarity,

Occupy Salt Lake

On 11/12/11, our Pioneer Park location of Occupy Salt Lake was torn down by police. Since the raid, it has been confirmed by Mayor Jean Quan of Oakland that there were coordinated raids of the Occupy campsites in at least 18 cities, though SLC Mayor Becker’s Chief of Staff, Dave Everitt denies that the Mayor’s office was a part of the coordination. Everitt acknowledges that he was unaware of SLCPD Chief Burbank’s role in a national conversation, though language used in justification for the raids at the 18 camps nationwide was quite similar to the justification for raiding Pioneer Park. An investigation into the matter is pending.

• National Lawyers Guild Files FOIA Requests Seeking Evidence of Federal Role in Occupy Crackdown
• RadioActive! Nov 16 Occupy SLC crack-down – David Everett, Mayor Becker’s chief-of-staff, Joe Cohn, the interim legal director of the ACLU of Utah and homeless advocate John Netto debate the merits and motivations of the crack-down.

Earlier this week, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan’s Legal Advisor resigned in support of Occupy Oakland. Eleven members of the New York City Council issued a written statement condemning the actions of Mayor Bloomberg and the NYPD. One NYC Council member was arrested at OWS.

Occupy Salt Lake Workshops continue to meet on Monday and Thursday evenings at the SLC Downtown Library from 7-9pm. These meetings begin with announcements and break into affinity groups and working groups for specific campaigns. Meetings draw 50-75 people from the community interested in having a role in being a part of building the community we want to see. it’s a great opportunity to meet organizers in our local SLC Occupy movement.

Occupy Salt Lake will be hosting an Occupy Thanksgiving at 2pm at One World Cafe in downtown SLC. We invite everyone in SLC to join us for a potluck and to bring something to share. We will be prepping signs for a gratitude march starting at 12 noon at Gallivan and will march to One World at 2pm. Since our Occupy Salt Lake kitchen was cleared out of Pioneer Park, we ask that donations of food be brought directly to One World Cafe. (One World is a 501c3 and donations are tax deductible.) One World provides natural, organic meals based on a gift economy, allowing patrons to “pay what they can” and serving all members of the community regardless of their ability to pay. Dave, the Manager of One World has graciously offered to be OccupySLC’s host for meals and provide meetings space. Support Occupy Salt Lake by supporting One World Cafe and try to eat there or volunteer when you can. You can’t do nothing.

• If you’re interested in donating food for our Occupy Thanksgiving Dinner, please bring donations directly to One World.

Occupy Salt Lake continues to maintain a 24-hour, permitted presence in downtown SLC at the Gallivan Plaza.

The next General Assembly is Wednesday, 11/23/11 at 6pm at ONE WORLD CAFE while we prep for Thanksgiving.

Tomorrow, Tues.11/22/11, there will be a panel on KRCL RadioActive discussing the 9 Demands of the 99% at 6pm MST. You can listen at 90.9 FM or stream online. It will be a panel discussing with Jim Judd of the AFL-CIO/ Vice-Chair of the Democratic Party of Utah, Josh Kanter of Alliance for a Better Utah and myself. If you have any comments on the 9 Demands or articles you want me to read, please feel free to leave them here in the comments.

• “ Even if you believe the U.S. has some sort of vibrant democracy — rather than a democracy-immune oligarchy — not all change needs to come exclusively from voting and electoral politics. Citizen movements can change the political culture in ways other than working within that pre-established electoral system; indeed, when that system becomes fundamentally corrupted, working outside of it is the only means of effectuating real change” via Here’s what attempted co-option of OWS looks like – Salon.com
• “Those “nine demands” completely miss the point. If #OWS doesn’t focus on ending legalized bribery, nothing else will matter.”  - @jessethechesie
• Unboxing Occupy Wall Street: We still don’t know what it is, and that’s good | Grist 

I created a Reddit OccupySLC community to share articles, information and create discussion. We are also initiating an Occupy Book Club via this Reddit forum (for now).

• How Reddit works: the value of articles can be voted on and discussion can take place in the comment section. Better articles show up higher in the feed. Comments are threaded and can be sorted by popular, controversial, old, new, hot. It’s a great forum and a crowd-sourced way for us to share information. You can opt-in to many different subject areas that aggregate into a main feed on your homepage.

The title of this post came from a class of high school students that I spoke to on Friday. They asked me what they could do to support the Occupy movement. “You can’t do nothing.”

If anyone has any ideas as to how to network local businesses and have them be transparent in their participation in our local economy, please let me know! We can protest all we want, but I am more interested in helping support a sustainable, resilient local economy. One way to do this would be to turn SLC into a Transition Town.

• Join our group Transition Salt Lake
• If you’re interested in helping start a National Lawyer’s Guild chapter here in Utah, please let us know, so we can link you up with others who are interested.

More updates soon!

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” – Arundhati Roy

Friend and fellow activist Jesse Fruhwirth shortly before his arrest last night.

Yesterday, after a long day of internal discussions and negotiations with police at #OccupySLC as to our next steps, it began to snow. Friday, Mayor Becker issued an order shutting down Occupy SLC at sundown Saturday.

Occupiers had little time to break down their tents. Many did not have anywhere to put their belongings as many in the population are homeless and many places won’t let you bring in possessions. The hesitation to leave the park was due to the uncertainty of where to go and an optimism of continued, productive negotiations with Chief Burbank. The dumpsters full of camping gear and donated food are an important reminder of what we are fighting for.

Let us remember that Occupy SLC did not choose to be in Pioneer Park which already had a rampant homelessness problem. Police exacerbated the issue by dropping off drunks at the camp late at night. If there was any increase in crime, you can thank the tactics the city took to push us out of the park. FYI – Money was raised and there were several port-a-potties in the park. Any reports you’ve read about sanitation issues are exaggerated. The supposed fight with 30 people, was actually 5 people. I also find it insulting that 2 days after Mayor Becker’s impressive re-election, this is how he treats his community.

Yesterday’s 18 arrests came after an obnoxious show of intimidation by the police (see photo above). Roads around the park were closed, inconveniencing travelers and dozens of massive police busses were parked at the south side of the park. 50+ police cars were the next line of vehicles. While we support the individuals who make up the police force and choose to work in a profession that aims to protect our rights, we reject the institutionalized police state that has created the prison-industrial complex which (coincidentally!) helps generate more homeless.

While allowing us to to be in the park from 8am to 5pm has been discussed with the city, the reason we take exception to this “solution” is that a community isn’t built during business hours. It also assumes that the population has somewhere else to go in the evenings. We have an opportunity here in SLC to draw attention to the homelessness that exists as a symptom of the greed of the 1% in the richest country in the world. I have learned so much about my fellow occupiers by spending time in that park. Camping out is essential to understanding the magnitude of our commitment and the magnitude of the issues at hand. It also keeps SLC’s commitment to this movement visible in our community.

Don’t get me wrong, there are incredible people participating in many ways during this movement. We support a diversity of tactics — but the people who want to camp down there and dig deep into their social conditioning as to how the world treats our homeless, should have the right to do so. I pay taxes, I want to camp on the streets I pay for.

I ran into a good friend at the store today who is on the Board of Directors for the The Road Home, a phenomenal non-profit in our community that deals with the issue of homelessness. Her perspective is important to me and I hold a high amount of respect for her and the services that exist trying to address the homelessness issue. She’s supportive of the Occupy movement but wanted to talk about the services available in town. I explained that the role of Occupy is addressing the system that creates homelessness. We’re going to talk later this week more about the ties between Occupy’s message and how the homeless are affected. I am grateful that Occupy has begun discussion on many of the dysfunctions of the current system.

I want to personally thank John Netto for his generosity yesterday in helping people move some of their belongings into storage and get rides up to Occupy Ogden (where the encampment is on supportive private property and cannot be removed at the whim of the Mayor). John is a successful business person but experienced a period of time in his life where he too was homeless. John bought occupiers pizza, helped with bail and called me this morning to check in on what else he could do. Thank you John.

Shout-out to Occupy Wall Street which unanimously supported our peaceful actions last night.

Mad love to everyone arrested yesterday standing up for their community.

Thank you to everyone who shares our message responsibly with their friends.

xoxo

Occupy Salt Lake camp at Pioneer Park is buzzing with uncertainty. We have been asked to leave both camps (Pioneer Park and Gallivan Plaza) by sunset today (5:12 pm MST) or face arrest.

The usual suspects say the campers (of which a large percentage are homeless) should go to the shelters in the community. What they seem to not understand is that the shelters are full. You also cannot get into the shelter if you do not have identification. Instead of identification, you can bring a utility bill or a credit card statement (if you’re so lucky to have had an address at one point or the luxury of a credit card). The media does not tell you that to get into these shelters, the homeless need to have their TB shots. Without healthcare, how is one supposed to keep up with luxuries like a TB shot? Homeless are also not allowed to bring anything with them into the shelter, so if they have a suitcase full of their prized possessions, they are expected to abandon it.

We have been told the camp is undermining the services available to the homeless community. They don’t seem to understand that we, as Occupy, are trying to address the fundamental issue of how one becomes homeless in the first place. We’re not looking to put a band-aid on this problem. We are not interested in continuing to clean up the mess of government corruption that continues to churn out more homeless every year while the 1% gets richer. We are addressing the problem at its root. Homelessness should not be so institutionalized that we stop asking why there are homeless in one of the richest nations in the world.

Yesterday at Occupy Salt Lake, we lost a member of our community named Mike who was homeless. No cause of death was determined and an autopsy is pending. Chief Chris Burbank of the SLC Police blamed #OccupySLC for the death using #OSLC as a scapegoat and a reason to shut down both camps. At this point, it’s obvious that Chief Burbank is taking his orders from the Mayor Ralph Becker’s office and we urge you to contact them and express your support for our right to assembly. I find it strangely convenient that days after Mayor Becker’s re-election, his tune has completely changed with regard to working with activists for the rights of the 99%. Shame on Mayor Becker.

• “If a homeless man dies in Pioneer Park and there aren’t hippies around to blame… does SLCPD made a sound?”
  ~ Bob Aagard

This afternoon, the camp is packing up their belongings but many are unsure where they will go or if they will leave. The Unitarian Church in Ogden, Utah has let the Occupy group there stay. Since it is private land, they cannot be evicted like SLC. Chief Burbank has assured campers that space will be opened up at the full shelters and that he will facilitate space for storage for tents and gear. This temporary solution is unacceptable to the group and many have committed to peaceful non-violent acts of civil disobedience tonight to protect their right to assembly.  The reason why many resist the negotiations to come back daily yet not camp is that it is an attempt to hide the issue of homelessness. Asking us to come back everyday assumes that the population has somewhere else to go. We stand with the 99% and the homeless in Pioneer Park in addressing the fundamental flaws in our communities.

Right now, it’s snowing and my hands and toes are freezing. Activists are livid with the Mayor Becker who baited us through the election and then switched his tune. We’re not sure how tonight will play out, but we are positive that this is not the end of Occupy Salt Lake.

We have no choice but to continue. To give up is not morally permissible. This may be the way things are now, but this is not the way they are supposed to be.

Contact Mayor  Ralph Becker:

• Twitter - Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker’s Office
• Email: mayor@slcgov.com
• Call and leave a message: 801.535.7704
• Facebook – Mayor Ralph Becker

Spread the word:

• Join us tonight to protect Pioneer Park: Occupy SLC – Stand up for your rights TO STAND UP!
• Follow Occupy SLC on Twitter: #OSLC, #OCCUPYSLC, @oFedSLC
• SLC Police Chief accuses Occupy of causing death

I live right next to a Whole Foods and shop there regularly because it’s convenient for me, I plan meals poorly for shopping efficiently, and I am still getting the hang of growing my own food, food storage, cooking for myself and knowing where to get the things I need at more locally owned shops.

I feel like a jerk, but luckily, the Wasatch Coop is a very viable alternative — if we want it.

Lately my patronage to Whole Foods has been making me reevaluate my role in this community. I preach local but still drop into Whole Foods at least once per week. WF charges obscene amounts of money for the most basic/healthiest of items, things come in plastic and disposable containers and they put ribbons and bows on food in order to charge more for it.

I’m dependent on them due to my own conditioning and I want an alternative.

Grocer marketing is a whole discipline where vendors know they can charge more for certain things because they know you want to get it all in one place and will pay a bit extra not to have to go somewhere else for that item. it’s a heavily researched discipline to make profits for the owner(s) of Whole Foods. While Whole Foods isn’t the worst for-profit grocer in the valley and do try to give back to the community as best they can for a for-profit corporation, we have an opportunity for an alternative.

The first local market in the valley is going to be the most expensive local grocer to start, but we are creating an economic market for locally owned shops and each coop that follows will be cheaper to start because of our efforts. There’s also a huge reciprocal value in having a local grocer. The money gets reinvested locally, there is more face-time with our neighbors, we have higher quality food and know more about its origins. We can talk to our friends about why this market is important to us and invite them to join us and shop with us as we create an alternative to the consumer for-profit, anti-sustainable options that exist right now. This market will encourage growth and production of of more local products and will create real jobs and real wealth for our neighbors.

Even if you live a bit out from wherever the store ends up being, having this coop in our community will be a boon for our local economy and our environment. Think of it like a library (which our taxes pay for). We can get as little or as much out of libraries as we choose to but we understand that a small investment gets magnified in its benefits to society. I think we can all agree as to the value of a library regardless of how often we use the services.  Think of your investment in Wasatch Coop the same way as an opportunity for a permanent, year-round farmer’s market and a tool for your community to take care of itself instead of being dependent on outside corporations.

The Wasatch Cooperative Market will be that place. Modeled after co-ops in cities like Seattle, WA, Burlington, VT, Ashland, OR, and others, the Wasatch Cooperative Market will be like any other grocery store: big and bright, with convenient hours and everything you need under one roof. But unlike any other grocery store this one is a true product of its community. Its focus is local. It aims to be a conduit for local product from local producers. It is truly locally owned, because each of its Member-Owners is a Utahn who believes we deserve local, fresh, sustainable food whenever available.

Join us tonight, Wednesday, Nov 9 2011, at Squatters from 6:30 to 9:30 PM for our Fall Cooperative Celebration!

Please consider becoming a Founding Member-Owner of the Wasatch Coop today.  The store will not be built until we have enough members of the community invested. The time to invest is now.  Thinking of investment as only investing in places like Wall Street has destroyed our economy, food supply and our communities. The Wasatch Coop is an opportunity for you to have someone to show for your investments instead of losing them to the 1% benefiting from Wall Street.

Join the Wasatch Coop today.

The sooner you join and convince your friends to join, the sooner we will have our coop!

In solidarity,

Deb

When #OccupySLC initially negotiated with the SLC Police Department and Mayor’s Office, we were told we could only have one permit. They said we could stay on the property at Pioneer Park “for now” but then changed their minds to only allowing the occupation to continue  in Pioneer Park with no alternatives.

The occupation of the lot in front of the Fed is a response to our city’s lack of respect for our request to peaceably assemble. When we were told we could not stay in our satellite camp in front of the Federal Reserve building, the city offered to let us rent a parking spot for $25 each night. Instead of accepting, Thursday night, protesters chose to occupy a nearby lot abandoned by a massive trust company based in Georgia. The site was improved, weeds cleared, debris collected and plans for a free school and community garden were discussed.

Today around 3pm, the #OSLC camp at the Federal Reserve was told that there had been a complaint and the occupiers needed to leave the lot. Because the owner of the land was so hard to track down due to hiding behind land trusts, occupiers were given until morning to move.

Things you should know:

• By occupying the land, the camp was drawing attention to the fact that the city did not give them an alternative site.
• By occupying the land, the site is in much better condition than it was before the occupation took place.
• The camp is willing to move if an issue is offered for a comparable site nearby.

UPDATE – 11/8/11, 7 am - Some more information about the property owner thanks to a blog by the esteemed Jesse Fruhwirth.

UPDATE – 11/8/11, 4:30 pm - A rundown of today’s events by Charles Bernard.

UPDATE: 11/10/11, 6 am – After peaceful and amicable negotiations with our respectful Chief of Police Chris Burbank, the camp has moved to Gallivan Plaza near Wells Fargo bank, across the street from the Trax line. Come visit! First tent went up today.

——————————

Official Release:

Tue, 11/08/2011 – 00:03

Salt Lake City, UT, November 8, 2011: Occupy SLC is reaching out to the public for support to defend our demonstrators at Occupy the Fed. After meeting with Police Chief Burbank last night, occupiers at the lot across from the Federal Reserve building were told that they would need to leave the premises or face arrests in the morning. The occupiers responded stating that they would move peacefully if the police, the city and parks departments worked to provide a permit for a new space to occupy. If a new location is not provided, occupiers have vowed to remain on the lot and face possible arrest. No response or offers have been provided yet, and so Occupy SLC is asking for supporters and news crews to arrive at the lot on State Street at 6:45 AM to document and witness the interaction between police and demonstrators in the morning.

STATEMENT FROM OCCUPY THE FED OF OCCUPY SLC

Occupying wasteland is not the same as occupying a private space like someone’s lawn. If someone uses their yard and you set up a camp in it, then you are in their way. This is not the same situation for the area that has been occupied across from the Federal Reserve building.

This lot was originally home to a bar that was bought up and torn down for questionable reasons. The land has been unattended since this move was taken by its most recent owners in November of 2009 and has been left to degrade, leaving a mark of ruin upon Salt Lake City. Occupiers have picked up trash and collected weeds, mobilizing to beautify the space and make plans that would improve the area and benefit the community. A community stage would be built for lectures, entertainment and teach-ins. Art installations and a community garden would be created in the spring. The zone would be alcohol, drug and crime free for those choosing to occupy.

The move to the lot was taken when conditions became harsher with last weekend’s snowstorm. The city’s initial ruling for the occupation at the fed asked that no structures or sleeping bags were present, a condition that would inevitably push occupiers out. When negotiators readdressed this concern, the best the city had to offer was a single parking space for $25 a day, an absurd location and criteria for feasibly sheltering and protecting demonstrators. Occupiers realized they had to look for a new spot on their own, and that is when they found the lot that was being neglected which they decided to occupy last Thursday night.

Occupy the Fed doesn’t wish to enter into any sort of confrontation, but realistic provisions need to be negotiated if the police and the city truly wish to engage diplomatically with its people. If these standards seem unreasonable, we will respond the way we have from the beginning—peacefully, but in the way that we decide.

If a new location is not allowed by the local government, we will still continue to occupy. If the police make arrests for this, it will not end the occupation. It will only make the people more firm in their resolve, and the occupation will continue until people are allowed to have their voices heard in the manner they are free to choose.

Every ten years, after the U.S. census is taken, lines get re-drawn as to where political representation lies throughout the United States. The concept of redistricting began in an honest desire to redraw boundaries to redistribute power to create competitive districts that would encourage residents to fully engage in the democratic process. Remember how you would shuffle the cards before a game of poker? Remember when you were little, and Ma made you share the cake? You cut the slice — but your sibling chose their piece first — you had an interest in making the split fair.

Today, Utah has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the nation and the disgusting, increasingly concentrated power in our government continues to fester.

I am writing this blog from Ireland because I am pissed.  No, not drunk — angry.

It seems those (1%) who toggle the strings of the puppet government that manipulate Utah’s economy and Legislature need to travel more. They’ve gotten lazy. They think this is the way it is, and the way it will always be. They forget that they are trusted with the responsibility of attracting new/ good/ smart/ resilient  businesses to our state and that these businesses expect a qualified, educated work force — yet our state stands in the way of providing that service. These ambitious companies are lured to Utah (mostly at the taxpayer’s expense via taxes through GOED) to privately subside the education system that continues to provide them with this pathetically lacking pool of applicants. These magnificent small businesses are given no choice but to import their workforce from educated states because the graduates in Utah cannot begin to compete on a national scale (let alone an international scale) for these technical jobs.

Let us recap: GOED attracts companies to Utah who expect a certain caliber of employee when they arrive. These private companies are met with the debacle that is that is the pathetic public education system in Utah. These companies are forced to spend their privately earned revenue on training employee  – which results in driving DOWN their investment for moving to Utah and decreases the amount of investment they can return the state.

Sweet irony!

Fortunately, we have an elective, out-of-state, supremely educated (publicly, etc.) sub-section of the Utah workforce who chooses to stay — believing (renewed, each cycle) that one of  these days, GOED and the economic community at large will understand that this elective population can leave whenever they wish. If the air quality gets any worse, they leave. If Kennecott gets to plunder our mineral rights even further, THEY LEAVE. If education continues to decline, if they are given the choice to raise children here or somewhere that values education, THEY LEAVE. Our entire economy suffers when this population of elective, highly educated individuals gets fed up with Utah — and leaves.

Perhaps you think that keeping Utah homogeneous is beneficial to Utah. We “protect our own” and can give a singular, insular product to the business community. Reality check: new, competitive businesses are not attracted to these employees. If these small business owners are not attracted to these values, they are then not attracted to the economy of Utah. We are hurting ourselves by providing a generic employee to these potentially productive small businesses. We are hurting the American economy if we are not generating vibrant, dynamic, heterogeneous, uniquely intelligent American employees.

The Congressional districts that just passed the Utah Legislature are a slap in the face to people like me who want to love Utah — but do not need to love Utah. Every day I choose to live in Utah and every day the Legislature chooses to give me reasons to leave and take my educated skill set elsewhere.

The more blatantly gerrymandered these maps are, the fewer people who have their values represented by the 1% on the Utah Hill. The more concentrated the Utah elite government becomes, the less powerful you, the individual becomes. Do not fool yourself. You’re not one of them. You are of us, the 99% and you are unfortunately the Utah Legislature’s pawn now that these battle lines are drawn to refute your American voice.

• Join us: occupySLC. org
• We are the 99%.
• Rolly: Sutherland Institute says cities breed socialism, SLTrib 
• Progressivism and the Wisconsin Idea – Wisconsin Historical Society http://bit.ly/nxMxsn

What They did not want you to ever find out is that your generation, the generation born between 1980-1995, actually outnumbers the Baby Boomers. They knew that if you ever turned your eye towards political reform, you could change the world.

They tried to keep you sated on vapid television shows and vapid music. They cut off your education and fed you brain candy. They took away your music and gave you Top Ten pop stations. They cut off your art and replaced it with endless reality shows for you to plug into, hoping you would sit quietly by as They ran the world. I think They thought you were too dumb to notice.

Indeed, I thought They had won.

But I watched you occupy the capital of Wisconsin. I see you today as you occupy Wall Street. And I see a spark, a glimmer of the glorious new age that is yours. A changing of the guard, a guard that has stood for entirely too long and needs your young legs to take his place.

I watch you turn away from what is easy and stand up for what is right. I see you understand we as a society are only as strong as our weakest link. I see you wise beyond your years. And I am proud. Give ‘em hell, kids. You are beautiful.

-Kate Danley