Nashville: Occupy the Legislature 2/1

Wednesday, 1 February, is the day the House Judiciary sub-committee will hold a hearing on HB 2638/SB 2508, a broadly worded, vaguely inclusive bill that would make “a person’s use or assembly upon publically-owned property” a Class C Misdemeanor, subject to removal and a $50 fine.

Bill Howell of “Tennesseans for Fair Taxation” penned an op-ed in The Tennessean today, claiming the bills

would curtail the First Amendment rights of Tennesseans and deprive unhoused people of most of the few safe places where they may live.

ON has a series of actions planned, including attending the hearing, and is asking for supporters to meet in Legislative Plaza at 2:30. You can also email Gov. Haslam and the bill’s sponsors, and call the House Judiciary Subcommittee, if you can’t be there and wish to help.

Jason and Joe from ON offer more details about the actions. Read the rest of this entry →

My Day at Occupy Nashville

5:14 pm in Uncategorized by kyushukev

Stopping by FedEx to pick up my welcoming Occupy Supply box of goodies, I proceeded to Legislative Plaza, site of Occupy Nashville to meet with and learn about the little community that could. Occupy Supply was a (very welcome) revelation to most there, as was FDL itself.

After a rough beginning, ON has managed to become the longest continuous 24/7 occupation of a single site in the country. They’ve managed to accomplish this with grit, determination, and a very remarkable group of people.

One recent activity involved the “People’s Bribe,” in which Tennessee’s “people” friendly legislature made it much easier for those “people” to speak to them. Occupiers, some foreclosed on themselves, have also stepped up to help out some of those facing foreclosure and eviction, including camping out, holding a potluck dinner, and confronting the lawyers representing Chase bank, who are trying to put a 78 year old woman out on the street.

Support breeds support, and ON has earned positive community backing, but they still could use some help. Consisting of about 40-50 total sleepers in approximately 60 tents spread across the plaza, they also have a library, media and medical tents, a tent for guests, and a kitchen. Power is supplied by a generator (which costs about $85 a week to operate, and can only run between 5:30 to 6:00 am), and a collection of auto batteries. Food is mainly cooked with propane (open flame fires are illegal) and sometimes kerosene. They could use some decent cookware, as I was told what they have isn’t heavy enough and will burn easily and then ruin the taste of the food. Read the rest of this entry →

Tags: Occupy, Occupy Nashville, Occupy Supply
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