UNM Director of Student Affairs Debbie Morris ordered Yale Park shut down for the third day yesterday in an attempt to keep unoccupyABQ members from carrying through with teach-ins, trainings, art, poetry & music in the park. Morris told the group Friday morning that because they had not made a reservation, they would not be allowed in the park. She said the reservation was necessary because other people might be “planning to use the park as well.” When asked if any other groups were planning to use the park as well, Morris replied, “No.” A dozen UNM police then stepped in to hear the unoccupy group mic-check their reservation.
“We are here today as responsible members of our communities. We are peaceably assembling to connect with each other and to have important dialogue about the issues facing us. We live in a time of abundance, but a growing number of people suffer from poverty, homelessness, malnutrition, and disease and are subjected to the worst environmental disasters. What deepens this crisis is that the richest one percent has a stranglehold on the world’s wealth. It is not surprising that xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, class-based discrimination, and other forms of oppression continue to thrive in our society. We are participating in direct democracy that will enrich our social lives and make us better-informed members of our communities as we create the world that we want to live in.”
The police instructed the group to leave the park in 30 minutes or be arrested.
Thirty-five minutes later, unoccupyABQ began their day’s events along the 3-foot wide strip of concrete between the dirt that is the southern boundary of Yale Park and the city bus lane on Central Avenue.
“Four months to the day since we were forced out last fall,” one Unoccupyer said, “And it is happening at #OWS sites all over the country. Freedom of speech is a dangerous thing.”
“I don’t think we need to make any more reservations,” another member said. “My people haven’t been doing so well on the ones we already have.”
Up to 18 police were stationed in the park the rest of the day to keep it cleared of people. One unsuspecting young man entering Yale Park from the north side was quickly approached by three police officers and ordered to leave. “This is ridiculous,” the man said. “I’m a student at this university and you’re telling me I can’t sit in the park to eat my lunch? I don’t have anything to do with what’s going on over there.” Police threatened the man with arrest and after a heated exchange, he did as he was told and left the park.
My tax dollars go to UNM. Thank you UNM for managing the open space so all may appreciate it.
By “all,” you must mean “nobody.”
By “all”, I mean that if I or anyone in our society wants to utilize Yale Park for their own purposes or enjoyment they do not want to have to hear how they are the 99%, over and over and over again.
I know who I am, I know how to affect the change I desire in this world without having to listen to you and your group drone on and on about it. If you want change do what you have to do to make change. Really……the method you’ve chosen to effect change is outdated.
I’m not sure who told you the world was ‘fair’ but they lied to you. I’m sure you’d love to work and live in a ‘fair’ utopia. I’m worried that we’d all be living in a ‘fair’ amount of poverty together. Greed built this country and made it greater and truly has a place in this world.
Yes when Yale park isn’t full of peaceful protesters trying to make this a better world, UNM is hosting passed out drunks lying on the grass everywhere!
Peacful right to assembly and freedom of speech are the subjects. If you want to complain about homeless people, I must ask what you do, or have done to help solve the problem. It is a community problem, yet no one will address it. Gee, I know let’s lock them up for vagrancy with all of the drug addicts. Let’s not try to address the issues that solve the problems. Let’s follow our political elitists example and just put band-aids on everything. If you have ever thought or said you think this country needs positive change in politics, economics, and/or social issues, you now have an opportunity to make it happen. It is evident to all who assemble these days that our politicians have no interest in solving issues (problems). It is now up to citizens to unite and make these changes happen. The first is to take back our public spaces, our right to assembly and free speech. Once these have been secured by the citizen, we can all (yes, including you) address issues like corporate/wage slavery, and implementation of renewable energies and resources in our communities. You still want to oppose freedom? Get Real!
Also, I want ot point out that the taxes you pay, the money the bank gives you, are in essence no more than “monopoly money” issued by a private corporation. We call it the federal reserve bank, but when you scrutinize them, you will find deep secrecy and corruption. You will find that they are neither, a federal reserve (this implies government control, or regulation of some sort), nor a bank. Gee, this doesn’t concern you? I say it concerns us all when the fed. doles out huge sums to corrupt bankers at your expense. If you allow this behaviour to continue, we will be subject to “austerity measures” such as Greece….but wait, our social programs have been cut, and cut, and cut…..they didn’t pass a “law” to implement austerity measures….they don’t have to. A decision is made in Congress and it (money) is lost to the people. When corporations have $1 Billion per candidate to spend on elections, I must wonder why they aren’t putting that money into solving homelessness (creating jobs?) and poverty! That makes me wonder if they give anything to these charities. After all, they are the ones who cut jobs during record profit seasons, and add to the homeless population in doing so. I do not have all the answers, I think I have some good ideas to solve problems, but the agencies currently involved only address superficial problems, not underlying (or root) causes. Want solutions? Attack the problem at the root! That goes for OWS too, …don’t like us? Solve the damn problems already, so we can go back to our jobs and homes!….yes, we do have them, too! And, yes, it is OUR tax (monopoly) money too!
I know this. I live with the more freedoms and rights than anywhere else on earth. The citizens of America have the highest standard of living. What is considered poverty in the United States would be considered luxury in impovershed nations. We are blessed, we are free, so quit bitching, appreciate what America, take a shower and then figure out how you can make this country a better place.