Glenn Beck outlined the general strike planned for New York City on May 1st on GBTV (April 25th, 2012).Here are the three outlines (the North Wind was not listed on the site) for the planned Occupy general strike in Los Angeles on May 1st.
David DeGerolamo
WEST WIND
BREAKDOWN: The West Wind is a caravan from the Pacific Ocean to the center of downtown LA, highlighting the lack of effective public transportation between downtown and the coast, making travel times for the working poor who commute between the two unfathomable. The 1st flashpoint will be targeting the VAs misguided use of the land surrounding the center, land that was initially set aside for use as residences for homeless veterans, while allowing students at UCLA to join the caravan in protest of tuition hikes and other cutbacks to education. Continuing west on Wilshire into Beverly Hills, the 2nd flashpoint, on Rodeo Dr., highlights the obliviousness of the 1% regarding the struggles of the 99% with a “Let them eat cupcakes!” direct action right in the 1%’s backyard. Occupy LA’s Queer Affinity Group will join the caravan from West Hollywood at the Bank of America action at the 3rd flashpoint, before continuing on to MacArthur Park, the scene of the infamous May Day Melee in 2007, where the LAPD fired less-lethal ammunition indiscriminately into crowds, injuring children, mothers and journalists during the annual May 1st march for im/migrant rights. Then we take our streets on foot, marching tothe convergence.
ISSUES (that were reasons for striking on May 1st): HOUSING & EDUCATION ARE HUMAN RIGHTS, LGBTQ RIGHTS, END THE POLICE STATE, ECONOMIC JUSTICE, IM/MIGRANT RIGHTS
Rally: 10 AM — Wilshire & Ocean
Caravan begins: 10:30 AM
1st Flashpoint: 11:30 AM — Wilshire and Federal (Veterans Affairs, Federal Building, UCLA)
2nd Flashpoint: 12 PM — Rodeo Dr & Santa Monica Bl.(Beverly Hills)
3rd Flashpoint: 12:30 PM — Wilshire & Labrea (Bank of America)
4th Flashpoint: 1:30 PM — 6th St & Alvarado (MacArthur Park)
March to Convergence: 2 – 2:30 PM 6th St & Main St (border of Skid Row)
Join the West Wind Caravan here.
SOUTH WIND
BREAKDOWN: Gathering at 9:30 AM with a speak-out at 10 AM at Cal State University Dominguez Hills, where after a one-day strike last year, faculty may be looking at a longer strike in the coming months, the South Wind People’s Power Bike & Car Caravan will set off at 10:30 AM to make its way through Compton & Watts. The first flashpoint will be at The Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center — one of the adult education facilitiesthreatened with being shut down by the LAUSD school board and superintendent. Continuing on just a few blocks we’ll be making another stop, our second flashpoint, at Ted Watkins Park on 103rd and Central — a community gathering spot and adjacent to public housing which is scheduled for privatization. A slow-driving and biking 5 miles later we’ll pull off at 41st and Central to honor some of the survivors from the original LA chapter of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, and also honor some of those who have passed, such as Geronimo Ji-Jaga and Sister Somayah (who was also subsequently a leader of the medical marijuana movement as part of her natural herbal healing for the effects of sickle-cell anemia). Our last flashpoint will be in vicinity of LA Trade Technical College (community college district) and Abram Friedman Occupational Center — to defend community colleges against cutbacks, fee increases and tendencies towards privatization, and defend adult schools and regional occupational centers for adults — again visiting the lack of educational opportunities available today. We park our cars here and march past the Staples Center to the convergence.
FEEDER MARCH: RISE-UP LA, an action oriented group of youth fighting the Prison Industrial Complex, is holding a march that meets up with the South Wind Caravan at 41st & Central. They will be mobilizing between 9-10 AM at the corner of Florence & Normandie, commemorating the beginning of the LA Rebellion, 20 years and 2 days after it broke out after Rodney King’s attackers were acquitted. The march will begin at 10 AM, traveling down Florence to Central, where it will join the South Wind and continue on into downtown.
ISSUES (that were reasons for striking on May 1st): HOUSING & EDUCATION & HEALTHCARE ARE HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL LBERTIES – END THE POLICE STATE, ECONOMIC JUSTICE, IM/MIGRANT RIGHTS
Rally: 10 AM — CSU Dominguez Hills
Caravan begins: 10:30 AM
1st Flashpoint: 11:15 AM — 112th & Central (near Maxine Waters Employment Prep Center)
2nd Flashpoint: 11:45 AM — 103rd & Central (Ted Watkins Park)
3rd Flashpoint: 12:30 PM — 41st & Central (historic BPP shootout w/ LAPD)
4th Flashpoint: 1:30 PM — Figueroa & Washington Bl (LA Trade Tech)
Park & March to Convergence: 1:45-2:30 PM 6th St & Main St (border of Skid Row)
Sign up for the South Wind Caravan here.
Download the South Wind Flyer.
EAST WIND
BREAKDOWN: The East Wind Caravan from East LA to Downtown will be focused on building community empowerment to get people moving into the center of Los Angeles for a strong and powerful May Day 2012. Starting at Cesar Chavez and Atlantic with a speak-out at the Steven Rodriguez Peoples’ Memorial to highlight the issue of Police Brutality, Special Order 1, and the rise of the Police State in this country. One of our points of unity for calling this General Strike and Day of Action has been a call for an ending of the Police state in this country. After this, we will march in procession to vehicles where we will mount our Caravan. We will then move on to Obregon Park, set in a residential neighborhood in close proximity to a high school and elementary school, and a short way south from CSU Los Angeles and east of ELAC, to hold a rally and discussion on Education as a human right. We bring this issue to the front because of the absurdity of this world in reverse which spends more on funding prisons than on funding schools. Education, at all levels, is a human right, and should be treated as such. The caravan will continue on to Mariachi Plaza—set behind White Memorial Hospital—a large non-unionized hospital suffering cut-backs in Boyle Heights. Here we will discuss the need to prioritize Healthcare as a human right—in this land of wealth, it is astronomically immoral that thousands die for lack of care they have a right to. Next we park our cars, occupy the Metro Gold Line and head to Union Station and the Historic Placita Olvera to begin our final march to the convergence on Main Street.
ISSUES (that were reasons for striking on May 1st): HEALTHCARE & EDUCATION ARE HUMAN RIGHTS, END THE POLICE STATE, ECONOMIC JUSTICE, IM/MIGRANT RIGHTS
10:00am: Gather at Chavez/Atlantic, Hold speak out and discussion on Police brutality in the community. 10:50–Walking Procession Past ELAC to Belvedere Park where we Mount Vehicles
11:30am: Depart from Belvedere Park in Cars/Bikes/Trucks and proceed along Chavez to Obregon Park (Making a loop past Esteban Torres High School)
12:00 – 12:30pm: Education Speak-Out/Discussion at Obregon Park
12:30pm: Depart along 1st street to the West heading to Mariachi Plaza
1pm – 1:30pm: Mariachi Plaza–Drop off People, parks cars on street–Rally/discussion on Healthcare–
1:30pm: Load onto Metro (Bikers probably will head via streets) to Union Station
1:50: Gather at Park across from Union Station/Placita Olvera, Marcha to 6th and Main Convergence point by 2:30pm
Join the East Wind Caravan here.
