This is the fourth in a series of personal accounts from the Occupation of Tucson. In this letter, Green Party Mayoral Candidate Mary DeCamp addresses accusations made by Tucson right-wing shock jock Jon Justice and Andrew Lee, another radio personality. Justice’s 104.1 website includes the headline: “Occupy Movement Planning Violence?” But, of course, since there hasn’t been any violence locally, there is no local content under that purposefully misleading headline. [Emphasis added below.]

October 30: Notes from the Occupation
by Mary DeCamp

Green Party Mayoral Candidate Mary DeCamp

I didn’t get the chance to tell you both [Jon Justice and Andrew Lee] about Occupy Tucson’s experience with threats against police when you shared the info on Occupy Phoenix on your radio program last Friday.

Early on, the same sort of violent propaganda popped up in our Tucson encampment. There was a poster/sign advocating violence against the police. Immediately when it was discovered, the Tucson Police Dept. was notified. One of our tech-savvy people traced the origin of the artwork to a facebook page and turned that information over to the officials for their intervention and action. The perpetrator was NOT one of the Occupiers, but a nighttime visitor, operating under the cloak of darkness, trying to incite unrest. We immediately nipped the problem in the bud.

We have been very cooperative and accommodating with the officials. We are working with the Little Angels on organizing support & volunteers for their upcoming event in Armory Park. Tonight we are meeting with El Tour de Tucson folks to work out whatever accommodations they will need to use the park. We are peaceable people, following the example of our Boston Tea Party forefathers in resisting the oppressive overreach of authority, fraud, and abuse in our day-to-day lives.

People complain that the grass in the park is not getting watered. It is the dormant season and watering is not crucial. Besides, we live in a dessert and we need to STOP WATERING landscaping. Our quantity and our quality of water has dropped precipitously in the past decades and we must take action to preserve our most precious natural resources.

People complain about the cost associated with the Occupation. The taxpayer money spent on policing is being wasted and people should be up in arms about it. It is ridiculous to dispatch fleets of 9 to 24 uniformed officers to ticket us each night. Three would be ample. We all line up to receive our citations, and there have been NO incidents of resistance or violence. We self-police. We actually SAVE the City money by providing much needed social services to the most compromised residents. Occupying these past 2 weeks has really opened my eyes to the numbers of severely mentally ill and homeless people shambling around our streets. Our presence in the park protects them from the ravages of “bum fights”, prostitution, and other indignities they suffer just to scrap together the money they need to survive. We feed and shelter them, just like Jesus would have done. Think of how much money is spent on arresting, prosecuting, defending, incarcerating, and probating Tucson’s most at-risk population. Or the costs of emergency room services that the City has to pick up. We provide preventative measures that SPARE THOSE COSTS. We, the people, are providing services that Big Government and Big Business can’t seem to deliver effectively.

People complain that we are a bunch of lazy hippie kids who don’t want to work. That is not true, either. Our demographics cover a very wide range – we have young, old, illiterate, professionals, black, white, Hispanic, religious, agnostic, gorgeous and ugly – just like any other gathering of human beings. The people in the park want to be engaged meaningfully in Tucson’s social structure. They want to work, but there isn’t work to be had. If you’ve been unemployed for any length of time, you carry a taint that makes employers suspicious and unwilling to hire you. Our society has made poverty a punishable crime.

People complain we don’t have a park permit. Well, right across the street is the Tucson Children’s Museum. Mrs. Walkup sits on their board. They pay $1 a year for their rent. We’re happy to double that and pay $2 a year. Fair enough? [Sounds fair to me.] The permits that are doled out specify a beginning time and an end time for the use of the public facilities. The Occupation does not have a specific end time. We are here for the long haul. It ain’t easy, but I feel it is my patriotic duty to stand for a higher purpose. And the others who are there, willing to assume the risks and burdens of camping out in a public park, share my sentiments.

And if we’re all bent out of shape about people sleeping in the wrong spot, let’s issue a citation to Police Chief Villasenor who is supposed to be living and sleeping within city limits. His house in Pima County is underwater, like many of us, and he cannot afford to relocate. So we wink and nod and say “that’s okay” while we want to crack down on the Tucson Occupiers? It doesn’t seem fair to me. The police have been great – we really appreciate their protection and civility – but 60% of our police force also live outside the City and I know that some of them feel that coming into Tucson to do their jobs is kind of like visiting the zoo to see what exotic animals live there. Neighbor-to-neighbor policing allows a more humane perspective to color these interactions, I believe.

Look at what Tucson Occupiers are accomplishing. Direct democracy. We have 2 General Assemblies each day where everyone’s voice is heard. Everyone gets to register their thoughts and concerns. We work cooperatively to address the needs and interests of our community. We’ve organized different teams to deal with all facets of the Occupation – Peacekeepers, Food Crew, Medics, Education & Outreach, Media & PR, Sanitation & Facility Maintenance, even Meditation. We’ve had no problems that we haven’t been able to address and solve internally. Really, do we deserve your wrath and ire? What are you afraid of?

Rather than hatin’ on us, you should be applauding our sense of civic responsibility and doing all you can to SUPPORT our efforts.

Thanks, fellows,
Mary DeCamp
www.DeCampForMayor.org

Previous articles in this series:
Oct. 23: Green Tea
Oct. 25: Of Permits and Police
Oct. 26: Tucson Mayor and Council Meeting

This is the third in a series of personal accounts from the Occupation of Tucson. On October 25, the Tucson’s Mayor and Council held a closed door session to discuss Occupy Tucson. Here is a recap of the post-executive session discussion.

Oct 26: Notes from the Occupation

By Mary DeCamp

Green Party Mayoral Candidate Mary DeCamp

Life in a tent in the heart of Tucsonis a fantastic experience.  Even for a 54-year-old female mayoral candidate.  At least for THIS Green Party candidate who is participating in Occupy Tucson as part of the 99% fed up with the status quo and pushing for change.

Yesterday was the Mayor & City Council Study Session meeting to discuss the Occupation and our law-breaking/free speech actions.  The item didn’t make it onto the agenda for the regular MCC evening meeting, but it came up during the afternoon “where the sausage is made” meeting.

Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, our champion who released a press statement in favor of Occupy Tucson last week, was unable to attend the meeting, and many of the usual staff members who accompany the other 5 elected Council members were absent as well.  The ones who were there went into executive session behind closed doors to discuss the situation but emerged later and held about 20 minutes of public discussion.

The first Councilwoman waffled a bit, honoring the efforts made by Tucson Police Department, Parks & Rec employees, and the City Attorney but acknowledging the importance of supporting freedom of speech efforts.  She wondered if the City ordinance regarding park use could be re-written to reflect the intent of the group using the space to skirt the problems.  The City Attorney said only behaviors could be legislated, not intent, and that was not a solution.  The Councilwoman wondered about having all the Occupiers sign a waiver that would free the City from health and safety liability issues, but again she was told that would not solve the problem because there was no way to cover all contingencies.  She basically said, “well, carry on, then, and keep us posted.”  Daily meetings continue between City officials;  the relationship between key players on both sides are respectful, courteous, and ongoing.

The second Councilman skipped weighing in on the issue.  He is locked in a re-election race against a strong opponent who is heavily funded and endorsed by the Tea Party loyalists who want self-reliance to triumph and scofflaws to be punished.  My feeling is the current Tea Party followers have lost sight of their founding principles – if these same folks were living in Boston at the time tea was dumped in the harbor to protest legislation without representation they would have called for capital punishment for those ne’er-do-wells who damaged capitalists’ property on behalf of the downtrodden.  Nonetheless, this Councilman’s voice has been quieted by pragmatic political concerns.

The third Councilwoman was our missing Shero.  No idea why she was not present, but she’s been a champion and has bravely taken a supportive stand.  Kudos and thanks go to her.

The forth Councilwoman is also in a re-election race.  Her opponent is also endorsed by the Tea Party and he works as a systems analyst for Raytheon, one of the hearts of the military-industrial-complex beast we are fighting.  This Councilwoman wanted to know about complaints from businesses in the neighborhood, how much paid overtime and scheduling inconvenience this caused the Tucson Police, how the landscaping and watering schedule was affected, and whether the Occupiers were discriminatory in asking people to leave the camp.

The fifth Councilman asked about what was happening in other cities.  Both the Police Chief and the City Attorney assured him they had been in contact with peers in other places and that there was very wide variation in the reactions to Occupation.  The Councilman asked about fines and jail time for those arrested.  He was told that a maximum was in place ($1,000 + 6 mos in jail per citation), but that no MINIMUM was set; that would be at the discretion of the prosecutor and the judge.

The sixth Councilman reported he’d heard concerns from the neighbors (and I know that he’s also heard SUPPORT from others, but he failed to mention that side of the equation).  He said that the City Council adopts ordinances, the Police enforce them, and the judicial branch sorts out any conflicts.  He effectively washed his hands of the matter, turning it over to another governmental branch, as is quite appropriate and convenient.

The Mayor, who is known as “Smiling Bob” and will be retiring in a matter of months, didn’t have anything substantive to contribute.

This morning is our first court date for arraignment.  More updates will be forthcoming as information emerges.

Thanks for your continuing support and interest.  We are making history and it is an honor to be your scribe as the tale unfolds.

Embrace affection – it costs the same as hate and feels a lot better for all involved.

Mary DeCamp
www.DeCampForMayor.org

Previous articles in this series:
Oct. 23: Green Tea
Oct. 25: Of Permits and Police

This is the second post in a series of personal accounts from the Occupation of Tucson. [Emphasis added.]

Oct. 25: Notes from the Occupation

By Mary DeCamp

Green Party Mayoral Candidate Mary DeCamp

Tea Party events that use city property have a beginning time and an end time – the Occupy Movement does not.  We are exercising our first amendment rights to peaceably assemble, to petition our government, and to challenge the fascism that has crept in and taken over.  If we followed the rules, we would not be news and the media would ignore our concerns.  Permission from corrupt officials was not a concern for the original Tea Partiers in BostonHarbor, was it?  Action was taken after the normal courses of appeal failed.  That’s what we are doing today.

Should anyone be hurt, I imagine the same policies that covered the kid who was struck by lightning in a Tucson park last year would apply.  The Occupy Tucson movement has a medical team on site, a security team, peace-keepers, food handlers who follow sanitary and safety guidelines, etc.  We are much safer, better organized, and less of a risk to the city than a bunch of unorganized homeless.  The park is cleaner, safer, and more attractive now than it was before we occupied.  We come together as a community to mutually support and police each other.  The homeless fringe are in less danger with us there than they are on their own in this cold, cruel, self-interested world.  It is a win-win-win.

The City of Tucson is spending an inordinate amount on security and a SWAT presence.  I heard someone state it was $35,000 a week.  This is bogus and unnecessary.  The TPD come and sweep the park, in numbers that began at around 2 dozen officers and now are no less than 9 uniformed cops, equipped with state-of-the-art technological toys.  It is a huge waste of taxpayers’ money.  We are not vagrants, we are not a danger.

And the laws are unequally applied.  Someone circulates through the tents, announcing it is “ticket o’clock” and those who cannot bear the expense of the heavy-handed civil system.  Those unwilling to assume the cost (financial, reputation, court time, etc.), simply cross the street and form a prayer circle or wander about until the police leave and then they return to sleep for the night.  What other parks are subject to this style of enforcement?  Why pick and choose where and when to enforce the law?  It seems a hugely unnecessary expense.

Remember, too, that though the State passed the medical marijuana law we still don’t have medical marijuana dispensaries because that violates federal law.  Here we are standing for federal law, but we are persecuted for violating a city ordinance.  It doesn’t compute.

The most poignant experience I have had during the Occupy Movement is at “ticket o’clock”.  Patriots emerge from their slumber, stand sleepily in line to peacefully accept their tickets, and a lone violin player comes to serenade us.  The juxtaposition of some slovenly and sleepy citizens, fully uniformed and weaponized policemen (not many women at all), and the lone musician have etched this experience in my brain.

The range of people is amazing.  The courage is astounding.  The need is great.  We are being true to the foundations the Tea Party Movement based itself on, yet we are dismissed as “Flea baggers.”  Did you see the picture circulating of our elected US representatives playing computer, anyone? solitaire, checking the sports scores, or using the internet to chat while the budget bill was discussed?  It is shocking, and I am proud to be on the other side of the 1% / 99% divide.

Jesus preached compassion and social responsibility.  Gandhi said one of the 7 cardinal sins was Wealth Without Work.  All religious leaders say that self-interest is insufficient, there must be social responsibility to care for the less fortunate and those who lose out in the competitive culture of a dominant hierarchy.  That is all we are doing ~ just following the example of those who have been on the right side of history in the past.

Mary DeCamp
www.DeCampForMayor.org

Previous articles in this series:
Oct. 23: Green Tea

I am beginning a series of first-hand accounts from the Occupation of Tucson. These very personal and highly descriptive accounts are written by Green Party Mayoral Candate Mary DeCamp who has been camping out at Armory Park since Day 1 of the Occupation. [Emphasis added.]

Oct 23: Notes from the Occupation

By Mary DeCamp

Green Party Mayoral Candidate Mary DeCamp

Yesterday [Saturday, Oct. 22] I was invited to a local Tea Party candidate forum in Presidio Park, just outside the Tucson City Council building.  I eagerly accepted the invitation to present my mayoral platform to this group who typically do not embrace any candidate who suggests widening the dialog beyond the supremecy of Individual Rights.  Since I am part of Occupy Tucson, a group the Tea Party derisively refers to as “Flea Baggers” to balance out their tag as “Tea Baggers”, I figured I’d encounter a hostile crowd.  I was correct.

About 100 folks, mostly gray-haired, white, and clad in red shirts, gathered to hear from local notaries like the new right-wing talk radio host JT Harris, a failed Republican mayoral candidate (too few nominating signatures on his filing petition) Shaun McCluskey,  a token female Tea Party official (Jennifer, but didn’t catch last name), and a trio of Republican candidates.  I strode in with Dave Croteau, my past primary opponent cum current campaign manager, and took my place in the crowd.  Dave set out my quarter page fliers on the literature table.  We stood and listened.

Talk show host Mr. Harris stressed the need to keep love in one’s heart and a smile on one’s face when met with jeers from the uninformed left wing spokespeople who would attack them.  Mr. McCluskey condemned the Occupy Tucson movement as dirty law-breaking hippies who were just out for a fun time and who should be arrested for breaking the law by not acquiring a park permit to occupy the space.  Ms. Jennifer recounted the difficulties she had in getting her business established in the face of bureaucratic obstacles.  Mr. Studwell decried the run-up in city staff numbers and salaries.  And the Republican mayoral candidate, Rick Grinnell, recounted his experience with a local steak house (promotional agent) and the need for service-oriented city officials.

The microphone and public address system went down during the speeches.  They were at a loss.  Ms. Jennifer complained that they’d paid their permit fee to access the electrical outlet and now it wasn’t working.  Luckily there was a strapping young fellow in the crowd wearing an “Occupy Tucson” t-shirt who could step forward, fix their electrical problems, and restore the functioning capacity of the system.

Then it was my turn to speak.  I took the now working microphone, complimented Phil for his technical expertise and willingness to help fix the problem and commended him for his service to the 99% occupying Armory Park.  I was meet with jeers and heckling.  I smiled, as the raido host had earlier instructed me to do, kept love in my heart, and pointed out to the assembled crowd how grateful I was for the earlier instruction.  I pointed out that Mr. McCluskey was picking and choosing which laws to follow, since the Occupiers were following constitutional rights to free assembly, to petition our government, and to free speech.  I asked why Arizona was willing to comply with federal laws against marijuana when our state voters supported medical marijuana dispensary clinics but they favored a city ordinance prohibitting peaceable assembly.  I also invited anyone who wanted more information on my campaign to ask Dave Croteau for it, since the fliers I set out on the table had been taken by someone in the crowd.  I pointed out that Dave had been at their very first Tea Party formation rally at that very same park a couple of years ago.

I went on to outline my platform about setting up Community Conservation Centers in each of our 131 registered neighborhood associations that would take advantage of existing dormant resources to lead the nation in microbusiness development at no cost to big government or to big business.  I introduced the idea of Solari Circles to fund the start-up businesses – affinity groups of 6, 8, 10 friends with investment funds to commit who were scared off by the volatility of the stock market.

They listened.  They were more respectful.  Unconvinced, probably, but nonetheless attentive.

I applauded a new start-up newspaper that had been introduced that day, especially since the current mainstream media were so intent on ignoring my candidacy and my common sense platform.

The organizers said that was enough, and thanked me for coming, and moved on to the other Republican candidates running for City Council and the lone Democratic candidate, Paul Cunninghmam, who was brave enough to show up in his own red shirt.

Thanks everyone, for your interest in the M4M campaign.  Please vote and encourage your friends to vote.

Love,
Mary
www.DeCampForMayor.org