This is a copy of the memo stating that the Capitol grounds are open 24/7 addressed to my friend Jessica, from Julie Fields, public information coordinator of the Texas State Preservation Board.
Attached please find the statement released today by the State Preservation
Board.****
** **
Sincerely,****
Julie Fields****
Public Information Coordinator****
State Preservation Board****
Capitol Events
Anyone may visit the Capitol at any time to exercise his or her rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Texas Constitution. Visitors may remain in the Capitol building during operating hours. The Capitol grounds are open 24 hours a day.
To balance the needs of all Texans who wish to visit their State Capitol, as well as ensure the safety of visitors, the State Preservation Board adopted rules regulating the conduct of any person who visits the Capitol. These rules were adopted in 1994 and amended in 2000. They can be found in the Texas Administrative Code at section 111.27. The State Preservation Board enforces these rules regardless of the stated purpose of the individual violating the rules. These rules are in addition to any other generally applicable laws.
Many groups follow the State Preservation Board procedures for scheduling an event and reserving a location on the grounds or inside the building. These groups will receive priority over visitors who have not scheduled an event. Visitors will be asked to relocate to a different area of the building or grounds if necessary to accommodate a scheduled event.
The State Preservation Board is responsible for preserving, restoring, and maintaining the Texas State Capitol for the benefit of all Texans. Ensuring that the building and grounds are safe and accessible for all visitors is a priority. The restrictions that are in place are necessary to maintain this historic building and its grounds for the enjoyment of all visitors.
I haven’t written in a while, and I don’t really have time to play catch up. However I did receive a bit of information, a conversation between two folks, one being my friend. She has granted permission to republish this, and it’s being posted for reference.
conversation with Carl re: Copwatches “sexist fascist pigs drooling over a woman” comment on Facebook:
Carl Lindemann
As an Occupy Austin Admin – should we remove/block Austin Copwatch? This is the goon that was at City Hall advocating resisting arrest…and, I believe, recently showed up at Chief Acevedo’s doorstep (he was away – his wife had to call the cops…frightened their children). Now he’s posting on the Occupy Austin FB page.
Michelle Millette
No. I don’t feel comfortable blocking someone simply because their tactics are different from how you would do things. Also, transparency please. If you have an issue with someone, call them out instead of talking behind their backs.
Occupy Austin is made up of many levels of activism and the process that we have – consensus – is in place to try to address all of these opinions and get folks to understanding each other even if they disagree. I feel like copwatch has been overly scapegoated in this community and honestly, we cannot ban someone over hearsay. You probably won’t agree with my thoughts on direct actions either. Let’s not even go there.
Carl Lindemann
Unfortunately, I don’t know how to message ALL the admins here – this should be a shared discussion and a consensus decision. We do need to have some method for addressing inappropriate content – if we can agree that there is such a thing!
Copwatch DID post Acevedo’s personal info – and I witnessed him pwersonally counseling people on Oct. 6 that they should jump cops to “un-arrest” anyone getting arrested. I have NOT confirmed from two separate sources that he showed up at the Chief’s house – just one reliable source. Haven’t really had the time to track that down.
Carl Lindemann
PS – I did challenge this guy DIRECTLY on Oct. 6. And…don’t know what the problem is for admins to discuss such a situation. Do you think he should be part of the admin’s discussion?
Michelle Millette
I don’t think it’s a discussion that needs to happen. He hasn’t done anything. I’m looking at the occupy austin posts and they all seem fine to me. I just feel like it’s a non-issue and we can put our time to better arguments.
Carl Lindemann
Austin Copwatch Highest paid cops in the nation dicking around getting paid TIME AND A HALF to pose for a photo op and flirt with a protestor. Just a bunch of sexist fascist pigs drooling over a female.
“sexist facist pigs”? I think we need to have a discussion about condoning hate speech, deliberately provocative speech, etc.
Carl Lindemann
So you know that he didn’t show up at the police chief’s house – that he did not post that personal info online?
Michelle Millette
I know he posted the personal info online, but he did that under his own group, not OA. I do not know if he went to the house and this is honestly the first time I’ve heard of it. I barely know the guy, but none of that matters since he has not been using our FB as a tool for these things. There are bigger issues out there.
Carl Lindemann
Absolutely – but shouldn’t we have some means to make CONSENSUS decisions about if/when hate speech comes onto the FB page? Better to have that BEFORE an event, IMHO.
Michelle Millette
Sure, but I think that’s inherent, is it not? I am all for anti-oppression tactics, I am not for singling out someone who hasn’t done anything specifically as an admin as a potential risk. That’s profiling, no? I am not a fan of police either, and have actively spoken out against brutal tactics and been involved in a copwatch myself, does that make me a risk as well?
Michelle Millette
Ok, I see what you’re referring to now. And that is opinion, not hatespeech. He didn’t call anyone a fag or a n*****, If he were saying these things, I understand. But really, Carl, you’re offended by people calling cops sexist pigs? How long have you been an activist? Par for the course. He’s not doing under Occupy Austin’s name or speaking on behalf of Occupy Austin. Therefore it does not violate police neutrality. Freedom of speech.
One of the first easily noticeable things about Occupy Austin is that the majority of the participators are white males. I didn’t feel specifically targeted at first, but I am a white woman, and that also carries a bulk of privilege. I didn’t notice there was a problem until a few days in. I am naturally shy in big crowds. I chalk this up to self esteem issues and fear. I am coming to terms with that. Because of that fear, I have not been a prominent speaker. But repeatedly I have seen women interrupted, written off, interjected upon, and practically booed out of general assemblies when their views didn’t appease the male dominated crowd. This problem, though quickly realized by all, essentially drove away ideas and collaboration from women, people of color, the disabled, as well as those without permanent shelter.
Talk of straight, white, male privilege began permeating meetings among the GA facilitators, with one 3 hour meeting focusing on that subject entirely; the meeting having been facilitated by a seasoned instructor in consensus process and social justice. I thought, surely this must give way to progress. But what I heard and witnessed in the coming days seemed faked and forced. I fear that for all of the work to make Occupy Austin inclusive to all people, the coming announcements from those who feel entitled to power (those who tout that they have ‘been here since day one’) were simply lip service to those who have been fighting from the margins.
The beginning of the general assembly last Thursday started like this: “I know you see a lot of white guys with beards up here”. The next sentence solidified my suspicions that we aren’t quite there yet. The next sentence being “I’m sorry, but that’s what I am”. I pondered that apology, and maybe I’m still taking it the wrong way. But it seems to me, that the apology is a way of sidestepping around the actual realization and admittance of entitlement and privilege. The apology is treated as a ‘necessary evil’ so that the prominent faces of Occupy Austin can move on, having made their best attempt at inclusion.
Frances Kendall makes a good point with a story from her book “Understanding White Privilege: Creating Pathways to Authentic Relationships Across Race”. It is a story that explains perfectly the crossroads that I stand at with Occupy Austin:
During a visit with an out-of-town friend − another white woman and a librarian – we began to plan a conference for librarians on racism that we named “Librarians as Colleagues: Working Together Across Racial Lines.” We talked and
talked, making notes of good exercises to include, videos to use, materials that might prove helpful. It was absolutely clear that we needed a diverse committee to work with me, the facilitator, and we created one that would include all voices: two white women (one Jewish), a Latina, a Chinese American woman, straight women and lesbians, and several African Americans. By the end of our conversation, I was extremely excited and couldn’t wait to contact the women on the “planning committee.”
At the first meeting with these women, during the introductions, I talked about my twenty-five year history of working on issues of racism and particularly my own work on what it means to be white and Southern. Then I presented what my friend and I had thought up as the plan for the conference and all of us talked about the particulars. (In other words, I presented my credentials as a “good white person” and then proceeded to create a conference that was exactly what my friend and I had
planned without any input from people of color.) A couple of weeks later, at our second meeting, the women of color pointed out that I had fallen into the classic trap of white women: the come-be-part-of-what-we’re-doing syndrome. “If you truly want us to work with you to create a conference, we will. But it means starting over and building a plan together. If you want us to enter the planning process in the middle and add our ideas to yours, we’re not interested.”
At this point, Occupy Austin feels like a giant “come-be-part-of-what-we’re-doing” fest. Can the face of Occupy Austin step back and include the marginalized people of this community? We’ll see.
Over one week ago I attended the “kick off” of Occupy Austin. In that time, I’ve seen some ridiculous, fucked up, unlawful, offensive, and generally heinous bullshit.
I’ve watched a loved one be unlawfully arrested, and waited 12 hours, wading through the laborious legal process to have them back in my arms.
I’ve witnessed people who expect me to praise and love my oppressor, and I’ve been admonished for refusing.
But also in that time, I’ve met some amazing people who have helped me soul search on an intimate and absolutely raw level. I’ve felt the true meaning of humility. I’ve seen the pain of others, and realized how small my own pain is, compared to theirs.
I’m at a crossroads. Stay or go? If I stay, for what reasons am I choosing to do so?
