07 2 / 2012
Occupy, homelessness just short of felony
A committee of the state House of Representative sent a bill to remove Occupy Nashville protesters from the state Capitol to the House floor after increasing the bill’s penalty to nearly a year in jail or a $2,500 fine.
The House Judiciary Committee voted 14-2 to approve a ban on unauthorized camping on public grounds, in a bid to force the four-month-old Occupy encampment from War Memorial Plaza. The committee also approved an amendment that raised violations to a Class A misdemeanor, the highest class of penalties short of a felony.
Occupy Nashville protesters argued at Tuesday’s hearing that the bill – which specifically bans the use of items such as tents, tarps, sleeping bags and camp stoves – would criminalize homelessness. They also said the tents they have set up on the plaza are a form of protest that should be protected by the First Amendment.
“Corporations can by television and billboards,” said protester Michael Custer. “We are not wealthy. … Those tents? They are our billboard.”
But supporters of the bill said the protest has fostered fights, drug use and lewd behavior, including at least one instance each of a public sex act and urination.
“If you approve of that – you think that’s peaceable assembly – you need to be peed on,” said state Rep. Eric Watson, the bill’s sponsor. “See how you like it.”
The vote by the House Judiciary Committee means the bill could be voted on by the full House within days. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to take up a companion measure later this afternoon.
Because the cops have nothing better to do than pick on homeless people.
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19 1 / 2012
Y'all, Dolly Parton is opening a water-and-snow amusement park in Nashville. Y'all. for real, y'all.
This is relevant to quite a few of you.
(Source: purdoom)
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27 10 / 2011
Poll: Should Occupy Nashville Be Removed?
Please take a second to vote in this poll conducted by the Nashville Tennessean on whether or not the Occupy protesters should be allowed to stay. Currently we’re kicking ass, but this needs to be a landslide.
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04 10 / 2011
some of my favorite pictures from slutwalk nashville
I also wrote an article about the event that should be posted on the MTSU Sidelines page sometime soon, so check that out if it tickles your fancy. there’s one written by someone else as a pre-curser to the event… not sure when mine will be posted.
(thanks to my roommate julia for being camera lady!)
Oh, look. I’m in the first photo. :)
Here are some more pictures for you, tumblr.
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01 10 / 2011
Occupy Nashville time changed to 6:30 pm
“Due to the overwhelming response we have received about the Nashville SlutWalk. We have decided to push the time of the meeting to 6:30 to avoid conflicting with another activist movement. They have invited us to join them however and then everyone meet up at Dragon Park at 6:30. Please spread this information to everyone you know to help avoid confusion.”
:D This makes me so happy. Several months ago there was a conflict between the Wisconsin solidarity protest and the Walk for Choice, so I’m really pleased that this was moved to accommodate everyone. I strongly encourage all my fellow slutwalkers to go to this meeting afterward.
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14 9 / 2011
NASHVILLE SLUTWALK! October 2 :D
Anyone in the Nashville surrounding areas interested in this please go!
SIGNAL MOTHERFUCKING BOOST. I’ll be there with bells on. Possibly literally.
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