August 15th, 2017 IRC Meeting

Decisions/Endorsements

Move Surveillance Camera Picnic to 8/26

There are two rallies scheduled opposite each other during the time of the picnic. Have received comments from supporters and attendees that we move the picnic to another day. In light of the attacks in Charlottesville and the heinous attack of peaceful protesters by a white supremacist, James suggests we move the picnic to Saturday, August 26th, 11am-3pm. Also suggest we hand out fliers about the picnic this Saturday.

James put up a PiratePad page to craft a statement about the move and the rallies.

Having a presence at the rallies

Sam and James recommend that we have productive visible presence at the rallies. Whatever surveillance camera mapping how-to fliers we have, we should bring them to give out.

Sam suggests that we setup one of these:

Eyecare Station

Needed: Water bottles, liquid antacid.

Pepper spray has been pretty ubiquitous at these events, we could help supplement medical staff by providing liquid antacid to people affected by pepper spray. There’s the chance we won’t be needed, but if we are needed, it implies the situation has Escalated Somewhat. Maybe we don’t want to be there when that happens.

Know Your Rights pamphleting

Needed: Informational pamphlets.

Might be cool if we found/created some broadsheets to hand out to the police about the rights of people to film the police and gather for protests. Or, if we had something to give to members of the alt-right about how to exit hate groups, that might be effective.

Tech Tent/ Livestreaming Station

Needed: Tent, portable internet connection, generator or batteries

I don’t think we’ve got the supplies on-hand, but for future events, a People’s Media Center might be a great way to network with local activists and news folk. On the other hand, that’s a decent amount of expensive equipment to keep track of if things start going south.

Projects

Freedom Rally Planning

• How can we make our presence at this year's Freedom Rally better?
• What do we need to make it happen?

8/19 Pirate Picnic

Schedule:

• noon-1pm: food and training;
• 1pm-2:30pm: map cameras;
• 2:30pm-3:30pm: come back and debrief.

Planning Pad

To Do:

• blog post
• email
• Facebook event
• Email act-ma
• Post to other event listings
• call members (jokeefe, Malt, Joe, Matt, Aaron)
• make poster - asked designer, jokeefe followed up
• put up posters
• write how-tos
• post press release

Possible picnic in Worcester on 9/30.

Other To Dos

S.1241 - Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Counterfeiting Act of 2017

Approved our opposition to S.1241. Need statement (Joe)

FOSS Tutorials

Worcester farm group is interested in having some FOSS tutorials. Perhaps:

• how to do basic labels in GIMP,
• work through a few sample spreadsheets related to seed cost and
• similarly applicable real-world situations, depending on the needs of the group

Basically how to do graph design & product management with open source tools. Malt will put together a one paragraph description of what we need and we can mail it out to ask pirates to help.

Tech/Outreach

• Review regular IRC meeting day. Poll sent to email list - Sent (jokeefe)
• email Loomio invite to supporters (jokeefe)
• set up torrents for PirateCon videos (creynolds)
• post remaining audio for PirateCon talks (srevilak)
• finish setup of myBB (jokeefe)
• install mattermost as slack alternative (jokeefe)

Mayfirst is looking at setting up a Discourse instance we could use.

Upcoming Events

• 8/19, noon-3:30pm, Pirate Picnic/Surveillance Camera Mapping Outing, Boston Common, Boston
• 8/30, 6-9pm, Somerville Cryptoparty, The Sprouts, 339R Summer Street, Somerville
• 9/15-17, Freedom Rally, Sign Up Form
• 9/19, International Talk Like a Pirate Day
• 9/27, 6-9pm, Somerville Cryptoparty, The Sprouts, 339R Summer Street, Somerville
• Fundraiser
• 10/4, Wikileaks' 10th Birthday Party
• 10/25, 6-9pm, Somerville Cryptoparty, The Sprouts, 339R Summer Street, Somerville
• 11/4, 11am-2pm, South Boston Cryptoparty, South Boston BPL Branch, 646 East Broadway
• 11/8, City Election Day
• 11/11-12, Boston Anarchist Bookfair, Boston University George Sherman Union
• 11/29, 6-9pm, Somerville Cryptoparty, The Sprouts, 339R Summer Street, Somerville
• 12/17, Chelsea Manning's Birthday
• 12/27, 6-9pm, Somerville Cryptoparty, The Sprouts, 339R Summer Street, Somerville

See: 2017 calendar

Participants

• jokeefe: James O’Keefe, Somerville
• Joe: Joseph Onoroski, Lowell MA
• Malt: Sam Capradae, Worcester MA
• admech: Matt Fealy, Boston
• igel: william fleurant, arlington

Observers

• davidd
• igel
• hvxgr_
• Fatbag
• papegaai

Summary

Moved the picnic to 8/26. Will try for another camera mapping outing on 9/30.

Will meet at entrance to the Charles/MGH station at 11:30 on 8/19 for the Common protests. Malt is working on text for Know Your Rights pamphlet. Our statement is below. jokeefe will post/email it.

We stand for liberation

In light of the horrific events in Charlottesville and the upcoming rallies on Boston Common, we are moving our surveillance camera mapping picnic to Saturday, August 26th. We hope you all will join us then for a fun time talking with other Pirates and identifying where the downtown Boston's surveillance cameras are.

We are horrified and saddened by the attacks on nonviolent protesters in Charlottesville. The videos of white supremacist marchers attacking protesters who engaged in nonviolent civil disobedience or beat innocent protesters are horrible and show how bankrupt their ideas are. James Alex Fields Jr.'s car attack on peaceful protesters which resulted in the death of Heather Heyer and the injury of over 19 others is particularly appalling.

We stand with those who oppose white supremacy.

Pirates believe that we are stronger as a country when everyone is liberated to be the best person they can be. Pirates support the struggle for justice for people of color, feminism and the LGBTQ+ community. Diversity has made the United States a better country and we must not lose that. But much remains to be done, and we cannot forget that the United States was built on slavery and the subjugation of the native peoples of North America.

Pirates also cherish our First Amendment to the constitution and the rights that it entails. Everyone has a fundamental right to free speech and the best way to counter the ideas you oppose is to speak for the ideas you support. If we allow governments to pick and choose which speech is acceptable or where and when people can speak, everyone loses. We shouldn't justify cities denying white supremacists permits because they denied permits to the Occupy encampment in Boston or created free speech zones for leftist opponents to the closed 2000 Presidential debate at UMass Boston.

Private companies have the right to monitor speech on their platforms and we encourage them to support tools that allow individuals to counter harassment. Freedom of speech includes freedom to choose what speech you personally want to hear. However, with so much of what we know and can find on-line mediated by large corporations like Google, Facebook and Twitter, we have to acknowledge the power they have to influence what speech people hear. Google alone has censored videos of the US Army blowing up Nazi swastikas after World War 2 (https://boingboing.net/2017/08/14/film-of-u-s-army-destroying-n.html) and tweaked their search algorithms to reduce traffic to leftist, liberal and independent news sources such as Democracy Now, Media Matters, Wikileaks and Naked Capitalism (https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017/08/02/pers-a02.html). Cheering on such actions because they censor white supremacists and Nazis, leaves us vulnerable to hearing only the speech that corporate elites want us to hear.

Freedom Rally

Looking for better ways to reach out to attendees of Freedom Rally. Created https://piratenpad.de/p/FreedomRally2017 to plan.

Minutes

 


[9:05pm] jokeefe: Agenda: https://masspirates.org/wiki/August_15th,_2017_IRC_Meeting
[9:05pm] jokeefe: ids
[9:05pm] papegaai: Title: August 15th, 2017 IRC Meeting - Mass Pirate Wiki (at masspirates.org)
[9:05pm] jokeefe: James O’Keefe, Somerville
[9:05pm] Malt joined the chat room.
[9:05pm] Joe: Joseph Onoroski, Lowell MA
[9:05pm] Malt: Sam Capradae, Worcester MA
[9:06pm] jokeefe: ahoy Malt
[9:06pm] admech: Matt Fealy, Boston
[9:06pm] Joe: Ahoy
[9:06pm] Malt: Hi friends
[9:06pm] jokeefe: Anything to add?
[9:07pm] Malt: Did everyone take a glance at the schedule? I'm curious for input on saturday's action
[9:07pm] Malt: but that can wait
[9:08pm] admech: No, that's pretty much the big item (or two) tonight.
[9:08pm] jokeefe: Decisions
[9:08pm] jokeefe: Move Surveillance Camera Picnic?
[9:08pm] jokeefe: And if so to when?
[9:08pm] Joe: For the safety our people, I recommend it.
[9:09pm] jokeefe: Asking around, most everyone I have talked with says to move it.
[9:09pm] jokeefe: Any opposition?
[9:10pm] Joe: Nay
[9:10pm] admech: None here.
[9:11pm] Malt: none
[9:11pm] jokeefe: Ok, then to when?
[9:11pm] admech: Post another poll?
[9:11pm] Joe: Two weeks later works better for me, but the poll idea is probably best.
[9:11pm] jokeefe: I know a few people cannot attend on 8/26
[9:12pm] Malt: my availability through september is booked pretty solid
[9:13pm] Malt: 26th works
[9:13pm] jokeefe: And we have Freedom Rally 15-17
[9:14pm] Joe: Maybe Sunday instead?
[9:14pm] jokeefe: This Sunday?
[9:14pm] Joe: I was just throwing it out there.
[9:15pm] jokeefe: Two things in one weekend is a lot
[9:16pm] Malt: depending on how it goes down saturday, there might be a reaction sunday
[9:16pm] jokeefe: How about one on the 26th, with a followup on 9/30?
[9:17pm] jokeefe: I doubt we will get all of Boston done on the 26th
[9:17pm] Malt: 26th works for me
[9:17pm] Joe: Seems reasonable.
[9:17pm] jokeefe: admech?
[9:17pm] admech: 9/26 is fine for me.
[9:18pm] jokeefe: 9/26 it is
[9:18pm] jokeefe: Will email the update and post on the blog by tomorrow morning
[9:19pm] jokeefe: Having a presence at the rallies
[9:19pm] admech: I'll update the Boston list.
[9:19pm] jokeefe: Thanks
[9:20pm] jokeefe: Eyecare Station/Know Your Rights pamphleting look workable
[9:21pm] jokeefe: I like the idea of a tech tent, but wouldn’t want to take it down in a rush
[9:21pm] Malt: that was my thoughts as well
[9:21pm] Malt: it's identifiably a pirate thing, but let's save it for a safer rally
[9:21pm] admech: Yeah, I'm not sure this is a tables-and-outreach action.
[9:22pm] Malt: i haven't searched for which pamphlets to use but i can get on that
[9:22pm] Joe: Actually, I was going to have a crew come and set us up and take it down. I can get a few guys to manage that part.
[9:22pm] jokeefe: Please do
[9:23pm] jokeefe: Thanks, but I have a feeling the situation will be very fluid and being mobile is probably key
[9:23pm] Malt: agreed
[9:24pm] Joe: I am sorry, I meant for the safer rally
[9:24pm] jokeefe: oh sure
[9:24pm] jokeefe: thanks for clarifying
[9:24pm] admech: As far as eyecare: I wasn't aware we had people with action medic experience. There will be action medics attending, and they seem... touchy about that, with reason.
[9:24pm] Malt: I was trained back in occupy
[9:24pm] Joe: My better half is going for MP
[9:25pm] Malt: also I'm an eagle scout
[9:25pm] Joe: That's all I had, lolz Malt
[9:25pm] Malt: I figured we could have a bottle each and a few to hand around, applying it to sprayed folk is a pretty self-evident practice
[9:26pm] Joe: Handing out waters with Pirate info on it is not a bad idea
[9:26pm] jokeefe: True
[9:26pm] admech: Yeah, self and buddy aid is an excellent idea. It's not something we want to advertise without building more capacity and thinking carefully about it, though.
[9:27pm] Malt: true
[9:27pm] jokeefe: Agreed. Is there anyone we could ask for a future training?
[9:28pm] Malt: there are various autonomous groups between cambridge and worc we could reach out to
[9:28pm] jokeefe: Also, where should we meet? Anyone joining the march from Roxbury Community College
[9:28pm] jokeefe: ?
[9:28pm] Malt: not sure how official any of them are, but with protest medicine, not even sure how official would apply
[9:28pm] Malt: i'll be taking the red line in
[9:30pm] jokeefe: Meet at Park St.?
[9:30pm] jokeefe: Or is that too close?
[9:31pm] Malt: hm
[9:31pm] Malt: it was what i was assuming we would do
[9:32pm] Malt: but yeah i bet a lot of folks are thinking that, huh?
[9:32pm] admech: If you're up for a walk, it's half a mile from Charles/MGH
[9:32pm] jokeefe: Charles/MGH works for me
[9:33pm] jokeefe: But that isn’t great for others. Could meet at Downtown Crossing
[9:34pm] Malt: i trust y'all to pick the spot
[9:34pm] admech: Yeah. Either way, I'd advise getting off a stop early. I won't be joining everyone, btw.
[9:34pm] jokeefe: Good to know
[9:35pm] jokeefe: Charles/MGH, then?
[9:35pm] Joe: Aye
[9:36pm] jokeefe: Malt?
[9:37pm] Malt: aye
[9:38pm] jokeefe: Charles/MGH it is then.. Meet at 11:30am?
[9:39pm] Malt: Aye!
[9:40pm] jokeefe: Also, thoughts on https://piratenpad.de/p/MovingPicnicButStandingForLiberation ?
[9:40pm] jokeefe: Did I leave anything out that feel needs to be in there?
[9:41pm] Joe: Can we change white supremacists to hate groups?
[9:41pm] admech: Oppose
[9:41pm] admech: Looks fine.
[9:42pm] jokeefe: hate groups seems ambiguous to me
[9:43pm] jokeefe: why do you feel that that is a better term, Joe?
[9:43pm] Joe: Because we don't support hate on any level
[9:44pm] Joe: I do like how you ended it though.
[9:45pm] Joe: It'
[9:45pm] admech: "Hate on any level" didn't kill someone in Charlottesville. Generic hate isn't showing up to the Common Saturday.
[9:45pm] admech: It's important to state the problem clearly.
[9:45pm] Malt: yeah we need to name this dragon
[9:46pm] Malt: i like how you specifically cite the denied permits of other lefties
[9:46pm] Joe: We pirates are different than any other left group. I just want us to connect with the largest number of people.
[9:47pm] Joe: But I will submit to the decision of the party if that is how it stands. I don't know everything and have been wrong before.
[9:47pm] Joe: I think
[9:47pm] jokeefe: There are four references to white supremacists: The first is descriptive. The last two are used in conjunction with advocating that we not censor them, because we will get censored.
[9:50pm] jokeefe: We all can be wrong. What about “We stand with those who oppose white supremacy.” Any better?
[9:50pm] Malt: i'm fine with it
[9:50pm] admech: I like that better, actually.
[9:51pm] Joe: Yes, it is better.
[9:52pm] jokeefe: ok. Any thing else?
[9:52pm] jokeefe: on this statement?
[9:54pm] jokeefe: Ok. Moving to Freedom Rally Planning
[9:54pm] jokeefe: How can we make our presence at this year's Freedom Rally better?
[9:54pm] Malt: Would THAT be a better spot for a livestreaming tent?
[9:54pm] Malt: the, uh, content would be... interesting.
[9:54pm] Joe: Si
[9:54pm] jokeefe: Maybe
[9:55pm] jokeefe: Experience has been that we sit at our table and do our best to interest people who come by.
[9:56pm] Malt: let's have something fun and offbeat
[9:56pm] Malt: free tea?
[9:56pm] Malt: could we hookup an electric boiler?
[9:56pm] jokeefe: Usually table is out front. Could put it in the back or the side and make it more open for people to sit down and iinteract and learn
[9:56pm] Joe: My vote is for sweet tea.
[9:56pm] jokeefe: fun and offbeat is good.
[9:56pm] Joe: I say we rent a generator, we need to make our own electricity.
[9:57pm] jokeefe: no solar?
[9:57pm] Joe: I would have no objection.
[9:59pm] Joe: I have a few tables, does anyone have a tent?
[9:59pm] Malt: well, power supply really depends on how much energy we need
[9:59pm] jokeefe: agreed
[9:59pm] jokeefe: we can ask who can volunteer one
[10:00pm] Malt: i mmmmmight know someone with one to lend
[10:00pm] jokeefe: please ask
[10:00pm] Joe: Perhaps a projector too?!?!?!?!
[10:01pm] Malt: asked about the tent
[10:01pm] jokeefe: thanks.
[10:01pm] jokeefe: I have a projector
[10:01pm] jokeefe: need a screen.
[10:01pm] Joe: I could provide a camera and audio that we can stream to the youtube page.
[10:02pm] Joe: derp, channel
[10:02pm] jokeefe: thanks
[10:03pm] jokeefe: Well lets continue the discussion on email
[10:03pm] Malt: okay
[10:03pm] Joe: I can get one for 50, no worries
[10:03pm] jokeefe: and take it up again at the next meeting
[10:03pm] Malt: i've got an idea for flyering
[10:04pm] Joe: And I've researched fund raising ideas
[10:04pm] Malt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glik_v._Cunniffe
[10:04pm] papegaai: Title: Glik v. Cunniffe - Wikipedia (at en.wikipedia.org)
[10:04pm] Malt: this is the legal precedent that lets us film cops
[10:04pm] Malt: and it transpired in boston
[10:04pm] jokeefe: aye
[10:05pm] Malt: a brief summary of that and a "so don't target journalists, livestreamers, and bloggers" might fit snug into a quarter-sheet
[10:05pm] Malt: oh the glick case turns 10 years old this october
[10:06pm] Malt: that's timely
[10:06pm] jokeefe: agreed
[10:06pm] igel: lo!
[10:06pm] Joe: ^
[10:06pm] igel: william fleurant, arlington
[10:06pm] Joe: Ahoy William
[10:06pm] jokeefe: ahoy igel
[10:07pm] igel: yaar, late than never
[10:07pm] • igel scrolling up
[10:07pm] Malt: welcome
[10:09pm] jokeefe: I created https://piratenpad.de/p/FreedomRally2017 we can use to plan things
[10:09pm] igel: yea hempfest
[10:09pm] igel: i'll keep thinkin hat on.. i mean
[10:10pm] igel: how high had a great idea w/ mr. niceguy business cards
[10:10pm] igel: not howhigh.. half baked
[10:10pm] jokeefe: please put it on the pad
[10:10pm] Malt: we've got a tent yeah
[10:11pm] jokeefe: We are over time. Anything else to add?
[10:12pm] Malt: Everyone cool with me writing up our pamphlet?
[10:12pm] Malt: And did we want to pamphlet the cops about media freedom more than doing the liquid antacid?
[10:12pm] jokeefe: please do
[10:12pm] Joe: all I can thing of at the moment.
[10:13pm] jokeefe: media freedom and rights seem more relevant
[10:13pm] Malt: agreed
[10:14pm] Malt: and, hey, it means we can skip out early if things go south
[10:14pm] jokeefe: hopefully it won’t go south
[10:14pm] Joe: ^
[10:15pm] jokeefe: we are over time. shall we adjourn?
[10:15pm] Malt: i'm okay with it
[10:15pm] Joe: Second
[10:15pm] admech: Aye, Goodnight all.
[10:15pm] Malt: niiiight
[10:15pm] Joe: Good night everyone.
[10:15pm] jokeefe: all in favor
[10:15pm] Joe: Ayer
[10:15pm] jokeefe: good night
[10:15pm] Malt: aye
[10:16pm] jokeefe: aye
[10:16pm] igel: aye
[10:16pm] jokeefe: will post the notes
[10:16pm] igel: cheers, i'll be on the pad
[10:16pm] jokeefe: cool