"Freedom Ride 2012" to NGA in Philly Jul 4th 2012

[mocracy]

Request for Nashville's support of Freedom Ride 2012  PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PDF

FR12 Bus route across middle 'America' to National Convention
Passes (seat) on FR12 are handed out by GAs in each State
On line sponsor auction of seats at determined price per seat to subsidize cost
(HI) Kick-off rally event in Birth Place of Obama
(UT) Rally in state of Mitt Romney
(KS) Issue Rally to protest recent assaults on 'Choice'  and 'Sexuality'
(OH) Get-out the vote rally in key battle ground State
(PA) Rally for Occupy Movement and National Convention

Freedom fighters from 1964 Civil Rights Movement (CRM) ride along and attend National Convention to hand off the touch of freedom to the current Occupy Movement (OM).

Leaders of the 1964 CRM Julian Bond, Jesse Jackson, John Lewis, Joseph Lowery, MLK III, etc attend and address each rally.

Families across 'America' in each State and Adopt a Bus by agreeing to allow passengers safe harbor and passage through their communities  and States (Food, Shelter and Solidarity- FSS).

[mocracy]

A couple days ago there was a 6 hour meeting between Occupy Atlanta and the leadership of the SCLC and other black '64 Civil Rights Movement persons. They were at an impasse about how the '64 CRM folks can interface and support the OMs while at the same time diversifying the OM in general. After this meeting took place, I took some time to brainstorm the issues raised and came up with a Occupy Freedom Ride - thinking that it would be great if other OMs could have the same type of conversation on the ride to Philly in 2012. The more I thought about it; the more sense it made to me that a 2012 Freedom Ride presented a number of opportunities to energise the OM and diversity it at the same time - all in support of the National Convention.

This initiative FR12 has to be an OM happening not an Individual happening. I am trying to get each Occupy GA to pass a resolution in support of the idea and to INVITE the '64 old guard to participate in the OM as Freedom Riders 2.0. KEEP IN MIND most of these men and women (ages: 55-90) are not online, not on twitter, do not have a facebook page, do not visit Occupy websites and more likely than not do not even send text-messages or instant message with their cells if they have them. - THIS HAS TO BE AN OM effort if it is to work.

OUTREACH! OUTREACH! OUTREACH!

Maynard Eaton - National Director of Communications for the SCLC has agreed to be the contact person for the Occupy Movement interfacing with the 1964 Civil Rights Movement.  He can be reached @

Maynard Eaton
National Director of Communications
320 Auburn Avenue, NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Tel: 404-522-1420
Fax: 404-522-4333
Email: meaton@sclctoday.org


The men and women of the 1964 CRM are in your cities, your neighbourhoods and affiliated with organisations like the Urban League, SCLC, King Center, Rainbow Coalition, NAACP, etc. We need to get these organisations on board and involved. FR12 is a way to do it in a fashion that buttresses the OM movement in a meaningful way. The OM's GA in my opinion must first agree as a whole OM to support it and then to reach out to the old guard.

[SockMonkeyhat]

I think this is a wonderful idea and we have in Nashville several of the people who were college students then who saved the Freedom Ride when it was faltering and kept it going. 
Lj

[Shire]

I like this idea, but let's be careful about co-opting that title. It could get us a lot of bad press if we branded it as a second civil rights movement. I'm not sure people would take too kindly to that.

That point aside, I LOVE this. I would be the first on the bus!

[NurseWell]

I agree with LJ & Elli.  I think each of us should either be willing to go or willing to sacrifice and let someone else go...each way, it's an honor.

[mocracy]

Shire - point taken. What about  The Road to Independence FR12 or Independence Ride FR12 ?   This as you point out is an important detail. Getting this detail correct also has to be considerate of how the invitation to the CRM old guard is sent and received. The question in the back of my mind as I dialogue with this part of our past is what do they think or what would they tend to think they are being asked to do or participate in....and towards what goal? Towards what goal is what I was thinking about when I put forth the idea of them handing off the touch at the national convention!? - any thoughts? ---mocracy