Occupy Movement in Idaho

Here is a quick video that has a lot of the information and links to the Idaho Occupy websites. This is not a complete collection of this information, but will be added to as information comes in.
Please share this with everyone.
Occupy Idaho Falls
IF facebook Group and Page
Occupy Pocatello Facebook Group

Please add more in the comments...

Sometimes its hard to be positive...

Sometimes its is hard to be positive...
     I look back, once or twice a year, over just my life and the interactions that I have shared with others (and there are so many others out there) to see just where I have been and where I am going. Every once in a while someone asks me;"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?", and it grates on my grain. I have a talent for seeing things as or before they develop, and I observe the goings on around me acutely, allowing for a perception of future possibilities and probabilities that is fairly accurate. Mix into that a deep understanding of the 'natures of man' and I am allowed a fairly clear vision of up coming events.
     Knowing that we are 'pre-programmed' to be 70% more negative than positive, we tend to look and focus on the 'bad things' in our lives. The outstanding thing is, we strive for positive goals. When looking at this information, are you still curious as to why there are so many cases of manic/depressives out there? They call it 'bi-polar' now, yet we have been predisposed to be that way by how we live, what we learn, what we teach, and that nagging inner voice that screams about 'fairness' in the universe. What a mind f*#k. We are exposed to so many sources in our lives that contradict our desire to simply be happy.
     Our various religions teach of morals and accepted attitudes or actions, yet they add into those the call of duty to follow only certain teachings or worse yet, follow only certain teachers. So much for free will, right? Many of the known practiced religions have been helpful in growing out of the negative world concept, but on the same note, and within those same teachings, is a call of destruction in harmony within our differences. One of the many reasons that I hold little to no stock in religion, at least as far as what we define as religion. That however does not give me reason or purpose to not study these interpretations and transcribed translations of these most sacred of works. I study them in-depth.
     Our sciences of psychology and aptitude of psychiatry has done less good than harm in application. Yes they both have provided guidelines and outlines of 'human nature' and who our minds can bend and warp 'reality' as well as given us many definitions about mental disease... but have you noticed that these definitions change as the generations move forward, and yet they still have no clue as to how to 'normalize' the mind without loading down the 'system' of the functions of the brain with drugs? We do have a better understanding of 'what is wrong with the mind', yet we haven't accepted a recognized treatment that works outside of; "Change your mind and how you think." Then we are left to the questions of; why change our thoughts, who approves our thoughts and where do we go from here?
     Modern science or ancient mysticism has been chasing those questions for centuries. Here we are, 70,000 years into our known understanding of the 'human nature' and we are finding ourselves as infants wondering about the existence of other worldly life while we have yet to understand our own. Are we truly that audacious to believe that we are as intelligent as we surmise? We are barely to the stepping stages in our walk in life, as we only have comparison to gauge and judge things to, for or against, and even there we cannot always agree. We are still arguing over 'authority' and recognition of credentials while giving little credit to experience in actual application. Another mind f*#k.
     Authority,... where does that come from? Who has it, and over what topics or position in life? How did they get it? Why should we accept it? All these come from our teachings and understandings of religion, science, government. Our elders, ancestors, our teachers, our family... There has been an ongoing battle of authority and control, waged continually for centuries either in plain sight or behind the scenes, to be able to control. It is part of the 'human nature', the will to control, to dominate. We, as a species, speak both for and against it in the same breath. Is it audacity? Is it justified?
     We fail to accept our own inner voice that tells us things such as; 'Be cautious, be happy, be productive, be part of thy own tribe and share the grazing lands.' we focus way too much on control, on dominance, that we, as a species, have destroyed land sea and air along with driving to extinction many other species of life just so we, as a species, can prevail even toward our own extinction. A long sentence, a long thought.
So now you see why I started with such a simple, yet deep statement...
Sometimes its hard to be positive...

Change? Yes, change...

 I want to bring about change, as most of us do. And like most of us who want change, I don't know where or how to start. We see so many things wrong, or that can be improved, yet we fail to be able to find the 'starting point' shy of scrapping it all and starting over. And I am being generously vague here, as we all know of hundreds of things we'd like to see changed in our daily lives and in our world. The end though, we perceive as better, or fair, or some other value above and beyond that which we know know life, or our world, to be.

I could say that we should be able to define what is not 'right' in our world much easier than to define that which is 'right'. We can easily point out the negative issues in our lives that we would improve if we could, and we can identify all manner of things that we call 'bad' in our world. But can we, as individuals or as a whole, find how to improve them? Most of the world population is content to point fingers and accuse, place blame and deny any fault, but how is that helping? Another large part of the population is content in their apathy, and would rather not 'rock the boat'. Again, there is no help for change there.

And now we come to the meat of our world and lives that need to be changed...

Where do we start? Personal aptitude, attitude, beliefs, diets,... Is it only us, as individuals, that we need to change? What about our environment? Our industrialized and cyber driven world of work and play? Can we bare to alter the 'instant gratification' that we desire based on the current trends of modernization? That is defanetly a 'cost' that many I know would not happily share or trade. Once we accept a thing for what it is or how it is, should we continue to accept it as such, or should we strive to improve it. I know we accept changes made by others sometimes, and act as if we should accept it regardless of if we agree to the changes, or not. Maybe it is a question of authority...

Authority, that leads me to search out and investigate many things that most people believe is beyond our influence, or has little interest in. Take government, currently most citizens, regardless of country or nation, are active in voting or addressing their governments. Why? Fear for most I would believe; of being arrested or detained, of being targeted for assault or harassment, or worse yet outright assassinated. But governments should work for the people that they draw resources from, thereby working together for common goals of sustainable if not prosperous continuity. But how do we achieve that goal, for just in one area alone, we are out voiced by the myriad issues in government alone.

Nations are built by the people within them, and are either sustained or pulled down by that population, barring invasions. That gives one a lot to think about. Concepts and ideals are given birth by many voices, and many things are planted into the 'soil' of governments. How they grow and evolve is up to those who first planted and all those who continue to tend it's growth. As with any well managed grove, it only takes time and non-action, to turn it into a forest of wild wood.

Beliefs, I have mentioned them here, and in many of my other postings, are of vast importance to me, and millions of other people as well. “Faith can hold a man up when the world is trying to hold him down.”, was taught to me a very long time ago in my life, and I have seen how true those words are. I say faith, as religion (all religions) require some sort or amount of faith. I say faith, as I hold that certain beliefs cannot be shaken nor destroyed. To me, for me, that certain belief, that holds to be true, against time and other truths, that is faith. I do not believe it is a question of faith, nor belief, nor even religion that needs to be put forth, but a question of personal fortitude and inner strength to continue or change our world. To me, any 'faith' will do, as long as there is something that will continue beyond our bonds and limits so that each generation can continue to grow and sustain beyond simple existence or survival.

What can we do? How do we begin? Where do we start?

Make a list. Review everything that you can think of a s 'good', 'bad', or 'room for improvement'. Accept that everything you know, can be changed, eventually. Include yourself in every aspect of what you observe and as only one point in it's existence. Accept that there are others who would agree and disagree in your designations of 'good', 'bad', and can be 'improved'. Then talk to others. From there, I know that we can find some place to begin taking the necessary actions to bring about change.

'Oath of Office'

Is the 'Oath of Office' still important to our Government elected officials and our Military service personnel?

Here are some facts about the various 'Oaths of Office'...

In 1789, the 1st United States Congress created a fourteen-word oath to fulfill the constitutional requirement: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States." 

 Judiciary Act of 1789, which established an additional oath taken by federal judges:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me, according to the best of my abilities and understanding, agreeably to the Constitution, and laws of the United States. So help me God.

 December 1861, members who believed that the Union had as much to fear from northern traitors as southern soldiers again revised the oath, adding a new first section known as the "Ironclad Test Oath." The war-inspired Test Oath, signed into law on July 2, 1862, required "every person elected or appointed to any office ... under the Government of the United States ... excepting the President of the United States" to swear or affirm that they had never previously engaged in criminal or disloyal conduct. Those government employees who failed to take the 1862 Test Oath would not receive a salary; those who swore falsely would be prosecuted for perjury and forever denied federal employment

 In 1884, a new generation of lawmakers quietly repealed the first section of the Test Oath, leaving intact the current affirmation of constitutional allegiance.

Federal Executive and Legislative Branch Oaths

In the United States, the oath of office for the President is specified in the Constitution (Article II, Section 1):

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

The Constitution (Article VI, clause 3) also specifies:

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

At the start of each new U.S. Congress, in January of every odd-numbered year, newly elected or re-elected Members of Congress – the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate – must recite an oath:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.[55]

This oath is also taken by the Vice President, members of the Cabinet, federal judges and all other civil and military officers and federal employees other than the President.

Federal Judiciary Oaths

In the United States, federal judges are required to take two oaths. The first oath is this:

I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as (office) under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God.[56]

The second is the same oath that members of Congress take:

I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

United States Uniformed Services Oath of Office

All officers of the seven Uniformed services of the United States take swear or affirm an oath of office upon commissioning. It differs slightly from that of the oath of enlistment that enlisted members recite when they enter the service. It is required by statute, the oath being prescribed by Section 3331, Title 5, United States Code.[1] It is traditional for officers to recite the oath upon promotion but as long as the officer's service is continuous this is not actually required.[2] One notable difference between the officer and enlisted oaths is that the oath taken by officers does not include any provision to obey orders; while enlisted personnel are bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice to obey lawful orders, officers in the service of the United States are bound by this oath to disobey any order that violates the Constitution of the United States.[3]

Text of the Oath

I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.[1]

Note that the last sentence is not required to be said if the speaker has a personal or moral objection, as is true of all oaths administered by the United States government; Article Six of the United States Constitution requires that there be no religious test for public office.

The oath is for an indeterminate period; no duration is specifically defined.

Officers of the National Guard of the various States, however, take an additional oath:

I, [name], do solemly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State (Commonwealth, District, Territory) of ___ against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the Governor of the State (Commonwealth, District, Territory) of ___, that I make this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of [grade] in the Army/Air National Guard of the State (Commonwealth, District, Territory) of ___ upon which I am about to enter, so help me God.[4]

While all Commissioned Officers are commissioned under the authority of the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate, Warrant Officers (WO-1) are given a warrant under the authority of their respective Service Secretary (e.g. Secretary of the Army), National Guard officers are additionally committed to the authority of the governor of their state. They may be activated in the service of their state in time of local or state emergency in addition to Federal activation. Reserve officers may only be activated by the President of the United States.

With this information, my question is; Why are we subject to Congressional and Presidential Acts that directly oppose the Constitutional Rights and Liberties of the U S Citizen? Why are these Acts allowed to be passed through Congress much less even suggested into Bills to be considered?

A Line Drawn in the Sand

     Somewhere, there is a line drawn in the sand. The sand is not owned by someone, the line is not owned by anyone, but it is there. That line, a marker of some inevitable boundary, a symbol of some limit of safe and excess, showing to all who would observe, that 'this is all that can be allowed'. A single and simple thing, a line drawn in the sand, that represents so much to so many, that we can easily be confused on it's original intent or reason for being. And simply looking at this line, we wonder why is it there and not here, how did this become so close to us, and most importantly, who drew it out so?

     We look around and find many things that we think to be normal, to be inevitable, to be okay and accept them without question, … until that is, we see that line in the sand. Some of us see beyond the thin veils of selfishness and illusions of egos. Some see through deception in motion, covering hidden actions against the majority of observers. Those people were targeted first, removed from play in a game so engrossingly enormous that even fewer realize that they play a part in it all. But there it is, still drawing our attention to it, beckoning us to see it and recognize it, that line in the sand. Did we draw it? When did it appear? Why hadn’t we noticed it before?

     Boundaries have always been a part of our world, allowing us to separate land, property, and people. Boundaries show us where it is safe to be, where we are allowed to be, and keep danger and harm safely away. Boundaries allow us to see the group and the individual, selecting for us areas of understanding or understood information and conceptual ideas. These all exist, and have existed, and yet are changed by consensus and definition often. But by who hand did those lines become drawn? And is this just another boundary that can be moved, this line in the sand?

     Maybe ignorance is bliss for it is blind to these things. As the Fool card in the Tarot teaches us, for the Fool walks blindly forward unaware of the dangers, yet not falling to the harm nor heading any perceived warning. Maybe that is why many do not see these things and have grown accustomed to the illusion of safety and secure passage in life. But why do some of us see these things? Are we questioning the realities of our world, do we challenge things that do not make sense to us? Is there some hint at 'wrongness' that awakens our instincts of survival? Maybe. Maybe that is why there is that line drawn in the sand. Maybe that is how it came to be.

     If we ponder too long on the why's and the how's and the who's, we loos sight of the simple fact that it is there, and it represents, if nothing else, a limit, a safe factor, a boundary. We know that we must defend it, for it is the marker of our safety. We come to understand that like so many other lines that have been drawn out, this one too was done as a consensus, and for reason. We know, instinctively, that this limit is ours, of where we must not be pressed beyond, where we would find not just harm, but find damages beyond our own ability to repair. This simple line in the sand.

     So we stand here, claiming all that is on and in our side of that line, and stand, and stand. Yet we have given so much without notice, that once we look down, we see that the line has been pushed to it's extreme elasticity of almost breaking. Now we understand, and are shocked that this has happened, while we were standing guard over it. How could this be? When did this happen? We question and begin anew by observing what we once thought of as clear information, yet now see illusions fade and false pretense fall. This is our line, and it falters, as we stand in it's defense. The pressure pushed into and against that line is great on both sides, yet we can see no relief either way. What happens when it is breached? Who's side will give first?

Somewhere, there is that simple line drawn in the sand, and we are just the grains that give it definition and purpose.

- In Solidarity, Sean Bigham

My take on the 'Bill of Rights'

Here is my personal take, on the original 'Bill of Rights' as given to us by our Founding Fathers in our U S Constitution...

   ( My comments in italics )

Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion and Petition 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

---I can worship or not of my own choosing without punishment. I can choose to worship what I want. I can say what I want as long as it is truth or not against anothers right. I may assemble with others to say my piece or to observe, and I may petition the government for change.---

Right to keep and bear arms 

A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

---I may possess and maintain personal firearms and am free to own and use them as long as I do not violate criminal laws by thier use.---

Conditions for quarters of soldiers 

No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

---The government cannot house soldiers in my property without my permission nor without compensation for the use.---

Right of search and seizure regulated 

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

---No government official, acting in official capasity, can come into my home, collect any property or harrass me or my guests into statements, without a due processed warrent given by legal reasoning and securing said search and confiscation of proerty. And if said warrent was given without proper due cause and under false statement, I can address the government body with petition and legal defence.---

Provisons concerning prosecution 

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.

---I am protected by the laws of the government unless proven guilty of accused crimes against me.---

Right to a speedy trial, witnesses, etc. 

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

---That if accused, I am allowed a council and jury, an impartial judge to hear facts of witness and evidence on both parts of the case and to be held in such process in a timely manner.---

Right to a trial by jury 

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

---That I can request a jury trial of common folk to hear my case.---

Excessive bail, cruel punishment 

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

---That I will be treated fairly and justly in all cases against my person.---

Rule of construction of Constitution 

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

---That these rights, given to me by the Nations Government, are to be ensured and protected by the government, the officers there of, and by the people there given unto.----

Rights of the States under Constitution 

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

---That when there is doubt to the coverage of Law, or to the jurisdiction there of, or the ability to uphold or enforce, that the States and or the People, by vote and judicial proceedure, can set presidence and incure laws and enforcement that would be just.---

Apathy, a non-action verb that destroys our Nation

In the last dozen years, we citizens have been asleep. Figuratively so, and so much so that the actions of our Nations government and political offices have gone almost unnoticed and definitely unchecked. It has been the 'status que' that our government wants, to keep us as uninformed as possible to what policies they want in place. They have lulled us into complacency, feeding our ego's, dangling 'shinny little goodies' and directing our thoughts by redirecting our media. We fell for it...
Apathy, it is a word that has come up many times in conversation lately in our household, our neighborhood and our social gatherings. I had to look it up in the beginning, and that alone ashamed me somewhat. I though myself informed and educated, up to date on news and current civil laws, I found myself lacking and in want of the actual reality of the world events. I had to re-evaluate what I had seen, heard, read, and understood. I began to research and question a lot about the policies that had been put into place. I was no longer complacent, I lost my 'apathy'. And in doing so I gained a few things I didn't count on...
I discovered that the Nation had changed, so much so, that we were no longer a Democratic Republic, That our Nation was no longer defending it's citizenry against injustice, that our education was not indulged in teaching civil laws and citizen rights, and that multinational corporations had somehow gained and had laid claim to our rights as a citizen. Our monetary system was in the hands of world banking tycoons and not our government, that alone made me question our Nation's leadership and values of our ability to govern and sustain our Nation. I discovered that there was legal differences in the terms,'Citizen of the United States' and a 'United States Citizen'. I also stumbled across the information that there are quite a few differences in the term 'unlawful' and 'illegal'. And of course I researched the legal, government, definitions of 'Right' and 'Privilege', and found a disturbing amount of regulation on both...
So, armed with information, and asking questions, I assumed that it was a good idea to share these things and inform my fellow American citizens of these and many other things. I joined internet groups and forums, stood with other active citizens in protests, rally and gatherings, contacted civil liberty and civil law activist groups, and exercised my 'Rights' to help inform others and stand against acts and proposals that were being offered by government officials that I did not believe were in the best interests of the citizens of my Nation.
By doing so, and as a product of past legislature and current laws being accepted by Congress, me and my fellow active citizens, were easily identified and labeled as 'low level terrorists' and seen as a political threat to this Nation. Excuse me? Now I am suspect to terrorism? By speaking my mind and sharing information? By not only protesting but by calling for public vote and voice in matters that affect us, as a Nation of 'Free' citizens? And this is being done with the majority of our Nations public not even aware of the Federal Governments ability to arrest and detain citizens without bond, trial or by any other lawful or legal reason except that we challenge our governments position on governing our media, our taxes, our trade and our borders.
Well I am no longer apathetic to these unjust, unlawful and un-American acts of our supposed Congress of the People. Patriot and Terrorists as closely defined as actors in a movement for or against a government. I am for this Nation, for the principals of it's People and will always side on the betterment of our People that have made this Nation a place to be proud to live in. Our Government needs it's citizens to support it, not the Banks and corporations that continue to bleed it dry and cast harder economics on it and bigger debt into it.
I am no Terrorist, I am no Patriot, I am something more powerful and dangerous...
I am a free citizen, educated and better informed, alert and aware of my government and political officials actions, and I not only have contacts and friends who are like me, I plan on continuing to inform and educate the public.
We have just over 400 political officials in office. We have over 7 million service personnel in our branches of military service in country. There are less than 4 million police officials in active duty rosters. But there are 1.8 billion U S Citizens and Citizens of the US. Do the math.
Yes there is a lot of groundwork for a Police State to be enacted in place, and a lot of talk about Martial Law being set into our countries Cities and States. That is not my 'paranoid ramblings', that is facts based on reports and statements made by our current government. So which way will this turn? Me, I hope for the best and the sovereignty of our Nation and it's People, however I have planned for the worst...
Apathy, a non-action verb, that our Nations Government hopes you continue to hold onto....