Now that the protest in Berkeley is winding down, the University is starting to clean up and take down the junk our tree sitters have left behind. From the SFGate:
The arborist climbed into the grove about 6 a.m. and cut most of the ropes connecting the half-dozen platforms the tree-sitters have built in the foliage. The arborist also took down one of the platforms, which was uninhabited. In the process, a bucket of human waste fell about 60 feet to the ground.
There were no arrests, and a university spokesman said police moved in because the protest appears to be winding down.
But the action enraged the protesters.
"They cut a s- bucket and it fell to the ground and exploded," said Erik Eisenberg, 39, a leader of the tree-sitters' ground crew who goes by the name Ayr. "They've made things less safe and less sanitary. All they're trying to do is harass and intimidate us."
What a moron of the highest order. First of all, crapping and pissing into a bucket in the park while you play monkey is not sanitary no matter how you try and spin it.
Second, they are trying to get you out of the tress, which should not surprise you “Ayr”. You are making a mess of a rather simple University expansion, and your activist friends have lied about the facts behind the tree sit since day one.
Third, the only entity that deserves the name Ayr is the south Scottish city. That or someone playing an Elf in Dungeons and Dragons, which I think would actually be a step towards adulthood for you my friend.
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11 comments:
I probably met this man during my days of East Bay activism in the 1990s. His name is very familiar and the activist scene is fairly small. You run into the same people again and again at every demo, protest, or "direct action" out there.
I almost feel like I bumped into him at one point as well. The last name Eisenberg sounds familiar to me, but I may be confusing him with someone else entirely.
From my years on the left, I have learned that the same folks often act as “spokesmen” for a number of causes, and build up a rep from doing so. I had a house mate from my UCSC days that I find in publications on all kinds of radical politics. When a paper is looking for a comment on some protest or hoopla, a few select folks just always seem to have an account of the happenings. Some folks just like to see their names in print I suppose.
ayr's cool man.
Truly astute words comrade! But no, Ayr is not cool. He is the kind of person that has made the left a joke. And I take offense to that.
"Some folks just like to see their names in print I suppose."
Says the guy with the blog with his name all over it.
And keep in mind reporters talk to Ayr; he doesn't hound reporters. He's in charge of operations, so of course he's going to be in the papers a few times.
Oh and what exactly do you do to address the issue of environmental degradation? Protesting isn't allowed; its unseemly apparently....
So what do you do? Can you share your wisdom with us?
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Uh lets see....
It's April 11th and things aren't winding down yet.
A new tree sitter entered the canopy a few weeks ago. Day 500 of the Tree Sit is this Sunday.
Oh, and ALL of the things that were stolen... were replaced, plus extra. So there's all the platforms up, plenty of food and water, and every sunday is a resupply.
So uh.... what's winding down?
Have you met Ayr? And I don't mean in passing, I mean have actually had a conversation with him? No.
Have you been to the tree sit? No.
There has been no medical problems related to going in a bucket or not showering frequently; no sanitary meltdown that threatened anyone's health.
And why is his name such a big issue? It's a nick name, not his real name. His real name has been is papers just as often as his nickname.
It's not a simple expansion. The development plan (the gym is only one part of the plan) will remove over 300 trees from Strawberry Canyon and will further pollute the creek. Plus the town of Berkeley cannot sustain the increase of student population the school is aiming for.
The school won't do complete environmental and earthquake studies REQUIRED BY LAW. The Tree Sit is joined by homeowners associations, the California Native Plant Society, The Sierra Club, and countless community members and students. The fact is the Tree sit would have failed if nobody cared; becuase its a grassroots action; it is only is successful becuase people want the mission to succeed.
Calling the tree sit liars online isn't bold. At least type up an informed argument to support your side of the issue, instead of resorting to cliched attacks (ooo he has a funny name yuck yuck).
Oh Anonymous (or Ayr), you crack me up! At least we agree that his name is hilarious. And when you take a stupid pseudonym like you’re playing Warcraft, then it is fair game my friend. Yuk yuk yuk.
Am I supposed to be impressed that Ayr is “in charge of operations” for a bunch of people sitting in a tree? The man “in charge of operations” is nothing more than a self righteous wanna-be radical wasting the world’s time with his bullshit to get his name in the paper and believe that he’s the second coming of bloody Che Guevara.
“Oh and what exactly do you do to address the issue of environmental degradation? Protesting isn't allowed; its unseemly apparently....
So what do you do? Can you share your wisdom with us?”
Thanks for asking Ayr, and yes, I will bestow some wisdom to you! Stop what you are doing immediately, and actually get involved in a political movement that matters. You are not addressing environmental degradation, no matter how many times you reassure yourself of this. You are playing in some bullshit middle class “protest” that bears absolutely no importance whatsoever. Read a newspaper sometime; you will be amazed to learn the world has actual problems!
I will give you that it isn’t winding down like I wrote, but it still doesn’t make it important or worthwhile. It’s just a bunch of kids (and adults who act like kids) sitting in a tree. So you will have to understand that I don’t find your 500th day distinguished or significant.
“Have you met Ayr? And I don't mean in passing, I mean have actually had a conversation with him? No.”
I may have, but that’s not that important. I never spoke with Sayyed Nasrallah and Ernesto Caballero either, but their ideas are still shit. Not that I’m comparing you to either man (they actually accomplished things after all).
“Have you been to the tree sit? No.”
Re-read my previous point. Is seeing a bunch of people sitting in some trees (that I have sat about on many occasions), supposed to make me feel sympathy for your cause?
“And why is his name such a big issue?”
It’s not a big issue, it’s just hilarious.
“Plus the town of Berkeley cannot sustain the increase of student population the school is aiming for.”
And you know this how? The town most certainly can and will adapt to meet a growing population, they always do.
But you want to enshrine Berkeley for a select group of people who can afford to buy multi million dollar homes in the hills so that you can keep Berkeley a 1960’s theme park.
“The fact is the Tree sit would have failed if nobody cared; becuase its a grassroots action; it is only is successful becuase people want the mission to succeed.”
I understand that some people care about this, and that’s the problem: idiots wasting their time and the resources of a community to further their bullshit “protest.” And this type of protest only “succeeds” because Berkeley won’t do what is necessary and just move the kids out of the dang tree. This kind of thing doesn’t happen in most parts of the country for that very reason: they wouldn’t last long breaking the law and acting silly. For crying out loud, the Berkeley council gave a parking spot to Code Pink and asked the military recruiters to leave the city! You are playing revolutionary in the safest place imaginable with no real consequences for your actions. So spar me the talk of bravery kid.
We are not against the city; so yes the city is with us just as they are with code pink. but keep in mind people from code pink DO get arrested by the city cops.
keep in mind that the city IS suing the school too, to prevent the oaks from being cut.
we are fighting the UC, a state body, so we are fighting the UC police, a state police force noted for its violence towards protesters.
recent actions in the past few years from the UCB police include 3 officers beating up a disabled man after removing him from his wheelchair, officers beating up on 2 occasions a man with asperger's syndrome, assaulting a senior citizen woman and taking her pants off in the process, hitting random individuals without provocation at the tree sit with battons, and dozens of arrests having people stay nights (not single night) in jail without any charges filed.
The Tree Sitters go through sleep deprivation techniques; intense lights and noise.
No doctors are allowed to enter the canopy. No press is allowed to enter the canopy.
"But you want to enshrine Berkeley for a select group of people who can afford to buy multi million dollar homes in the hills so that you can keep Berkeley a 1960’s theme park."
The Tree Sit is saving a public open space. A public space in a city which has a wide diversity of citizens. Aside from Richie Rich, and Scrooge McDuck (both personal friends), Berkeley has middle class, and poorer citizens.
Even homeless people live in Berkeley. The Tree Sit and those who work to save People's Park are both grassroots programs that advocate civil rights for the homeless.
Sadly, a lot of homelessness and poverty stems from disabilities. And guess what... both the Tree Sit and People's Park have disability rights advocates in the midsts.
Personally, I'm poor and disabled. I get a joke of check from the government that isn't enough for all food and medical expenses. I can't even dream of having enough for housing at this point. And I'm older than you; not a kid.
I use People's Park, becuase its a place where I can go and NOT be cited for loitering, or NOT be hassled by 'classist' individuals. I use People's Park becuase free food is distrusted there through various organizations; and people play music there; and such.
The Tree Sit has friends with Cop Watch programs, to help maintain a better balance of law and freedom in a time when its trendy to infringe on civil rights.
The Environmental Issues are more complex than they seem. The Grove is small, but is an animal corridor none-the-less. The oak trees themselves have been labeled an important gene bank for coast oaks by the California Native Plant Society. Unfortunately, the oak population in the state of California is degrading due to disease, foreign plant species, fires, and unnecessary development. The Sierra Club is aiding in the lawsuit.
We also are fighting the UC Berkeley and British Petroleum deal. And trying to raise awareness about nuclear disarmament, as the school helps develop nuclear weapons.
You never answered my question; what do you do?
I agree, I am wrong. I will never work for the tree sit again. What should I do? what political movement that matters should I join?
I can give you an endless list of causes worth your time that trump this tree-sit in every way imaginable, but here are just a few.
Liberty in North Korea
Foundation for Democracy in Iran
Save Darfur
Guest Worker Rights
And because you asked so nicely, I am an elementary school teacher by day, and irritated contrarian by night.
Again, if it was just a handful of people, the tree sit would have failed by now. Logistically, to have gone on for 500 days, would be just too hard if if it was just a small group. The resources needed to maintain the sit and maintain legal counsel are enormous. Its a small tree sit but still a complicated process.
All of those you listed are great causes yes, and things I already am interested in. But these are $$$ websites right? Donation sites.
I'm not actually supposed to hop on a plane, go to iran, and start doing my wingnut protester routine am I?
You visit the Darfur site, but you don't personally actually go to Darfur and handout food do you?
I have chosen to focus on the environment and poverty issues closer to home, and with so little money I do work more than I give money.
I'm curious as to why you couldn't or chose not to list any environmental groups that would be worthy of my time.
Is being an environmental activist in of itself bad? Like maybe it's not the tree sit, but just the idea we are an environmental protest that bothers you?
Im genuinely curious now.
I didn't mean to ask what your job is, I meant to ask how do protest?; Aside from waving a flag and having a mighty blog.
You could have easily said that all hippies should be a school teachers with blogs and flags, but you specifically listed Darfur and Etc. So what protest action do you engage with? How many times have you been to jail for protests? How many guns have been pointed at you? How many times have you been assaulted? What percentage of your income do you put into your political action? How much time?
Have you every decided to simply not have money for food for a while so you can tithe all-out to the cause?
You sting at us saying we are taking the easy way out.... what gross hardships do you live everyday?
Im curious.
Ayrnonomous writes:
“The Tree Sit is joined by homeowners associations, the California Native Plant Society, The Sierra Club, and countless community members and students.”
In other words this is a classic case of NIMBYism. I used to live in the East Bay and think university expansion is a positive thing. I’m not all that stoked on having an increase in the student population but schools (like all effective institutions) grow over time. It’s just the way it is. If one school (Berkeley or Santa Cruz, for example) does not expand its facilities, while other schools in the UC system are expanding, it’s pretty obvious where these additional students are going to go.
To repeat, most CAL students are not my idea of a good time. But the NIMBYism of these anti-development groups is worse. I bet they would not be so vocal in their opposition if this expansion was happening in Oakland or somewhere more “urban” than Berkeley, if you catch my drift.
Roland Writes:
“And when you take a stupid pseudonym like you’re playing Warcraft, then it is fair game my friend. Yuk yuk yuk.”
I’m sure you’ve read the ramblings of “Aragorn!” on Indymedia and elsewhere. And these people expect to be taken seriously by adults?
Anon notes:
“Even homeless people live in Berkeley.”
Those who are struggling to get a job and keep a roof over their head are homeless and need a leg up. Life can be extremely difficult and when you find yourself at the end of a relationship, thrown out on the street with your kids and no place to live, it is absolutely frightening. Even though I grew up poor (food stamps, welfare, the whole nine), I was raised to have some feeling of compassion and empathy (not merely sympathy) for those with less than myself. I thank my mother for that.
But let’s be real. I lived in the East Bay for quite a while and most of the people chilling out in Peoples Park (or harassing folks) on Telegraph Ave. asking for change are not “homeless”, they are bums. They are looking for a handout from the taxpayers who, in the case of Berkeley voters, are all too willing to give to them.
I'm absolutely not saying this is true in all cases--your case specifically--so please don't make that assumption. But if I went down to the Ave. right now, I'd encounter a lot more folks saying "spare change for beer" than I would "can you help me get a bite to eat."
“I'm not actually supposed to hop on a plane, go to iran, and start doing my wingnut protester routine am I?
You visit the Darfur site, but you don't personally actually go to Darfur and handout food do you?”
This is a major problem I have with the protesting circles on the left. You don’t have to actually be the person handing food to a refuge, or physically pulling someone out of North Korea to contribute significantly. Let me speak specifically about LINK in this instance.
One of LINK’s major projects is to force the N.Korean refuge problem through Western media and South Korea. Sometimes the group stages a protest, but a lot of their volunteers spend time writing to papers, politicians and pundits to make sure they are constantly aware of the problem. LINK also sponsors a number of safe houses and an underground railroad for people fleeing the North. While one could get physically involved in this process (lord knows there are some braze folks doing this right now), I personally don’t have the expertise to help or contribute personally. What they do is serious, and they can’t just put someone in that position that is sympathetic to their cause. They need folks who now how to work in China and understand the legal systems of both Korea and its neighbors. It is serious and dangerous work done by people who know the game. I do however financially support this project, and I know that my money makes it possible to keep this operation running. Although, you could technically go to Darfur or smuggle books into North Korea if you need to physically be involved in a project in that way.
The truth is that making real change is often not glamorous as the protests the left enjoys engaging in these days. Protests in the Bay Area are for the protesters, not for any of the causes they claim to be supporting. Writing letters and putting yourself into the policy debate on an issue is the only way to make long term changes. Trust me; I have no illusions about my blog: this thing is small potatoes. Furthermore, the folks who read it regularly generally share my political outlook, so it can seem like it’s preaching to the choir. In many ways, my writing here are about developing my ideas further so that they can be more persuasive when I actually put them to use elsewhere. The programs I linked to are not insignificant however, and are worth the time pushing for, even if you aren’t the activist on the ground floor.
And maybe you think writing letters to policy makers and media outlets is a waste of time as well. It surely doesn’t give me the immediate thrill protesting did when I was a young radical in the greater Bay Area. But I recognize now that those protests were about me and how it made me feel, and not about changing the way things are or work. I seem to meet a lot of people who think AIPAC and PNAC have far reaching abilities to sway the public debate and our nation’s policy. These organizations are not successful because their activists and supporters feel the need to be visible protesting a slew of things; they are successful because they know that the real nuts and bolts of policy change happen through ideas and the spreading of them.
If you want to make an issue that matters to you your life, you can get educated on it and become an expert in the field so that your ideas will carry even more weight.
“. So what protest action do you engage with? How many times have you been to jail for protests? How many guns have been pointed at you? How many times have you been assaulted? What percentage of your income do you put into your political action? How much time?
Have you every decided to simply not have money for food for a while so you can tithe all-out to the cause?”
As for my protesting career, I don’t know how many protests I was involved in my youthful days, but I have had guns pointed at me, and while I have never been to jail, I probably should have! I should note that I was never truly afraid for my safety at any of these protests, and any Bay Area protestor that claims they are in danger is not honest. I knew very well that the police were not going to open fire on us like they surely would in many other parts of the world that don’t enjoy the freedoms we have. I have also been assaulted, but not by an officer.
And dropping out of life and joining a cause that is important to you is not the problem, it’s the cause you have dropped out for. I have worked for pennies in the past to have a job that pushed for a policy I agree with (homeownership for working class families to be precise).
I will give you props for posting however. I will defend my point of view on any of the subjects I comment on here, so feel free to say what you like.
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