Is it art or is it Occupy -- or both?

On Sunday, The Denver Post's Ray Mark Rinaldi reviewed some of the first alarming outbreaks of Occupy-themed art in the city. An excerpt:

"As an artist you have a responsibility to be relevant, to put something out there that has meaning," said Denver hip-hop artist Molina Speaks, explaining why he feels connected to Occupy. 

Molina talked at a community forum Monday [Jan. 16], at RedLine gallery/studios in downtown Denver, an event that literally brought art and Occupy into the same room. The afternoon of speeches, performance and workshops, coinciding with Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, was a smashing success, at least in spirit. 

More than 300 people showed up, and many had never stepped into the high-end gallery before. The Occupiers brought their message, the artists had their work on display, and the two meshed quite naturally. 

One workshop, about using music as a community-organizing tool featured Dee Galloway of the Spirituals Project and Jonny 5 from Flobots. Music met politics, and the singing could be heard down the street. 

"We are really beginning to break down those artificial walls between art and community," said RedLine's executive director, P.J. D'Amico. "Art has the power to radically reframe the conversation." 

--snip-- 

OCCUPY ART: View excerpts from the Civilians' cabaret show "Let Me Ascertain You" at thecivilians.org. The Lockerpartners have posted "The 99th Problem" on their website, lockerpartners.com (see video above). 

Read more: Rinaldi: The fine art of the Occupy movement shows stripped-down, naked anger.

Occupy the Courts Jan. 20 in Denver

From Coffee Party USA: 

On Friday Jan. 20, the Coffee Party is joining Move to Amend and democracy advocates across the U.S. to hold more than 80 rallies in front of federal court buildings, including the US Supreme Court. These rallies will launch grassroots campaigns for ballot initiatives and resolutions rejecting the "Citizens United" decree for unlimited, anonymous spending to influence our elections. 

Momentum has been building in recent months, with resolutions passed by city councils in Los Angeles and New York City, and the Montana Supreme Court asserting that states have the right to prevent the corporate purchase of their governments.  Let's make this happen in states, towns, and cities across the country.

The closest event to Cheyenne and Laramie is in Denver:

Location: Gather on West Steps of the State Capitol, 200 East Colfax Avenue 10:30 AM.  Rally on the west steps of the State Capitol 11:30, followed by a march down the 16th Street Mall, to the U.S. Court of Appeals building at 18th & Stout, and where we will deliver a huge, signed copy of “The MOVE TO AMEND Amendment” and tack it, with duct tape to the Courthouse door.  There will be a debriefing/after-party at 2:00 PM at the Mercury Cafe 2199 California Street  Denver, CO 80205 Contact: Daphne Goodwin, daphne.mdmta@gmail.com

In December, foreclose on banks, not our homes

December Occupy events focus on housing and homelessness. This comes from Occupy Denver

Dottie Lamm in The Denver Post: "Other faces in the crowd" at Occupy Denver are a bit older

Former Colorado First Lady and Denver Post columnist Dottie Lamm (on right,
with notebook) interviews one of our fellow "oldies" at Occupy Denver Oct. 8

I missed this column by Dottie Lamm when it first appeared in The Denver Post on Oct. 23. Lamm, Colorado's former First Lady (remember Dick "Gov. Gloom" Lamm?), attended the same Oct. 8 Occupy Denver protest that drew my wife Chris and I. She and her friends ("oldies") were concerned that they hadn't been seeing others of their age cohort at Occupy rallies. Dottie found Chris and I on the Colorado State Capitol steps and interviewed us for her Oct. 23 piece. Read the story at http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_19159646

Why have the police resorted to violence against Occupy Wall Street protesters?

Following last month's police brutality in Oakland, and today's summary eviction of the Occupy Wall Street camp (and don't forget Seattle and Denver -- see above photo from Oct. 29 by Craig F. Walker of The Denver Post), American activists are reaching the conclusion that "police protect the 1%". More at Police Violence Reveals a Corrupt System (The Guardian via Common Dreams).

Seattle activist Dorli Rainey, 84, reacts after being hit with pepper spray during an Occupy Seattle protest on Tuesday, November 15, at Westlake Park. Protesters gathered in the intersection of 5th Avenue and Pine Street after marching from their camp at Seattle Central Community College in support of Occupy Wall Street. Many refused to move from the intersection after being ordered by police. Police then began spraying pepper spray into the gathered crowd hitting dozens of people. A pregnant woman was taken from the melee in an ambulance after being struck with spray. Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Denver Police overreact (again) at Occupy Denver

Here's how my hometown of Denver looks to the world right now. This photo comes from Westword and was shot by Kelsey Whipple. It shows cops aiming guns filled with pepper bullets at protesters. Photos like this were in newspapers worldwide. Here's the view from the London Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2055243/Occupy-Denver-Police-use-rubber-bullets-pepper-spray-protesters.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

My gun is bigger than your nonviolence: Police raise weapons while making an arrest during the Occupy Denver protest in Denver on Saturday. (Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post). Photos like this were on the pages of newspapers throughout the world today.

Read more:Occupy Denver protesters, law enforcement officers clash; 20 arrested - The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_19223274?source=commented-news#ixzz1cHOwYtyh

Denver in 2008: Obama clinches Dem nomination. Denver in 2011: Shame on Obama!

Occupy Denver Rally starts from the Greek theater in the Civic Center Park on Saturday. Three years ago, Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for president at the convention in Denver. I was there, cheering him on. Now Occupiers are holding up images of Obama that say "Shame." I was there 10/8/11. What is going on? Will Denver be the place that both launched Obama's career and also brings him down? Photo by Hyoung Chang of the The Denver Post

Just the beginning -- things getting serious at Occupy Denver

Jonny 5 from the local band the Flobots performed during a day of events organized in association with the Occupy Denver movement Oct. 22 in Denver at Civic Center Park. There were bands, speakers, a rally and a march throughout the day. Things are getting serious after overreaction by the Governor, mayor and DPD. Denver may well turn out to be the hottest Occupy site in the U.S. Photo by Leah Millis/Special to The Denver Post.