This is not meant to be an open condemnation of everyone who is organizing under the umbrella of “Occupy Oakland.”  That’s a big umbrella, and there is a lot of work happening under it that I support (shout-outs to Occupy the Hood, Decolonize, Occupy San Quentin, the East Bay Nonviolent Action Network, and others).

But what happened in the streets of Oakland yesterday and into last night was stupid, and I no longer want to have my name associated with a “movement” that is so driven by anger at the expense of strategy (you trashed a children’s art exhibit?  What was the strategy behind that?) and speaks against many of my core values and principles.

In theory, I support the idea of taking over a building and “occupying” it for the purpose of supporting this community.  If I were around during the “occupation” of Alcatraz, I would have supported it. …