Proposal for Temporary Mission Statement

[whowewilltobe]

Can we please state publically, while we're working on our own list of grievances, that our mission stands in solidarity with our brothers and sisters at Occupy Wall Street, and link to the Declaration of the Occupation of New York? 

I don't want us to seem fractured, and for those folks who make it to our site from seeing our protest (those who may not know about OWS), it'll help us be larger, less fragmentary, less unfocused. Yes, I agree with Sugar - it's a long process, but come on, let's get this together. . .please?

[Eric76]

This seems like a good idea. New York is very organized and a little bit ahead of us, in terms of their evolution. We should make an attempt to work in solidarity, and to work from what they have already laid down. Let's keep focused.

[m_x]

whowewilltobe said:

Can we please state publically, while we're working on our own list of grievances, that our mission stands in solidarity with our brothers and sisters at Occupy Wall Street, and link to the Declaration of the Occupation of New York? 

I don't want us to seem fractured, and for those folks who make it to our site from seeing our protest (those who may not know about OWS), it'll help us be larger, less fragmentary, less unfocused. Yes, I agree with Sugar - it's a long process, but come on, let's get this together. . .please?

I agree 110%.

 

Look at how they handled forming their grievances: short and concise points, that are intentionally broad to reach out to 99% of the population.   

We have spent the past week unable to pass a simple grievance about US foreign policy (which most of the population and even much of the military is against) since we are trying to make a specified statement.  This is something the entire group is against but we can't get it passed since we are weighing ourselves down with a long statement that is incorporating ideology (in regards to future military interventions or actions (some want disarmament, some want to intervene if there is genocide, some want an isolationist policy )). I thought the whole point of this movement was to show that 99% disagree with the direction 1% is taking. 

 

I appreciate the hard work and intent of trying to fully voice these grievances.  That said I don't think we are voicing the concerns of the 99% just because a group of a hundred agreed on each point of the statement.   As we saw last night we all agree the wars and aggression of our military is wrong, but it seems most have different ideas in regards to how they'd like to see the future of those policies.   If we are to represent the 99% and not a specific political ideology then we should keep things simple. 

 

I think sticking to simpler statements (as I suggested (and admittedly poorly articulated at GA last night)) would allow us to get our general ideas out there which will help us gain support.  Until we win the hearts and minds of the 99% and they are actively participating in our movement, who are we to speak for them?  To me this makes us no different then many established activist groups who claim to speak for the population.

 

Don't get me wrong I am fully in support of the democratic process. That said we will loose the support of many due to our current inefficacy and not articulating our thoughts. Simpler statements would allow us to do that.   As time passes and our group grows then we can fully articulate thoughts (or possibly more importantly begin to make demands).

 

I can see why many wouldn't want to adopt all of their grievances.  That said I agree with the original poster and believe we should vote on these, even if they are point by point.  Or at the very least consider making our grievances more concise to win over the 99%. This movement seemed to originally be about showing that although we differ on ideologies  or methods of fixing things we all (the 99%) agree that our government is not listening to the concerns of the population. 

 

Lets express that!

[Billy]

what committee does this fall under? I have more questions than I think can be address in this forum format. I should probably join that committee.

[DavidMichael]

I believe its the outreach commitee.