The General Assembly of Occupy Boston passed the following proposal on the evening of November 29, 2011:
Declaration of Occupation
We, the people of Occupy Boston, have occupied Dewey Square in the heart of the financial district, in order to express dissent over the state of our political and financial systems. We are practicing a form of horizontal participatory democracy in the shadows of anti-democratic institutions that dominate our government and our lives. Through our occupation, we are creating an exemplar society in which no one’s human needs go unmet.
The Occupy Movement has started a nationwide conversation about the realities of economic inequality and the meaning of Constitutional rights. We are committed to living the values of transparency, equality, accountability, awareness, sustainability, and compassion as we struggle against corporate predation, injustice, and oppression. We are actively seeking to include the diverse voices of the 99%. Together, we set a precedent and provide a foothold for people to demand a truer, more horizontal democracy, in which greed has no influence.
Regardless of media spin, police brutality, or sub-zero temperatures, we will continue to peacefully exercise our first amendment rights by occupying, holding general assemblies, and planning for the American Spring. Our goal is a society that prioritizes the needs of all before the profits of the few. We are the 99%.
11 Responses to “GA Ratifies Declaration of Occupation”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up over 400 points today.
on November 30th, 2011 at 12:16 pm #
[…] original here: GA Ratifies Declaration of Occupation This entry was posted in Boston and tagged #occupy, boston, council, first-amendment, […]
An absolutely great document! If anybody says they can’t understand this, they simply don’t want to understand.
And, coming right on the heels of Judge Rakoff blocking the unfair, ‘good-old-boys’, Citigroup/SEC settlement and the revelation by the Bloomberg News folks that the Fed SECRETLY backed banks to the tune of some $7 TRILLION while everybody was arguing about TARP, it’s perfectly placed. (I emphasized ‘secretly’ because not only did the public not know about it, even most politicians were kept in the dark about what the Fed did – and we wouldn’t know about it today if it weren’t for documents obtained through the FOIA after a lot of court battles.)
The obscenity of this couldn’t be more infuriating or more revealing of the Plutocracy we live in today. The Fed and Wall Street working hand in hand to make sure that banks and the mega-rich were shielded from their crimes while the rest of us took it, and continue to take it, right up the a##! Was the cliche, “Laughing all the way to the bank” ever more appropriate? I don’t know about you, but I don’t like being the butt of some smirking sociopath’s joke.
Bravo! to the folks who came up with this clear, focused, meaningful document. Also to the reporters who chased down the Fed story and to Judge Jed Rakoff for his indignation and courage in demanding accountability from Wall Street and Government. (We’ll see how that turns out. My guess is that the right-wing will go after him like rabid wolves.)
This is a crossroads for Occupy, and it’s going in the right direction. Plutocracy, Oligarchy, Kleptocracy, call it what you want. We’re not living in what can be described as a functioning Democracy right now.
It must change.
(Unless you’d prefer to find yourselves living in some kind of 10’th century fiefdom one day soon. In that case, do nothing.)
Here’s a link to the Rakoff/Citigroup/SEC story where you can read parts of the Judge’s opinion.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/billsinger/2011/11/29/judge-rakoff-rejects-secs-contrivances-in-citigroup-settlement/
I second the kudos from Paul. We have been waiting for a clear statement of occupation that’s focused on these core issues and now we have it. I hope we can consider this the strategic vision statement that will drive most future actions.
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Way to go Occupy Boston and thank you to those who are occupying responsibly on the ground there in Dewey. I hope all of our efforts will make a difference one day…
Money is useless; greed is an addiction. It’s time for corporate intervention….
I voted on this last night!
I’m glad we found a middle ground to show central views & solidarity
on December 7th, 2011 at 4:37 pm #
[…] of Occupation – Boston – 2011-11-29: emphasis on the occupation as a microcosm of an alternative, better […]
on January 8th, 2012 at 11:08 am #
[…] of Occupation – Boston – 2011-11-29: emphasis on the occupation as a microcosm of an alternative, better […]
on March 29th, 2013 at 1:45 pm #
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on February 10th, 2014 at 11:22 pm #
[…] of grievances “Declarations of Occupations” have been produced: OWS. BERKELEY. FORT LAUDERDALE. BOSTON. […]