2011-11-13_Proposal Draft for Online Discussion

Hi everyone,

We hope that given enough support and discussion, we will submit this draft proposal to the GA this week. At the time, other that what’s been posted to the OccupyOakland forums, we’re unaware of other endeavors other groups are making. This proposal is open-source, meaning that other groups may take bits and pieces of it as they see fit to their proposals.

Thanks,

Tlahtolli

Brothers and sisters:

All of us here are part of the 99%. We are concerned about the direction our country and world is heading thanks to the actions of the 1%. Never before have so many people all over the world united under one common cause.

I paraphrase Chip Johnson from the SF Chronicle:

”Many of us are angered by government bailouts, college tuition hikes, dramatic job losses and spending power. We are livid about golden parachutes for corporate executives who walk away from disaster unscathed – and with enough money for five lifetimes. People are sick and tired of government undercutting programs that benefit the sick, the elderly and school children.The working people of this country are tired of watching their tax dollars squandered to pay the tab for corporate greed instead of human need.”

Preamble:

– An important goal of Occupy Oakland is to improve the lives of the 99% and the movement seeks to be inclusive of a broad diversity of backgrounds, life experiences, and political philosophies.

– We want the movement to succeed, and we want the movement to grow.

– Some tactics, however, are incompatible with our goals, even if in other situations they might be useful, honorable or appropriate.

– This frame is strategic—it makes no moral judgments about whether or not violence, however it may be defined, is ever appropriate, it does not demand we commit ourselves to a lifetime of passive resistance, but it says, ‘This is how we agree to act together at this time.’

– A social contract that clearly outlines agreed upon tactics is empowering — particularly for people of marginalized and oppressed groups (such as undocumented immigrants or single mothers) who face great risks by participating in this movement.  A tactical framework would also serve to make this movement more welcoming, accessible and inclusive to individuals, families and groups who are ready and willing to get involved with OO–possibly for the first time. While we can’t guarantee anyone’s safety against violent actions by law enforcement, we can provide a framework where they know their safety is of utmost importance within this movement.

– We bear in mind that without this proposal, it might be understood that the Occupy Oakland GA supports actions that can put others at increased risk of arrest or bodily harm. Some may not be in a position to face arrest because of their immigration status or family obligations.

-Without this proposal, and as things stand now, individuals could commit serious crimes (e.g., murder, planting explosives, or attacks against critical infrastructure) against people or property in the name of Occupy Oakland. If that were to happen, Occupy Oakland would not have a standing defense against such an event.

Proposal:

We propose that the Occupy Oakland General Assembly adopt a strategic, non-destructive direct action framework for any and all GA-sanctioned events in the future in order to increase its numbers significantly beyond those who currently support it and are involved. In addition to that, we propose that for this reason ’diversity of tactics’ be understood to exclude property destruction and defacement, and physical harm against people or animals.

A majority of Occupy Oakland supporters do not want property destruction and defacement or physical harm to others or to animals to be committed under the Occupy Oakland banner, which unites us all.