Hi all…I’ve been to the OO GAs and events whenever possible, since the beginning. However, there are days I am unable to make it down there and I know there are people with the similar situation of being unable to physically/logistically make it downtown for a GA or for an event. What I am wondering though is if there is some way to allow participation for those who cannot make it down there to vote on proposals in person. Is there some sort of way we can submit a vote via phone/internet/other? I realize this could open floodgates of ‘voter fraud’ or something like that and logistics maybe need to be hashed out. I’m trying to know if this is already possibly (I haven’t heard anything about this at any mtg/event or online) and gauge what sort of tools are available for this.
For various reasons, health/work/family/otherwise, people cannot make it to a GA and I don’t feel we should not be able to participate or voice our opinion or vote, especially on some proposals that really will affect individuals, OO as a whole, the Occupy movement as a whole, and the city/community of Oakland. I think requiring somebody to be physically present for a vote is suppressing and neglecting those who cannot be there in person, some of who may be our most vulnerable community members (elderly, the disabled, children, the incarcerated) or who may be obligated with other efforts in the community. This, I feel, is somewhat similar in principle to the current attacks on voter registration/rights which will marginalize/suppress the voting rights of minority and disadvantaged populations. It is for many a privilege to attend the GA meetings and if that is the only way to vote on a proposal, then essentially OO is only producing work of people with such a privilege. I do acknowledge that some people are there not out of privilege but because of abuses by financial institutions/governments/etc but even with that, there is an entire population of people, part of the 99%, that want to support what Occupy represents (in their own mind and otherwise) and outreach/inclusion seems more in line with the movement than not. Regardless of whether I agree personally with somebody’s opinion, I still feel they need to be heard and included.
Apologies for the lengthy post…
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