I am considering a proposal to the General Assembly. Would love some crowdsourced input before a draft is submitted. Also, as of now could use another co-signer. Below is current draft:
Until such time as the global Capitalist order is overthrown, be it resolved that Occupy Oakland will respect the private property rights and rights of commerce of small local businesses in Oakland and the surrounding communities.
A working group will be established to create channels of communication between Occupy Oakland and local city businesses. This working group will also be tasked with creating and implementing a local currency designed to maximize the vibrancy and economic wellbeing of Oakland and its immediate communities.
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
Thank you.
Personally, I do not see how it is possible to end corporate influence on government without ending Capitalism. I do not understand why you mention Marxists or Communists. The proposal says nothing of the sort. What it says is that so long as the Capitalist order exists Occupy Oakland will respect small local businesses.
Also, this is Occupy Oakland not Occupy Wall Street. Given that the OO GA has passed resolutions allowing for the seizure of unused and abandoned property it is not exactly welcoming of Capitalism in its current form.
YES to the local currency idea.
What does that mean “global Capitalist order”? Many of us are against corporate corruption and influence in our government but we are not trying to overthrow all of Capitalism, at least not in the immediate future. Occupy Wall Street is not an official branch of any Marxist or Communist party. So we should avoid that specific language.
Language needs to be amended to not override the abandoned building occupation proposal already passed by the GA. Surprised I missed that. Other modifications?
Thank you for putting this together. Small, local businesses are our allies. They get ripped off by credit card companies the same way that we do, and they individually most likely pay more in taxes than Verizon, Wells Fargo and DuPont combined.*
When it is time to overthrow capitalism, we will know. It will be a conclusion that many people from many sectors of society will come to on their own terms. It will be an organic and broad-based effort, just as the Occupy movement and the majority of the Nov. 2 Strike have been.
I think it is important to mention that many of us who condemn the OLF co-optation of the Nov. 2 mobilization do not reject their tactics dogmatically. When the time is right, we will know. Because grandmothers, doctors, and pastors will be part of it. It has happened before, all over the world. But it takes many, many intermediate steps, like the one proposed here, to get there.
This is not a “wait and see” attitude. It is a strategic position that is attuned to the fact that timing is everything. This resolution reflects that sensibility. My peers and I commend it and will vote in support of it.
*www.ctj.org/corporatetaxdodgers