Having a very small, but organized following here most of our attention is focused on observing the Occupy movement as a whole. Many of the smaller protests are facing stiffening resistance from municipal governments and citizens who want their public spaces back. Many within the movement are beginning to question whether what they are doing will really change anything. Some people are losing hope.
We realize that Occupy Oakland is dealing with many issues of its own, but after careful consideration we here have come to the conclusion that – having launched simultaneous occupations in hundreds of city centers around the country, the next logical step is to start pulling ourselves into a coherent national – or even international – movement.
We need a general assembly of occupations.
We here in Thunder Bay are too small, and moreover, lack the infrastructure or – for lack of a better word – clout to successfully host such a gathering. Occupy Oakland may. And sooner or later we’re going to need to start pooling our resources and focussing our efforts, because individually, most of our Occupations are very vulnerable to being isolated and dispersed. Collectively we have considerable potential to affect change, but right now, it is dispersed across so many places, so many cities. We need to start prioritizing. We need to start doing regionally and nationally what we’ve already done in our communities. And we need to do it before the movements outside Oakland and Wall Street start to dwindle and die away.
Realistically there’s no reason for many of us to be holding tent vigils – they antagonize more than they help: only in areas where we have serious ability to press our governments for change do we need permanent occupations. The rest of us can work on building public awareness and goodwill – we can spin our protests into raising funds for local children’s hospitals, or pressing banks to do so and raising money, and material support for yourselves and other critical occupations.
We have many, many options we can open up by taking the #occupy movement to the next level. But the first step is to start the ball rolling – we can’t, but maybe you can. And once – or if – you do, others will start to follow.
Signed
Occupy Thunder Bay
We don’t have to wait for a national GA to do things which we believe will bring change. There are national organizations working on some of the big issues. Personally, I’ve chosen the amendment to remove corporate personhood as one of my primary areas of focus. Two of the organizations working on that issue are Move to Amend and Public Citizen. There is a California Disclose Act (AB 1148) which will have impact significantly sooner than the amendment. You can learn more about AB 1148 at http://www.caclean.org/progress/ab1148.php.
The so-called Progressive Caucus in Congress is completely ineffectual. Its members have done nothing to affect any positive change in Congress or the country for years now. They huff, puff and bloviate, but when the chips are down they lie down and let the Democratic party apparatus run all over them and the persons they claim to represent.
I agree with youngringos, direct action is the way to go. Coordinate with Occupy members in other ciites and start a series of direct actions targeted at the soft underbelly of the one percent. Use your imagination and don’t give up hope.
City Governments Attempt to Hijack the Occupy Movement
http://weeklyintercept.blogspot.com/2011/11/city-governments-attempt-to-hijack.html
I would much rather see us focus on our communities by helping our neighbors stay in their homes and our kids stay in their schools.
Direct action, baby. You don’t need a lot of people.
I am sooo on the same page with you in regards to supporting the progressive caucus. They are there fighting for the middle class and Occupy can also push for change by becoming educated when it comes to politics. There is something like 3o0 Billion Americans, yet less than 30% vote! This is part of the problem and explains how we got here….Thanks. Ps. Don’t forget Bernie Sanders in the Senate; everyone’s statesman.
Thank you for your proposal; your points are well taken. My perspective from beyond the OO camp’s borders, and as a participant in the Nov. 2 strike marches, is this: As active and dedicated as Occupy Oakland is, the core campers are under tremendous pressure themselves from the city to shut down, especially after the nearby but unrelated murder last night. Also, it’s likely only Occupy Wall Street, with some 7,000 campers (if the NYT has it right), vs. around 500 at OO, would have the resources to host a national GA, so you might also approach OWS if you haven’t already.
I would also like to point to the People’s Budget developed by the Progressive Caucus in Congress, which calls for taxing the rich and many other changes the Occupy movement has called for. They have had our backs for decades and need our support, because they are being targeted as well. It’s another alternative for where to put our energy and resources.
http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=70