Here's why:
(2) And our POLITICAL SYSTEM has been hijacked, because of the corrupting influence of $$$$ and the faulty premise that ‘MONEY = SPEECH’. Therefore, POLITICS AS USUAL cannot solve the problem of our broken economy. POLITICS AS USUAL can only be be fought by a POPULAR MOVEMENT--a large and loud enough demand from the public that cannot be ignored because it is so large and loud.
(3) These are facts we all know, have known. Many people and groups have been working on changing this for a long time (e.g., Common Cause has been talking about “The Other 98%” for a while). HOWEVER, OCCUPY has been the first movement to successfully break thru the clutter and seize NATIONAL ATTENTION to these problems. (Polling shows broad support for Occupy)
(4) Because of this broad buy-in/attention to the OCCUPY movement, WE HAVE THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY SINCE THE 60s to demand and GET systemic changes. These changes will ONLY happen with broad support; without broad popular demand for change, THE CORRUPTED SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE AS USUAL (see #2 above).
(5) Therefore, for the Occupy movement to succeed in creating the political will to effect the massive changes we need, it is IMPERATIVE that the Middle-Class, Suburbs, and people who do not normally “get involved in politics” BUY-IN/SUPPORT the Occupy movement and message. (it’s also imperative that poorer, urban communities and communities of color are involved, but that’s not Needham)
(6) THE RISK/DANGERS:
 ** | The Occupy movement, with the passing of time, runs risk of fading from public attention, or perhaps worse, becoming painted in a distasteful light that turns the “mainstream” (white, suburban middle class) against the movement. If that happens, we will have LOST/SQUANDERED a very rare opportunity to change the system. |
| Those w/vested interests* in maintaining the status quo are desperate to smear Occupy as hippies, hypocrites, mooches, suckers, racists... | *or have been convinced by the 1% to fight against their interests |
(7) However, with GOOD GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, we can productively (not reactively) BUILD and SPREAD the movement--ON OUR TERMS, THE TERMS OF THE 99%. That is why we are here tonight:
____________________________________________
TO BRAINSTORM HOW WE CAN HELP
- build broad support for and
- spread the movement,
and then
GO OUT AND DO IT.
__________________________________________
IDEAS:
- Visibility: on site at Dewey Square (Show it’s not just “hippies”), AND in our own communities (get our neighbors / friends to see there’s local support) (see sign ideas below) (media component)
- Volunteer days--assembling teams of volunteers from suburbs to help at camp life--show solidarity, help with public perceptions (media component here)
- Simply talking with your friends, family, colleagues and neighbors about the principles of Occupy--and speak up and be a counterweight to the negative talking points about Occupy (grassroots = person by person influence)--and being relentless and persistent.
- e.g, When a colleague or friend says, “I don’t know WHAT ‘Occupy’ is all about; they seem all over the map”--chime in.
- They are echoing what they’ve heard via the usual news channels. But YOU *ARE* the Occupy movement (you’re here tonight and you care about these issues).
- Tell them,“Well actually, Occupy is about the broken economy and the broken political system...” A trusted friend’s perspective is worth more than paid advertising and negative media coverage. But you have to go out and do it.
SIGN IDEAS--General principles: Be positive in framing positive values, Show solidarity with other Americans (the rest of the 99%), Show the values of OCCUPY to be Mainstream. (see Lakoff, http://bit.ly/FramingOccupy)
- I don’t hate capitalism--just what they’ve done to it.
- I love my country; that’s why I’m out here!
- I’m from the Suburbs - I’m part of the 99%
- I’m not CAMPING but I SUPPORT OCCUPY
- I’ve Never Protested Before But I’m Here Now! THIS IS IMPORTANT
- Congress: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO REVERSE CITIZENS UNITED
- I’m A SOCCER MOM and I OCCUPY THE VOTING BOOTH -- get $$$ out of politics NOW
Occupy Boston adopted this statement of purpose last week, which is easy to support:
ReplyDelete"We the people who have occupied Dewey Square, under the name Occupy Boston, have done so in order to maintain a place, where all voices are welcome for the open discussion of ideas, grievances, and potential solutions to the problems apparent in our society. We are and will be holding general assemblies where proposals may be brought to the group as a whole, to be consented to. We have and will continue to occupy this space for the purpose of DEMOCRACY."
http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/Statement_of_purpose
Susi, thanks for posting that! It's very clear that Occupy Boston has been open to the democratic exchange of ideas, while standing for a fair economy, a fair system instead of a rigged one, and a politics not warped by $$$.
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