Third Communiqué: A Message From Occupied Wall Street
Posted 12 years ago on Sept. 20, 2011, 8:50 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
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communiqué
We're still here. We intend to stay until we see movements toward real change in our country and the world. This is the third communiqué from the 99 percent.
Today, we occupied Wall Street from the heart of the Financial District. Starting at 8:00 AM, we began a march through the Wall Street area, rolling through the blocks around the New York Stock Exchange. At 9:30 AM, we rang our own "morning bell" to start a "people's exchange," which we brought back to Liberty Plaza. Two more marches occurred during the day around the Wall Street district, each drawing more supporters to us.
Hundreds of us have been occupying One Liberty Plaza, a park in the heart of the Wall Street district, since Saturday afternoon. We have marched on the Financial District, held a candlelight vigil to honor the fallen victims of Wall Street, and filled the plaza with song, dance, and spontaneous acts of liberation.
Food has been donated to the plaza from supporters all over the world. Online donations for pizza, falafels, and other food are coming in from supporters in Omaha, Madrid, Montreal, and other cities, and have exceeded $8,660 [admin: now $10,000]. (Link to donate: www.wepay.com/donate/99275)
On Saturday we held a general assembly, two thousand strong, based on a consensus-driven decision-making process. Decisions were made for the group to occupy Liberty Plaza in the Wall Street corridor, bedding down in sleeping bags and donated blankets. By 8:00 PM on Monday we still held the plaza, despite constant police presence.
We speak as one. All of our decisions, from our choices to march on Wall Street to our decision to camp at Liberty Plaza were decided through a consensus process by the group, for the group. We are building the world that we want to see, based on human need and sustainability, not corporate greed.
Planned and spontaneous actions will continue throughout the coming days. Expect us.
Some People are saying the protest is just a disorganized group because "Every good protest has a specific cause and clear set of demands outlining what is required to end the protest, what are the demands of the Occupy Wall St. movement?" THIS GENERAL STATEMENT MAY HELP EXPLAIN THAT :
"Organizing immense masses of individuals does take time. We are divided not only by physical miles, but by cultural and historical, ethical and ethnic space as well. We have many differences of opinion, but we do agree there is "something wrong", and fueled by a sense of compassion and frustration we are coming together, and for the moment that is enough."
https://occupywallst.org/forum/yahoo-definitely-hindering-occupy-wall-st-communic/ full article here:)
Peace Love and perseverance Debbie Paulsen Paaatriot101 Hogansville Ga.
One more brick in the wall and proud of it.
Also wanted to add PEOPLE PLEASE use care who you support and what links you promote<<< For example posts from the sovereign people's movement with a link to vote on demands is popping up on the livestream boardchat> this group is anarchist anti govt. all for yourself< Not what we need> Just saying, be careful who you back> many will be grubbing votes for their own causes as we proceed.
C'mon guys! All our support from Madrid. You are heroes, keep that in mind, always. The longer you resist, chances for global change grow. Spring is starting in the south now, and new plazas are being taken. Malaysia and Peru are the last to join. EL PUEBLO UNIDO JAMAS SERA VENCIDO. See you on Oct.15. http://takethesquare.net
ABSOLUTELY MUST BE READ: This comment is taken from Reddit. If read, comprehended and implemented the occupiers of Liberty Plaza could without a doubt change the state of play globally, very fast. It should be enjoyable but don't get me wrong, you have an earnest to do a big job for humanity. Those in Bahrain, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Spain and all over rely on you guys to send the message home to Wall St that the world wants accountability and Change. Please read the following and understand the gravity of the world situation and the opportunity you have:
"Please, please, please start to organize. Disseminate some of these ideas. As someone who organizes people for a living: I understand that you want group consensus and everyone's voices to be heard. It doesn't work. Most people really just want to understand what they're supposed to be doing and do it. Pick a few leaders (elect democratically if you must) and start organizing. Get your list of demands together. Be specific. Nobody can accede to demands like 'end corporate citizenship', because nobody really knows what it means. Demands like 'caps on PACs/campaign donations' or 'transparency and public review of bills' are concrete and implementable. No more dance parties, no Reddit aliens, etc. Dress in neat T-shirts or preferably button-downs, available very cheaply at Century 21 - close to the protests. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to look the part. It's fun to be taking part in something, and it doesn't have to be all gloom-and-doom, but if the image in the media is 'look at these leftist wingnuts/idiot kids having a dance party', you're losing the battle. As long as you're marginalized and identified as 'the other'. Read Tim O'Reilly's piece here People are starting to listen. This is your chance, don't waste the opportunity. I wholeheartedly support you - this criticism is meant to be constructive. I ask that if you don't agree with me, be constructive as well. I can't join the protest, but I'll drop off some food and supplies tomorrow. edit: I've worked at nearly every bank in NYC at some point. Keep in mind that the vast majority of the people who work in those concrete skyscrapers are just like you: secretaries, programmers, project managers, and call center staff. The middle class, making $40-80k a year (yes, that's middle class in NYC). The people you represent and are trying to protect. Most of them have wives and kids. Some commute in, up to two hours each way, to try to give their kids a shot at college. Lots of them are here from overseas. "Banksters" is creating a false dichotomy, and while it helps galvanize support for your cause against an evil Monopoly man puffing away on a cigar he lit with a $100 bill, it's a vanishingly small minority. These are the people whose support you need. And they know the truth as well as you do, if not better, because they see it from the inside. They're denied promotions, they're threatened with termination if they aren't complicit in things they know are wrong. Be careful who you accost on the street, don't make snap judgements, and make sure you're asking the right questions."
Solidarity, London Activist.
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totally disgusted by Yahoo Mail which is censoring all messages with a reference to your site occupywallst.org
Even this message failed
check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmj9Tfs9ijU
Hey Mom,
How ya been
Go to occupywallst.org to see all the great protesters.
Love
That's for sure> agreed 100% on the Yahoo and censorship in general > https://occupywallst.org/forum/yahoo-definitely-hindering-occupy-wall-st-communic/
Yay praise togetherness and hope! When I saw the happening today I thought I was back in the 60's. All the brightly designed cards with written messages about our growing dilemma, music jams, and a few gals bouncing about bare-breasted spreading the message. Yes we need to be more involved and we need to keep trying to get what's ours. They will take everything from us if we let them. Has anyone seen the movie shock doctrine? The conspiracy does exist and it is to keep us down and at each other's throats while the rich get richer and we keep losing the little we have. I write about this stuff in my bluetry. http://joyleftowsblog.blogspot.com
Keep doing what you do!!! This is exciting to see what you will be able to accomplish form this. I am in Lake Worth, FL. and applaud all of you for what you are doing. America is such a bastard of the world in its approach of world domination, please keep with your actions and truly turn this into a movement.
As suggested by Democracynow.org commentators, you need to enunciate a specific platform and explicit set of demands that you expect to be met in order to call off the protest. You need to be committed to protesting and building the movement to occupy WS until your demands are met. And you need to make the world know of your demands. Good Luck! Inquilab Zindabad!!!
Keep up the good fight! you guys are my true hero's! Stay strong. I wish I could join you physically, maybe some day. For now, know I'm with you in spirit & in heart. And I'm sorry, no disrespect to SanJose, but don't wear suits. Wrap yourself in a snugly, warm, American flag MAYBE. Just be YOU, NOT them.
"the message" should only be "take our government back from greedy corporations". Once "we the people" control our government again, we can deal with all these other issues. You all have given me hope once again. Keep on keeping on.
i totally agree! and i've been trying to convey this exact message to the sisters and brothers at liberty plaza! keep spreading the word! :)
Demand Number One: REGIME CHANGE: End the corrupt tyranny orchestrated by the Republocrat Puppets of the Kleptocracy.
The dems are just as bad and take just as much money from Wall Street + the cash they rake in from unions.
"Republocrat" refers to both Democrats and Republicans. They are two parties answering to the same bosses.
I love you all for what you're doing. It must seem daunting, but I am seeing some media coverage. Last night there was a short story on PBS Newshour and Amy Goodman did a featured segment on Democracy Now yesterday. You most know that millions agree with your action, but it will take time to get the message out to the people. In the Middle East the largest protests took place weekly on Fridays after prayers. Here you may want to shoot for Saturdays when people that do work or that can travel in to NYC are free to do so. Perhaps this is when celebrities would be most useful in drawing more media attention.
I love you and my heart is with you.
Obama needs to live up to his promises....close Gitmo, stop sending our children to your wars. Look at who is being invited to the White House. War mongers and Special Interest Groups! The CEO of general Electric is Obama's left hand man. Vote for Nader!
Obama raised more money than anyone in hsitory. That money wasn't free.
I think we need to clearly get the following messages across as part of why we all are organizing and what we want:
The agenda you have suggested is debatable and unlikely to get off the ground because not many people will agree with it. We need to dig deeper and look at the root cause of the problem. In my opinion, the root cause is that democracy in America has been hijacked by big business and this movement can raise awareness of that fact and seek a solution to remove it and prevent it from happening again.
Federal Reserve is not Federal, it is privately owned by a few. It should be public property, owned by the people of the United States, not by a few millonnaires.
corporate greed is the root of war as well!
Replace the fed with nothing. Repeal legal tender laws. Let the people use whatever money they want. You wouldn't let the government tell you what products to buy, but you're okay with them telling you what money to use? You're legally required to use money that has no intrinsic value, and is easily controlled by the same elite that you despise. Are you really okay with that?
Ending the Federal Reserve and government currency would create a Somalia-style economy or bring us back to the Articles of Confederation where state governments issued their own money which wasn't usable in other states, etc. I'll pass on that.
I'm proud of you! It's nice to see some people taking a step in the right direction. Keep it up! There's an army of people supporting your actions and ready to hear any suggestions you have on how we can help to support your cause. Maybe a call on American people to boycott, etc. Best of luck!
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Here's a new short video doc about the action shot this weekend called 'Summer of Change: Occupy Wall Street' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sssMrX9ls3o
Recommendations:
1.) Clean up your appearance. Wear suits and ties. Everyone. Reverse the current image that you are a bunch of grimy freeloaders (I know you're not, but this is the perception). Go buy out Goodwill of their $5 suits or ask for donations.
2.) Allow the world to chime in, not just the assembly that is able to be in New York City.
3.) For the sake of the movement, build a more targeted message.
4.) Recite some passages from Thoreau and Ghandi, etc... together to remind yourselves why you are there and how you should conduct yourselves.
Much love and peace to all of you from the West coast, keep it up.
Everythign except the appearance thing sounds good. The assembly is open to anyone who wants to listen or participate, there are no exclusions in this movement. The occupation of financial districts around the globe is part of the bigger message of the world revolution, read up on it. The appearance although it sells, makes people feel excluded. not everyone owns suts and ties because they have no money, and if you want to play dress up you should do so else where not in a protest. There are people from all walks of life involved and if you feel excluded maybe you should look at what it is that within you makes you feel that way. Love and respect and solidarity to all.
Thanks for your comment Gaby!
The makeup of the current New York City group has variation, yes, but it is nowhere near a representation of the 99 percent. Yes, any protest attracts certain types of people, but we are currently not being effective enough at the task of involving those we seek to involve. They don't understand us and frankly, many are at best confused, at worst frightened and angry AT the protesters. We all need to take deep breaths and calm ourselves.
Now the suit idea, yes, it is my personal 'mocking artist' perspective on the situation and perhaps would be better positioned in such a forum. It is more difficult for us to put forth a cohesive image than say, historical civil rights demonstrators in the U.S. or India, or even the current financial protests in other countries. They all had or have a cohesive image where our struggle embraces and unites many separate images.
It is important, however, to take from this point, that a cohesive appearance and actions will help the movement grow by leaps and bounds in the eyes of the 99 percent whom we claim we are fighting for. That's not to say we must remove individuality, but if we are all here for a single conceptual reason, we must stress that cohesiveness and at the very least unify our group actions to a fine and well-mannered point.
Thanks to mainstream media, what little image there is of occupy wall street is of disorganized, enraged, misfits. If the goal is a nonviolent protest, then we must continue to train the groups out there very well in nonviolent protest.
You guys are doing a great job so far, and the effort is looking better each day, so keep it up! Much love and respect to you and everyone out there, I hope this movement continues to build the momentum it needs.
Regardless of what you wear, the media will continue to say we are a disorganized, enragedm group of misfits. I know because I have already had to deal with the all day, everyday media coverage of occupying a public place. The people will wake up when they are ready, wearing different clothes will not change that, the demographic of the groups is varied and shows that it's not just a bunch of college kids who are feeling indignant, but people of all ages and creeds. If we continue to give proper interviews, and express the ideas solidly the message will get through. if we continue talking to people who come to ask what we ae doing in these plazas or squares with respect and optimism, regardless of their personal ideals as to our being right or wrong, the message will get through. As long as we continue to occupy these places and maintain the organization we've maintained worldwide, the message will get through. It may look disorganized to them but that is simply because they've never seen anything like this before. We are there to show a different way of life is possible, regardless of political ideals. We can coexist, we can come to concensus, we can work together regardless of all the things they've indoctrinated and thrown at us to make us feel separated. We are all ONE thing, and that is human. We are awake and we will not be silenced and lulled back to sleep, and neither will the people these campers speak to, even if they only pass by liberty Square once, seeds are planted in those conversations that will not easily be destroyed.
Assembly minutes available here: http://nycga.cc/ NYC General Assembly The Unofficial web site for the NYC General Assembly
This is wonderful start. It has focus, cause and direction, I love the feeling I receive when I read this. Bless your hearts for you are true AMERICANS. I wish you all well and blessings. Long live the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Illinois
I think we need to clearly get the following messages across as part of why we all are organizing and what we want:
Come on guys, this commique is so pompous and rediculous. You and your couple hundred people want to change the world by sitting around in a park and singing, dancing, and by performing spontaneous acts of liberation? What, exactly, are your spontaneous acts of liberation? I just took a big poo about 10 minutes ago, I didn't plan it and now I feel free. Is that a spontaneous act of liberation? I see the pictures and it's all the same; late teens, early 20's, nothing better to do, shabby appearance... do you really believe that people are with you on this? Or are you only attracting hundreds of people in a city with millions upon millions of people because it is in fact YOU that are out of touch with what people really want? Are you really being censored or boycotted by major media or is this just a non-event that doesn't really warrant broadcasting around the world?
Is this a movement to change the world, or just a half-assed promotional stunt by Adbusters to boost readership? Comparing this to what happened around the world in middle eastern countries is embarrassing. Those people were fighting for something real and they were fighting with conviction. This is just a bunch of people with nothing better to do with their time.
"Are you really being censored or boycotted by major media or is this just a non-event that doesn't really warrant broadcasting around the world?"
//i.imgur.com/nUhA7.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyvbI6Eq-qA
Let us know when this video ticks over 301 views, it's only TheAnonPress's channel home vid (8000+ subscribers), and i've watched the comments go from ~280 to ~320 in the past hour.
You're telling me that's how YouTube usually functions?
Think of what happened in Tunisia, Egypt, Lybia, Iceland, and is happening in Sria and many places in the world. A few hundred peopple sitting cannot change anything, but millions can.
Corporate $Money$ Destroyed Our Democracy No Campaign Finance Reform? NO VOTES! BOYCOTT ALL ELECTIONS! It should be our weapon of choice. Create a crisis even the craven fools in Washington cannot ignore. Our vote means nothing now anyway. Create the crisis or let Wall Street continue to win with the status quo. BOYCOTT ALL ELECTIONS - the battle cry of the new American Revolution - BOYCOTT ALL ELECTIONS!
I like your enthusiasm but your idea is retarded.