Forum Post: In a very short sentence, what do yo believe OWS has as it's goals?
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 27, 2011, 2:41 a.m. EST by thegreamango
(6)
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I've started seeing a far left influence inside the community, and people seem to be losing track of what we're actually about. So, what do you hope OWS will achieve?
Fairness.
I thought this movement was supposed to be started by the left. It was our answer to the Tea party. I am sure that whomever started this wanted it to fail in the first place. Why do I say this? Because who would start a movement and have no leaders, no message and no organization. It was doomed to fail.
I say take your good intentions and cross over to the 99Declaration that was started by Michael Moore. It has leadership you can trust, a clear message and organization. All of these ingredients were lacking from the very beginning of the OWS movement.
What are the goals of the OWS? Failure!
The goals of OWS are as diverse as it's supporters. Because the ows boots on the ground (and twitter army) are made up of, as are almost all movements in the beginning, the youth and the idealistic, and because the online discussion on all sides dominated by the most highly politically engaged online population the situation combines to give the impression that the pie in the sky anarchist/socialists have taken over both because of the loud voices of those who indeed have at least some, and often many anarchist and socialist views , AND the equally loud noise made by those rigid ideologues on the far right end of the opposition, as well as sectors of the corporate media who represent the opposition, in whose best interest it is that the perception of OWS is of having a fringe agenda. The loudest voices are only some of the voices, nor represent the majority.
But it's an exciting time :) It's the first time in a long time that this many Americans from all over the spectrum feel empowered to speak their mind without being called unAmerican, and that's almost anyone with views left of extreme right. So let the people lay their ideas out on the table in the market place of ideas, and respectfully argue with them if you disagree, but don't forget that if you both agree there's a problem and want something done, and support ows's rights to protest if not everything they do, then your ideas both represent the ideas of the people, but not the ideas of ows.
That's exactly why nothing official is being released, because who the fuck knows yet, what the 99 agrees with, or even thinks that we need to all agree on the exact solutions yet as we chip away first at the most obvious ones first but leave our agenda open in the realization that one or two laws will not change everything that should be changed, just restore enough balance that with the vigilance of an engaged populace we can start to hammer out solutions in an open marketplace of ideas where what we can agree on is found, what we can meet on is negotiated, and what we can't budge on competes fairly in an information and news environment not controlled by corporate interests either . The movement represents everyone's right to speak up, and no one's specific platform. Actions will be suggested and will succeed if they get enough support. If the vast majority signal no way, they get shelved or flop. Some laws will get changed sooner than others, but moderate changes are going to be hard enough, everyone is aware of this regardless of ideology.
Centrists and conservatives need to keep Occupying the debate at least, and those that are motivated to do more even if not within ows to see our politicians are again representing the people electing them, I don't think anyone in ows would object. But don't be afraid of the lefty's, they are only part of this and most of them know it, even if like EVERYBODY online regardless of ideology some may claim to speak for the majority or a very significant minority if they can't make the first one fly :) And have no fear, it's going to be hard to get either democrats or republicans in our government to enact some of the changes we all agree on, and anything more radical than that is going to have to fairly win the open debate before the people will go for it.
I personally want deep campaign finance reform, an end to corporate lobbying abuses, an and an end to the deregulation on finance that allowed for the melt down. I want a fairer tax code which includes moderate increases on taxation of the highest tax brackets and closing the loopholes that do not work to create jobs,
I also want a cut in military spending and a number of other things too, but I'll be happy to see us even get a start on even some of the first after a year or two of many waves of protest. Those aren't going away because the problems aren't, nor will the frustration and dissent, whether it bears the name ows or something else. But neither is our constitution.
Sorry if I make any god awful typos...I'm at work and my damn keyboards receiver is going bad on me. :/
Revolution like in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, etc...
There are a few draft documents in the works, such as the 99% Declaration. The draft is online and easy to find. It hasn't yet been fully approved and it's still just a draft but it will certainly give you an idea of the general gist of it.
The 99% Declaration is not a part of OWS. It is a separate movement and should stay that way. OWS has been infiltrated by the US government.