Forum Post: Start calling it: "assembling, to petition the government"...
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 27, 2011, 10:32 a.m. EST by KofA
(495)
from Muenster, TX
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
...and stop referring to it as merely "occupying".
I know, I know, you can KEEP the "OWS" label. But when people ask you what are you doing, what do you stand for.
You respond by saying, "We are assembling to petition government...", and then nothing more.
When they ask, "But what do you stand for?", you tell them the truth..."We aren't sure yet." :) "We need further assembly."
actually in my opinion the idea of wrapping onesself in the constitution is a good idea, however if anybody thinks this will end the brutality of the police they are sadly mistaken. For the past 70 years or so the US Constitution has meant little if anything to the government and has been under constant attack since Abraham Lincoln took office in 1861. That was when the first Federal Army began to form which by the way is unconstitutional. The whole system is broken and needs to be reformed as only the American PEOPLE can do. The senators need to start living in the same states that they represent so that they can actually go spend time among their constituents which is currently illegal for them to do. Furthermore in order to stop corporate greed from entering the politics (which by the way IS the problem) lobbying needs to be illegalized and term restrictions of 8 years total in political office should be instated/
Well said. Repeal of the 17th amendment would help tremendously to counteract the power of lobbyists and corporate money.
As it is, we elect senators who are free to break any campaign promise they may wish for six years, and we have no recourse.
The 17th amendment was passed under the rubric that it would minimize corporate influence, but it accomplished exactly the opposite. Before the 17th, state governments chose senators, and they were originally conceived as being like unto ambassadors of the several states.
This allowed any state, if it were unhappy with the performance of their senators, to recall them at any time and replace them with someone who WOULD do the will of the people. This effectively countered any corruption by forcing special interests not only to lobby in DC, but also in all 50 states.
One, elections have consequences.
Two, democracy offers re-call elections if voters aren't happy about their choice.
Lastly, is a democratic republic, we get the government we deserve.
Oh I am WELL AWARE that it won't stop the police, but the notion here is to create positive imagery for the movement...
Capturing images of authorities literally attacking the Constitution, and those exercising Constitutional Rights IS how we win.
I still feel, that if the grievances are presented for redress, the general public will back this movement to the hilt.
It needs to be done soon.
Perhaps as a Christmas present?
I am ALL FOR adopting March Messages like "End the Wars, Tax the Rich", "Free Meds, End the Fed", or my personal favorite "Vote Smart, or not at all."
"We aren't sure yet."
Uggh. People are going to find it hard to believe that you are willing to occupy for something that you haven't figured out yet.
There is nothing endearing or beneficial to not having specific demands and plans.
So long as you remain pointless, the other side will continue to win.
I thought this too, but our non-message unification itself does offer 'some' protection(s).
We are 'still' assembling to petition the government. There isn't a time limit on Constitutional Rights.
What assembly? The small handful of people who make it to zucotti park? What about everyone else?
Where are the formal procedures that govern this assembly to make sure it represents the interest of the 99%?
Right now, OWS represents nothing. It is just a collection of complainers (I'm not trying to be offensive).
There is nothing revolutionary about complaining in zucotti park instead of to your friends, family and co-workers like you normally do.
What is revolutionary is occupying zucotti park and the streets across America until slavery is ended, until all races have equal rights, until Jim Crow laws are repealed, until women can vote, until the draft is ended, until poverty is ended, until the war is ended, until everyone has healthcare as a right, until schooling through graduate school is free, until we have full government and economic democracy where we put an end to the private ownership of the means of production for the personal benefit of its aristocratic owners just like we put an end to the private ownership of the means of law making for the personal benefit of its aristocratic owners.
That may be a LOOOOOONG wait, indeed.
That said, I agree with you that presently, OWS 'represents' no cohesive idea, notion, or message.
While I hope this changes soon, so long as we refer to ourselves as "assembling", then we are Constitutionally protected.
ha, like it
...reallly...?
How about this:
...I've been pushing the notion of Constitutionally Shielding since I arrived at the OWS movement, about 2 months ago.
*I've submitted the same Motion (http://occupywallst.org/forum/ows-motion-i-seek-a-2nd/) to GA's the nation over.
I'm fond of the notion that you should literally wrap yourselves in the Constitution, with "assembly weather shields", not 'tents' or 'sleeping bags', by embossing everything with the U.S. Constitution...
Image is EVERYTHING. Once you've got video of police in riot gear literally attacking the Constitution, you've won.
Please pass this notion along, and help me pass my Motion...
Thanks.
That is a form of simplicity and brilliance interwoven into an iconographic promise that is unassailable.
By that I mean:
YES!!
Hey Zen, how'd the Motion go at the GA?
I didn't make it to the GA last week. I've been really busy getting ready for winter.
And now I have a cold - and I'm still not ready for snow.
But I will tho.
Please let me know how it goes when you have something to report.
I have been harping about the importance of the media since day one. It falls on mostly def ears, due to the young nature of most involved.
You could call me a "direct action Constitutionalist"...
I've been mic checked into silence at meetings, and others have yelled "no leaders allowed". WTF is that about??? Good ideas that will help protect all of us, are a bad thing...?
We've GOT to start adopting good policies and practices that are an example of the change we seek.
This things fear of leadership is brutal to watch. Bet most will still go vote for Obama though...
Well, I am sure it doesn't help that I am a loud opinionated person, who can be obnoxious, but it shouldn't matter what a package is wrapped in.
We should adopt the best ideas that'll do the most good...IMO
We should adopt SOMETHING :)
I submitted the Motion via e-mail, and I've had others present it at GA's. While they've all reported back up fingers, NOTHING has been passed or adopted...
Why?
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