Forum Post: The OWS Process I Think I Understand It Now
Posted 13 years ago on Nov. 5, 2011, 11 p.m. EST by lisa
(425)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Watching the livestreams of smaller occupy movements is helpful, you get a good idea of how it all works. This is what I got from one of them today from their General Assembly.
The General Assembly starts with Committee report backs. There is a difference between a Committee and a Working Group.
Committees have to write bylaws, and have working proposals that are voted on by the General Assembly. Working Groups are groups but they do not have write bylaws.
Proposals get developed by the working groups, but to be brought up they have to be submitted to become part of the Agenda of the General Assembly, and are usually voted on in a subsequent General Assembly. Proposals can be old business and then new business. Proposals are brought up in Stack.
When stack is concluded the General Assembly business is finished.
The Soap Box occurs after the General Assembly and is for people to voice their opinions, they do not have to be in a particular format.
I think a lot of people do not get involved because they just do not understand what is going on or the process. I encourage people to watch the General Assembly's of the smaller groups to get a better idea of the process, also to see what is going on in other places.
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Could you recommend a couple of groups you think work very well? I'd like to see that.
Occupy Sacramento has impressed me from the start. They are dedicated, compassionate, organized with a great group of people. At today's GA they just elected the 3 board members for the Finance Committee, Mark Bradley. Darryl Parker, and Amani Martinez who will be able to be the people that the Credit Union require as signatories for the account. They can now apply for the 501 3 C status that a non profit needs. They are doing all kinds of important work, including an upcoming Candlelight Vigil at the jail next Saturday.
One of the things that has been going on is they cannot stay in Cesar Chavez park overnight because they do not have the permission to do that, so each night, whomever stays, gets arrested. They have to take down the tents etc. The park has an 11 pm curfew. They are looking at a new location in front of the old city hall where there is no curfew, but they cannot set up tents there.
They really are working on a lot of things, everyone there participates, they make sure it is fair and everyone is heard. Tonight they stayed there in the rain to make sure everything was done.
I like Occupy Minnesota also, and the London one was very interesting. The London group is seeking to occupy the Stock Exchange there, today they went to Parliament. (which is a criminal offense there to occupy that area). There were new laws passed in London, so protesters there could be imprisoned for six months of longer. They also marched near Finsbury park, which is an area of fundamental Muslims who attend the mosque there. So things are going to heat up over in London.
I watched Seattle today also. Other interesting ones are Cincinnati.
We need to check in on all of them to see what is going on. Boston is well organized.
http://occupystreams.org/
Thanks Lisa. I'll check it out.