Forum Post: What We Stand For: the 3 Core Values of OWS

I submit the following statement of commitment as a foundation and starting point for the design and establishment of more specific demands and strategies for collective action:

1. We stand for Uncompromising Humanism; we demand of Ourselves recognition of and respect for the common humanity that binds us.

A basic respect for all human beings is the Necessary Foundation of a decent and democratic society and government. We oppose any and all practices, procedures and institutions that promote ideological prejudice, political exclusion, and/or systematic dehumanization. We accuse such practices, procedures and institutions of creating False and Arbitrary Divisions among us in ways that alienate, fracture and distract the citizen majority of this nation, and the People of the world. We demand of Ourselves, as the architects of our Own Future, the transcendence of such practices, procedures and institutions so that We, The People, can recognize and honor the differences among us without denying one another of our Common Human Being.

As the Active Citizens of this Movement, we will pursue--by any and every nonviolent avenue--the collective cultivation of mutual Acceptance, elevated Intelligence, and human Connection. We so commit our energies and actions.

2. We stand for Populist Democracy: we demand of Our Government the rightful separation of wealth and state.

In a democracy, an individual's private wealth should in no way affect his or her ability to assert political power. We oppose any and all practices, procedures and institutions that allow any individual citizen to wield more political power than any other by leveraging his or her personal monetary and/or material assets. We accuse such practices, procedures and institutions of facilitating the Open Bribery of government officials and of fostering government participation in the Strategic Manipulation of public knowledge and opinion in ways that undermine the Democratic Power of the citizen Majority. We demand of Our Government that all such practices, procedures, and institutions be systematically and permanently banned so that We, The People, can begin--through genuinely Democratic channels and processes--the work of repairing and rebuilding Our Nation and Our Economy.

As the Active Citizens of this Nation, we will pursue--by any and every nonviolent avenue--the rightful separation of Wealth and State. We so commit our energies and actions.

3. We stand for National-Global Fair Trade; we demand of Our National Governments and International Corporations that workers be treated humanely and fairly worldwide.

The economic future of our nation and its democratic viability are necessarily interdependent with the economic future of the rest of the world and the democratic viability of every other nation. We oppose any and all practices, procedures and institutions that promote a narrowly defined "national interest" as being independent of the democratic, human rights of all people--in every nation. We accuse such practices, procedures and institutions of falsely denying the obvious and urgent realities of our Global Economy and of preserving Global Monopolies of political and economic power that rely on the non-democratic governance and economic exploitation of citizen majorities around the world. We demand of Our Government, and of All Governments, an acknowledgement of and respect for our Basic, Inalienable Human Rights, including the right to decent Working Conditions and a viable Living Wage.

As the Active Citizens of the World, we will pursue--by any and every nonviolent avenue--Democratic Government, Human Rights Enforcement, and Fair Compensation for Labor, in Every Nation. We so commit our energies and actions.