NYC General Assembly # Occupy Wall Street

A couple minor language edits, and a short last sentence.

OCCUPY WALL STREET: PRINCIPLES OF SOLIDARITY (October 21, 2011draft v 3)

We are the 99, the voices of those worldwide who will no longer accept a democracy governed by money and a system ruled by greed. We say enough!

We reject profits over people, corruption over transparency, special interests over public goods. We condemn narcissism masquerading as liberty and a market that justifies inequality.

We speak with a diversity of voices for those that cannot speak for themselves: children and the future generations. We encourage all who are marginalized, living in poverty, and excluded “others” to use their voice!

We speak on behalf of our earth, so brutally exploited by industry and greed without regard for future generations. We speak for sustainability and renewable resources.

We occupy in true democracy’s name, and democracy is what we look like: direct, diverse, participatory, tolerant, non-violent, and open to all; but we are also insistent, strong, and stubborn in our struggle for a sustainable economy and authentic politics.

We exclude only the excluders, those who demonize others and who refuse the discipline of non- violence, tolerance, facts, and reason.

We are the 99 aspiring to become the 100. Because we believe in the power of transformation. Because we are voices of hope who are in the midst of creating positive social change.

As an interdependent world, we will not be divided by national frontiers, intolerant creeds, or self-defeating fears.

We stand in solidarity with all who live in poverty and are imperiled by climate change; who live in fear and are at risk of losing homes or jobs or pensions. We stand with those with no documents and those without health care or schooling; we are in solidarity with those robbed of hope and bereft of community.

We are the interdependent and equal world we aspire to create: participatory, non-violent, inclusive, egalitarian, and just.

We occupy Wall Street and Atlanta and Oakland and Chicago; we occupy common spaces everywhere in order to recover a world stolen from us by a corrupt few that have bought society to serve its interests alone. What they call “market freedom” we call theft. What they call “opportunity” we call disempowerment of the people. We will no longer tolerate living by their rules.