Re: [OCV Core] What's OCV?

On 11/11/2013 2:31 PM, Sue Morris wrote:
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> Can we clearly define our mission and describe how it applies to Vermont? Can we zero in on a particular aspect of our mission that can inform our activities? In addition to addressing issues that come up, such as supporting Gwen, can we focus our activities in a particular direction? I feel that presently we are meeting a lot, which is fine—I don't mind meetings—but I don't have the sense that we have a particular direction for activities and I would like to do so. Should we focus on workers' rights (low wages, corporate policies, Mcdonald's, WalMart, food stamps, etc.)? Should we focus on increasing Vermont's ability to move toward a truly democratic state? Should we withdraw from the state and form our own truly democratic society? As an umbrella group, we have been a diverse crowd with diverse interests. I believe we no longer have the staffing to be content with our diversity and I would like to see us focus on a particular aspect and make a difference.
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> Sue
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I would like to argue that Occupy is an assembly of persons with a
culture which is committed to democracy and justice, and which functions
as a community. We are not an organization, and we function as much
through our bonds with each other as by our commitment to change, thus
we are a community. The message or meaning of that assembly continues to
evolve and respond to our shared and private growth. None of which
interferes with choosing a focus. To me, we are living the world we want
to see, demonstrating how egalitarian is done. To me, Our mission is to
challenge power where ever it crops up and where ever it undermines
democracy.

Brian said something about widening our base. I would like to talk about
giving other people an opportunity to enjoy our community and to be
active with us. I think there are nascent Occupy groups all over
Vermont, and we could be growing them in our bellies and birthing them
into the wild, just by showing up in different towns and giving people a
chance to be part of a community of solidarity.

The fate of OCV since the inception of Occupy is an example of a
necessary process - groups which are too large cannot contain all of the
energy available from all of the members. They will shrink to some most
effective size, a size at which people can see their own contribution
having an impact, which depends on some externalities like the distance
people have to travel to participate. Thus I do not believe we want to
be big, I believe we want to empower people. Help people to see they are
part of a community of solidarity, and that as members they can have an
impact in the world. Thus we help people learn the true meaning of
democracy and help them to reclaim their power in the world. Then, as
our numbers increase, our impact will increase. Because we are working
together.

Stephen.