To understand the goals of Occupy Auburn, you must understand the origin of the movement.
The occupiers of Wall Street are tired of the corruption in our government; they are tired of not having a voice. The initial occupation of Zuccoti Park was a demand for justice and a call to all of us who feel that the government no longer represents the 99 percent.
Occupy Auburn was formed out of a shared desire to stand in solidarity with the occupiers in New York. Our mission is simple: We aim to raise awareness in the local community to the social injustice of corporate greed in tandem with pay-to-play government.
Through a variety of action, we aim to continue the momentum of this movement. We have discussed several potential actions at the past two general assemblies.
We held an event on Sunday at the Haley Center Concourse; some of the students in the group handed out fliers to raise awareness on campus. On Thursday we will protest in front of a Compass Bank from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to show our support of local credit unions and expose the tyranny of corporate banks.
Occupy Together is a grassroots movement comprised of people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Within our numbers are people from several political and social ideologies with different areas of interest.
The diversity of this group is something to celebrate. Each person has some unique talent that will help propel this movement forward. We are not looking for a handout. We have jobs, we are business owners, we are in school, and we are working hard to create a better country; a country where every voice is heard, not just the rich and powerful.
A grassroots structure is essential to our progress--for we are a people in progress. Through our strong belief in consensus, we are a living, breathing example and evidence that a participatory democracy can work.
There has been much criticism regarding the lack of a defined leadership. We are all leaders; we each help make decisions through the use of a consensus. It is an exciting and organic means of governing that gives voice to all who participate, striving for a unified vision that reflects the local community in a bright and positive way we can all be proud of.
This movement has swept around the globe and back to our front doorsteps. We must be doing something right.
Katelyn Cowser
senior, English
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