demand endorsements from single issue campaign groups
Barnaby Flynn
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Dear Campaigny type peoples
As one of your supporters, I would like to invite your organisation to endorse Occupy Democracy. Occupy Democracy has democratically chosen a provisional “demand” that is virtually identical to a policy initiative which you promote to achieve your goals.
As a campaign strategy in order to make these demands a reality we hope to build capacity and network opportunities for Occupy Democracy and the other specialist campaigns through such endorsements.
Occupy Democracy would publically announce our affiliation, add your name alongside the demand on our on-line demands list and also invite Occupiers support your campaign.
We hope that you would invite your supporters to join as at monthly occupations and also celebrate our affiliation.
Kindest regards
Barnaby Flynn
From Ben 26/01/2015
ii). That all the measures on the current demands list then go back to every relevant "specialist/expert" single issue campaign group and individual for "official" endorsements/amendments, in order to build "our" capacity without draining "theirs". Those groups who collaborate with us should then be name checked as "collaborators" by Occupy Democracy.
Ben's notes on ii)
• IMO The key to building this mass movement is choosing language which defines the intimacy of our relationship with these groups and individuals - (i.e. from basic collaboration, to close partnership, to full affiliation).
• We have already been through the "collaborative" stage and it has been largely successful - we should now be getting back to all the speakers, organisations and campaigns who have joined us, asking them to "OFFICIALLY" partner, or affiliate with us over the next couple of months.
• The speaker from CAAT specifically said "we want you to join us in writing an alternative security policy" (paraphrased).
• Positive Money are clearly keen to collborate/partner/affiliate more "officially".
• I am fairly certain the majority of groups and individuals who have visited us would respond similarly - thereby boosting our capacity while providing the necessary narrative framework for the emergence of a powerful mass movement - OWNING the election narrative, rather than responding to it.
Barnaby Flynn Mon 9 Feb 2015 5:51PM
No need to apologise for being negative if thats what you have to impart Em. Suggesting an improvement would add to the contribution. Something with more "uncompromising and genuine grassroots character intact."
The whole idea is for "sandals on the ground" so to speak.
Em Mon 9 Feb 2015 6:23PM
Ok, yes, on a re-read I think it's things like 'campaign strategy', 'endorsement' and 'affiliation' that I'm most strongly reacting against. If the idea is that people write their own versions of this, from themselves as individuals (rather than it coming from Occupy Democracy itself), then it's probably all fine & I responded too hastily/ emotionally :)
If I was writing something similar, it might be something like what's below. This isn't better than yours, it just uses language I'm a bit more comfortable with. If we want to do this, it would be great if a variety of OD folks came up with a few different versions for people to choose between.
"I've been involved with XXX [group] for XX years [or 'since XX' and name the motivating event]. I've more recently been involved with Occupy Democracy, which in many ways is totally in line with what XXX [organisation] is doing.
Occupy Democracy is now trying to build mutual solidarity, support and potentially co-operation and collaboration between like-minded groups. Many people involved with OD are also involved with other groups, and we want to build capacity and help grow the networks, for the benefit of all our groups and to hasten systemic change for the good of people and planet.
Practical upshot, initially, would be for Occupy Democracy to announce its support for XXX and vice versa. If we could find virtually identical aims that our two groups have stated, we could emphasise that. (For example, OD's provisional demand X is similar to your statement Y).
Hopefully, you'd invite your supporters to join us at our monthly occupations, and we'd likewise encourage Occupy activists to support your events and messages."
Barnaby Flynn Mon 9 Feb 2015 6:47PM
nice
Em · Mon 9 Feb 2015 5:35PM
Ooo... although I understand how this aims to put into practice Ben's suggestion, which isn't a bad suggestion... I find the language cringe-makingly NGO-like.
Can we maybe try to do this while keeping Occupy's more uncompromising and genuine grassroots character intact?
I also wonder whether this 'signing on' to each others' stuff - unless it translates into actual support on the ground - is worth much time/effort pursuing?
Sorry if that sounds very negative :-/