OHB’s Economics Working Group Unveils Rx 2012
Posted: November 20, 2012 Filed under: Documents, New Economy 2 Comments »The Occupy movement has been criticized for making no demands. There’s a good reason for the delay. The first thing taught in medical school is the age-old maxim: “Above all, do no harm.” Our philosophy is to carefully study a problem before recommending fixes. Here, following a year of study by Occupy Harrisonburg’s Economics Working Group, is our prescription (OHB_RX_2012) for how to fix the economy and a whole lot more. (#OHB #OWS)
Thank you Dave for getting this posted and for all the work you did to make sure we ended up with a final project. I hope that our fellow occupiers will take this document seriously as an attempt to form a workable consensus position for our movement. We will only know the degree to which we have succeeded in doing this if occupiers read and respond to this document as if they are an essential part of its creation which in fact they are. This is a living document subject to change based on the discussion it generates. It should be a guide to our action as a movement. If it is not incarnated in action then it will have been a waste of time and energy. Ship navigators use the North Star to guide them. For me, the greatest insight gained from creating this document was that Occupy must make addressing the climate emergency and the ecological crisis in general our North Star but in this case we must have two North Stars, responding to the climate emergency and the general ecological crisis and building the solidarity with our fellow humans we need to be able to respond effectively to that emergency. Deep ecology and deep solidarity go together. To me the rest of this document is an attempt to try to work out these two foci in terms of specifics. The two foci are more basic and primary than the specifics which are means to these ends. The two foci can guide our actions and our selection of means. For example, supporting Walmart workers is a matter of solidarity and inclusion that can ultimately lead to the consideration of realistic alternatives. That’s all for now. I have to go help get Thanksgiving going.
Michael–Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for keeping our (OHB’s) eyes focused on the two North Stars: deep ecology and deep solidarity–Dave