hey iain,
confirmed with lisa the library summit is at 7pm at Rhizome on the 9th of may...bring all your friends as would be nice to have between 8-12 people...
we had a good GA yesterday and guess what we talked about...
see you soon
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hey lovely librarians working on a piece of process re: the ga and consensus model
any input appreciated.
“Unceded Coast Salish Territories” If propaganda is defined in Oxford as: information , especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view… (page 1410 Oxford Dictionary of English 2nd Edition Revised) then the using the title “Unceded Coast Salish Territories” implies native groups have taken a stand on this issue While in fact I have only used this title to draw attention to a tactic. _________________________________________________________________________________ “Not taking a stand in a situation with power dynamics immediately and by definition provides more power to the privileged party…neutrality =complicity” from a brochure handed out on May day and read twice at a rally in Vancouver BC.
I help with the Occupy Vancouver Library and no for a fact this pamphlet was not endorsed by the community. There haven’t been enough members for a quorum so nothing has been agreed to. -----------------------------------------------------------*****----------------------------------------------------------------------- Being an individual who deeply believes in personal freedoms I am offended when people make decisions for me. I do not know either of the members personally and I do not know the particulars of this situation. And I only make informed descions on important issues. _______________________________**************---------------------------------------- A person has de facto been banned from the Occupy Movement by a group who says they are acting on behalf and in the best interests of the Occupy move. They have not used the democratic method of consensus but have unilaterally appointed themselves to the post and have made a decision. This is not what democracy looks like… The community should decisions that affects everyone as banning a member does.
The pamphlet states “as a community we are thrilled we are dealing with these issues autonomously and without state intervention.” Personally I am not thrilled about the autonomous part. “The group is not only dealing with one isolated problematic and dangerous situation but is providing a framework which we can look to the future when more problems arise. And they will arise.” Granted problems will arise but again the beauty of Occupy was democracy. I am not suggesting we “sweep this under the rug” “let it go” or “move on” but we do need to get the Occupy community engaged and functioning… a conversation must ensue…and though it will not be enjoyable or easy a consensus must be reached. =====================================================================================As the power dynamic is at play & nbsp;and many would argue is the cause of humanities conundrum it is unwise to resort to totalitarianism. I urge the writer of this pamphlet… I don’t follow the internet but people tell me it has created a buzz. The dangers of autonomous groups making decisions that affect us all is well recorded in history. …it is a slippery slope “membership” is now by a group of people who have not been chosen or elected by the community which of course leads the door open to misuses of power. The pamphleteer states they are “nothing short of inspiring to us concerned members of Occupy Vancouver and other radical communities in and around Vancouver.” Well I am a very concerned member of the Occupy move and I my biggest concern is the revolution. I agree we live in sick society and racism, sexism, homophobia are still rampant. But I want the community I am a part of to deal with oppressive hierarchies not by ultimatums issued autonomously but through consensus which was agreed to at the encampment. if you want to participate fine…if you want to run the show…not cool ********************************************************************************** Personally I am neither inspired nor motivated by this situation. Both parties have resorted to polemics and righteousness. Yes again we do live in a sick society but this divisiveness mixed with righteousness is what keeps situations like Palestine alive. ...the jews point to the holocaust as vindication… and two wrongs do not make a right. *************************************************************************************The louder voice is listened to and believed without question. On may day the thin labor day crowd in Vancouver heard the pamphlet read twice from the stage: (my only polemicJ) once by a woman who seemed earnest and once by a man who was a bad actor
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ “Supposedly the fluid community of Occupy Vancouver has been plagued by abuse, neutrality towards that abuse and even support of that abuse”. By taking a stand in power dynamics you immerse yourself in the dialectical and de facto feed the flame. What is required is a stance against power dynamics and their totalitarianism which must be propagandistic in nature...well at least advertising is... |
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hey Simon,
Good to hear from you and i read your e-mail with interest.
I like what you say about community. I agree there is nothing wrong with leaders and it seems to me the people whho are expereinced in the endeavour should be the ones running the show...i'd rather have someone explain and tell me what to do say in the case of building a barn from some one who has expereince in the building profession.
One of the challenges of keeping ocuppy togethor is we no longer are inhabiting physical space. Now the special interest groups seem to have the loudest voice and they are not tempered by the physical community of the occupy movement...
at least at the VAG you had to get a long or leave...the confines of the physical space meant people had to work out their differences...
but now some groups are saying this is they way it is under the guise of "I don't feel safe" and everyone has to agree with them and the way they see the community moving forward.
It's an old historical problem and has been used to divide the left repeatedly. The personal rights of the individual taking precedence over the health of the community
Divide and conquer.
Hope to see you at Rhizome tonight at 7pm if your in town.
stay in touch
gareth
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