Occupy My Mind Camp Releases Demands

It can be done wherever you are, and no threats of eviction

A comrade asked some good questions regarding the various Occupy camps in cities around the world. (My own question is why don't we Occupy the Forest?) "How", my friend asked, "will the Occupy protesters know when it is time to go home? What are their demands, and how long will it take to implement them? When will they be done?"

Will the Multitude's War on Inequality be like the War on Terrorism, and take generations to 'win'? If so, the Occupy camps are going to need better accommodations.

Since the Occupation of My Mind, in solidarity with the broader movement, I have been working on a list of demands. My General Assemblies, which quickly achieved consensus on all points, have generated the following list:

To: The 1%

From: Occupy My Mind Camp

Subject: List of Demands

1. Replace corporations with cooperatives. Cooperatives are "a different way of doing business, one focused on human need not human greed, where the members (who own and govern the business) collectively enjoy the benefits instead of all profits going just to shareholders."
2. Tax those most able to pay. Consider it the cost of enjoying the advantages provided by the country that helped generate all that wealth. Not to mention the externalities, or negative effects, of generating all that wealth.
3. Put the health of people and the planet first. People and the planet before profits.
4. Start a War on War. Figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute last year showed that worldwide military expenditure in 2009 totaled an estimated $1.6 trillion. This was an increase of 5.9% in real terms compared to 2008 and an increase of 49% since 2000. That is OUR money, and I can think of better ways to spend it.
5. Adequately fund education for all. Education is the answer to many of the world's problems. $1.6 trillion diverted from the torture and kill budget line, and allocated to global education, would go a long way. Total global public education expenditure for 2004 was $1.97 trillion.
6. Allocate resource cards at birth to all humans. A resource card would track the consumption of each humans 'fair share' of the planet's bounty. Once you used your fair share, that would be it. This would ensure individuals use their allocation carefully, and sustainably. Very carefully.
7. End speculation on food commodities. In this casino, increased winnings mean more starving people. Goldman Sachs alone made $5 billion in profits on commodities speculation in 2009.

Alright 1%, there it is. This is only a beginning - the list is subject to additions as they come up in future general assemblies. Although I expect immediate action, I am occupying my camp for the long haul. Several decades more if I am lucky, but time is running out.

If we see real movement toward these goals immediately (people continue to die as we hesitate) the dedicated folks tenting in the various Occupy camps can go home feeling victorious before winter sets in.

Or we could all go and support Occupy Perth for a few months. Maybe not - they were evicted a few days ago.

The 1% may have all of the money, but I am freeing my mind from their consumer shackles. As I watch the evictions taking place in camps across the world, I am more dedicated than ever to continue The Occupation of My Mind.

"Find out for yourself what is truth, what is real. Discover that there are virtuous things and there are non-virtuous things. Once you have discovered for yourself give up the bad and embrace the good." - Buddha