Occupy Toronto
27 March 2012
by Michael Holloway
Tonight the OccupyToronto General Assembly had an important session.
A ‘Safety’ theme seems to have galvanized a rather large group with-in OccupyToronto – and they proposed a new set of norms for Occupy Toronto General Assembly meetings with an accent on respect for the oppressed and maginalized with in the general culture of OccupyToronto – who when hands were counted – ALL – felt that at one time of another they had felt oppressed or marginalized. But this group feels that way, even amongst our numbers.
I was there to listen. I didn’t say a word. I ‘twinkle fingers’ many times – for speakers on both and any side of the discussion when they made points I thought were good ones.
At a straw poll at the end of the meeting I voted FOR this different form of GA. I didn’t think I was going to do that before I got to the meeting, I changed my mind during the coarse of the meeting.
I had no hard belief either way. I was worried that this might be the beginnings of a split in OccupyToronto. I couldn’t let myself not attend this meeting and not be a part of this. If it looked like OccupyToronto was going to split on an issue of process, I would have made a plea for unity.
But I was really heartened. I think this new form of GA is an experiment, and at least 2 speakers (that I thought we neutral), used that word.
In any case 2 GA’s in Toronto isn’t the end of the world – the idea is after all, to have GA’s meeting in every neighbourhood in every country in the world by the time we win.
I will attend the ‘new form GA’ and the ‘old form’ GA’s – and I encourage everyone interested in a better Occupy to do the same.
Still an OccupyToronto GA – the ‘New Form’ GA will be held on Mondays.
(see the OTO Calender for place and time).
Monday 26 March 2012 #OTO GA minutes – by Sakura Saunders – posted at my WordPress blog: http://printmediablog.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/26032012-occupytoronto-ga-minutes/
Update: Tuesday 27 March 2012:
‘lois laine‘ has posted the Proposal in it’s entirety in a related article here at Occupyto.org, “A New General Assembly Monday at Cloud Gardens” – http://occupyto.org/2012/03/1098/
mh