Teach-In: Successes & Pitfalls of OWS: Section 2

This is the teach-in I am doing tonite - I am posting it in three sections - feel free to use all or any

Teach-In: Successes & Pitfalls Page 2:

Making the Agreements for the Movement

1)  We are in this for the LONG RUN! Commitment no matter what: angry, hurt, tired, disappointed… still committed, not going anywhere. Keep goals in mind; keep in perspective war, starvation, poverty, what we’re trying to change! 400 years our country has been this way. It WILL change overnite IF/WHEN we have the numbers

2)  Zero tolerance for racism/white supremacy, sexism/patriarchy/misogyny, heterosexism, classism

                a.   Bigotry, blatant hatred is easy to detect and halt

                b.   White privilege is more difficult for white people: institutionally, structurally, culturally,                                personally

                c.   Truth telling

1.  Facing lies: our country was founded on freedom, justice, equality, opportunity

                                2.  Europeans came here to make this a country for white society

                                3.  Genocide: First Peoples; enslaving African people; war against Mexican people;

     continuing wars against nations of color

4.  Our country was/is legally and intentionally built for whites, at horrific expense

     against people of color

3)  Vigilant commitment to recognize and address/redress racism, all the isms

                a. Women of color speak first; then white women; then men of color; then white men

4)  Step back, Step forward

a.  In order for women and men, POC and whites to work together, first there has to be a 

     stepping forward and a stepping back: POC have to be willing to step forward, whites have to

     be willing to step back; women, men, etc.

b.  Those stepping back have to be willing to listen, follow; they need to examine guilt, anger,

     resentment as part of white/male privilege. Instead choose to be open, grateful another layer

     of racism/sexism peeled off!

5)  Willing to engage in and value the tough discussions: dedicate time, energy, resources – not our

     normal m.o. to discuss racism, military industrial complex, prison industrial complex, etc.

6)  Responsible, compromise, flexible: i.e Conflict Resolution

a.  Individual responsibility for your own behavior, responses, core values, direction, goals,

     successes and failures

b.  Group responsibility for each other, building community, core values

c.  Compromise on the little stuff, not the core values, but recognize there are many “right”   

     ways to accomplish the same thing

d.  Flexible: try to be as flexible as possible, making room instead of rules: everyone doesn’t

     have to do, be, look like the same

e.  Make commitment to Conflict Resolution, not policing, exclusion, punishment

7)  Appreciation

                a.  We appreciate whoever comes, one or one thousand

                b.  Circle at end of meeting, action, event: different “appreciation” topics: who/what I

     appreciated; one word best describes what I’m feeling now; one surprise/one difficulty; etc.