The Proposed Petition for Redress and Pledge of Action

Proposed Petition

Howdy,

I researched and written on political change movements for years as an undergraduate and graduate student at Johns Hopkins University and taught political science at several colleges before some life events moved me on a different path. I also have a law degree from Case Western Reserve University. I have continued to read, observe and think about political change over the years.

I went back to the classroom this fall to teach political science for the first time since 1991. The five teenagers in my course discussed OWS with me in early November. We came to the conclusion that the occupiers had begun to tread water. They were continuing to produce documents from their General Assemblies listing grievances and citing principles. They called for more action that would get the attention of the government, the wealthy and the corporations. These were things they already had done successfully. They were going to do them again. Well-known people like Michael Moore have since proposed further action that look like the exact same things the Occupy movement already has done. Occupy D.C. spent a month working on a Declaration that says what already had been said.

They are not leaving the parks. They are not speaking to others except for some media. They are not doing anything other than thinking of variations of the theme of occupying places. They are not accomplishing anything more than what they already have accomplished.

I wrote the Proposed Petition of Redress and Pledge of Action on November 8, 2011. The document sets forth the sweep of history that has led our country to this point and the principles upon which the Occupy movement has based its actions. It states in moderate, objective tones the grievances that the occupiers have spelled out in resentful, angry words and seeks the same redress the movement has sought, using broad strokes rather than specific demands. Last, the text describes what those who signal their agreement to the Proposed Petition offer in exchange, a willingness to once again become engaged, thoughtful citizens of the republic.

The Proposed Petition contains the same ideas the occupiers, Elizabeth Warren, President Obama, and many others are talking about as the areas in which our country must seek change. The difference is that the Proposed Petition is intended to be presented to the ninety-nine percent one by one to ask their consent for that change. I am asking for the same horizontal decisionmaking that OWS uses, just not in the snow globe environment of the encampments but rather the wider world. I am asking that the energy being used now to continue the occupations and tread water should be used by the occupiers to reach out to the ninety-nine percent, get the ninety-nine percent to signal that they understand what has happened as a result of OWS, and ask the ninety-nine percent whether they agree, yes or no, with the principles, grievances, redress sought and action needed that the occupiers identified.

Hugh Kevin "Bear" McNeelege aka ruffbear7 aka Mao Kaiwen

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