Editor’s Note: The Occupy Wall Street began on September 17, 2011 in Zucotti Park in New York’s Wall Street financial district, and sparked a global protest movement. A declaration soon followed. Described as a “living document” when it was first circulated on September 30, 2011, here’s how a statement by Occupy Wall Street — \u00a0an”ongoing, spontaneous uprising of the people” — describes the genesis of this declaration-like manifesto, which characterizes corporations as the primary tyrant of today: “This was unanimously voted on by all members of Occupy Wall Street last night, around 8pm, Sept 29. It is our first official document for release.” \u00a0What’s sketchier is who exactly authored it. On Reddit, a spokesperson for Occupy describes this declaration as the final version, stating that, “We heard your suggestions for the original release, and have taken them to heart!”<\/p>\n
Declaration and Manifesto of Occupy Wall Street Movement<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together. We write so that all people who feel wronged by the corporate forces of the world can know that we are your allies.<\/span><\/p>\n As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power.<\/span><\/p>\n We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one\u2019s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers\u2019 healthcare and pay.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have sold our privacy as a commodity.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have donated large sums of money to politicians, who are responsible for regulating them.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people\u2019s lives or provide relief in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantial profit.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts.*<\/span><\/p>\n “To the people of the world,<\/span><\/p>\n We, the New York City General Assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.<\/span><\/p>\n Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy public space; create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal.<\/span><\/p>\n Join us and make your voices heard!”<\/span><\/p>\n *NOTE\u00a0– These grievances are not all-inclusive.<\/span><\/p>\n Link\u00a0to the document:<\/p>\n http:\/\/occupywallst.org\/forum\/first-official-release-from-occupy-wall-street\/<\/p>\n Link to comments on the document:<\/p>\n First OFFICIAL Release from OCCUPY WALL STREET<\/a> from politics<\/a> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n