Letters to the Editor

Occupy Boston needs volunteers

As someone who is active with Occupy Boston’s Ideas Working Group, I would like to say how much I appreciate Occupy Boston being recognized by the Bay State Banner (“A fight for the middle class,” editorial, Jan. 5, 2012) as being part of a “new coalition to confront the income disparity that is annihilating the middle class.”

I would like to add my voice to the Banner’s call for “African Americans to join the battle to assure that the world’s greatest economy benefits all its citizens.” And, of course, I would like that involvement to mean flooding Occupy Boston with volunteers!

Right now the Ideas Working Group is in a “collect and reflect” phase of outreach to many communities to hear and discuss all of our concerns and ultimately craft political objectives for the Occupy Boston movement that are intended to represent the highest aspirations of the 99%.

Many objectives, such as ending corporate personhood, outrageous wealth inequality and political bribery, are hot topics within the Occupy Boston community. However, the only goal that has actually been endorsed to date by our governing body, the General Assembly, is “prioritizing the needs of the many before the profits of the few.”

While I personally believe that only economic justice can end racial injustice, my sentiments are not that of the entire Ideas Working Group, which encompasses the entire political spectrum — yes, we even get an occasional Republican. Ideas Working Group conversations are exciting, passionate and crucial to the future of this new coalition.

I hope your readers will consider participating in the conversations that will create a new world. The Ideas Working Group can be reached at: Ideas@lists.occupyboston.org.

Aria Littlhous
Via e-mail