Internal Solidarity Statement of Occupy Fargo-Moorhead

This is a living document. Inspired by the the Internal Solidarity Statement put forth by Occupy Boston, Occupy Pittsburgh, and others, we, the members of Occupy Fargo-Moorhead put forth this Statement of Internal Solidarity. The Occupy Fargo-Moorhead community has the right and responsibility to edit this document on an ongoing basis. We welcome feedback and new ideas.

We are the 99%, and our task is to unify the 99%. We come to this movement with a variety of differences, from class, age, race, and education. These differences have long been used to divide us. We are choosing instead to recognize the value of our diversity of experiences. We further recognize that the Occupy movement is made possible by the many movements and struggles of oppressed people which have preceded it and that continue through the present.

Throughout history, ruling elite have used a “divide and conquer” method which keeps the people from forming a coherent class consciousness. The tools of this strategy are generally prejudices against people who appear dissimilar from oneself: ageism, sexism, racism, religious intolerance, etc.

However, the math is simple. Our strength is our numbers. Our differences are our strengths. The more often and the more actively we can challenge ourselves to reach out to those we normally don’t associate with, to look into their eyes and see ourselves looking back, the stronger we become, the more energy we harness, and the more beneficial we become to this movement. We are in this together.

What we share is a willingness and commitment to the community in which we live. North Dakota has long struggled with declining population as its young people graduate and move away. Whether we grew up here and stayed, moved and came back, or moved here for a new start, we are all integral parts of a community that can only be improved by the presence of our voices.

As the Occupy Fargo-Moorhead community, we will consciously and urgently work on dismantling these systems of oppression in our movement.  Oppression of our fellow 99% through racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination keeps all of us oppressed. We are working on creating a community where everyone’s rights are respected, protected, and treated equally. We all have different levels of privilege that we strive to acknowledge and educate ourselves about in order to ensure that these privileges are not used to oppress others. We want to have an inclusive atmosphere of ideas in which we do not police each other’s thoughts, but we have absolutely no tolerance for oppressive or intimidating words or actions.

We want you here. We are the 99% and we welcome you.

Our members have the right to feel safe. We are inclusive of

- Sexual orientation

- Nationality

- Immigration status

- Class status

- Housing status

- Education level

- Size

- Age

- Ability

- Gender expression

- Family status

- LGBQT

 We do not welcome any of the following in our community:

•         White supremacy or separatism (racism against people of all colors)
•         Patriarchy (sexism)
•         Ageism
•         Discrimination based on ability
•         Homophobia or heteronormativity
•         Transphobia
•         Anti-Arab sentiment
•         Islamaphobia
•         Class oppression (classism)
•         Cultural intolerance
•         Discrimination based on immigration status
•         Discrimination based on experiences with the justice system
•         Disregard for indigenous rights
•         Weight-based discrimination