[OccupyComms] [OccupyLondon] URGENT! - Agitating for a Participatory Democracy Debate in the PAAA

[Andria E-M]

Sounds great to me Mark B

I can endorse it at North London PPA??

Andria x


On 6 February 2014 17:53, Lorenzo Abadinas <madman8london at gmail.com> wrote:

> Much clearer.
>
> The SE London PA will be sending delegates, shall I forward this idea to
> them to see what happens?
>
> Yours Respectfully.
> Obi
>
> https://twitter.com/Obi_Live <https://twitter.com/OccupyNN>
> https://twitter.com/OccupyTTIP
> occupylondon at lists.riseup.net
>
>
>
> On 6 February 2014 17:01, <marknbarrett at googlemail.com> wrote:
>
>> Em wrote:
>>
>> >Mark, can you explain in a very short amount of words what you're asking
>> for? Sorry, I've read that twice and am not quite sure... <
>>
>> Yes. Sorry about that.
>>
>> Here goes:
>>
>> (1) Please support the following Motion (or a locally adapted version) to
>> be endorsed at the National PAAA Conference. These must go in to the
>> Conference via your local PA and/or affiliated local (or national)
>> anti-cuts group or other affiliated campaign organisation. The deadline to
>> submit resolutions to the National Conference is 22 Feb so that's the
>> amount of time we have to convince relevant groups to support it.
>>
>> (2) Ideally also get yourself / another supporter sent to the Conference
>> (March 15) as a delegate in order to support the Motion on the day. Each
>> affiliated org can send up to 10 delegates (and submit up to 2 resolutions)
>>
>> Here is the Resolution, drafted for Manchester PA to consider, but easily
>> adapted to another grouping or area:
>>
>> MOTION TITLE: The People's Assembly should exercise participatory
>> democracy
>>
>> ZONE: Structure
>>
>> This conference notes:
>>
>> 1. The turn out in the 2010 UK general election was 65.1%.
>> 2. Manchester Central had the lowest turnout at 44.31%.
>>
>> This conference believes:
>>
>> 1. People feel increasing disenfranchised from our political system where
>> they feel their vote does not count & their voice is not heard.
>> 2. People feel that politicians do not make decisions in the interest and
>> well being of the people and the planet. Instead protecting the wealth and
>> power of their friends and corporations.
>> 3. The current centralized 'system' is undemocratic and a major factor in
>> how those in power are able to operate.
>> 4. There is an alternative, participatory democracy. The case for this is
>> based a new way of doing politics as exemplified by Occupy & 15M.
>> 5. The People's Assembly has an opportunity to lead by example and use it
>> as a way to strengthen and grow the movement and foster a wider engagement
>> with politics.
>>
>> This conference resolves:
>>
>> 6. To work towards incorporating participatory democracy and consensus
>> decision-making across the PAAA.
>>
>> 7. To work towards a decentralized structure.
>>
>> 8. To establish a working group to look at the implementation of
>> participatory democracy across the PAAA.
>>
>> Word Count: 208
>> (196 without headers)
>>
>> Submitted by: Michelle Lanaway, michmanchester at gmail.com
>>
>> I hope that's clearer!
>>
>> Mark
>> Sent from my BlackBerry(R) smartphone
>> ------------------------------
>> *From: * Em Weirdigan <elf at weirdigans.co.uk>
>> *Sender: * elfweirdigan at googlemail.com
>> *Date: *Thu, 6 Feb 2014 15:49:36 +0000
>> *To: *occupylondon<occupylondon at lists.riseup.net>; Andria E-M<
>> andriae4 at gmail.com>
>> *Cc: *Mark Barrett<marknbarrett at googlemail.com>;
>> assembly-discuss at lists.appropriatesoftware.org<
>> assembly-discuss at lists.appropriatesoftware.org>;
>> lsxcampeconomics at googlegroups.com<lsxcampeconomics at googlegroups.com>;
>> rdwg at googlegroups.com<rdwg at googlegroups.com>; <
>> occupycomms at email-lists.org><occupycomms at email-lists.org>;
>> peoplesassemblies<peoplesassemblies at googlegroups.com>;
>> campaignforrealdemocracy at lists.aktivix.org<
>> campaignforrealdemocracy at lists.aktivix.org>; <
>> education-workers at lists.riseup.net>; Freedom Assembly<
>> freeassembly at lists.riseup.net>; peopleincommon at lists.riseup.net<
>> peopleincommon at lists.riseup.net>; occupy-manchester at googlegroups.com<
>> occupy-manchester at googlegroups.com>
>> *Subject: *Re: [OccupyLondon] URGENT! - Agitating for a Participatory
>> Democracy Debate in the PAAA
>>
>> Mark, can you explain in a very short amount of words what you're asking
>> for? Sorry, I've read that twice and am not quite sure...
>>
>> Em
>>
>> @emweirdigan
>> @gathering_green
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 6, 2014 at 2:39 PM, Andria E-M <andriae4 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Mark
>>>
>>> we have the next OL Strategy meeting Feb 22nd, so if others are
>>> agreeable, we could prepare a motion for that day yeh?
>>>
>>> Any takers, apart from Julie, mark n me?
>>>
>>> Andria
>>>
>>>
>>> On 6 February 2014 11:14, Mark Barrett <marknbarrett at googlemail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear All
>>>>
>>>> I am re-sending this as a gentle or in some cases 1st reminder / point
>>>> of info.
>>>>
>>>> If you would like to see a debate within the PAAA about participatory
>>>> democracy, both locally but also at the inaugural National Conference (the
>>>> sovereign body of the movement) taking place on March 15th, there is a  way
>>>> to make it happen. This is because of some hard work done  behind the
>>>> scenes in order to give us a fighting chance. For example, following
>>>> interventions in the Signatories group meetings, all PAs have been told
>>>> (see attachment 3 on electing delegates) and should be reminded they'be
>>>> been told of the following :
>>>>
>>>> "..For the process to be democratic we also need to ensure respect and
>>>> support for different organising approaches and demonstrate a commitment to
>>>> transparency and accountability.
>>>>
>>>> To ensure the different currents in the Peoples' Assemblies movement
>>>> are treated fairly and able to play their full part, where practical we
>>>> welcome local Peoples Assemblies sending delegates from all elements of the
>>>> movement: the variety of anti-cuts campaigns, the trades and student
>>>> unions, the Labour Party, Green Party, the horizonalist organising groups,
>>>> the revolutionary left and, most important of all, those who simply oppose
>>>> austerity and are in no organised group at all other than the People's
>>>> Assembly. So, in the delegate entitlement of 10 for a local Peoples
>>>> Assembly, please try and reflect the diversity of traditions in the
>>>> movement."
>>>>
>>>> So on this basis why not approach your local PAAA group (however you
>>>> have found it before). They are duty bound to support delegates from across
>>>> the organising spectrum and also to consider what motions they would like
>>>> to support. Also, other groups who are affiliated with the PAAA can send
>>>> quite a few delegates and also put forward resolutions. As you will see at
>>>> attachment 2 (PAAA Conference Pack):
>>>>
>>>> "1.      Who can submit a motion
>>>>
>>>> Motions will only be accepted from recognised delegations and not from
>>>> individuals.
>>>>
>>>> 2.      Delegation Entitlement
>>>>
>>>> For clarity, delegation entitlement is as follows:
>>>>
>>>> a.      Every local People's Assembly: a maximum of 10 delegates.
>>>>
>>>> b.      Local and regional union trade union organisations, including
>>>> trades councils and students' unions: 2 delegates
>>>>
>>>> c.       Local anti-cuts campaigns that are recognised signatories of
>>>> the People's Assembly: 2 delegates.
>>>>
>>>> d.      National trade unions: 10 delegates
>>>>
>>>> e.       National campaign organisations: 5 delegates."
>>>>
>>>> Finally see below, and Attachment 1 where a resolution HAS ALREADY BEEN
>>>> WRITTEN for us (by an Occupier) to take to local PAs and also other
>>>> campaign groups who are affiliated. Why not take it, as is and get the
>>>> thing into the movement so its members are forced / given the wonderful
>>>> opportunity (depending on your point of view) to properly consider it!
>>>>
>>>> NB
>>>> *The deadline for resolutions to be submitted to the PAAA is midnight
>>>> on 22nd February.  *---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>> Dear All
>>>>
>>>> Attached is a Motion on Participatory Democracy drafted by Occupier
>>>> Michelle, and which she hopes to persuade the Manchester PA (who she has
>>>> worked with a bit already) to take forward into the National PA Conference
>>>> in London on 15th March.
>>>>
>>>> Other local PAs or groups affiliated with the PAAA movement are free to
>>>> take the motion forward into the March event, either in its existing form
>>>> or amended (however, presumably it will be stronger coming from more than
>>>> one place in the exact same form) and we hope local PA and other affiliated
>>>> groups are persuaded to do so. If you are up for taking it forward into
>>>> your local PA or other group, please let us know.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *The deadline for resolutions to be submitted to the PAAA is midnight
>>>> on 22nd February.  *
>>>> In love and solidarity
>>>>
>>>> Mark
>>>> PS a note about the new PAAA web-site. the page
>>>> http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/recall_conference
>>>> does not presently show the two official documents and I am assuming
>>>> this is because of the change to a new site in recent weeks (the page does
>>>> refer to the Pack but doesn't appear to contain it) - I will chase this so
>>>> you can have reference to these docs as and when you approach your local
>>>> groups as it's important to have what you are referring to in writing to
>>>> support your case, no? Hence the positive aspects of the ideal of a written
>>>> constitution innit ;)
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Andria
>>>
>>>
>>> "Harm reduction" is often made an unnecessarily controversial issue as
>>> if there was a contradiction between prevention and treatment on one hand
>>> and reducing the adverse health and social consequences of drug use on the
>>> other. This is a false dichotomy. They are complementary.
>>>
>>>  Taken From UNODC (2008) Reducing the adverse health and social effects
>>> of drug use: A comprehensive approach.
>>>
>>
>>  --
>>
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>
>


-- 

Andria


"Harm reduction" is often made an unnecessarily controversial issue as if
there was a contradiction between prevention and treatment on one hand and
reducing the adverse health and social consequences of drug use on the
other. This is a false dichotomy. They are complementary.

 Taken From UNODC (2008) Reducing the adverse health and social effects of
drug use: A comprehensive approach.
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