WASHINGTON -- Entering its third month in McPherson Square, Occupy DC has put out its long awaited declaration. "The Declaration of Occupy D.C." was approved by the group's General Assembly on Wednesday.
It's not too different from the unfinalized declaration, released on the Crooks and Liars blog in mid-November.
The finalized declaration's second paragraph expands a bit on who the Occupy DC community is:
Occupy D.C. is an open community of diverse individuals, facing different forms of oppression and impacted by economic exploitation to differing degrees, but united by a shared vision of equality for the common good. The harsh economic conditions that have plagued the poor, working class, and communities of color for generations have begun to affect the previously financially secure. This acute awareness of our common fate has united us in our struggle for a better future. We recognize that inequality and injustice systemically affect every aspect of our society: our communities, homes, and hearts. To build the world we envision, we commit ourselves to overcoming our personal biases so we can successfully challenge systems of oppression in solidarity.
The list of grievances are almost identical as well, except for two changes.
The final version of the declaration has one new grievance listed in it from the draft version:
The 1 percent benefits from economic, political, and legal structures that oppress communities long targeted by displacement, denial of sovereignty, slavery, and other injustices. These persecuted but resilient communities continue to suffer through generations of disproportionately higher rates of unemployment, poverty, criminalization, and homelessness. Facets of the 1 percent campaign to blame these groups for these problems while obstructing healing and restoration.
The foreign policy paragraph has been changed a bit as well.
Here's the draft version:
"The U.S. government engages in drawn-out, costly conflicts abroad. These operations are often pursued to control resources, needlessly overthrow foreign governments, and install friendly regimes. These wars destroy the lives of American soldiers and innocent civilians and are a blank check to divert money from domestic priorities."
And here's the finalized declaration's slightly different version of that paragraph:
"The U.S. government engages in drawn-out, costly conflicts abroad. Numerous acts of conquest have been, and continue to be, pursued to control resources, overthrow foreign governments, and install subservient regimes. These wars destroy the lives of innocent civilians and American soldiers, many of whom suffer adverse effects throughout life. These operations are a blank check to divert money from domestic priorities."
Perhaps the most significant change from the draft declaration comes right at the end. The draft version of the declaration ended with this: "To all who value democracy, we encourage you to collaborate, and share available resources. We stand with you in solidarity."
The finalized version, by contrast, contains what seems to be the declaration's only real call to action:
"To all who value democracy, we encourage you to collaborate and share available resources.
Join your voice with ours and let it amplify until the heart of the movement booms with our chorus of solidarity."
Flickr photo by Bob Jagendorf, used under a Creative Commons license.
Read the finalized Occupy DC declaration here.
RELATED VIDEO: Keith Olbermann reads the Occupy Wall Street declaration.