Realizing that Occupy Salem and its constituent General Assembly were formed as a public forum with the mission of re-empowering individuals and resolving issues through recognition of our common humanity, and that this is to be achieved through all-inclusive discussion to find common ground,
Noting that Occupy Salem is intent on solidarity with other Occupy movements, including Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Portland,
Remembering that majority rule democracy, while effective in many ways, has been a contributing factor to several of the deficiencies in our City, State, and National governments, including increased focus on small well-represented interests to the exclusion and disenfranchisement of less represented groups and individuals to the detriment of the community,
Recognizing that democracy by consensus is far more inclusive of all participants and leads to resolutions which better meet the needs of the common good as opposed to narrower interests, and that the potential for such resolution of several of the people’s grievances is a core justification for the Occupy movement, and,
Finding that Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Portland, and other General Assemblies, including the original Occupy Salem General Assembly, were founded on the basis of consensus, and that approval of proposals is done by the consent of 90% of those participating in the Assembly, with Unanimous Consent sought and noted where possible, and that in only very specific and special circumstances is consent by less than 90% acceptable for approval of a proposal,
The Occupy Salem General Assembly hereby resolves:
1) To seek unanimous consent of the Assembly for proposals whenever possible;
2) In cases where unanimous consent is not achieved, to only approve of proposals with the consent of approximately 90% or more of those participating, with the exception of stand asides;
3) To encourage all participants to attend facilitation and consensus workshops as they are held to improve skills and processes for reaching consensus, and to conduct workshops as needed to ensure new participants are able to comfortably and effectively participate;
4) To only suspend resolutions 1 and 2 of this proposal in cases where the following are all true:
a. The Assembly faces a decision between distinct options,
b. Discussion and attempts to reach consensus have failed,
c. Failure to approve at least one of the options would present a dire and immediate threat to the Occupy’s continuation, or a grave ethical lapse, and,
d. Urgent action is necessary to avoid stated consequences;
5) To nominate a working group to develop and propose a process for hearing and evaluating proposals, with the following guidelines:
a. The process must promote the principles of transparency, inclusiveness, and consensus,
b. The process should facilitate the presentation of proposals, the hearing of questions, amendments, concerns, and opposition to proposals; a method for incorporating said concerns into refined proposals for vote at the General Assembly, and the process for dissemination of approved proposals amongst the community, and,
c. The draft proposal should be submitted as soon as practicable for consideration.
6) This resolution shall remain in effect through 8 November 2011, by which time it shall be put before both AM and PM General Assemblies for permanent adoption.
