Posted today in Occupy Valdosta’s facebook page:

To the people of Valdosta and South Georgia

We, the local citizens occupying Valdosta, urge you to assert your power.

Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; to nonviolently occupy public space; to create an open process to address the problems we face, and to generate solutions accessible to everyone.

Our issues are varied, yet related.

We seek

open discussions on important issues which have been ignored. We seek to unite a long overdue people’s movement, bringing together people from all walks of life, to improve the

quality of life for everyone, not just for a few.

We need a local free press, including print, radio, TV, and online text, pictures, and video, that covers events and issues of local importance to the local community, not just of importance to selected parts of the business community.

We need a level playing field, where everyone has the chance to attain the American Dream, with equal rights and justice for all, regardless of age, the color of ones skin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

We need a workable solution to the problem of poverty so that people have security of basic food and shelter, so that parents can pay attention to their children, and so that children can learn.

We need a quality, affordable, public education system, at both the college and the K-12 levels, designed and operated by educators for education, not by business for profit. Our community needs business to focus on business and so educators can focus on educating our children.

We need to end the school to prison pipeline and to reduce the shamefully high incarceration rate that Georgia leads in the nation and the nation leads in the world, most immediately by refusing to accept a private prison.

We need transparent government which is of, by and for the people and not of, by and for corporations. Decisions by elected and appointed public officials should be made in open meetings, with open records available to all.

All local governments need to recognize that builders and developers are not a privileged class, and their desire to make a profit is not more important than a clean environment nor the rights of neighbors, agriculture, forests, or taxpayers. Sprawl is a sure path to fiscal disaster, and new housing should be encouraged to locate near existing services.

We need separation of corporation and state, including fundamental campaign finance reform which ends unlimited corporate donations to candidates and elected officials. Local referendum campaign contributions should be made public.

Automobiles are not a privileged class. Our community needs public transportation, and it needs to be more bicycle friendly and pedestrian friendly.

Our community needs to move ahead with renewable and sustainable energy such as solar, wind, efficiency, and conservation, for jobs, health, and a clean environment, and to enhance national security by reducing dependence on foreign oil and other remote fossil fuels.

Our community needs a banking system that provides needed services such as financing renewable and sustainable energy and charges reasonable fees.

We need to end corporate greed and have corporations pay their fair share of taxes.

The Federal Reserve should be audited by a citizen watch group, and reformed or abolished.

We need real immigration reform that provides for humane treatment of immigrants, a clear path to citizenship, a work force for farmers and other employers, and minimal competition with domestic labor.

Our community needs to support local agriculture with minimal pesticides and local farmers markets and stores, for jobs, health, and community.

Our community needs to be good stewards of all our resources. We do not need to be Tallahassee or Jacksonville or Atlanta to be a vibrant, educated, employed, and cooperating community.

Short Link: