We the People, a local organization formed as an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, has gone into dormancy, members said this week.
George Figdor, who served as chair of its education and outreach committee, said the group hasn’t met in at least six months. “We didn’t have a critical mass of people coming regularly. It was hard to keep the energy level up with the same old people who are volunteering for everything else.”
The group formed in the wake of the Occupy Wall Street protests of 2011, aiming to spotlight corporate control of government, income inequality, lack of accountability for Wall Street, and Citizens United, a U.S. Supreme Court decision that affirmed free speech rights for corporations.
In 2013, the group was successful in changing language in the Haines Borough charter, adding language that limits constitutional rights to individuals. Members also worked with a statewide We the People group that pressed candidates to take a similar position regarding Alaska’s constitution.
In addition, the group – which drew more than a dozen people to its scheduled meetings – showed films and held discussions that were well-attended, Figdor said. “We had an interesting cross-section of people. It crossed traditional party lines.”
But the group’s issues “didn’t really play out on the local level,” Figdor said. “There’s not a lot of money spent on local political campaigns. People give priority to more local issues. That may be why the interest waned. ”
Figdor said the charter change “was more symbolic than anything” but provided a chance to raise awareness of corporate personhood.
The group wanted to have a Haines Borough Assembly candidates’ forum last year at Haines School, with members of the high school’s drama, debate and forensics team asking questions on issues like citizen participation and the public process, but the school withdrew the team’s participation and use of its building. “There was a segment of the community that thought we were up to no good,” Figdor said.
Ironically, the group’s ensuing forum – held at the Sheldon Museum – wasn’t controversial and candidates there unanimously agreed to the need for participation and an open, public process, Figdor said.
Melissa Aronson was one of the members of the group. She said the Citizens United decision and concerns about a “plutocracy” motivated her to join. She sees the group as a “somewhat ad hoc” organization that can respond to issues as they arise.
“Meanwhile, we can still work on governance issues in the local community. Right now, there’s nothing there, but that doesn’t mean we’re all sitting in rocking chairs. We’re all busy people working on assorted issues,” Aronson said.