A message from Occupy Duke

Much discussion has circulated regarding Occupy Duke, and many have raised important questions about its purpose and intentions. We realize that our position has, up until now, been unclear and frequently misconstrued. In this letter, we aim to articulate our reasons for occupying and attempt to clear up some of the confusion surrounding our movement. We do so in the hope that a well-informed debate will produce more substantive and productive dialogue.

Occupy Duke exists to call attention to the gross inequalities in income, wealth and quality of life that define the American—and increasingly global—social landscape. Specifically, we wish to assess the role Duke and its community members play in imagining alternatives to political and economic configurations that entrench inequality and erode democratic participation. We do not define ourselves in opposition to any particular party, policy or ideology. Instead, we wish simply to raise questions and ideas that we feel are necessary for sparking a substantive and productive debate about issues that affect everyone from Duke students to day laborers. By maintaining an encampment on the Chapel Quad, we hope to create an open and democratic space in which all community stakeholders can express their points of view and feel confident that their thoughts and ideas are both respected and given equal weight in discussions and deliberations. This space allows us to rethink what it means to participate in a democratic system—restoring genuine agency to the people—and provides a concrete model of participatory government that rejects the unfair influence of the wealthy and powerful in our political process. In this way, our encampment allows us to put into practice some of the changes we seek.

Our encampment is a completely open and inclusive space. We invite all members of the Duke community to express concerns, address relevant issues and propose solutions to the problems they identify as significant to them. It is our hope that providing a physical space in which discussion can occur will facilitate much needed dialogue, and we feel that our movement has the potential both to expand campus discourse beyond its normal boundaries and effect some real change in the political environment both at Duke and in the broader society. Many students have already begun to engage in some fascinating and stimulating conversations, and faculty members have provided relevant reading materials and expressed a desire to host discussion groups.

Some have suggested that, as Duke students, our privilege precludes us from speaking out against social and economic injustice. We recognize our privilege, and neither purport to speak on behalf of those suffering the worst consequences of widespread inequality, nor suggest that we know what is best for any individual. However, we strongly disagree with the notion that because we are fortunate, we cannot recognize and reject the existence of rampant inequality and injustice. We believe this assertion to be patently false. Denying the privileged the right to speak out against an injustice perpetrated on a group of people different from themselves forces them to stand idly by as their fellow human beings suffer. We refuse to stand idly by.

Our movement relies on the concept of solidarity—the idea that, as human beings, we have the capacity to empathize with and fight for our brothers and sisters who are suffering, regardless of our distinct class, race, gender, sexual or religious identities. Action, in our eyes, always trumps inaction. Rather than throw money at the problem or view our education as a means to a personal end, we choose to address the problem head on. As educated individuals, we have a unique opportunity—and, arguably, an obligation—to employ our knowledge in a socially productive way, and we feel that encouraging discussion on campus and searching for real alternatives to systems of injustice stand as our best means to do so. We recognize that our method may be imperfect and that solutions are not easy to come by, but the reality is that serious, systemic inequities exist in our society. These problems, in our eyes, have reached the point where inaction is no longer acceptable, and we have chosen to act.

We hope that you will visit our occupation and talk with us. We welcome your thoughts and opinions, even if they run counter to our stated goals, and hope that, after talking with us, you will have a clearer picture of who we are and what we are trying to do.

In solidarity,

Occupy Duke Communications Committee
Eddie Wu, Trinity ’12
Anastasia Karklina, Trinity ’14
Vysak Venkateswaran, Trinity ’12
Maria Arias, Trinity ’14
Shreyan Sen, Trinity ’12
Manny Hidalgo, Trinity ’12
Casey Williams, Trinity ’14, member, The Chronicle Editorial Board
Josh Brewer, Trinity ’12, columnist, The Chronicle