2nd call out from the yellow vests from Commercy: "The gathering of gatherings"
Our second call out is for
all yellow vests, and to all who are yet to wear yellow vests,
but who also have rage in their bellies.
We have been blocking traffic and toll stations for the past six weeks
as well as open spaces and streets.
We are present in people's minds and conversations.
We are keeping strong!
It has been some time since a struggle,
was this successful, so long-lasting and motivational!
Motivational, because politicians were shaking, and are still shaking
on their high horses.
Motivational because they have begun to offer some crumbs.
Motivational because we no longer accept to be thrown just bones.
Motivational because we are learning to respect and understand each other
and to value our differences.
We have built networks.
Strategies have been tested.
They can't take that away from us.
It is also motivational that we now understand,
that we won't allow to be split when we are facing problems.
We understand that the real enemies
are those that have a lot of wealth and don't want to share it:
The 500 richest people in France have trippled their wealth since 2008,
together they have 650 billion euros.
The tax breaks for big companies
also run into billions of euros per year.
That is unacceptable.
It is also motivational that we have understood,
That we are in the position to represent ourselves.
without buffers between the powerful and the people.
Without parties that are driven by their own interests.
Without intermediaries who cushion the blows and oil the system
rather than supporting us.
Today we mourn the victims of repression:
Several dead and dozens seriously injured.
May those that allowed this be damned.
But they know that our determination is strong.
We are proud,
of this path that we cleared so quickly.
and the process of gaining conciousnes
which is an achievement under this repressive system.
We know that this pride is shared with many other people.
How could it be different,
as this system and the government that represents it won't stop
destroying the social progress and human society that we have built
as well as our beautiful planet.
So we must continue.
We must go on from these first wins.
without haste, without burning out
but also without losing courage.
let us take the time to think,
as well as take action.
We call on everyone who shares our rage
and wants change,
to continue to proudly wear their yellow vests,
and to wear them without fear.
We must come together everywhere and organise citizen meetings.
popular displays of collective strength,
for people to speak and listen.
Meetings such as this one in Commercy
where decisions are made collectively and democratically
and for delegates to be chosen to announce and act on decisions taken.
And not the other way around! Not like in the current political system.
Through these meetings
our egalitarian, social and ecological demands will be raised.
At the moment some are presenting themselves as national representatives,
or are proposing lists for coming elections.
From our point of view this is not the right way.
We all know it:
In this Labyrinth our voices will be lost
or become instrumentalised, just as our political system is.
We emphasise here with absolute importance,
that no-one should be able to steal our voice.
As soon as we are able to build democratic meetings
in many regions,
we will create booklets of demands.
The government has asked for local governments,
to put complaint writing books in all town halls.
But we are concerned,
that our demands will become instrumentalised through this,
and won't reflect our diversity.
The right for people to express themselves must remain with the people!
that's why we are calling on the people's assemblies
to create their own complaint booklets and to administer them themselves!
From the people to the people!
From Commercy we are inviting people
to a big national congress of all regional meetings.
After the success of our first call out
we suggest to organise the meeting democratically here in Commercy,
in January with delegates from across the country,
so that the complaint booklets can be collected and joined together.
We also suggest,
to use this meeting to consult on what the next steps of our movement are.
Finally we suggest to decide
on a collective organisational form of the yellow vest movement,
that is authentic, popular and democratic
and that respects the delegates system.
Together we will manage to organise a gathering of gatherings,
a community of communities!
That is the point of speech , and that is our proposal.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE, FROM THE PEOPLE TO THE PEOPLE!