FREEDOM PLAZA OCCUPIERS PUBLISH FIRST EDITION OF
OCCUPIED WASHINGTON POST

Washington, DC: The first edition of the Occupied Washington Post was published yesterday, thousands of copies have been distributed in the DC area.  OccupyWashingtonDC.org plans to publish the newspaper weekly.  The first edition can be seen online at http://october2011.org/sites/default/files/Occupied%20Washington%20Post%20Number%201%20low%20res.pdf.  Copies are available at Freedom Plaza, 13th and Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

The lead story highlights what the Occupiers want to see by describing how OccupyWashingtonDC stands with super-majorities of Americans on 7 key issues:

• Tax the rich and corporations
• End the wars, bring the troops home, cut military spending
• Protect the social safety net, strengthen Social Security and improved Medicare for all
• End corporate welfare for oil companies and other big business interests
• Transition to a clean energy economy, reverse environmental degradation
• Protect worker rights including collective bargaining, create jobs and raise wages
• Get money out of politics

"We wanted to make it clear that our goal is ending corporate rule and shifting power to the people.  We seek to put human needs before corporate greed.  With this paper the media and public will better understand the world we seek to create," said Margaret Flowers, an organizer of OccupyWashingtonDC."

"We picked the Washington Post to 'occupy' because it is the leading newspaper in the area and an opinion leader for the nation. While the Post often reflects the views of the government and powerful interests, the Occupied Washington Post will seek to reflect the views of the people" said Kevin Zeese, another organizer of the occupation at Freedom Plaza.

The first page also includes an article by Pulitzer Prize winning author Chris Hedges entitled "A Movement Too Big To Fail."  Among the articles in the first edition are ones describing support from the faith community, the involvement of African Americans in the Occupy Movement and a description of the first three weeks occupying Freedom Plaza.  Also included is a joint article by the two DC occupations at McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza entitled "The DC Occupations Stand in Solidarity."

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