Categories: uncategorized
Date: 23 October 2011 12:00:17
This whole experience is a learning experience where I never fail to be touched by the depth of stuff and where I never stop being suprised by what is going on.
Since getting here I am more and more convinced of several things:
1) Whilst this movement does not represent 99% of people it does represent many.
2) This movement is mainly about raising awareness and starting the conversation - trying to get people involved in engaging with politics in as many ways as possible. For some that will be via trade unions, for many through the traditional process and for others through thinking creatively outside the box. It is about re-engaging people and explaining all are of equal worth. It is about starting discussions to find answers - not finding quick fix slogans that don't mean anything, (apart from the 99% thing and I have no idea where that one started).
3) This "movement" or whatever you want to call it which is much wider than those occupying. It is also much wider than left or right - it is truly bringing together many different people.
4) There is a misconception that we are "the unemployed" or "the usual dossers" when the majority appear to be part or full time employed and either coming to occupations for periods around their employment or employed in ways where they can come for a stint before needing to go off again. The unemployed there do tend to be people who genuinely want to find work.
That's the general points but over the last 24 hours a wierd week has gotten stranger. I have hugged somebody from the EDL who I was talking to - finding the common language through alot of it is about cuts and they are really concerned about cuts in defence as well as what happens to people when they come out of the services, as they are disproportionatley likely to become homeless or need mental health care which the other cuts are making more difficult. We discussed and agreed the way that the problem is not capitalism in itself but the way some multi-nationals register their head offices in Switzerland and so forth. Beyond that we agreed there were some areas we disagreed upon, but they were not relevant for this protest.
In terms of prayer tent when I got back to the camp yesterday I found it full of lovely blankets and the bible had been added to by somebody putting in Hebrew / English scriptures. During yesterday afternoon I had the priviledge of praying with some B'hai folks who came past and shared their beliefs with me before we prayed together.
This morning I went to a service in the church across the road where we are getting hot water from. It was a real blessing to be there and to have the minister praying for the protests within his prayers of intercession - as well as welcoming me by explaining I was part of the protest and how relations with the protesters had grown during the week.
Also during the service I found myself being profoundly spoken to by God; being reassured through things that I am on the right path.
Going to be interesting to see what's next.