Categories: uncategorized
Date: 27 October 2011 13:52:23
Some times you have to make hard decisions for good reasons. Those decisions can be hard and personally painful, but you know they are the right choices for you.
This morning I chose to stop camping with the Occupy Newcastle group - not because of any issue with the group itself but because the whole situation is getting alot more complicated. I still fully support the Occupy movement and may still go down there during the day, but the fact is in the evenings it's getting difficult. The group are seeking to get themselves educated about how to handle the homeless contingent who, as one homeless person explained to me last night, find safety at night by joining us.
Yet, because of the drug and alcohol problems many face and because of what some would call the poor socialisation which they suffer - many as a result of not being able to handle the very effects of society we are protesting about - there are issues which arrive with them.
This morning those issues got the better of me and I know it is for everybodys good that I am not around there at night anymore - I will crack. Sometimes the hardest decision you face is knowing when to walk away from stuff.
This whole experience has been a great learning curve for me and in a strange way has complimented the shadowing experience I have had recently in line with my candidating for the MDO. I know where I've really been challenged and what I've valued about the whole experience.
For the praying types I would ask for prayer for all the occupations. I have just read on various sites including the Guardian that the Cannon Giles Fraser has just resigned because he is taking a moral stance which has a high cost attached. Occupy lsx have posted a statement which I think says it all:
"We are deeply moved to hear that Giles Fraser has resigned. He is man of great personal integrity and our thoughts are with him.
From the moment, Occupy London arrived at St. Paul’s Churchyard he respected our right to protest and defended it.
For that we are very grateful, as he ensured that St Paul’s could be a sanctuary for us and that no violence could take place against peaceful protesters with a legitimate cause – challenging and tackling social and economic injustice in London, the UK and beyond."
Scott Olsen of Occupy Oakland is in hospital having suffered brutally at the hands of the local police there according to Occupy Wall Street.
These are braver people than I - that is all I can say.