OWS has asked us to help them. Their call for assistance is clear and strong…
“We need Occupy Faith’s spiritual presence especially now—it is an ingredient of the power OWS can rightfully claim on behalf of individual dignity.” –
~Lisa Fithian, OWS organizer
Since the first days of Occupy Wall Street one year ago, people of faith allied with the movement because of our frustration with an unjust society, our desire to speak truth to power, and our hope that a better world is possible. One year later we have learned many lessons, we have had to go back to the drawing board again and again, but underneath it all remains the knowledge that real change will not come through business as usual, but only when we learn how to stand together and make our common dreams a reality.
So this September 15th-17th, we ask for everyone who was inspired by the Occupy phenomenon not only to celebrate what happened, but to think forward 10 years, to consider what we would need to be doing now for the kind of real change we will want to see then. That is why here at Occupy Faith, we are calling for a truth commission: a way to pull back the veil of shame and get people talking about what their lives actually looks like under our broken economic system. We're calling it "A People's Investigation of Money, Debt, and Power," and in the days and weeks ahead we will be giving you more information about how you and your communities of faith can get involved. Because now is the time for all people of faith to have faith in all people, to remember the power of sharing our stories, and to know that the only antidote for the insanity and alienation of our culture is the cultivation of a Beloved Community in the here and now.
So join us this coming weekend - join us as we celebrate how far we've come (who would have believed a year ago that an escalation of tactics in Zuccotti Park would turn into a global movement?), and join us as we look ahead to the future. Year one is over, but year two is just getting started. See you in the streets.
Occupy Faith actions on the #OWS anniversary
A People's InvestigationSaturday, September 15
12 pm - 4pm
Washington Square (possibily moved to Foley Square)
Occupy Faith will introduce the A People's Investigation experience. This approach to pursuing truth and justice consists of 3 phases: 1) Gathering stories of loss 2) Naming the themes and compiling recommendations and 3) pursuit of transformative advocacy. In this session, you will learn how to gather stories of pain and loss and contribute them to a website for the world to see. This will be our beta launch so let's work together and figure out the best methodology.
Interfaith Service
Sunday, September 16
10 am - 12:30 pm
Zuccotti Park
We will begin the service with the blowing of the Shofar by Apostle
Leeds, as our call to interfaith worship, and each minister shall take
turns in the presentation of prayers on behalf of the people present, of
the city and state of New York, the Country, and the world. It shall be
our mandate in the worship service to set forth the moral imperative of
the OccupyMovement from a faith perspective and we'll speak to the
heart of America, to the condition of our country, and the corruption
and greed both in Wall Street and in our government. Service will
include prayer, songs, hallowing of Zuccotti Park, sermon, blessing of
the NYPD.
Sunday, September 16
6 pm
Foley Square
Civil disobedience training will immediately follow the concert's conclusion with a possibly of thematic break out activities
Procession
Sunday, September 16
7 pm
Occupy Faith reps will end the Foley Square concert with brief remarks and lead a procession to Zuccotti Park. Occupy Faith supporters will stand behind the speakers. Procession will continue until the Rosh Hashana service begins at 7:30 pm.
#S17 Morning Action
Monday, September 17
Meet 6:45 am, Direct Actions at 7 am
"Red Cube" across from Zuccotti Park
This location is one of thefour organizational zones OWS is using that ring the financial district for a 'people's arrest'. We will offer prayer and strengthen occupiers presence. We will then process to three other zones in support. Each zone has a security check point for access to the Stock Exchange. OWS emergency media contacts us for immediate presence at any zone needing special help and presence. For those participating in these actions, please send your cell # to George Packard, geopackard (at) gmail.com. It is critical to keep connected during this deployment as we may have to be nimble or loose in structure and potentially leave Occupy Faith members in each zone as we make the circuit. Click here to read more about #OWS' #S17 plans.
Occupy Faith Draft Statement - 9/12/12
"Occupy Faith sets forth a moral and faith-based imperative for the Occupy movement. We heed the voice crying in the American wilderness for justice; we have a heart for the poor, the powerless, the disenfranchised; we uphold the laborer of every class in the value and righteousness of her or his labor; and we summon the American conscience to stand up for equality and social and economic justice for all." [Read more.]Greensboro Declaration
Today the Council of Elders
release their Greensboro Declaration. The Council of Elders encourages
faith communities to unite on the weekend of September 30 and, in their
own sacred spaces, use this declaration as a basis for faith
discussion. Click here to read the full declaration. Note from me - June Butler (aka Grandmère Mimi):
I thought seriously about going to NYC, but since I am a part-time mom to the children of my son, who is a single dad, I could not put the trip together. Any of you who are in or near NYC, I urge you to be present if at all possible.
Grandmere --thank you for this. If I could go, I would. I join you in urging all who can go, to do so.
ReplyDeleteThank you, margaret. My prayers and my heart are with them.
DeleteWell I had been wondering what happened to the Occupy movement - nary a word from all those fired-up folks for many months now. Doesn't sound like this is quite the same group that was doing last year's protest in Zucotti Park. Still, I wish them good luck, and they will need it.
ReplyDeleteThe people sitting up there in those skyscrapers with their fingers on the throat of the whole world's economy, people who make bonuses every year of hundreds of millions of dollars - they are no more concerned about the actions of a few hundred protesters way down there on the sidewalks than they are about the ants at the root of a great tree.
I'm not against capitalism per se, just unlimited and unregulated greed. Which is so deeply entrenched in the system of things it will take great force to push it back to its proper limits - and not merely the collective sighs and groans of us tiny ants, who are mostly irrelevant to the Way Things Work in this world.
Russ, who knows what will come of the protests? Still, I'm on the side of Occupy against the 1%, and I would be there if I could.
DeleteI'd be with you in spirit. Interesting op-ed on the "comback of Occupy":
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/us-business/the-comeback-of-occupy-wall-street/article4546605/
Thanks for the link to the article, Russ. As I see it, Occupy (or something similar) is not dead as a movement. Movements can take decades to produce results - witness civil rights, women's rights, LGTB rights, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Occupy changed the conversation in politics, which is no small thing.
Delete