It has been now over a full month of involvement for me with the Occupy movement. All along I have been feeling a need to express why I felt such an immediate attraction and got actively involved locally as soon as I discovered our first camp across Bank of America, erected on impulse, after that first successful demonstration on October 8th. Unlike my more usual reluctance to join any one group, I have been feeling compelled to stand up and be counted, so to say, and to do my part in speaking out and taking a stand against our global and local, social and economic injustices.
Lacking proper gear and equipment for camping in winter temperatures, I have no inclination of joining our encampment as an occupier. My passion is for the causes (there are so many) rather then the occupation. But if it takes an occupation to join a global movement for justice then I am all for supporting those that are willing to occupy.
This said, I am in awe on what Occupy Santa Fe has managed to accomplish in such a short time. As I mentioned in an earlier post, besides a circle of about 25 tents, the kitchen got moved in to the bigger tent and got organized with the help of two welcome shelves, what a difference. The rotating crew puts out three warm and delicious meals a day, despite challenges of accessing clean running water (frozen during frigid nights.) A third generator, now encased in straw bale to dampen the noise, supports meetings at the big tent with light and heat at night. Two solar panels got set up and are working, able to juice up computers and cell phones. Various working groups have been busy and teach-ins already happened and continue to do so, including today.
Yet there is trouble, here locally, like there is at occupation sites world wide, challenged by the winter season in particular, and for us locally by part of our population that is homeless, addicted, sometimes psychotic and on occasion violent. So despite great achievements the occupation has been seriously put in to question. Discussions will be had in these next few days. Should we give up the encampment and move somewhere indoors? There are no easy answers. I will keep you posted. Come back if you care to find out.
to be continued
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