[Street] [Ob-media] [Facilitation] The Meaning of Last Night and Next Steps
Andrew Nemz
nemz.occupy at gmail.com
Sat Dec 10 06:17:11 EST 2011
This is why I try not to send out mail late at night. Just realized now, I
sent this message out as reply, not reply to all. Apologies to Deborah for
now sending a third email.
My message sent last night:
It's late and I'm tired, being up till 4am last night working Info and then
having to do an actual 8 hour shift at my job this evening. So please take
that into account for what I'm about to say.
To anyone who says we won, I disagree. We did not win. This fight has not
even begun to unfold. We have changed the discussion, but we have yet to
actually create change. Until we do, until we make lasting change which
will not be overruled in the future, we have not succeed. Getting people to
talk about the problems is great, but our society quickly loses interest
unless there is a continued ongoing purpose.
In my mind, the physical occupation of Dewey Square ended last night. It
was beautiful. It truly was. However, when the sun rose this morning, there
was little for it to cast its light on. And that is fine. As many have said
the camp has been creating a strain on many of us. Without the 24/7
physical occupation we can divert a lot of our focus and energy to other
options. We can still use Dewey. We can still meet there. Hopefully, we can
even find a space nearby to use.
However, there is so much more we can occupy. There is Occupy Homes. We
could literally occupy the city hall. We don't need to do 24/7 occupations,
but a group of even 50 people hanging out, protesting, having classes, etc
in or outside on a daily basis of any government agency or business is
enough to cause interest. We can continue to occupy and spread our message.
We just need to be more mobile and diverse about it.
There are MANY different occupations which have been evicted. There are
many which would LOVE to come back and reclaim their space. If we could
organize nationally and come up with a plan to do so on a set date, think
how much more powerful that would be. We could reclaim our city commons as
a nation. Not as individual cities. We have an interoccupy system now in
place. Lets use it.
Perhaps in a few months, after careful planning, we can stage a
reoccupation of Dewey or settle elsewhere in the city, preferably while
joining in as a national attempt. We can create a camp which truly reflects
our desires and our message, which will be safer and more easily managed.
But I truly feel we have no need to rush into this.
So, in summary, our current camp is over but we are not. We can find other
ways to occupy and can organize another camp for the future. We can still
meet, we can still work together, we can still create something amazing. We
have not won, but we have not lost. We will continue.
Andrew.
PS - To those at camp currently being raided or watching the process, thank
you.
On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 8:46 PM, Deborah Sirotkin Butler
<amberpaw at gmail.com>wrote:
> *The space, and having a known place to come and unite towards a better
>> future and around all of our issues is critical, but just as many occupiers
>> came every day, or some days - but not overnight,and I agree Dewey the
>> place and the space became sacred, but having that sacred space profaned by
>> poor hygeine, alcohol and other abuse was not positive or sustainable. I
>> do see the "eviction" as a cleaning and renewal, and the current phase as a
>> metamorphosis. A healing ceremony for the hard-used ground is essential,
>> as well as thoughtful future use. The web presence, the Occupier, and
>> fliers and keeping a public schedule of GAs will be essential, but I
>> believe a rented indoor space such as an industrial zoned warehouse in
>> Boston and using Dewey for known daylight hours is very important. As for
>> the 24 hour presence, frankly, there were problems and I feel I should
>> discuss that in person, and I do not want to cause pain so face to face and
>> the ability to at least try and explain what I mean makes more sense to
>> me. I am not present in physical space with everyone as much as some and I
>> have had to accept that this will not change right now, as well as that I
>> have to manage health conditions I have so as to stay functional. Deb
>> Sirotkin Butler*
>>
>
>
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