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Raffi,<br>
<br>
My wife and I heard about an Occupy Wall Street event in Missoula,
Montana on Friday evening, we showed up Saturday morning for the
general assembly, and ended up marching with them and eventually
camping out on the county courthouse square with about 20 of them.<br>
<br>
This most certainly is the 5th principle in action - wherever it
happens is the right place.<br>
<br>
It was really fascinating to watch the facilitators working at
consensus and a group of 3-400 people in a small city coming to a
decision to something that was essentially illegal, camping out on a
courthouse, but doing it in a non-violent respectful way - which
even made it attractive and possible for a city council member to be
part of the committees that were formed and to give the Mayor a call
and get the ok so no one was harassed by the local police, and a
permit is in process.<br>
<br>
There's most certainly a lot of pent up anger and frustration that
is getting vented through this movement. But there's also a deep
curiosity and an openness to emergence despite many strong feelings
and conflicting agendas. That consensus was reached at all was
amazing among this rag tag band of anti-capitalists, catholic
punks[sic], anarchists, anti-corporatist Ron Paul conservatives,
Obama fans, Obama detractors, libertarians, communists, socialists,
artists, organizers, revolutionaries, and just the disenfranchised
unemployed/underemployed. One of my favorite interactions last night
was hearing from homeless native american college graduates very
depressed and unable to find jobs getting a hearing, singing
traditional songs, and with teary eyes telling the frustration of
following the white man's recommendations about getting a degree and
that still not being enough, and then apologizing for being angry at
white people.<br>
<br>
I've been recommending they can take advantage of open space
technology - and several of the participants had experienced open
space in the past through the Missoula BarCamp (including the
council member who called the Mayor!). OST is a part of this change
movement - even if somewhat subliminally. I would love for it to be
more consciously employed. A Skype meeting between Occupy Missoula
and Occupy San Diego might be possible - let's get in touch today.
Anyone else interested?<br>
<br>
Harold<br>
<br>
<br>
On 10/7/11 10:35 PM, Raffi Aftandelian wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:1318048534.37681.YahooMailNeo@web111304.mail.gq1.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
<div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times
new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt">
<div><span>dear open space and genuine contact friends (aka
spaceniki and, perhaps, "wheelies")-</span></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Tonight marked the spirited kick-off for Occupy San Diego,
one of the many local initiatives around the world taking
place in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street. Speaking as a
process artist (OST facilitator and Genuine Contact Program
certified trainer) and a charmingly flawed co-human with a
heart who is planning on camping out (occupy?!) on site for
while, I wanted to share some thoughts and observations and
also extend an invitation.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>First off, taking part in all of this- tonight's march or
attending the General Assembly (I was at last night's
assembly- 130 people were there!)- really stretches me. I
can't align with any of the adversarial language and
expression here. So, as we marched today I was just silent,
holding my multi-colored sign which read, "What does a wise,
compassionate and glocal response to massive economic
injustice look like?" Heck, even calling it "Occupy" make me
shudder!!!<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>It is physically just very challenging to be in the
presence of all of that energy. That said, from the the
*moment* I heard of Occupy Wall Street, I had an *immediate*
intuitive hit that this is something different, that this is
something that I have to support. And at the very least this
initiative could be supported by bearing witness-- and the
simplest way I could do that is just camp there, just sleep
there. That's it. <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Perhaps the act of sleeping in a public space can be a way
of claiming *and* opening space, a way of dreaming the New
Story into being?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Also, I'm amazed to see how many different people locally
have heard of the local Occupy San Diego initiative and how
many different people I know showed up tonight! It's almost as
if somewhere deep down there was a part of us that knew this
is something we need to support.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>One of the things that encouraged me while attending
General Assembly last night was the readiness and willingness
of people from disparate points of view to hear each other
out. What I'm seeing is messy, imperfect, and I know and
imagine that ball has been dropped. But overall, it's a rather
encouraging picture. It's also encouraging to see meditation
part of the picture, too. A 20+ minute flash mob still silent
sitting meditation took place after the march tonight<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>And indeed it has a lot of open space feeling to it. The
general assembly and committees had been meeting at Children's
Park (high play and high learning anyone??) here downtown. The
park is made up of large circular patches of grass bordered
with concrete. Each committee met in a different patch -
marked with the name of the committee. And you just went to
the committee you wanted. And from what i could see, if you
wanted to create a new committee, you could do that, too!
(apparently, there is a process committee here, too).<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I'm curious if there are other process artists out there on
or off these lists who are also supporting Occupy... where you
are. I'd love to enter into conversation (skype call anyone??)
on or offlist to explore the ways we as process artists can
support this initiative. Drop me a line!<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
<span></span></div>
<div><span>much warmth from the pacific coast,</span></div>
<div><span>raffi<br>
</span></div>
<div> <br>
p.s. to catch some of the flavor of our local "Occupation,"
see <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/occupysd/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/occupysd/</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.livestream.com/occupysd">http://www.livestream.com/occupysd</a><br>
<br>
p.p.s. I look forward to circulating widely this piece by zen
teacher and peacemaker, Bernie Glassman<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/10/we-are-the-100/">http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/10/we-are-the-100/</a><br>
<br>
p.p.p.s. to borrow a turn of phrase from a fellow spacenik who
lives DownUnder-- "What can happen?"<br>
<br>
</div>
<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Harold Shinsato<br>
<a href="mailto:harold@shinsato.com">harold@shinsato.com</a><br>
<a href="http://shinsato.com">http://shinsato.com</a><br>
twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/hajush">@hajush</a></div>
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