What the Occupations Want ~ SBT International BLOG

Wisdom Quarterly at Occupy Los Angeles, October, 2011

"Capitalism is Socialism for the 1 percent." A tiny desert pueblo became a megalopolis.

"Edward Sharpe gave an amazing performance full of love, light, and hope. I approached and told him his music was beautiful. He smiled, thanked, and hugged me. Occupy LA (OLA) is RADICAL in more ways than one!"

After the concert, it was on to class at the free Collective University. Topic du jour, "The Truth About the Economy." From college, it was off to temple, sitting in devotion and concentration in the holy tent.

The permanent Meditation Temple tent at Occupy LA

After church, it was power to the people rocking the mic. Not the people's mic (which comes on anytime anyone shouts "Mic check!")

Open mic poetry was followed by a theatrical performance piece, dancing to music, talking with like minded folks (there are folks of all minds available for talking), and committee meetings to stack at on all corners of America's largest Occupy encampment on par with Zuccotti Park.

Occupied L.A. Theatre & Company accepts all creative actions (Wisdom Quarterly).

What Does the Occupation Want?
Meetings are taking place. There is a search for a solution, presentations are being given, classes are being taught, and a free library is in operation. It's the society we were promised, stolen from us by the greed of corporations and the corruption of politicians, the brutality of police and the undermining of privacy by our many American spying apparatuses.

(ScamArtists33) Marianne Williamson gave a stirring speech at her weekly address on Oct. 20, 2011, reminding us how every movement is ridiculed before the change it effects is taken for granted. A massive labor march was approaching (Wisdom Quarterly).

Why do the committees vote as a group then take their consensus to the General Assembly? It is to BE the change we want to see in the world! At 7:30 every night on the south steps of City Hall in the pueblo de los angeles ("the city of angels"), Angeleno Occupiers discuss the issues. They vote, that is, they "take the temperature" as a group about what actions to take as a movement!

The Hug Deli serves fresh three-breath hugs with a two compliment limit. Too many thank yous hold up the line (Wisdom Quarterly).

"The people united will never be defeated." Everyone gets a chance to speak, everyone is heard, everyone is treated with respect. What do we want, what do we want? The world is looking at it! We want what we were lied to about and promised all along. We want the democracy we don't have in the "real" world.

"Members of Congress should be like members of NASCAR and wear the names of their sponsors across their bodies!" Power to the people (obrag.org).

This is Democracy Now! Democracy in action! This is not Woodstock. It's not a circus, carnival, or freak show. Of course the mainstream media has to portray it that way. The media is the message -- and the message is corporatism. News Corp, FOX, CIA/CNN, The Times, Lying Inc.

SEIU and other labor groups organized a massive march and approached the south steps where Marianne Williamson was speaking (Wisdom Quarterly).

Imagine a well organized, nonviolent movement. But just so you don't have to tax your imagination, ride the Metro into downtown and see it in real life. For the love of love, the love of democratic principles, the love of each other, see it. ALL are welcome. Every voice is needed.

No degree will save you when corporatists run the university.

Observe, listen, take classes with amazingly smart and sincere people, learn, and participate. An illiterate man taught me to share. A Ph.D. taught me to yawn while pretending to scratch my nose. A skateboarder taught me to spin a hula hoop with lights in it. A Buddhist taught me to regard every beggar as a best friend capable of giving an opportunity to practice generosity and make merit in the process.

Free energy technology exists. Corporations know it, government knows it, but the profit motive keeps anyone else from it. We're lucky to have gotten solar (Wisdom Quarterly).

It is important! It is our world. It is now (partly) running on solar power. There are designated "Waste Free Zones." Gardens are about to be built. Compost toilets are coming online. We need town criers, free kitchen help... imagine everything a FREE world would be if someone weren't trying to put profit before people, before the environment, before the planet, before personal growth, before liberation. Then come make it.

West Coast Occupy Venice in and Occupy LA stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.

Love blossoms all across town from Venice Beach to Skid Row (Wisdom Quarterly).

How the occupation of Los Angeles began (SurvivalWithBushcraf)

Powerful Beyond Measure

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson