We hear a lot about OCCUPY. Today marks one month of OCCUPY WALL STREET. There are now hundreds of grassroots OCCUPIES geographically distributed. My town, Columbus, Ohio, started marching on Oct.1, established a site presence at the Ohio Statehouse Oct. 10, and has developed via several general assemblies to OCCUPY COLUMBUS. But just what is it? Well, this is how some organizers would have you know it.
Is it a PLACE we’re to occupy, or is it a SPACE starting with OUR SPACE, that interior frontier of consciousness? I suggest this space is the map with which we have easiest access, yet we’re often reluctant to ask for directions. I believe this space is where CHANGE begins, even when our goal is to change our culture, our society, our political process and our elected officials.
If we’re to occupy a place, then does it follow we should have full presence in our space?
In meetings and General Assemblies I’ve attended for Occupy Columbus there has been much conversation about goals. What are we occupying? Why are we occupying? Who are the leaders? Again, when we fully occupy our individual space, I’m confident the answers to such questions will clearly surface.
I propose a leaderless occupation, a movement that is horizontal, rather than vertical, a grassroots and organic self-organizing process rather than heirarchical. If there are agendas, let them be vetted during the GAs. When leaders emerge, let them be followed by the power of their transformative direction rather than their egos.
Let’s allow OCCUPY COLUMBUS, the PLACE, to serve us to incubate our movement. Let’s not rush into civil disobedience until traction is firm, until the presence of dozens who communicate clearly build trust enough to attract scores more, until we have hundreds in the movement, eventually thousands…then there will be an OCCUPATION.
Thoughts are welcome. Thank you.
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