Its Sunday morning, nearing 6.30am. Ive just left Parliament Square to search out a cup of tea and a space to write. The Heritage Wardens and Police have just woke those in sleeping bags; being able to control themselves until 6am is at least something, those desperate for sleep were able to find an hour or two, despite the cold. I will leave the Tarpaulin Revolution today and reconcile my thoughts about the movements aims and what 9 days of occupying Parliament Square will do for democracy. I know already that I have been inspired and encouraged to learn how many citizens not only want change but also believe change can happen. To also receive support from many Londoners is energising, through their interest and engagement with the banner holders or by the honking of their horns as they drove past, especially the fire engines and ambulances as Occupy rallies behind the invaluable work these men and women do, while continually abused by the government. The question now remains what does change look like and what can be done to bring it about. This is where divisions may start to appear as the debates tackle this dilemma. If the system is corrupt and broken, is it better to fix or abandon? Leaving these impassioned days and fragile nights held together by song and commitment to a cause, I believe the best thing we can do straight away is to stay true to the things that move us, and act out of that compelling force. Occupy will no doubt evaluate its latest stand and now move forward in a pointed way, but for me Occupy will always be the needed rally call, helping to counter the media spun depiction of society, and helping to give the public a platform to question. The way Occupy executed peaceful defiance is a testament to the change it foresees. Around 1am the Heritage Warden, bringing the police with them, tried to stop the group from playing instruments, also being worked into the ever-changing legislation they kept presenting to the group. Bodies again wrapped and protected the musicians, and instead of accepting this attempt to silence, the group simply united and sang louder. After one week the Heritage Wardens still failed to understand what the group was partly addressing, the right to freedom of speech, and there is no stronger exhibition of this than song. Every time they sought to surpress, the voices came together. This is what the system is waking to and afraid of, we are uniting. At the same time I still maintain we must stay true to the spirit inside us, and allow this to be the guiding force. I will leave London today and carry my time here into my future words and will be stronger for three nights lying on a piece of cardboard while folding my arms to hold onto what little warmth I could. I also wont escape the image of a man sheltering in a doorway as I walked the streets this morning, his head hidden in his raised knees. His next taste of warmth is not known to him, somehow hes found himself on the outside of society. All experiences shape us and feed into our future, and I know my time with others in Parliament Square has reaffirmed that in Britain and the World today, too many are suffering and if thats a result of a controlled agenda over the course of civilisation, then I will continue to question what I can do in my life to make a difference, no matter how great or small this might be.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 07:43:24 +0000
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