Photos from Day 7. People are people so why should it be, that we should get along so awfully? From the outside looking in, the massive turn out at Occupy Admiralty in support of non-violence spoke volumes. Mobile phones lit up the night. At least we appeared united. On street-level, though, we became an ocean of noise, of petty squabble. Push and shove. Public sentiment was shifting to and fro, we were losing the love of the people. Minds were barricaded, steadfast to only one side of a complex case. Hong Kong posed a unique challenge to China and everyone had an opinion. Still, to take a “side” felt dangerous. Who started what? Who’s freedom is worth more? What exactly is the price? Generational divides, family conflict, Facebook messages and IRL conversations too loaded to reply to. This was not the open exchange we felt on day 2/3 of the protest. A sign at Admiralty called the site a “Mobile Democracy Classroom” and now the debate, any dialogue, had soured. The whole climate of Hong Kong weighed down on us, fear pervading our lives. Emotions were riding high, even offsite. A late night MTR ride back home from the protest did not feel safe. Wearing yellow became a marker for trouble. We (especially the women) exchanged self defense tips while praying for peace - the irony, we know. During the day, we heard back from Ben that an RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong) colleague of his had gotten hurt in Mongkok. Gustav snapped a photo of this man, bandaid to the forehead, blood just above the brow. FCC (Foreign Correspondents’ Club) expressed concern over journalists being targeted, attacked for covering the protests. Stripped of our constitutional rights, press freedom... it was more apparent than ever: we had to speak the truth, even if our voice quivers. Democracy was the lesser of two evils - “the worst form of government, except for all those others that have been tried” - was Churchill right or wrong? I felt more conflicted than ever. We were there primarily to keep the peace, keep things non-violent, help where people need it the most. Elie Wiesel had said: “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe.” He was not talking about the two “sides” of Hong Kong, clad in yellow and blue. Regardless of perceived “sides” - political inclinations and/or financial interests (ALL false dichotomies) - we are one and the same PEOPLE. Right now, the only “side” we must stand on is to PROTECT LIFE. The real CAUSE here is a HUMAN one. I’m here to serve and protect human beings. Our fellow PEOPLE. That’s why I spent, another night, not imposing my political views but serving Hong Kong’s endangered lives. The sandwich crew gathered at the Vine, where we made tuna salad sandwiches and Hong Kong classic, peanut butter and condensed milk. The supply station students were all smiles to receive our sandwiches. We ran into “the yellow umbrella man” Paul Zimmerman and gave him a high five, his silent protest on National Day, so admirable. Joyce was starstruck, but he appeared to me as another man, another human, serving those in need. He was honorable. For now, my cause is clear. Mine’s to plant the seeds of love and peace, to serve and protect those who need us most, to do what I can. “There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in,” Leonard Cohen sang. Look at the cracks. Really look at these. The gaping disparity of wealth, a disenfranchised Hong Kong. Go in the direction of your fear. It means something. These are precisely the areas we need to fix. Hong Kong had those cracks all along. To find the social glue to hold our PEOPLE together, we must strive for a peaceful resolution to this, a most human struggle. Spread PEACE. Spread understanding. Spread love. #occupycentral #oclp #hk #hongkong #democracy #universalsufferage #occupyadmiralty #umbrellarevolution #peace #protest #makeartnotwar #makelovenotwar
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 10:52:45 +0000