And I feel lifted up

1/21

It snowed today. Teddy called and he and a crew got up and out and shoveled the sidewalk.

Late afternoon appointment with Osgafeyo Sekou, back after all these months. Drove down from Boston with his ministry partner/wife and her aunt from Jamaica. He’s seen the articles about West- Park and #ows and they have rekindled his dream of building a freedom church. He wants to know all about the #ows experience. And so I tell him, all that is good. All that is a challenge.

He sees many possibilities.  He’s been working with civil rights era elder James Lawson. Interested in starting a center for training in non-violent social change, based in the learnings of the Civil Rights era and Dr King. It could bring some clarity to those in the current struggle. I remember Pastor James’ brother Philip talking to Occupy Faith about the difference between a day of coordinated action and an an actual campaign. And more, what makes up a campaign. 

I talk about our dream for the center. How I could not do social justice ministry apart from spiritual ministry. And he speaks of his combination of being a Church of God in Christ (COGIC) minister with a Christian existentialist philosphy. He’s got a deep feeling for my need for partners in minsitry, to help build up the church side of this project. And feels something very special in the building. Like this is the right time. And I agree that the moment is pregnant with possibility. And the time short.

We form a prayer circle, Sekou, his wife, her aunt, and me. And he prays for me, the chuch, the occupiers, even those who have been alientated enough to steal, and I feel the power of his prayer and I feel lifted up. As I did the first time I met him, I believe that the freedom church could grow here. That he could be part of this vision. 

Our world's in your world, now

1/21

Go with Tracy across the street for coffee. To review the march last Monday and how it was another good connection between the antisweatshop coalition and the neighborhood. And the value of a campaign that is localized. I make a comparison to our recent experinces with #ows and say to Tracy You guys are easy. And she laughs and then reminds me that workers are easier to organize than say, intellectuals, or others, because, well, they work. There’s an inherent discipline that develops from having to show up and work every day even if you are exploited...you understand discipline. We talk more about how too connnect #ows activits with localized campaigns  and actions, how too connect the lines between the macro issues and the micro on the ground actions for justice. 

Ocer on the steps, I see teh doorways are full. In the souht doorway I think I recognize an #ows sleepin gbag. Can’t be here during the day, man, I say. And then explain that while homeless people sleep on our steps, they  leave in the morning, and we have relationships  and work with Goddard-Riverside Reachout to try and find housing. He tells me his friends went for coffee. Doesn’t matter, I say.

And then in  front if our office  door, I’m surprised to find Kanaska, the singer-songwriter. She tells me she’s not feeling well. Then get your stuff and get inside, I say, you don’t beed to be out here. And as I’m telling her this, Red from Occupy Portland comes up. I explain the  drill to him. But people been givin us presents all day, he says. All the more  reason man. Can’t be here. Got to go, I say. 

Teddy’s puttting Kanaska togetehr with Mary, the sweet older woman from Staten island. Still can’t figure out ho she lost her job and home. And need to keep Red and the guys away. 

Dan has brought me a collection of baseball cards that were found somewhere along the way. All from 1979. Mostly commons. But a lot. Dan thinks  it may replace my laptop. Uh,no. At most, worth around $250, I think.  (Actually, $150, the baseball card market has crashed too.) I do like the Pirates in their bumblebee unis though.

I feel like #ows has moved all thie rtents inside of me and set up camp. Occupy me. 

Kevin is back to plan another event. May have a national group from Iceland to perform. And another of his own productions he’d like to  run. With a little less scaring the neighbors. And he’s interested in the development aspect of the project as well. 

I have to run off to Newark and talk with Douglas Bendall about teaching at the Newark School of Theology. When I get back, it appears that spokes council has just ended. I look inside, things seem realtively calm.

As I’m leaving, I notice George on the steps. Knew he’d be back sooner or later. So Occupy Wall Street’s Occupy 86th Street,huh? And he laughs. Then tells  me a story I don’t like about people smoking weed in front of the church. The police stopping by. 

I go back in. Talk to Rafael. Yes, it happened, yes it got broken up. And I try and explain that it can’t even happen. How exposed and vulberabe I am right now.. More talk of plans to do more reconstruction work. A union guy wants to connect with artesnas. OK, OK. I need to see plans on paper, No more talk. 

I go back and tell Jeff what I need to see on paper. And that this project in this form is over as of next Saturday. Given enough time, maybe Jason’s paln woud work. Maybe everyone could be turned aound, come  togtehr as a community. We wouldn’t last that long. Dan had his DJ mike and adapter and head phones stolen. This project is over. 

George has been watching all this street action from the steps.  

Occupy Wall Street, humph. Me and that Mexican, we regulars. Get here these people takin up my place. The don’t belong here. Don’t know nothin about bein homeless. You let em in the  church? 

I nod.

He laughs again.

Got these fools out here smokin weed. Got cops copmin by. What the fuck? These fools gonna get me busted and I don’t even have nothin to do with all that. This Spanish guy Rafael, he tell me he represent the church. Rep you. I say, fine, do your goddam job.

George looks at me and laughs. Our world in your world now, he says and laughs again.   I tell him about the news people coming around. And he goes on again, They demonize those young folk. Demonize them. They may be fools. but ain’t no demons. Homless hell, yeah, homeless hell. Our world in  your world.

I tell him I have to go home. See him soon. And i think to myself, he;s right. 

If this is the defining moment, then what?

1/19

There is  a knocking and a rattling on the door and the day begins with Emiko. She has brought with her my neighbor Rick and her choreograher Brian to discuss plans for a benefit she is planning for April. She is meticulous in every way planning her run up to the event, how many rehearsals, what kind,etc. Her event last June was one that helped us move forward. 

Brian would love to do more dance work here. If we had a room with mirrors. Which is, of course, what Martin would liken to do, that is, create a real studio. With mirrors. 

Teddy comes in to work on a number of different projects and also to encouage me to file a police report. I have begun to get a bit annoyed with the number of projects begun and not finished, though some do have to do with internal issues of the building. 

Late in the day, Arcadia comes in to sign checks. And just to visit. And to talk about an official church wedding for she and Hugo in May. I would be very honored  to do that.  Arcadia and Danielle head out to the grocery store. I go home for a brief break.

Max has moved spokes to another venue for the night to reduce potential interference with Jane’s class.  Raphael has arrived to do security and we go over what my concerns are for the night. A neighbor with two teenaged daughters  has complained about marijuana smoking and men propositioning his daughters. That kind of thing gives me a headache.

Upstairs, I’m glad to see Susan, one of the volunteer chaplains. We talk about her work at St.Luke’s and how I enjoyed my years as a chaplain with hospice nurses. How because all of their patients were dying, that freed them from making dying the distinguishing charcteristic for any person. They were freed to be themelves, even while dying. 

We talk a little with Mary. who’s making tea. I’m still trying to figure her out. She seems to be in her midsixties. From Staten Island. Looks like she could be from any suburb. I know shw lost her job, her home, was afraid she couldn’t find anohter. I’d like to know more of  story.

I left my clergy Bible study this morning more convincd that this is the right thing.  We look at the collapse of institutions around us...the economy, the government, the church...a every level.. the present form of this world is passing away, says Paul. But if so, then what? Yes, we can say to each other this is the defining moment. But what does that demand of us? What do we do?

1/20

Mim comes to take me to lunch.We’re talking about how to create a structure so that the Center can begin to becme the manager of the different parts of the life of the building, prgrammatically, financially, and simple building management. It’s a tall order. And I desperately need help on the attorney side before the one who’s handling our liability case walks.  

Dan keeps moving in and out. Walking around. I’m still trying to get the whole story on his arrest, tangle with the police and hospitalization. Mainly we’re talking about where he can store his turn tables. But I’d like to hear more.

As the day gets late, Jason is working at his computer in the sanctuary. I tell him I still need to see all our agreements fromt the other night in writing. Max said they’d be online. No, I need them directed to me.  And a plan for the baptismal font cover.. And the two week exit strategy. And....

I know Jason is troubled by that. But I tell him that I believe that a break is necessary to have an opportunity to reboot, to put it back together with intentionality. I understand the socai experiment he sees. And that it’s already begun to work. And the idea of building in from  the marginalized. I’m not sure how to do that here. My financial viabiity is almost literally month to month. Even if the neighbors don’t call the police they can still be hostile and not support us. Besides, people have a right to be comfortable in thier own neighborhood. And other participants in the life of our building feel intimidated. Feel like I’m hitting a wall. Maybe we do need a break....

We haven't been here before

1/18

The day starts chaotically enough when New York Post reporter Candice Glove arrrives wanting to    interview me about the baptismal font. She had read the minutes of the previous night’s spokes council meeting online and wanted to investigate. She had spent a night in Zucotti herself and experienced it in the scary days. I am naturally wary of the Post. They supported us during the landmarks process, but generally portray me as a naive bleeding heart liberal around issues of homelessness. So I will try to control the narrative. 

I want her to understand that the movement cannot be blamed for trying to deal with those the rest of society has cast off. And that the vast majority here are working very hard to build community.

While Candice is interviewing me, a film crew arrives to interview Mim about the center. For a moment, I get that film crew and Post people confused. At the end of Mim’s interview, the head of project comes in and introduces himsef andtells me that we were in the same National Conference of Christians and Jews National Leadership Development Project 30 years ago. Lowell had left before the project was over to move to Israel where he now lives in Jerusalem.

I tell him that I had married Andrea from our group and that our oldest son has worked in Ramallah and that we visited him there two summers ago. We are both amazed at the randomness of meeting like this so many years later. Or maybe not.

I direct Lowell and his crew to the Yemenite hummus place down the street and Mim brings lunch for Danielle and I as we catch up. Late in the day photographers from the Post come back with Candice to take photos. I will hold my breath until I see this story.

Jason comes with his friend, Kelly Mc Gowan, who had coined the phrase poverty diaspora of America. We talk about how this is truly a new moment. We haven’t been here before. How, as Marian Wright Edelman has said, there won’t be another Gandhi, another King. It has to be us. No more charismatic leaders. 

And how this movement appeared almost overnight, through networking, before it even thought about what it was about. And now it is trying to find out. I give my critique of the concensus process, that it only works if there is a priori buy in as to where we want to go. She disagrees, says the destination is not so important but that agreement as to what we agree on is. 

And we talk of all the various methods that could help; the open space process, traditional community organizing with one-on-ones and house meetings, power analyses, the anti-nuke affinity group strategy, on and on. And at the base, her commitmet to the idea that everyone can be reached, to take responsibility for their life, to have their own gift called out and contributed. It’s classic Freire: education for critical consciousness, that people must become the subject of thier own history. And how we’ve moved beyond simple class analysis materialism into  transformation. Something Ruben Alves pointed us to in Warrior, Poet, Priest. Why I couldn't do a socia justice ministry apart from a faith community. Something I can’t even explain or articulate but have seen in Nicaragua,  the Middle East, everywhere. What the center is supposed to be about: transformation. And that it starts at the margins, not the center. Therefore the marginalized cannot be abandoned. 

And I see connections. I need to get Rick at Stony Point in on this conversation. That’s what we need, conversation. I can always see all the pieces fitting together. I just don’t always (not often) see how that happens. We need to draw more in and have the conversation continue. 

Bobby makes his daily appearance, with his movie star sightings and reading recommendations. 

Katherine comes with two young theatre people, Stan and Matt. They’ve done some  impressive work and have recently been doing plays in apartments. I take them into the sanctuary and go through the social history of the church. Then I give them the tour.  And they, of course, fall in love with the place. Will they do their next show here? They’re immediately thinking of something site specific. Dream. Real. Hard. That's why we're here. 

I introduce them to Jason and they’re thinking about how to tie in #OWS. As we finish, more occupiers are begining to arrive. It’s a warm mild night. I will walk Katherine home, go for a run. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: I'm doing this because I follow Jesus, not because I think it's a good idea

1/16

The People's Liberation Army is highly disciplined; it is fair in buying and selling and is not allowed to take even a needle or a piece of thread from the people. 

Chairman Mao

• + +

 I take Jeff and Danielle across the street for coffee and tea. There is a sense of sadness. And also relief. Maybe we all need, a breather, a break. I feel like I do.  Jeff has Stan looking for alternative housing. The move out is being organized. 

I’m getting ready for the 10th Annual Upper Westside Martin Luther King, Jr. March for Peace sponsored by Westsiders or Peace and Justice. This year’s theme is Occupy. Faithful. Dialogue. Bobby comes in and I direct him to the sanctuary to wait for Jane and the service. West-Park and Sanctuary NYC are co-hosting the stop at West-Park. The march will begin at Holy Name, go on to SPSA, then to West-Park,(for the first time in over five years)  then to Central Baptist (for the first time ever), then to Elise’s church, Advent, co-hosted by their partner Broadway Community, and then back to Holy Name. Lynnea walks in while I’m trying to pull things together to wish us a Happy New Year. I’m happy to see her,  but I don’t have time to visit right now. 

I get a call that the march has left SPSA and is heading this way. It’s brutal cold. We open the doors and welcome the marchers in. Jeremy and a bass player and a percussionist on a box are playing music to welcome them. I’m happy to see my friends Elise, Father Mike, Alistair and Tony. The sanctuary is almost filled.  I welcome everyone and introduce Sarah and Carlos from the Sweatshop Free Upper West Side group. They talk about the ongoing Saigon Grill picket and the citywide Dominos’ Pizza boycott. (Readers, feel free to join....) And pass out postcards to mail in. 

Tracy

Talking about justice

Then I read two quote from Dr. King:

True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.

and...

Somehow the preacher must have a kind of fire shut up in his bones. And whenever injustice is around he tell it. Somehow the preacher must be an Amos, and saith, "When God speaks who can but prophesy?" Again with Amos, "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Somehow the preacher must say with Jesus, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me," and he's anointed me to deal with the problems of the poor."

Then I introduce Jane and she and I lead a responsive prayer of commitment, the prayer of St. Francis of Assissi:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury,pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

And then Jane leads us in:

If you miss me in the back of the bus 

And you don’t see me back there

Come on up to the fron to the bus, 

I’ll be riding up there....

And after a few verses, Jeremy takes the lead:

If you miss me in Zucotti Park

And you don’t see me down there

Come on up to the Brooklyn Bridge

I’ll be marching up there...

If you miss me on the Brooklyn Bridge 

And you don’t see me up there

Come on out to the whole wide world

I’ll be marching out there...

And as the marchers file out, the singers voices rise in a rousing gospel chorus. Out on the steps, Father Mike in his brown robe says My favorite prayer. He, of course, a Franciscan. 

Bob and Father Mike

I stay a couple of minutes to wrap things up, then hurry up Amsterdam to join the march. 

+++

I’m back at the church. Rafael and Susie the social worker want to talk with me. I was waiting for this ever since one of the octogenarian peace activists across the street, called to plead with me to let the ows folks stay because of the frigid weather. It was hard to stand tough.

They want to clarify exactly what I said. And I say again that I had given them until the end of Sppokes Council to receive  a coherent community response to what had happened. Rafael almost has tears in his eyes. He’s using all his networks, cops, drug dealers, fences, to try and locate the basin cover. They both want to know, if,....if....., they can come up with an answer, will I change my mind? I explain that I will not make separate deals with anyone. That I must stick by what  I said. It has to be a coherent community response. They say that they understand. 

Up in Mc Alpin, near chaos has  broken out. The disrupter that Jason had previoulsy had excluded is back at it. A circle has surrounded her. They’re asking me if they have my permission to call the police. I tell them that Rafae is in charge of secuirty. If he asks me to call on the poice, I will. 

I have begun to feellke I am simewher ebetweena revival of Hair and The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade ...

Carolyn, a volunteer chaplain has joined me. She works as a chaplain at St.Luke’s hospital. A CPE veteran. I know that I can count on her. Rafael has calmed the disrupter down. She is non-violent. The guy is amazing. 

Jeff asks me to address Spokes. I stand in the center. Begin to speak. There’s pesristnt whisltling an dI look u an dnotice it’s Noel the Rastaman. So I stop. And everyone asks him to stop whistling. When he’s quiet, I basically redo my speech from last night. And add a couple of things. That concensus only works among people who have agreed to where they are going and simply want to resolve differences over strategy and tactics in order to get there.  Wthout that, it becomes not empowering but disempowering and even oppressive and violent to the majority. I see the raised wiggling fingers for agreement. And then I say this is serious business. You have to be ready for the long haul. You are ready to take to ourselves out before the real struggle has even been engaged. And again, the wiggling fingers. 

I’m ready to leave. But they ask me to stay. A young woman asks me politely if they come up with a response, can they stay?  And i say, that’s my word. Then  I go out to catch my breath. 

Individuals keep asking to speak to me in private. I’ve got ths new congregation of the poverty diaspora calling me Pastor Bob. The darkened sanctuary becomes my confessional, my counseling office. One young man, almost in tears, asks if he can take a swing at me in public, just to force the community to respond. And we talk, and I explain why not. Another man with an eastern  European accent wants to give me his laptiop. I am very appreciaitve, but explain that this isn’t what this is about . It has to be a community response. Can’t be one person on behalf of the community. The one in tears takes notice. 

Personal problems.  Issues. Fears. The people keep coming. I find that Nathaniel, a veteran chaplain of the stay at Judson Memorial,  has arrived. I take him and Carolyn with me to the narthex.  And we talk. And talk. 

It’s nearing 11. Max from the central office, part CPA, part go to, can do techno hipster guy, approaches me. Look, he says, this isn’t getting anywhere. They keep saying, and rightly so, that they can’t make a promise to you they can’t expect to keep. i look at him as if today, so? He goes on,  But, look, it’s 19 degrees. It’s after 11. Is there someway they can stay the night? Just a select list? Somehow? I look at my chaplain volunteers. So, what do you think?

And they both weigh in. We look at it from all sides. So are we going go for concensus here? And they both laugh. Moral repsonsibility versus giving in after having made a firm statement. Maybe that would be for the best, says Nathaniel. I talk to Max about the breather I felt we all needed. The space. I agree, he says, they do need that. Maybe it’s best. But it’s 19 degrees...

Anf I thnk if th man with his six months pregnant wife. They shouldn’t even be here. But they are.  

Nathaniel looks at me. This is it, isn’t it? he says, the Jesus moment.

Yeah, I’m afraid so, I say. Max looks puzzled. Then I say, so here it is, anyone already on the list can stay until morning. Rafael runs securiry. Everyone out in the morning. No one comes back until we’ve resolved this. Max looks at me. Carolyn and Nathaniel look relieved. 

Max says, I’m taking that upstairs.  And I say, one thing, Max, I’m doing this because I follow Jesus, not because I think it’s a good idea. He looks at me, nods.

But before he can get back ustairs, we hear applause. I am called for . They have a plan. Continue  to search for  the basin cover. If not found, they will reach out to artisans and metal workers, create a new top. In future years, as the story of the church gets told again, the new top will be a symbol that #ows was here, back  in the day. That West-Park remained faithful. And they will create a two week exit strategy. Accept Rafael’s role as security point perosn. And they will speak directly to our congregation to make amends. What do I say?

Damn, I think. No breather. What will I tell danielle? Jane? Councilmember Brewer who’s got nervous constituents? Who’s support   I still need. I respect the hours of work you’ve put in, I say. And your creative response.  And caring response. And commitment to change. I can only say yes. But this more...when Danielle gets here in the morning, she won’t even know you’ve beenhere, ok? And there are hugs all around. 

I’m getting ready to leave. A young woman wants to speak to me. She had been crying earlier. Underneath the semi-shaved head,creative braids, nose and lip piercings and tatoos, I can see her basic beauty. And I always relate to someone with a guitar. So I sit with her. She shiws me he guitar. Her kong time uitar was destroye din te eviction. An older widow had given her her husband’s guitar. She shows me that it now has been broken.  She wants to organize a concert, a night for poetry, speak out, song, spoken word, healing. I affirm that. Talk to her about her guitar(s). Her music. She may be headed to Occupy Congress in DC. . I wish her well. 

Kanaska Carter, singer-songwriter

I am exhausted. Max and Carolyn are spending the night. Really exhausted. I have to go home. 

Heading up the  street, I see the Mexican with his shopping cart of bottles  and cans has returned. 

All things are lawful but not all things are beneficial

1/15

The day starts off well enough. It’s cold, but bright and sunny. Rafael greets me at the door. It was a calm and peaceful night. People seemd to buy into the rules and agreements. Teddy greets me too. He had to take a few days off.   Inside, things look good. Like no one was there.

As I’m beginning to prepare fo rthe service, I look across and realize the cover for the baptismal font is missing. This concerns  me. 

As the service begins, once again, we are joined by occupiers.  Amy is not here. Andre is not here. I will have to handle music by myself.  We begin by singing Morning has broken. Not easy. Well, I don’t sing like Cat Stevens, and neither do you, I say. And there is laughter. 

For the sermon, I’ve decided to wade into Paul’s tough 1 Corinthians passage, (6: 12-20), but begin with a brief look at 1 Samuel 3: 1-10. The part about  a day when “the word of the Lord was rare” and ”visions not widespread”. I aslk if that sound slike today. An don eo fthe occupiers agrees.  I say it remindd me of the last days of the Bush administration. Then came the Obama campaign with its promises, how it raised hope again. People all around me who had never had a pokitial thought got eexcited, engaged, involved. But then it all vanished in the wind. Until people all over the world began ot rise up. And so today we come to the weekend that celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. ...a prophet...one with a dream, one with a vision...

There are lots of “Here I am’s” in Samuel. Someitmes you don’t get it at first. Sometimes you have to keep listening unitl you get where the voice is oming from. And then are you ready to answer? So hopefully something we hear today will make “our ears tingle...”

! Corintians 6 is  usually a passage I would run from. There are wors here I would rather not touch with a ten foot pole. But maybe that’s why I had to go there. It really came alive for me last Wednesday in my clergy study group....check this out...

Paul says,"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are beneficial.  All right then..."All things are lawful for me," but I will not be dominated by anything. Say that with me...

As we go forward,  this  is where I started to get troubled....

 The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, "The two shall be one flesh." 17 But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

This is what I want to say. This is not about sex...What it’s about is integrity...what do you unite yourself with? What do you become one with?

And then... Shun fornication! 

I’d love to go all Southern Baptist on that ...but just as we were ready to move on last Wednesdy in our study group,  I asked, what exactly  does that mean? (not that I was looking for loopholes). The greek word is porneian.  What does that sound like? Right, porn. But in the Greek, it has the sense of to sell... or to practice idolatry...to act the harlot...now we’re getting somewhere...It’s about not selling yourself out...got that? not selling each other out...not consuming each other...It’s about destroying the fabric of community..The question is who... and what...are we choosing to be in solidarity with?

Sometimes Paul is all over the place, an argument here, assertion there. But this is one of his best developed arguments...and here he brings it home...

 20 For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

And now I am going to use very traditional Christian  language. if Jesus has bought you with his blood, with his sacrifice, how in God’s name can you sell yoursef for anything less? How can you sell each other? It’s about seeing the other person for who they truly are and being who you truly are....and calling out the best from the other. 

But don’t forget the personal, never, ever, ever sell yourself  short....

As we pass the offering plate, we sing, I’m gonna  live so God can use me..then we gather in our circle and sing We shall overcome and nosotros venceremos...

And then we begin the search for the basin and the cover for the baptismal font. In the font itself is water that had been in the basin. Someone has deliberately done this.  I feel a sense of shock. Luis finds the basin in the session room.  In a corner. I see the look of pain in his eyes. The last two children baptised  from that basin were his grandchildren.  And before that five generations of his family. I let teh occupiers know that I want that cover back now. 

Go for a swim and find myself moving for shock to anger. 

I go back at 8 to open up for the group, but I get a message that they are all at the MLK candlelight vigil at Riverside Church.  That will give me time to orient Caherine, a chaplain volunteer from Union where she is a student in the MAR proram. I’m excited to find that she spent a year as a volunteer at Stony Point and had just worked in an Arts and Resistance program seminar there. And was a protest chaplain at Zucotti Park .She’ll be with us for the night. People are arriving already. I let Jeff and Jason and Ravi know that the crowd is already ariving. They are not anxious to leave Riverside. 

I have to spend a half hour with Noel, the 55 year old rastaman,  with him trying to persuade me as to why he should be  able to smoke marijuana, ganja, wherever he wants. The whole herb, nature, slave master, Babylon, Bob Marley, natural, do I eat meat? What animals do which ones don’t, all the boys in prison for no reason,  bad vs. good, all that rap. 

I tell him it’s not about right or wrong, good and bad. Hell, under the right circumstances, I might even join him, but not here, not now, not in this neighborhodd. It’s logitical, tactical, and simply the way it is. Already I am tired. 

When Jeff and Ravi arrive, they are putting Rafael’s security system into action. But I am angry. So when the group gathers at 10:30 PM, I ask Jeff to let me speak. This is what I said:

We have been glad to welcome you here. You are in a place that is sacred. Sacred because you are here but even more for the generations who have come here to worship. And those who came before you and from these balconies organized the march against nuclear proliferation that drew a million people to New York City. We welcome you here as part of our tradition, as part of who we are.

We invited you here to be part of our community of communiteess, not just to sleep here, but to collaborate, to work side by side with. But something is not right.When my laptop got stolen, I said OK, I’m an urban pastor, I get it. You can replace the hardware. (But not the information.) I took that and we ordered locks. 

But what happened now is diferent. Today I found pieces of our baptismal font missing. We found the basin in a corner of the room next door.  On the floor. Let me tell you about the man who found it. The last two children baptised in that basin were his grandchildren. Five generations of his family were baptised in that font. They were the first Puerto Ricans, neoricans, at this church. He’s a union man. When he was your age, he was a squatter. Half of his family have lost their jobs. That basin isn’t about religion, it’s about family, story, heritage. Do you get it? He’s 99%. This whole church is 99%. The only person in this church who is a true professional showed up at Zucotti at 6 am to volunteer to be part of a human chain to protect you the first time you were goig to be evicted. The look of pain on his face was like a knife in my heart. 

Check this out, even in  tbe ’80’s, at the peak of the crack epidemic, when knife wielding crackheads came in here to rob and steal, even they did not disrpect our story, our history, the way that has happened this week. Not in 100 years. You have to think about that. To mess with something like our font is to mess with our lives, to put it bluntly, to piss on the 99%. I cannot allow that. I am resonsible to my people and all who came before. 

You say you want a better world, that it’s possible. That does not include using, abusing, taking advantage  of. I cannot allow you to do that to my people, to do that to me. To disrespect yourselves. I do not believe in collective guilt, collective punishment,but I do believe in collective accountability, responsibilty. So here’s where we are: by tomorrow night after spokes, I need a coherent response from your  community. I want that cover back. Or how you’re going to deal with it. Or it’s all over. That’ s it. That simple.

And then I go home.

  

Occupation Rules

11/14

After two days of winter travel hell-- like after twelve hours of travel you should be some place more exciting then Louisville right?-- and how many times can you be rerouted through Cleveland?-- I’m back in New York. 

As I’m walking down Amsterdam, to go to the church and meet Sarah and Danielle and deal with issues regarding artists and their work, I encounter Rafael. He’s reached his limit. Structures have to be  put into place for security or he can’t do his job. And if he’s done, I’m done. So we agree to an afternoon meeting with Jeff and Stan and Jason and Ravi.

Sarah is livid. Works of art have been moved and damaged. She is upset because she had given her word and I’m upset because I had given mine to her. We will have to find a way to make things up to the artists. I will  be responsible. And I will have to make it clear to the #ows folks what the stakes are. 

Danielle is less than a week back and feeling the sense of being overwhelmed. The #ows presence has complicated her already stressful work exponentially. It’s on me to try and bring this together. 

Later in the day, I sit down with my point people. Rafael expresses his frustrations. I talk about what is at stake here. The movement has to determine whether it is serious or not. Ravi grew up in the Party in India. It’s rigors pushed her towards anarchism. But she understands the critical need for disicipline. We have to make clear what this space is about. If you’re not down with that, it’s fine. Not about good and bad, right or wrong, but what this place is.

We also discussed setting up smaller affinity groups, like when I was in the antinuclear movement ready to take on Black Fox in Oklahoma. groups of 10-12 who would watch out for one another, have each other’s back. If you’re wading into serious confrontation, you have to know who’s by your side.

So I agree to take the already agreed upon community agreements and add the church’s rules. What must be. And they will share them with a community meeting tonight. Anyone coming in must sign a promise to abide by them or leave. And the church can be the heavy. Rafael seems satisfied. He will be able to do his work. I head home to do mine.

I consider going back at 8:30 to see how it all comes down, but decide to let them handle this. I’ll see in the morning if they succeeded. I’ve tried to make it clear that they are at a critical juncture. That before serious confrontation takes place, they may do themselves in without the powers having to lift a finger. That’s where it is.

                                                 + + + +

The rules we agreed to:

Welcome to West Park! We are happy to be sharing our space with you, and we invite you to participate in worship, arts and cultural events and other activities with us. We appreciate your help in following the rules and guidelines listed below. We have deemed these guidelines as the foundation on which an OWS community can exist here—without these rules, we do not feel that those of you staying here, the church or our renters are properly protected. If these rules are not followed, unfortunately, we cannot continue to host OWS in our building.

Rev. Robert Brashear, pastor of West Park, and the rest of the West Park community

Rules for the OWS community @ West Park

HOURS: West Park will be open to OWS between 8:30 pm and 9:00 am. These times are subject to change pending special events happening at West Park.

CURFEW: The door to West Park will be locked at 12:00 am every day. Individuals who want to stay at West Park must be inside before 12:00 am.

SIGN IN: The only people allowed to stay in the church are those that are currently on OWS’s housing list. Everyone who stays must sign in and out of the building each day. Due to liability issues and the general condition of the building, only individuals aged 18 years or older may stay at West Park.

SPACE: OWS and occupiers are allowed to sleep in the Sanctuary, but not on the pews. Occupiers can use the either entryway for discussions or meetings, and can use the restrooms in the basement. Items may be stored in the balconies of the Sanctuary and in the second floor office. We ask that Occupiers stay in these areas, and these areas only.

STAFFING: OWS needs to supply security and social work personnel every night, as well as staff to make sure everyone signs in and out and staff to facilitate OWS’s move into and out of the building every day.

PROHIBITED ITEMS: Occupiers are not allowed to bring the following items into the church: drugs, alcohol, candles, incense, hot plates/burners, space heaters, gasoline or other combustibles, weapons or guns, mattresses or furniture of any kind and other items that may be considered hazardous to the people staying at West Park or West Park’s property.

PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES: We kindly ask that members of OWS refrain from fighting, physically or verbally, having sex, attempting to stay in the building past 9:00 am, camping out in areas of the church not designated for OWS and stealing, vandalizing or damaging church property.

CLEANING: The OWS community will be responsible for clearing all trash and recycling from the building before they leave each day. OWS is also responsible for cleaning the restrooms everyday before leaving, including restocking the restrooms with toilet paper, paper towels and soap.

CLEANING: The OWS community will be responsible for clearing all trash and recycling from the building before they leave each day. OWS is also responsible for cleaning the restrooms everyday before leaving, including restocking the restrooms with toilet paper, paper towels and soap.

Personal belongings on balcony will be below sight lines on Sunday mornings and before any sanctuary events.

No changes or alterations will be made to the West-Park building without prior agreement.

All who enter the building do so under their own liabilty.

It is West-Parkʼs expectation of all who participate in the life of this building, in any of its constituent communities, will contribute to the life of their own community and collaboratively in the life of the community of communities.

All who enter the building will be assumed to be in agreement with these rules, guidelines and community agreements.