Once I’d touched you, I couldn’t let you go…

I was there outside of the London Stock Exchange on Saturday 15^th October 2011 at noon. I was amidst around 3,000 others as part of the ‘Occupy London Stock Exchange’ movement that was in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and so many other Occupy actions across the world on that day.

Encountering others with shared views, is like balm for all the times you have had to fight to be heard, believed or understood. It is also impossible to have been there and then walk away untouched by the dedication, determination and sheer hardiness of those that brought tents and were settling down to a very cold, uncomfortable night’s sleep on the hard, stone, consecrated grounds of St. Paul’s (stunningly beautiful) Cathedral. I will join them in a tent on Wednesday and am not hardy. (UPDATE: here now!!)

I don’t want to.

But since coming back to get my things for a longer stay with Occupy in London, I have felt wrong getting into a soft, snuggly bed – knowing that those who remained weren’t and nor were all the others standing for what I believed in across the world.

What I believe in.

That is the continuous question asked of those who Occupy; wherever they do it, as well as online of those who support the action. Such a disparate swathe of humanity is contained in this 'Occupy' that the unity is a miracle. But it’s there – a singular strong sense at the core of this – brighter and stronger than all the other stuff to be mad about around it. This is from some fine Professors who are supporting the Occupy movement and it expresses the feeling very well:

“…the dramatic increases in poverty, joblessness and economic insecurity in our society are directly related to the extraordinary rise in inequality, particularly the wealth captured by the 1% of our population, which has deeply corrupted our political system. We stand united with the 99% to take back our economy and government from the 1%.” (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Professors-supporting-Occupy/?mid=5067)

I hope the weight of the determination of those who Occupy, is felt; sleeping outside in uncomfortable conditions really isn’t a lifestyle choice. I can only begin to imagine how much responsibility those at Occupy Wall Street must feel – so many across the world looking to them for example, for clarity, for purpose and for hope that this at last, might be something that works.

A lot needs to change in the world but there’s only 1% stopping that change.

The effect of removing our power and wealth from just 1% of the population should not result in a suddenly unrecognisable, unworkable world and does not need to lead to violence.

You only have to watch a Ted Talk (http://www.ted.com/) to be in awe of the wisdom of humanity and know that the answers are in here, somewhere

…or gaze at the universe with Professor Brian Cox (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zdhtg) to know we are missing out on being amazing delights of creation; started, somewhere out there.

One life each.

I will not spend it paying for the 1% to relish theirs whilst I scrape by, worry, wonder and wish at what could be so much better for all around me.

Occupy Wall Street Occupy London Stock Exchange organizer - YouTube

Occupy Wall Street Occupy London Stock Exchange organizer - YouTube

But what do you hope to achieve?

On October 15^th 2011 I will Occupy the London Stock Exchange

"But what do you hope to achieve?"

...I hope to achieve the breaking of a spell.

Those in power (who are abusing it) have only got away with it for so long because they didn’t hear us complain loud enough.

Those in power (who abuse it), imagine that we are so busy scrambling to make a life with the poor quality tools they provide – that we won’t have time to notice just how bloody fabulous life could be – if ‘we the people’ weren’t held in place by the 1% that has the power (and abuses it).

...I hope to achieve power by standing with others.

‘We the people’ are, in all areas of our lives, labelled and then divided by these labels. We are black, white, male, female, gay, straight, graduate, student, christian, muslim, public sector, private sector, yob, youth, unemployed, immigrant, foreigner, expatriate and all the rest.

These labels are used to divide us by the media representation of those labelled and by those in power who make laws based on highlighting the wrong in any one labelled group at any time. There are no good groups or bad groups, no right labels or wrong labels – just an ease of division.

BUT before my label I am first and foremost one of the people who inhabit this earth. I see this in every other human before I see their label and start working out what divides us. I hope we can hold ourselves to this one label so that our sameness unites us and we cannot be divided and conquered (again and again)

...I hope to achieve change.

I want the system of government to change; not just the party and the people. It is the way government abuses the power we give them with our votes and taxes that needs to change. The way politics and business are so entwined needs to change. The priorities of government need to change so they reflect the role as representative of the people and FOR the people - not banks, business, other governments etc.

I don’t know what this change looks like – but I know it shouldn't be so ugly.

I don’t have answers - I just have questions.

I don’t have solutions – but I have a starting point along with others from the 99%
who are stifled by the abuse of power by the 1%.

And I have hope - because I am with those who:
#OccupyWallStreet #OccupyOregon #OccupyBoston #OccupyToronto #OccupyLeeds #OccupyCanada #OccupyAtlanta #OccupyTheHood #OccupyPittsburgh #OccupyPhoenix #OccupyDameStreet #OccupyDublin #OccupySydney #OccupyManchester #OccupyLondon #OccupyLSX #OccupyTucson @occupytaipeitw @occupystaugust @OccupyUP @OccupyWSaParis @occupyseaside #occupywallstreet #takethesquare #otw
and so many more too numerous to list.

#OccupyTogether