Lessons for Occupy from Sri Lanka - Occupy Cafe2024-03-28T18:48:42Zhttp://www.occupycafe.org/forum/topics/lessons-for-occupy-from-sri-lanka?commentId=6451976%3AComment%3A20143&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThanks to Susan for reminding…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2012-01-03:6451976:Comment:199732012-01-03T18:59:49.186ZDavid Eggletonhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/DavidEggleton
<p><span>Thanks to Susan for reminding me of Jitendra's important post.</span></p>
<p><span>Thanks to Susan for reminding me of Jitendra's important post.</span></p> I like what Dr. Ari has to sa…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2012-01-03:6451976:Comment:200662012-01-03T02:28:03.531ZSusan Livingstonhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/SusanLivingston
<p>I like what Dr. Ari has to say about the primary importance of inner transformation. I would say that "being the change" includes bringing our economics, politics, governance, and relationship with power into alignment with a consciousness based on proactive love rather than reactive fear. I think Dr. Ari would agree that fear of the "other" is nothing more nor less than fear of some aspect of myself that I mask with bravado or lame humor or denial or some other form of defense.</p>
<p>I like what Dr. Ari has to say about the primary importance of inner transformation. I would say that "being the change" includes bringing our economics, politics, governance, and relationship with power into alignment with a consciousness based on proactive love rather than reactive fear. I think Dr. Ari would agree that fear of the "other" is nothing more nor less than fear of some aspect of myself that I mask with bravado or lame humor or denial or some other form of defense.</p> 1. An interesting question! …tag:www.occupycafe.org,2012-01-03:6451976:Comment:201432012-01-03T02:15:13.473ZSusan Livingstonhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/SusanLivingston
<p>1. An interesting question! However, I'd prefer the richness of idiosyncratic responses rather than looking for a grounded response with such ("imperative") urgency. Let's brainstorm!</p>
<p>2. When violence happens, it doesn't matter if it was provoked. Violence is. The more important question is how we can rise above who's right, who's wrong, and who deserves what and respond to violence and painful conflict in a transformative way. The more interesting question is how to recognize…</p>
<p>1. An interesting question! However, I'd prefer the richness of idiosyncratic responses rather than looking for a grounded response with such ("imperative") urgency. Let's brainstorm!</p>
<p>2. When violence happens, it doesn't matter if it was provoked. Violence is. The more important question is how we can rise above who's right, who's wrong, and who deserves what and respond to violence and painful conflict in a transformative way. The more interesting question is how to recognize invisible or structural violence, especially within systems that we ourselves are continuing to support, and how to do that without blame or guilt.</p>
<p>3. The NDAA is nothing more than the next evolutionary step for the Culture of Fear - a natural outgrowth, I would say, from the National ID Act and the "Patriot" Act before that. We have a lot of growing up to do as a movement, and taking things personally will stifle our learning and maturation. Laws are made in reaction to the lawmakers; they have little or nothing to do with those who are governed by them. This is not to trivialize excessive use of force by the government, whether it be pepper spraying students, unlimited detention of activists, or feeling up grandmothers at the airport.</p> Finding grounded responses to…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-12-22:6451976:Comment:190232011-12-22T07:16:41.165ZJitendra Darlinghttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/JitendraDarling
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 12px; xg-p: static ! important; color: #5b5b58; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 12px; xg-p: static ! important; color: #5b5b58; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-size: 1em; xg-p: static ! important;"><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-size: 1em; xg-p: static ! important;">Finding grounded responses to these questions will be imperative for the survival and evolution of this movement.</em></strong></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 12px; xg-p: static ! important; color: #5b5b58; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">What might a higher octave of nonviolence look like in our demonstrations and civil disobedience?</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 12px; xg-p: static ! important; color: #5b5b58; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">If violence happens, can one make a case to say it was provoked–even when events on the surface say no? </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 12px; xg-p: static ! important; color: #5b5b58; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">What is the possibility that NDAA is simply a strange way to challenge ourselves to become immaculate in our presence?</p>