There is a buzzword that has many if not most on our toes. Globalisation. Let me say that at first I wasn’t that concerned because I believed and still do that a united world under one flag would be good. Now, few things come to mind. We wouldn’t be better off if we had a world dictatorship as noted by people who watch world developments such as the centralisation of power be it political or monetary. I’m also concerned about social issues. What will happen to people who, according to some, are not in the norm? People such as persons with ‘disabilities’, young persons or adults who don’t follow society, but are not revolutionists or anarchists, the poor, etc? Personally, as I told a close friend of mine and one of my daughters in heart, I don’t want to follow the norm or be standardised into one category. I’m already categorised using a wheelchair and don’t ‘fit the norm’ anyway. Just being different society already categorises. What about our basic human rights? Will they be protected by all this transformation? If we have a global government will we be protected from abuses? How will we be represented in a global parliament? Will we have democratic elections? How will local decisions be made? These questions and others must be answered and resolved. In essence all this comes down to social justice. Here's an excerpt from my close friend Taylor from Occupy Ottawa.
"So, Occupy Ottawa has been here for eleven days and it has grown and expanded with the passing of each. There is now a tent city in Confederation Park, a central location in Ottawa that is within walking distance of the Department of National Defence, City Hall, University of Ottawa, the Rideau Centre and the Byward Market. I have been passing many a day and late night at my new digs in the company of fellow occupiers of all ages and all walks of life, those looking for some refuge from the cold streets, and thèse just wandering through the park itself. I have been engaging in discussion with those that are directly involved with Occupy as to why they are here, and those passerbys who know not who and what we are. Of course, I have my own personal take. Here is what I tell them:
“This is not a protest. The protests are the direct actions on the streets like demonstrations, meditation sit ins and solidarity marches with various unions in the city.”
This is a social experiment. To me, this movement is about reconnecting humans to their environment through the development of a more human-friendly social structure. I have identified my own role within this movement to be a mix of social work, outreach and simply being a patient, compassionate individual by having open eyes and ears to witness the various and coloured accounts of the human experience. I am attempting to create a space that will allow for the reconnecting of individuals by building trust on a fundamental human level. It is a simple yet affective strategy to awakening that inner humanitarian in all of us: by ensuring anyone and everyone coming to our little Tent City is comfortable by offering something hot to eat or drink, asking them where they are coming from and if they have a place to stay, or if they have come to check what we were all about, asking them what was it that piqued their curiosity. I am directly confronting the serious and ignored issues of society (poverty, mental health, homelessness, substance abuse) and learning so much from these amazing people who have come across my path.
This is just the beginning. The media has ridiculed this movement because it does not have a cohesive and easily understandable message. To that, I say we are in our first spring. We are witnessing the very first buds appear upon a young tree. We are growing and changing, expanding and learning, this is still very early days. We are also tackling a very big monster. The intricacies of this complex economic, financial, environment and social structure are not easy to understand and it will take time to figure out the best means of addressing specific concerns.
I hope this has been helpful and there will be more to come. I have lots and lots of amazing little stories to share.
Well, I have been at Occupy Ottawa and at first I have to admit I was looking for THE MESSAGE. I knew why they, we, are there in Confederation Park: The Occupy Ottawa came out of Occupy New York City and later became international in various cities around the world ‘protesting’, if I can use that term, against big banks and corporations not to forget governments. However, at first there I was on a fairly cool day with a friend of mine seeing why no action taken. What am I doing there? What am I doing there is simple to answer: I am there to give my support not just moral but physical support to a cause that is obvious to me: Social justice. I strongly believe in that. Me using a wheelchair, why would I not believe in social justice? As Sweetheart told me “you are more than your ‘disability’ Steve”. Other persons are more than just their limitations whether physical, mental, social, etc. I need to say this: Sweetheart is far more than what I see! I see a young person who has so much to give and share! Social justice. Those two words will come up often in this commentary; if not written, they will come up in your minds and hearts. Taylor keeps telling me I teach her to be patient among other things. Well, me too I’m learning. It’s not one way. Speaking of one way. It seems that governments, big corporations and banks have a one-way agenda: give me; give me without giving themselves to the people who elect them and do business with. Politicians promise this and that only to be elected and further their agenda and not what we really need. Again, those two wonderful words: social justice. We need an OASIS of social justice! We need an OASIS that will protect us from tyranny and false promises from politicians, governments, corporations and banks and also society!
No comments:
Post a Comment