Dear Friends
 
Just wanted to let you know that Occupy Providence goes on, despite rain, wind, snow, freezing temperatures and eviction notices. I have not been sleeping in the tent so as to conserve my strength and stay healthy. This was fortunate indeed since the snow collapsed the tarping and the tent itself. But it was easy enough to fix and I hope to return to camp later this week when the weather is less dangerous. I did attend a rally this afternoon and a few of us meditated while the crowd circled the park, chanting and expressing rights to free speech and assembly.  Everything remains incredibly peaceful: there is a real commitment to non-violence by the occupiers and this is uplifting. There will be many activities happening this week, including a trick or treat outing to various corporate headquarters on Monday. For more information, you can visit the OP website: http://www.occupyprovidence.com/
I have been busy keeping up with work and school and this limits my abilities to participate more fully. Nevertheless, I am hoping to suggest and perhaps lead the formation of an outreach committee to reach out to students, faculty and employees of neighboring colleges and universities. Right now, a great deal of activity has been focused on ensuring that we are able to remain in the park indefinitely. Despite the fact that the City posted eviction notices, the feeling of most occupiers is that the City are not eager to actually enforce the evictions.  And no one I’ve spoken to thinks Providence will go the way of Oakland, which was a heartbreak and outrage.  
I hear people say that the occupiers will just go away once the winter really sets in, but if this last bit of weather is any indication, I am not certain that this will happen. There is a core group of extremely committed activists and I know I can speak for myself in saying that I am inspired by others’ work. I am also amazed and uplifted by the breadth of this movement. There are encampments across the US and beyond. It is an international movement. I know many folks have expressed concerned that the movement does not have a concrete list of demands. I have said in other postings that I believe this will emerge. Right now I think the movement has an implicit demand that business as usual not be allowed to continue in Washington and corporate boardrooms. This is a powerful place to start. Personally, I also feel that the Buddhist slogan, “The path is the goal” is indicative of what is going on. As I have said before, real democracy is tedious, slow-moving, and resistant to simple solutions. Creating a democratic path is in itself a noble goal and would be a significant achievement. I am also aware how difficult it is for many folks to be patient. We are so trained to expect quick fixes and rapid gratification. There is something extremely potent about being part of a movement that resists societal demands for an easy answer. Moreover, by building slowly and patiently, we also resist the temptation to collapse the democratic processes that so many have been working so hard to maintain. And finally, I believe that slow and steady development of a movement, from the numbers of humans involved to the evolution of concrete political demands, will help in achieving ensure sustainable and sustained transformation of politics in the US. We still need help. Evidently there is an attorney (yes, one attorney) who has committed to working pro bono on the needs of the encampment. But that is not enough. The ACLU does not appear to want to get involved; I am disappointed but not surprised. Donations remain important, as do boots on the ground. I am considering how to manage/start up a donation locale in Tecumsehville while still attending to my obligations. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. With gratitude to my friends and family who have supported these efforts. “There is no way to peace; peace is the way.” (AJ Muste)
Mary