UUs and Occupy

By Kayla Parker

As Unitarian Universalists, we are called to affirm and promote our fifth principle, “The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.” Some of us may experience this principle as a calling to join the Occupy movement. Let us be guided by our faith to ensure that all peoples are being invited into a non-violent process of change. Occupy movements have been emerging all over the country and the globe, now existing in smaller cities and towns. College campuses have recently joined in, and launched their own website to track student involvement. Here is some reading on the subject: Occupy Protests Spread Across College Campuses (From National Public Radio) The Occupy Wall Street movement is planning a series of strikes and protests on college campuses Thursday. The movement and its encampments are proving to be a challenge for administrators at some schools. More. God Dissolves into the Occupy Movement (from Religion Dispatches) by Anthea Butler, Elizabeth Drescher, Peter Laarman, Sarah Posner, Nathan Schneider Saturday’s surge of Occupy actions around the globe could be a turning point, a hinge moment, as occupiers in over a hundred American cities feel the power of worldwide welcome and affirmation. There is obviously more to be felt and said about this than any journalistic treatment could hope to engage; one senses in many recent commentaries the strain of needing to say more and not quite having the words. Over the course of a couple of days, four regular RD contributors, moderated by Senior Editor Sarah Posner, shared their own thoughts about a movement that remains fluid and thrilling—and quite literally indescribable. More. Occupy's Sacred Mob and the Politics of Vagrancy – A religious reading of the Occupy movement by Vincent Gonzalez It is 1 a.m., 37 degrees. Between two noisy bars, twelve people are trying to sleep in their tents, four more are drinking coffee and holding watch. We talk to drunks as they pass by; sometimes we find allegiance that may or may not be remembered in the morning, and sometimes we just bore potential attackers into docility by inviting them to explain their politics. Tent-kickers are rarely brave enough to kick a person, and “Get a job!” is easily answered by “I have two, but unemployment in North Carolina is over ten percent.” This is the Occupation of Chapel Hill. It is the morning of Halloween. More.
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