Jesus occupied the Mount in Matthew 5, and the Plain in Luke 6. It was an act of insurrection to the Roman governance and a religious act of defiance to the Sanhedrin. He was giving speeches about how things should be in society, government and church. He did it again when He fed the 5,000 in John 6 and marched on Jerusalem triumphantly and defiantly (Mark 11).
Our WWI vets formed a BONUS ARMY and occupied Washington DC in 1932 over promised bonuses that were never given upon their return. 12,000 of them moved to Washington and set up a shanty town. The Army drove them out and burned the camps. Some were injured and their property was destroyed. They gathered again in 1933. They did not get the $2billion in promised bonuses until 1936.
People occupied diner counters in the Civil Rights movement and marched in the streets to protest unjust treatment and for equal rights. The harsh treatment they received was caught on film and changed the views of many in the nation - shamed the population's leaders for what they had done with fire hoses and dogs, and moved people because of their resolve to hold fast, go to jail and even die for the cause.
The Anti-War movement brought in occupations and demonstrations, some accompanied by live music and days of bands, etc.. People faced armed soldiers in the streets. Some died (Kent, Ohio and other places). It was certainly one of the reasons, along with work on "The Poor Peoples' Campaign" that Dr. King was killed, JFK, Robert and others...
Even the ultra-right wing "Tea Party" demonstrates in front of State Houses. I saw some as I demonstrated in solidarity with Organized Labor at the Georgia State House not long ago. Wisconsin, Ohio and other states saw demonstrations in protest of the treatment of citizens and for equal economic treatment by those who have a grossly unequal share of our nation's wealth (and the world's).
Occupy Wall Street is a demonstration of Democracy. It is a righteous exercise of liberties protected in the constitution of our nation. Dispersing crowds, destroying their shelters and "cleaning up" the parks they have occupied I trust will spark true Americans to push for voices to be heard, more equal treatment of the average population and most poor and vulnerable in our land and to speak justice to power. There is much wrong with the nation that necessitates such demonstrations and much more wrong with it when its response is not to listen and change, but to try to silence the powerful, unified citizen voices. We have chosen an oligarchy that values limitless capitalism over democracy in our country. Some in the nation are shedding light on these dark practices and demanding that we be different as a nation. Others want to stop them from doing that out of their own sense of entitlement, sick greed and lust for power.
In the Spirit of Jesus, Americans and other brave and determined people across the world (Arab Spring, Europe, the Mediterranean) have occupied, demonstrated and marched.
What will YOU do to work toward Justice, Equity and real Peace? Speak, write, demonstrate and VOTE... because they haven't taken that away from us (yet).
Pastor Jamie
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