I have been short on time with my state exam coming up tomorrow but I wanted to mention of a few things that happened lately.
The day after the last arrests the city police told us we could use chairs. If you recall that was the reason they arrested Mother Margret, a disabled women who cannot stand for extended periods of time. The next day they went back to prohibiting chairs. One has to wonder how they expect anyone to follow the rules when they are so arbitrary and literally change by the day. On a positive note the arrests seemed to have gotten the Mayors attention. Mayor Charles Meeker wrote to the city council on the Friday after the arrests (quoting from Raleigh N&O):
“The City Council needs to provide guidance” to city brass on how to balance the rights to assembly and free speech with the need for orderly conduct, Meeker wrote in a memo to his colleagues Friday. “I am concerned that the constitutional rights are not being given adequate weight.”
It seems Mayor Meeker was under the impression that the City Police would not be involved in the arrests even though they clearly were. They formed a wall separating the protesters from Mother Margret and the others arrested and it was the City Police that transported those arrested to the jail. The Mayor certainly did not have to make a statement that would be public. That he chose to is promising.
The occupation’s legal working group has been making some progress negotiating with the city for some sort of solution that the occupation and the city would find acceptable. Presently the hope is we can be permitted for a 24 hour occupation at a small park called Avery Upchurch Park. Its right next to the City Council and only two blocks away from the sidewalk we currently occupy. This would allow us to set up a base of operations where we could have tents and other amenities, while still being close enough to the Capitol grounds that we could maintain that aspect of our occupation more easily and comfortably. One of the members of our legal working group has a personal relationship with the Mayor and feels Meeker tends to say what he means and honor his own word. This member of legal seems to think we have a real shot to get this. I am more skeptical but I wholeheartedly back the effort. The city council is meeting this Tuesday and the Raleigh Occupation is being brought up by the Mayor and its possible one or more from the occupation may get to speak. Hopefully we will know more after Tuesday about our chances.
I had a great, if brief, conversation with a fellow named Jack last night. Near the start of the occupation he said to himself he was going to come down to the occupation for 15 minutes and see what we were about. He stayed a couple hours. He has since visited us often and has come to support our overall intentions. He is a deeply religious man and the kind of person I love discussing religion with. I am an atheist but I love speaking on philosophical matters and religion certainly qualifies. Jack is the type of person that actually tries to live real Christianity as in the message of the New Testament, which is actually pretty easy so sum up with the word, “Love”. He isn’t judgmental. He doesn’t get offended at things I say. He certainly doesn’t agree with many of my positions but we can have an honest and interesting discussion. I meet very few people who call themselves religious who I can talk to like that. I find him extremely refreshing and I am very glad to have met him.
Jack has started talking to others he knows to encourage them to just come and see what the occupation is about for themselves. I love when people do this and I encourage all who visit us to talk to people they know. People are much more receptive when they hear it from someone they like and respect.
I also had one of my favorite moments through out the entire occupation experience over the last two days. One of the occupiers, Will, who I got arrested with the first night, is one of the few people that I can honestly point to and say they are the primary reason we maintain a 24/7 occupation. I cannot point to myself and say that. He is there most of the time and especially during the most difficult times like very late at night and into the early morning. Whenever I hear there were only 2 or 3 people left at the occupation, he is almost always one of them. Anyway, two days ago he was playing around on an acoustic guitar which I have seen him do before. But the style he was using this time reminded me a lot of the style of bass playing I loved playing (though was never great at) and love watching others play. The style involves lots of different ways of attacking the strings, be it slapping, popping, strumming, or tapping. Its a very percussive and melodic style of bass.
Somebody was I think asking him if he knew a certain song or something of that nature. He responded and then added, “But I am really not a guitar player.” I asked curiously, “Are you a bass player?” He replied that he was. It turns out his bass had been stolen 6 months ago, an instrument more valuable than the car it had been stolen from. He had been without a bass since. So here was a person who clearly had serious skills at playing bass, and the particular style I loved, who was getting his fix by doing what he could on the acoustic guitar. I told him I had an extra bass he could have to which he replied that would be great. Not sure if at that time he believed me or not but I told him I would bring it the next day.
The first bass I learned on was given to me by a friend who had recently bought themselves a new bass. It has a lot of positive karma associated with it. I brought it with me the next day, opened the close-to-fallen apart case it came in, and handed it to Will.
“This is yours. If when you don’t need it anymore you want to give it back that’s cool. If you don’t need it and know someone who could really use a bass that’s cool too. It’s yours to do with as you please.”
I have never seem him grin wider as he took it and immediately slung it on and started a test run, slapping and popping away. Soon after he looked up smiling, thanked me, hugged me and shortly after thanked and hugged me again. I remember when I played heavily how I would take my bass on short weekend trips just because I didn’t want to go without being able to play it for more than a day at a time. It becomes spiritual and a very healthy part of ones routine. Its clearly still that way for Will. For the occupation to end up putting me in a position where I could help get someone one step closer back to there was an incredible feeling. Sure its not a 6-string like he usually plays. Sure its not a high quality bass. But those issues are basically irrelevant when the choice is to play or not to play at all.
A short time later we were talking and I mentioned something else about the bass. He thanked me again to which I quickly replied, “I promise I am not fishing for compliments.” Still with a huge grin he replied, “Well I am going to give them too you anyway. You saved my life.”
Kismet. And I thought that bass was karmic’ly rich before.
Go visit your local occupation. Don’t stay on the sidelines. It will change your life for the better. It has inspired mine.
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