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It Starts with Me — A Letter to the Occupy Movement

October 23, 2011

Dear Occupy Movement:

 I saw you last weekend in Boulder, and I was mostly saddened by what I experienced.  Yes, it is good to see that you are motivated enough to change things that you will spend a spectacular fall day marching on Pearl Street.  But you seemed so angry, at times almost hateful.  I was glad that none of the “other” 1%, or the people that work at banks and corporations were around, as they seemed particularly detested.

 Then I realized that, being Boulder, those people probably were around.  Boulder is a wealthy community.  All of the big banks have offices here.  And many people I know are employed by corporations.  I wondered, if those people — our neighbors — really deserved to be the subject of such negativity.

 I also imagined the power of your movement if it included some of the “other” 1% and employees of banks and corporations.   What if rather than demonizing millions of people you invited them to join you in speaking out against economic injustice?  What if rather than being against so many things – and people – you were for something positive?

 Both Gandhi and Martin Luther King wrote that successful non violent social movements require internal work among the participants, not just action in the outside world.  The internal work is to develop enough wisdom and compassion so that people do not become the subject of protest, anger and violence.   The focus is always on the condition, the policy, the underlying cause of the injustice.

Martin Luther King, for example, was not against white people, he was for equality under the law.  I seem to remember from the footage of his marches that the very people who benefited from the injustice he was protesting were present.  And as a spiritually evolved person, he knew that the people who did not support the movement suffered from an ignorance that they did not choose.  They, too, were victims.

So, accordingly, I will join you when I feel it is safe to invite my brothers and sisters from the “other” 1% and from banks and corporations (remember, banks and corporations cannot exist without people).  In the mean time, I will occupy myself.  By this, I mean that I will work to transform in myself that which might cause me to be insensitive to the suffering of others, and I will dedicate as much time as I can to helping to provide economic opportunity for those that are in the most need.

 Sincerely yours,

 Bruce Campbell

 

 

3 comments

  1. Parker Johnson
    October 24, 2011

    Hi Bruce, this is a fabulous letter and I wish I had written it. I am a former investment banker and I share many of your same concerns here. I had the opportunity to spend some time in NY with one of the young organizers of the Occupy movement last weekend – he was a 2007 Berkeley grad with a double major in Poli Sci and Applied Ethics. In my conversation with him I was relieved to see that he had no anger or hostility in him – he was simply lucid, clear, and determined that what they are doing is important and necessary. Moreover he shared that they had no leader, no demands, no agenda, and no plan beyond simply holding space for the “people” to express their discontent. Which I found to be surprising and refreshing. I came away from our conversation with a deep sense that the energies being stirred by this movement will coalesce into an organic expression of what wants to emerge from the collective. What was absent from his rhetoric was “we know best what to do” – what was inherent in his position was, “we trust that by holding space for the people to express their discontent, that the from the collective – we will witness the emergence of what is next, and we will eventually experience the change we wish to see.” And your letter perfectly speaks to this vision for positive change – and I thank you for your eloquence and wisdom – I hope you will consider submitting it as an Op-Ed piece to newspapers far and wide. One final thought which also gives me hope with the Occupy movement – it seems to have three things going for it: truth, conviction, and patience. And this feels like a recipe for positive change.

    Reply
  2. Kendall Thiessen
    October 24, 2011

    Bruce:

    I get your general point but also think that measuring the anger of a few is a poor and unfair way to measure the value of a movement. Much like the media has tried to undermine the movement by suggesting that they are all disaffected jobless (it turns out a high percentage are at least part-time employed).

    In addition, your interpretation of the life and work of Ghandi and MLK seemed to focus on latter parts of their life and yet seemed to overlook the righteous anger and frustration that both felt in their “youth” and inspired in their followers in order to achieve that change.

    That is not to say that either pressed an agenda of anger and hatred. But both did instill a sense of moral outrage that —if you purely look at the followers of the movement alone—could well have been mistaken for an angry, out of control mob. Did all of those followers reflect the peaceful values of MLK at all times? Did the marches and movements inspired by Ghandi include only peaceful and humble participants? No way and to be homiest MLK and Ghandi both benefitted from that reality in my humble opinion.

    I am definitely of the view that we can all change in small ways but I will be honest and say that for all those sitting comfy in their offices and talking about change in some abstract way (like me), I still resonate with those willing to move, walk, stay, occupy and yes get pissed off a bit in the name of change even when the tone or tenor may leave something to be desired. As Parker notes above, what is there today may coalesce into something quite different if given time.

    Sometimes the only way to get start the movement is to light a fire that will sometimes burn those around them before it can provide the warmth and comfort for all.

    Appreciate your honest post.
    –

    Kendall Thiessen
    Principal, Transideation P.C.
    A Boutique Technology Law Firm
    1507 Pine St., Boulder, CO 80302
    Ph: 720.458.3042
    Fax: 303.416.8926
    Web: http://www.transideation.com
    Your ideas realized.

    Reply
  3. John Darst
    October 28, 2011

    Bruce,

    A very well written statement of your view I read. I feel though there is a place for anger here among many of the other emotions. Anger is a gift when used “correctly.” I am angry because our inalienable rights are actually being challenged and the lack of caring for human life is so apparent.

    I occupied Zuccotti Park for eight days and was witness to self proclaimed one percent-ers joining us, expressing their views and insight, and being accepted by all. It was very powerful. I do feel it is just to direct feelings of anger to those working in this monetary system. They are helping to perpetuate the cycle.

    We are for positive changes and they are expressed in many ways, anger being one of them. Anger doesn’t have to be a negative if it is used constructively.

    I respect your views and hope we may meet someday!

    With sincerity,

    John Darst

    Reply

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