Citing the success of last week’s Day of Action protests, Take to the Square, one of Occupy’s main online planning forums, has devised an “Alternative Day of Action” to coincide with international Human Rights Day on December 10.
“Our freedom and dignity are under attack as a result of market dynamics and corrupt government institutions that are turning our local and global societies into increasingly unjust places,” the site complains. The Occupy forum calls for “alternative forms of protest” and “new forms of action with a creative spirit.”
Among the proposed actions: “We can organize public forums, workshops and flash mobs; we can promote the movement at local schools and neighborhoods or get in contact with humanitarian organizations working with the same goals.” A flash mob refers to a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place to perform a collective act and then disperse.
While flash mobs have been organized in the past for entertainment purposes, such as for satire or live television shows, the concept has also recently been used for criminal intent. Flash mobs of mostly teenagers have reportedly attacked random targets in Philadelphia, Maryland, Cleveland, Chicago and Washington, D.C. Philadelphia’s recently reelected mayor, Michael Nutter, imposed strict curfews in response to the incidents.
Activist Asks Churches To Shelter Occupy Protesters “It’s time to invite the Occupy Movement to church!” wrote Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners, a ministry professing devotion to the pursuit of “social justice.” Wallis penned an article in his church’s magazine, also called Sojourners, calling for a “church sanctuary for the Occupy movement.”
Wallis was appointed in February 2009 to the Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, a White House group replete with advocates for using religion to advance “social justice.” Each council appointee serves a one-year term. Wallis reportedly is a spiritual adviser to Obama and has known the president for years.
Writing in his magazine, Wallis suggested that Thanksgiving is the “perfect occasion” for churches to aid the Occupy movement. “Open our church basements and parish halls as safe places to sleep – shelter and sanctuary as cold weather descends upon many of our cities,” he wrote.
