Religious Groups Offer Help to Evicted Protesters

[rug]

November 16, 2011, 3:46 pm
By SHARON OTTERMAN

A loose coalition of religious leaders from around the city, calling themselves Occupy Faith, are trying to assist the Occupy Wall Street protesters, who are now barred from sleeping overnight at Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan.

The coalition, made up of more than 100 priests, ministers, rabbis and imams who have signed a pledge of support for the movement, includes clergy who had helped run the protesters’ kitchen at the park in the last two months. Others led religious services or gave organizational advice. And in the last 48 hours, as the protests move into a new and uncertain phase, some opened their houses of worship to demonstrators as places of rest, or stood beside them as they confronted the police around the city.

Judson Memorial Church near Washington Square Park has become an informal center of Occupy Faith, and the congregation’s leadership is giving space to the protest movement as it tries to regain its footing. The church has pledged to permit up to 100 protesters to sleep in its cramped Parish Hall from Wednesday night through Saturday morning. The church ministers hope this move will help the demonstrators until they can set up camp either back in Zuccotti Park or elsewhere.

“They have to continue their deliberations and protest,” said the Rev. Donna Schaper, the senior minister at Judson, who criticized the early-morning police raid of the camp Tuesday. “It can’t end with ‘You guys are toast, goodbye’.”

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/religious-groups-offer-help-to-evicted-protesters/

[PETRUS]

1. Good. Space to rest is a help.

[rug]

2. I remember going to DC for a demonstration and a porn theater invited protestors to stay all night.

They kept the movie running all night. Almost cured me.

[PETRUS]

3. Really? Let's hope the churches don't keep the preaching going all night.

[roguevalley]

5. can't you just accept the action without cynicism? This is what

churches have done since forever. Civil rights, anti-slavery, all of it. they were and are there.

[PETRUS]

8. Of course!

I was just making a humorous reply to the adult theater comment. And making a point - I am nearly certain the churches are not going to proselytize while offering sanctuary. Nearly anyone who needs a safe, quiet space should find themselves feeling comfortable. Unlike an adult theater running porn all night - I'm sure plenty of people who could have used shelter would find that pretty unsavory.

[MADem]

10. I understood what you meant. I guess young people don't remember what "porn theaters" were!

24 hour dirty movies, and customers had to get up off their asses, get dressed, and go down there! Nowadays people just fire up the computers for that kind of thing.

It's tough having a conversation on the internet sometimes....so much readiness to take offense, be affronted, take a comment the wrong way.

I took your point immediately--maybe it's a generational thing? Do they even have those porn theaters anymore? Last I heard of one, poor Pee Wee Herman was waving his pee wee about in one, and got arrested for same. Since then, I haven't seen/noticed one.

[rug]

13. Are you calling me old?

:grr:

Actually, it was the big march on November 15, 1969 and the movie "I Am Curious (Yellow)", which would barely be called porn now. It's a sad state of affairs when after 40 years the demonstrations get smaller but the porn gets raunchier. I'm really encouraged by OWS.

[PETRUS]

14. I guess I'm a whippersnapper.

In my forties...

[MADem]

16. A babe in arms, still! Lucky duck! nt

[MADem]

15. Naaah--you're just well seasoned!!!

I don't think I've heard the phrase "I Am Curious (Yellow)" SINCE that era!!

I am encouraged as well--I hope they stay focused on the core issues. There's tremendous potential there.

[deacon_sephiroth]

6. good people will still do good things...

how's the rest of that go?

[MADem]

4. Partnering with churches is a good thing.

They should see if they could rent some room in the basement for meetings/rest so they would have a sheltered base of operations.

[aquart]

7. Churches and unions.

This is broad, deep support.

[MADem]

9. I wonder how many unions have decent union halls?

I wonder if they have any space--a basement, an outbuilding--they might be willing to rent or loan out?

It's a thought.

[PETRUS]

11. One NYC union is offering space.

I forget which one, SEIU or a teacher's union I think. They're helping with the "bathroom problem." Someone bought port-a-potties and the union is providing space (a loading dock or something).

[MADem]

12. +1. nt

[TBF]

17. I agree- churches and unions are where we'll find other 99%ers -

I'm what you would call spiritual, not as dogmatic as some. One of my friends introduced me to a group called the Christian Left. I think it's time the democratic party realizes not all folks who are spiritual/religious are crazy fundies. I'm thrilled that the Methodist church is supporting the occupiers (and I know some members of Methodist Women have participated in the protesting).