Portland, Ore., Mayor Orders ‘Occupiers’ Out
Today, in Portland, Oregon, Mayor Sam Adams ordered Occupy Wall Street protesters in his city to clear out. Their deadline: 12:01 a.m., Sunday. He cited a rise in crime around the encampments that includes multiple assaults and two drug overdoses in two days. He also warned that police will be prepared to arrest anyone who does not leave. This move comes after Adams sent an open letter earlier this week to members of Occupy Portland, writing that their space behind city hall was not sustainable.
This highlights, I think, one of the most difficult aspects to maintaining an Occupy camp. In the spirit of wanting to extend help and compassion to everyone around us rather than cutting off those needing help, Occupiers are tempted to give help wherever its need presents. Earlier tonight, Occupy Reno… while very small… was faced with the urge to give aid to a homeless gentleman across the street. He was diabetic with some severe injuries, and had several cats in a kennel, and Reno’s Occupiers’ first impulse was to suggest that he move into their site where they might help him get medical treatment and find a shelter for the cats.
Occupy Portland has been an inspiration with its determination to feed and shelter anyone needing help, even when those people weren’t part of or interested in the Occupy movement at all. As a result, they’ve opened themselves up to some devastating consequences because… let’s face it honestly… Occupy is not built for that. Occupy Reno, tonight, had to override itself with the knowledge that it is not prepared or equipped for taking in people with physical or mental diseases, or addictions, or the other issues which plague the homeless people around us. Occupy’s purpose is more specific than that and it can’t allow itself to be derailed by outreach programs towards the homeless and neediest that Occupy is not equipped to handle. We aren’t doing anyone any service that way.
Even as small as we are, we’ve already had to clean house a couple times in order to keep ourselves focused on the reason why we’re here. Ultimately with tonight’s homeless gentleman we had to settle for offering some assistance towards the nearest shelter where he might find trained staffpeople prepared to help him get the aid he needs. The message of the protest becomes lost when the hearts of the protesters are distracted trying to perform community services that should be the government’s domain instead… instead of filling in the gaps where the government fails its people, we should be pointing and yelling and shouting about those weak points in outrage instead…. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for other places such as Portland, where their Occupy stance was swayed by wanting to help everyone all at the same time.
occupyallofus 