I better organized ideas I presented a few days ago.  In actuality a fantasy lifted up into the cloud.  If I hear a bunch of people are going to be in Washington July 5th for this purpose, I'll join them.  Otherwise, presented as an alternative way of organizing in these disintegrating times.

Much thanks to friends who offered suggestions (person to prson!) about yesterday’s blog which was the beginning of an idea.  With the help of others I have tried to better organize my presentation of the idea.


A CALL FOR

A PILGRIMAGE TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO
DEMONSTRATE DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 5, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C.
AT THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING

ORGANIZED LOCALLY, BEARING WITNESS NATIONALLY

CLERGY AND LAITY STAND IN SILENT RESISTANCE TO:

1. THE UNDERMINING OF DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP BY THE SUPREME COURT’S CONFERRING PERSONHOOD ON CORPORATIONS,
ESSENTENTIALLY ELIMINATING FAIR ELECTIONS.

2. THE TWIN FAILURES OF AMERICAN SOCIETY TO COME FULLY TO GRIPS WITH THE SIN OF SLAVERY AND THE PERSISTENCE OF RACISM.

3. THE UNCONCSIOUSNESS OF AMERICANS OF THE SIN OF THE GENOCIDE OF THE NATIVE NATIONS.

3. THE ACCUMULATION OF GREAT WEATH IN THE HANDS OF VERY FEW;
THE CREATION OF A SUSBSISTENCE ECONOMY; THE UNRAVELLING OF AMERICA’S CENTER:  THE MIDDLE CLASS

4. THE REFUSAL OF OUR LEADERS TO ABANDON WITH ALACRITY THE CARBON ECONOMY

5. THE GREED OF THE BANKING INDUSTRY IN REFUSING TO FORGIVE STUDENT DEBT




JULY 5

THUNDERING SILENCE

in the face of an immoral economy,
an unfair society,
a disintegrating democracy
& an imperiled planet.


For more information, speak with a clergy person or anyone you know who shares these concerns.  Create plans with others to get to Washington for that afternoon.

Commit today to join this
Pilgrimage For Justice.
Share your commitment with friends,
Watch democracy in action.
We will eventually reestablish just elections.
First we must create
the thundering silence of
a Silent Cry For Justice



No speakers (perhaps a recitation of the Gettysburg Address in defense of democracy)

July 5, in the wake of all the patriotic hoopla,

tens of thousands of clergy and laity concerned descend upon Washington DC for a SILENT VIGIL.  Let the silence roar our rejection of a rapacious economy and a racist society and a population which needs to wake up to the perils of climate change.

Some bring signs, some don't.  No talk (of course talk in the streets but no podium).  Truly participatory democracy.  Time enough to get better organized afterwards.

Imagine the potential of this BEARING WITNESS TO THE GREED AND INJUSTICE OF OUR TIMES AND CALLING ATTENTION TO HOW CLOSE TO AN EDGE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN PUSHED.

 

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An idea for your consideration.  

A SILENT VIGIL

A process of freedom awakening

What do you think the prospects for success (big turn-out) would be of a grass-roots call (not from adjudicators/religious groups or even envyronmental groups, church or otherwise) but from individual clergy and laity  (as during Vietnam)--we just pick a Sunday in July and ask clergy and lay folks concerned to come to Washington for a silent vigil, prayer for

Saving American Democracy by decrying the idea that a corporation is a person.  "Citizens United," they call it, without any sense of the irony that we they are doing is robbing Americans of their democracy.

Decrying the greed underlying the vast concentration of wealth in the hands of a few.

Joining in penitentional prayer for the outrageous persistence of the murder of black men by the police, with its clear connection to the racism of the chattel slavery upon which this country's economic engine was built.

Standing with surviving members of the Native Nations in pledging to undo the carbon economy and create an Earth friendly economy in the spirit of the ones who were here first.

All of us coming to Washington from across the land a couple of weeks before the pope speaks.

What do you think?  I think it can only work it it remans a completely free process, spontaneouss, no organizational ties other than those that would in the end be needed to work out arrangements in Washington with the police for a lot of people being there.  And perhaps organizing church-synagogue-mosque hospitality for people sleeping in those buildings for the Saturday night before.

Please let me know what you think?  Coming to the end of three decades of active leadership of synagogues, I'm a bit frustrated at how small is our resistance to the issues described above.

I do believe this is a watershed moment.  Why not clergy and laity concerned come to life?

July 5, in the wake of all the patriotic hoopla,

tens of thousands of clergy and laity concerned descend upon Washington DC for a SILENT VIGIL.  Let the silence roar our rejection of a rapacious economy and a racist society and a population which needs to wake up to the perils of climate change.

Some bring signs, some don't.  No talk (of course talk in the streets but no podium).  Truly participatory democracy.  Time enough to get better organized afterwards.

Imagine the potential of this BEARING WITNESS TO THE GREED AND INJUSTICE OF OUR TIMES AND CALLING ATTENTION TO HOW CLOSE TO AN EDGE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN PUSHED.

Joshua Chasan

jchasan@comcast.net

My role in this is only to get it off the ground and perhaps help with arrangements for shelter in Washington DC.

It's now in your hands.  Spread the message by whatever means you've got.  Sunday, July 5, early afternoon, in front of the Lincoln Memorial.  Perhaps if something must be said and I would hope not, then simply a recitation of the Gettysberg Address

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