Call for A Pagan Cluster:

Transcription

1 Call fr A Pagan Cluster: T Jin the Resistance Against the Wrld Ecnmic Frum New Yrk City January 31-February Frm January 30 thrugh February 4, 2002, the Wrld Ecnmic Frum will meet in New Yrk City. A majr mbilizatin is being planned t prtest their meeting. The Wrld Ecnmic Frum is the gathering f plitical and business leaders t set the agendas f crprate dminatin which later becme frmalized by gvernments and internatinal institutins. This is where the netwrking and brainstrming is dne that sets plicy fr the WTO, the IMF and Wrld Bank, and the ther undemcratic, nn-accuntable institutins that impse crprate rule arund the wrld. This is the first majr meeting f the glbal crprate pwers since September 11, and the first pprtunity fr the glbal justice mvement t respnd. We call n Pagans and ur friends t jin us in New Yrk City t participate in creative resistance t the Wrld Ecnmic Frum and the unjust, glbal ecnmic system that is destrying the health f the planet and impverishing the majrity f the wrld's peple. We say that ur lives, ur cmmunities, the health f the earth's ecsystems, the cultures f indigenus peples, the dreams f children are t imprtant t be subsumed t prfit. Anther wrld is pssible: a wrld f justice, freedm, eclgical balance, real demcracy and true abundance, and we will make it real. What Is A Pagan Cluster? We are peple wh cannt separate spirit frm actin. We see the earth as a living being, and all f life as intercnnected. Our spirituality is earth-based, ertic, and engaged with the glbal struggles fr justice, liberatin, equality and eclgical balance. In ur actins we attempt t embdy the wrld we want t create. Our actins respect the life, well being, and dignity f all peple.

2 We are clrful, beautiful and playful. We are curageus, bld and willing. We bring creativity and ritual t actins and t rganizing. We give peple a taste f the energy and pwer f magic, and shw a glimmer f what is pssible. We seek actins that allw peple t participate at different levels f risk. We strngly value supprt rles as well as frnt-line rles. We mdel slidarity with ther activists, n the street, in jail, in the curts, in the press-even thugh we may nt agree cmpletely with their tactics r their plitics. We mbilize magical supprt fr ur actins. We transfrm tense mments and places t create a sense f safety and pssibility. We recgnize the vilence directed against ur mvement, and acknwledge the tll f the trauma. We cnsciusly integrate healing int ur plitics / actins. We value and prvide training and preparatin fr actins. We build bridges and pen channels f cmmunicatin between many diverse grups. We are anti-authritarian and nnhierarchical. We make decisins by cnsensus. We encurage the frmatin f affinity grups. Yu dn't have t be a Pagan t jin ur cluster, but yu d have t be willing t put up with Pagans wh d ritual, sing sngs, and plan strategy thrugh divinatin. Fire and Water This actin takes place ver the festival f Brigid, ancient Irish Gddess f fire and water, the hly well and the sacred flame. Brigid is the Gddess f the frge, the patrness f petry and healing. Fr many f us, her festival has lng been a time fr plitical magic. In many previus actins, the Pagan Cluster has frmed a Living River, drawing attentin t issues f water, asserting that water is sacred, and a human right t be prtected against explitatin. We've challenged the FTAA, Bechtel Crpratin, and the IMF and Wrld Bank t stp privatizing

3 water and t address the Cchabamba Declaratin which calls fr an internatinal treaty t prtect ur rights t water. In this actin we als carry Brigid's flame, the flame f truth, f curage, hpe and passin. We ppse a glbal system based n the pwer f dminatin, backed by the firepwer f the gun and the bmb, fueled by a vast, il burning engine which manipulates gvernments, destrys indigenus cmmunities, and assaults the health f the earth's ecsystems and climate. We invke the renewable pwers f sun, wind and water, the hearthfire f glbal slidarity, the creative fire f inspiratin, and the transfrmative fire f healing, t fight fire with fire, t remake the wrld in the service f that pwer which spruts seeds and pushes frth new grwth in the warming days f spring. What We Will D On Friday, Feb. 1, we have been asked by the c-rdinatrs f the grup Anther Wrld is Pssible t begin the weekend f actins by planning a vigil/pageant/ritual and helping t create a safe space/temprary autnmus zne. The event we create will be welcming t peple f all (r n) religius persuasins, and will aim t be a safe and nn-arrest situatin, that will fcus n healing, empwerment, and frging ur visin. The verall scenari fr the whle weekend f actins is nw being develped by a number f grups. We'll participate as a cntingent in marches and actins planned by ther grups. We will frm ur wn plan fr actins that allw a wide spectrum f participatin by peple with varying needs. We'll ffer public ritual, create healing spaces and bring ritual int the streets. We'll prvide trainings and preparatins fr the actins. We are eager t cnnect and netwrk with Pagans frm the lcal area wh cme frm ther traditins r cmmunities. We encurage New Yrk City Pagans t participate in the general rganizing. In ur rganizatin, we will embdy the principles f penness, participatin, empwerment and real demcracy that are the fundatin f the wrld we strive t create. We intend t carry ut ur actins with visin, imaginatin, creativity, humr and jy, with sensitivity t the immense suffering caused by the attacks f September 11, with respect fr the lives, enterprises, cultures and heritages f the peple f New Yrk City, and in a manner that encurages all t jin us. Hw T Cnnect

4 There is a Pagan Cluster listserve fr rganizing this actin. T subscribe, <livriv-subscribe@yahgrups.cm> T pst: <LivRiv@yahgrups.cm> Als, there is a general listserve fr discussin and rganizing magical supprt fr actins. T subscribe, <rwtsubscribe@yahgrups.cm> T pst: <rwt@yahgrups.cm> We will attempt t rganize husing fr the cluster, training times and meeting spaces, and t physically meet in the days befre the actin. When t Cme? The meetings begin n Thursday, January 31st. The scenari is still being develped, but cnferences, art making, a cuntersummit and a student mbilizatin with wrkshps, panels and trainings will begin in the week leading up t the actin, especially n Thursday and Friday. Majr direct actin will take place n the weekend. The earlier peple cme, the mre time we will have fr training and preparatin, and the mre yu will be able t participate in planning and creating the actins. Other Useful Cntact Infmatin WEF Cunter-Summit Organizing Cllective address: <glbaljustice@peplefrpeace.rg> Anti-Capitalist Cnvergence websites: Glbalize Justice mailing list: fr annuncements and updates. grups.yah.cm/grup/glbalizejustice Natinal Student Mbilizatin and Cnference infrmatin: The Students fr Glbal Justice website Nte: all websites will pen in a new brwser windw!

5 Cpyright (c) 2002 by Starhawk. All rights reserved. This cpyright prtects Starhawk's right t future publicatin f her wrk. Nnprfit, activist, and educatinal grups may circulate this essay (frward it, reprint it, translate it, pst it, r reprduce it) fr nnprfit uses. Please d nt change any part f it withut permissin. Readers are invited t visit the web site: