The New World Rising is a lot of things to a lot of
people,
but we have a hipstory of our own to share.
We began in Providence,
Rhode Island, in the mid-1980's,
engaging on all levels with the hip hop,
activist,
and alternative communities there, at the grassroots, street level.
We organized peace marches, awareness rallies,
and other empowering
events.
We put out 'zines that went on Dead Tour,
which many people still
remember
and cherish their copies of.
We experimented with projects such as low
power radio stations,
built local homesteads, worked as WOOFERS and advocates,
organized against activities such as nuclear power and fracking, a
nd opposed
war on every front.
Today, we continue to evolve, but our focus is still
on collaboration with fellow activists and artists,
working together to restore
balance where it's been lost,
to raise awareness where changes need to occur,
and to celebrate love and life together.
The reawakening of this 'zine
represents
an active collaboration and a decision to take
the New World Rising
to a new level,
by weaving our ideas and inspirations into a handy format,
to
carry with you as you journey on your path.
We honor the themes and
memes of the Occupy Movement,
in celebration of its one year anniversary
on
September 17th 2012.
When the Occupy movement began, it was a long
time coming.
Many people had lost heart and lost hope
that serious changes
could ever occur.
People began to refer to one another as sheeple,
and to claim
that everyone is too dumbed down
and too comfortable to even lift a finger in
protest.
Many people also believed that the powers-that-be
who maintain the
status quo were untouchable
and impossible to topple.
Many lamented the lack of
a "Woodstock"
for our generation,
something to galvanize all of us
around massive change,
like the Civil Rights movement before us.
When the Arab
Spring happened,
it inspired a lot of average people in America,
formerly
identified as sheeple,
as we witnessed brave citizens around the world
standing
up to brutal dictators and armed forces,
demanding change.
"Walk Like An
Egyptian" became a rallying cry
around the world.
It was like "Give
me liberty or give me death" personified,
for all to witness on Twitter,
Facebook, Youtube,
and every other social media platform.
And it electrified
us.
And so we took to the streets
and decided to make change happen for ourselves as well. It proved to be
intensely challenging, in America of all places--the
land of the free and the home of the brave-- because a police state has slowly
taken over, from coast to coast and in every community. It required even more
courage and determination, in the face of pepper spray, handcuffs, and endless
court dates, as well as the conservative thought streams of those who wanted to
silence us and shut us down. Just to be heard, a value our nation had always
stood for, required the same dedication and bravery as that required of those
sociocultural giants before us, who showed us how it was done and gave us the
keys to make it happen.
In this day and age, we are equipped with new tools,
such as computers and smart phones, which give us a whole new dimension of
organizing and activating these crucial changes in awareness and lifestyles.
Response to injustice is much swifter now, and often more emotional, but
definitely better informed. They can fool some of the people all of the time,
and all of the people some of the time, but not everyone all of the time
anymore. It's a different world now, and the old paradigms need to go, in favor
of what works for the vast majority of people and creatures, not just the power
elites in their ivory towers and gated mansions. Together we create new
paradigms, based on old wisdoms, such as harmony and unity on a global scale,
and we create new metanarratives, based on old wisdoms, such as believing that
we are part of the web of life, and not at the top of the food chain with the
world at our disposal. The Occupy Movement is fascinating because it
encompasses all of these phenomena and more.
Synchronicities pulled us together on that day in
September 2011, when the Occupy Movement began, into organized tribes, from
coast to coast, from region to region, and we were soon bravely making signs of
our own and setting up camps right downtown. Some of us asked permission from
the authorities, and others just went for it. Either way, it got everyone's
attention. While not all mainstream citizens agree with the movement, any
mention of it is sure to provoke some interesting discussions. And when people
make the effort to discuss things they feel strongly about, it tends to affect
their choices and decisions the next time they have an opportunity.
For example, many of us became aware of the evil and
far reaching deeds of the Monsanto corporation this spring, which led to
awareness of industrial farming practices, mass production of basically dead
and genetically modified food, the effects of genetic pollution on crucial
species such as bees and butterflies, the poisonous and mind numbing effects of
fluoride, the conspicuous consumption of vaccinations, and the habitual
behaviors that lead so many to intentionally poison themselves just for the
comfort and convenience of it.
Becoming aware of Monsanto and the Occupy Food
movement has caused serious ripples in the food industries, as people choose
much more carefully how to spend their food money. Money is tight anyway, as a
result of the iron grip of corporations on our economy, and this too led to a
growing awareness of the Occupy Movement issues. These issues require us to
reclaim our personal power and individual autonomy--our freedom and liberty--in
our life choices. We now see people embracing Slow Money, Slow Food, Slow
Living, and even Slow Education. We see people courageously embracing Voluntary
Simplicity, conscious of the necessity to go local in all areas of life--buying
local goods and foods, using local services, hiring local employees, learning
localized skills, and supporting the people we know in our own communities, as
they generate our local economies, birth our babies, help us raise our
children, build our homes, and on and on. This Occupy Movement is huge, and it
has rippled through all levels of our society in ways not always considered by
the mass media.
On social media platforms such as Facebook, there are
many pages to Like, such as Occupy Consciousness, Occupy Love, Occupy
Education, Occupy the White House, Occupy any city/country/area you can think
of, and so forth and so on. It's long past time for us to take back our power
and occupy these things that we truly do own, because this IS our world, this
IS our country, these are OUR lives we are living. Not the corporations, not
the military, not the government. And when it comes down to it, the
corporations, military and government are occupied by actual human beings,
albeit misguided or ill intentioned human beings. And the best way to win a
revolution is from within, by touching their minds and lives in ways they can
relate to, and by withdrawing our participation in what no longer works and
putting it where it does work.
John Kennedy once said that if you prohibit a
peaceful revolution, then you make a violent revolution inevitable. The vast
majority of people would prefer a peaceful revolution, but they lack the
awareness and the tools to empower it. The Occupy Movement, as well as the New
World Rising, offers ways to meet these needs.
The peaceful Occupy Movement is our way of manifesting
a peaceful revolution, by demanding change from the people who seem to be
running things, and by collaborating together to create alternatives that work
for everyone, including the Earth and the ecosystems and all who occupy them.
We raise awareness by occupying the spaces, both in real life and online, and
we demand change in large numbers, striving to tip the scales in favor of the
necessary critical mass. It’s a big task, this "Woodstock" or
"Civil Rights Movement" of our generation. And every committed person
who is up to the task gets our highest praise and deepest thanks.
There is a place and a space for absolutely everyone
in the Occupy Movement, no matter what your issue or concern is. It's not just
a movement for sign holders, street shouters, and ninja campers. You can work
online, by doing virtual volunteering tasks, by spreading the word about events
and news, or by sharing information with your family and friends. You can write
songs and make art about what you want to see Occupied and evolved to the next
level. You can babysit so someone can go to a rally, or go for yourself. You
can make documentary videos to post on YouTube, and make channels there for
people to watch empowering videos. The New World Rising has a channel there
that is chock full of Occupy videos, protest music of all genres, interesting
movies relevant to the Occupy issues, and much more, so look it up and check it
out.
One person stepping up and activating at a time, one
heart awakening at a time, one life changing at a time, here and here and here
and here, is indeed leading to a butterfly effect of massive proportions, which
I believe will help us all to attain the critical mass needed for a tidal wave
of awakening in this auspicious and long awaited year of 2012 and beyond. The
visions of many intelligent, creative, passionate people are manifesting on
both a grand scale and individually. We invite you to be a part of this
beautiful, powerful, intense movement too, and to join with us in the New World
Rising, to share your own dreams and visions, to let us help empower you with
our own guidance and encouragement, and to be a witness to an incredible time
in human history. We ARE the change we wish to be.
