I went downtown on Friday night to hold some VFF signs for an hour or so. Signs expressing some pretty simple concepts but that certainly pushed some people's buttons. I think it's fair enough to ask questions like "Are you OK with two classes of kiwis?" and "What if the government is lying?", don't you? But judging from the number of middle fingers on display, apparently yes, people ARE ok with two classes of kiwi and hell no, even considering the remote possibility that government could lie is very offensive. But happily, there were more toots, smiles and waves (or total deadpan ignore) than middle fingers. And from pedestrians a couple of pats on the shoulder and encouraging words. It is Wellington though, and rather windy, so it does get tiring trying to hang onto a flimsy sign, and 45 minutes was more than enough.
Back at Parliament grounds, things were different again. There were a LOT more people there and I was getting the feeling that this weekend is pivotal to how things go. I've been having some trouble with this post, and maybe a question and answer format will help me clarify my thinking. Ultimately all I can blog about is how I see the world, and that's rather fluid these days. Sorry, long post coming up, so if you want to, just skim through looking at the photos and read the happier stuff at the end.
WHAT IS THE END GAME HERE?
Someone asked me "What resolution are you hoping for from the protest?"
Everybody's answer to that will be different. The common ground here is the end of the mandates. Most people also want the Covid Response Act repealed. Many are very unhappy with the Labour government's performance overall, and some feel that the whole current system of government is corrupt.
Personally, I think governments all over the world have been overstepping their authority for quite some time, and we are now in a spiritual war. As a human race, we are evolving and changing, and longing for unity and community, in a way that is fair for all. A way of living where all are cared for. Not communism or socialism, which have been seen to fail. Not a top down approach to take from some and give to others. But a heart centred governance where all are protected and cared for from a place of love and freely sharing. As I've said a couple of times before, this community is giving us all a glimpse that it could be possible.
The queue at the Hare Krishna food tent, at the bottom of this path, on Friday night, and this wasn't even the end!
But is that achievable yet? I can't answer that, but am fascinated to see how this community evolves over the coming days, and probably weeks. One thought I have is that for this to work, we have to be supported by village like communities, even within cities. It would be a huge transformation in how we live, but I think there is a desire for it now, even among those who support the mandates. FB groups like Buy Nothing groups within suburbs is one example.
As long as the protestors can stay aligned and focused on creating the future we all wish to be part of, I don't think they will back down. Many of them have nothing left to lose and I've heard people say "this is the hill I'm prepared to die on".
Jacinda won't back down either, but even if she did, I can't see how she can continue to govern for much longer, given that she has lost the support of such a sizeable part of the country. But I also don't see much in the way of support for any of the other political parties, who have failed to stand up for the people. Yes, sure, David Seymour has spoken up finally today, but nobody is going to forget his previous support for the mandates, even though ACT are supposedly all for personal responsibility. And yes, maybe there are some individual MPS who genuinely care for their people, but from where I'm sitting, every single party in Parliament currently is corrupt, and have been for some time.
So I have absolutely no idea how this will end, but if, like me, you think this is a spiritual battle, we must stay in love, and trust that we will be divinely supported. But that's not enough. We need to get our boots on the ground and create the communities we want, whether at Parliament grounds or in our own back yards.
Gosh, that was a full post right there, but I haven't finished yet...
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL OBSTACLES?
Some of the things that have concerned me over the weekend.
With so many people there, the vibe is different. Not bad, but maybe not quite so unified. It seems like there are a lot of people who are visiting for the weekend, coming to have a look, more transient maybe. Not transient in the same way it has been, with people being part of the community for a few days, then going home and someone else taking their place. But transient as in possibly not having the same commitment to the values of the village.
Part of that is the festival feel that has developed. Nothing wrong with joy and enjoyment being part of the ethos of the community. But the joke that this is the only festival of the summer that wasn't closed down is becoming a bit too true. It feels like there is a contingent that have come to party, and that is their prime purpose. They are not all respecting the fact that there are families here, who have come for a serious purpose. That's not what this movement is about. Although people are here for many different reasons, the common goal has always been to stop the mandates and prevent any further government overreach and totalitarianism.
The village has become a template for a new way that we could live in community with governance but not necessarily government. There is of course a lot of growth that would need to take place before it could spread across the nation and the world, but we can now see the possibilities. With the huge increase in numbers, the fledgling structure is being stretched to the max. There are a core group of committed, hard working people keeping everything running. But there is little room for sightseers. A community based on the values we want to promote needs everybody to pitch in and share their talents. If you are in Wellington and can help in any way, it would be most appreciated, today or over the days and weeks ahead.
Then there are those who have a vested interest in this challenge to oppression not being successful. What lengths will they go to, to protect their positions? I hope and pray they won't go as far as ScoMo and Trudeau have gone. But they have already shown that they're not averse to using sound as a low level weapon. (And just to be clear here, I'm talking government, not the police or defense force, who I don't believe endorse using weapons against their own people.) I'm fairly sure they won't hesitate to have their people infiltrate the crowd to cause trouble, whether that is defacing a war memorial, waving trump flags, abusing passersby or starting fights. They won't hesitate to ask their tame media to portray the movement in the worst possible light.
Not saying that some unfortunate things haven't happened. Some streets ARE blocked. Parking is problematic. The law school grounds are full of tents - though I'm unclear on whether they were originally given permission to use the grounds. Some say yes and some say no. Yes, there are some businesses that have been affected, but probably not as many as the media are saying, and some from choice. The line between how many actual instances of abuse have occurred, and the fear of people who believe that they're happening is rather blurred. But there is definitely a sizeable portion of the Wellington population that believes that people are being abused, residents are being disturbed and businesses are being forced to close and they're hopping mad. Too mad to want to consider solutions, other than the protest going home. Which ain't happening. Sorry. And let's be realistic - if the protest wasn't inconveniencing anybody, it wouldn't be very effective, would it?
Part of the issue is that security is a bit stretched. Part is that people who are being abused can't help with photos and videos - not blaming them for that, but it would help to narrow down who the offenders are. And the biggest part of the problem is that we just don't know whether they are misguided members of the community, random nutters, or infiltrators. But unless some inroads can be made in how to protect local residents, workers and children, that is going to be an ongoing issue. There is a lot more in the media about it today, so has it got worse over the weekend? If so, maybe it will settle again during the week
Probably most concerning, as well as the foe that many of us can see already, I believe there are those who appear to be working for the people but are not. This could include some of the leaders. Maybe they are working for the government (or the international interests the government are working for) or maybe working towards their own ends. There are accusations being thrown at many of the people who are currently looking like the people's champions. I'm not repeating any of them here, though I have my suspicions about who is genuine and who is not.
For now, we keep our friends close and our enemies closer till we have a better idea of which is which. Keep an open mind and heart, but also be aware that some may not be what they seem. See if you can find that still place where you can listen to what your gut and heart are saying. Keep your vibration high (love, joy, peace and unity) and keep your focus on whatever your desired outcome is.
ARE THINGS STILL WORKING?
Having said all that, there is still an awesome atmosphere. It can be a bit overwhelming to us introverts, so I come back home a bit exhausted. But whatever is being planned to stop this movement, the majority of people on the ground are in a state of unity and service. They need your support though!
More infrastructure is appearing every day. A couple of people are working on a map that shows the location of all of the available services. I haven't got access to it yet but this awesome aerial shot shows how much it's needed. Sorry, I don't know who to credit for it.
There is the FREEDOM sign at the bottom of the Beehive steps, which can be added to and rearranged to say NO MORE FEAR.
More activities for boys and girls
There are community gardens. Yes, rather fledgling ones, but they make an important statement. This is our land and we WILL use it to sustain ourselves for as long as we need to.
One of the more entertaining spectacles of the weekend was this young man dancing around, no maybe prancing is a better word, in the middle of Hill Street, waving his flags and singing out "Freedom" as a posse of police passed by. This photo doesn't do him justice.
Musicians and a new sign just painted for a new area.
Welcome to the Cuddle Puddle!
Light workers and anyone else who has a spiritual practice, please send your prayers, light and protection to the men and women, boys and girls, and let's not forget the dogs, who are gathered together to stand for what they believe in - a better future for all.
PS DAY 13 CONT
Happy to be able to report that things felt much more laid back again Sunday night. Still full occupation, but without the feeling that there were a lot of tourists. I hope that all the people working hard behind the scenes can get a little down time over the next few days, while others step in and take over for a while. Good night all at Camp Freedom.
My previous posts:
Day 1 - @kiwideb/convoy-nz-2022-day-1
Days 2 & 3 - @kiwideb/convoy-nz-2022-days-2
Day 4 - @kiwideb/convoy-nz-2022-day-4
Day 5 - @kiwideb/convoy-nz-2022-day-5
Day 6 - @kiwideb/convey-nz-2022-day-6
Day 7 - @kiwideb/convoy-nz-2022-day-7
Day 8 - @kiwideb/convoy-nz-2022-day-8
Days 9 & 10 - @kiwideb/convoy-nz-2022-days-9