Occupy: sleeping in our storage locker

[lph]

Uh, what is "Occupy"? Is that a general term for the whole movement that started with Occupy Wall Street?
I thought the whole point of this movement (in a practical sense) was camping out in a certain spot together.

Sorry to be dumb, but it hasn't really taken hold here, so I just get the rough gist of it through the papers.

[OakLeaf]

Most people would say the current movement began with the so-called Arab Spring, although AFAIK the name "Occupy" did originate with the Wall Street group.

The literal, physical occupations are a way of saying tangibly that they aren't going away. But there are a lot of participants in the daily actions and General Assemblies who aren't staying the night.

It's an evolving movement, and *that* is the point. Organizers and facilitators are doing their best to ensure that the movement continues to evolve, and that specific goals and methods are chosen carefully. That can make it difficult to describe in sound bites, but that, I think is an illustration of the failure of modern media and of media consumers' attention spans, not of the movement.

Occupy Together is sort of a clearinghouse site and possibly a useful place to start to understand the movement. The best way to understand any local Occupation, obviously, is to attend a General Assembly or two, for anyone nearby.

[lph]

Thanks, Oak. I was wondering about the link.

[jyyanks]

I would be freaked out if I went to take things out of a storage locker and found someone sleeping there. I'm sure you pay maintenance fees and part of those fees should ensure a safe environment. As a woman, I wouldn't want to go down to a dark basement in the wee hours of the morning to retrieve my stuff only to find a trespassing stranger there. I'm not saying that the man that was sleeping there was a psycho, but he COULD have been.

Would I allow a homeless person to sleep on my backyard or use my bathroom? Sorry but probably not but I would give them a meal and direct them to a shelter. To me, that's doing my part without sacrificing my safety/security. In this day and age, you never know if people are good people who got themselves in a bad situation or crazy people who could kill your whole family if you let them in your house. Call me cynical but I've read too many horror stories.

[Jolt]

I would be freaked out if I went to take things out of a storage locker and found someone sleeping there. I'm sure you pay maintenance fees and part of those fees should ensure a safe environment. As a woman, I wouldn't want to go down to a dark basement in the wee hours of the morning to retrieve my stuff only to find a trespassing stranger there. I'm not saying that the man that was sleeping there was a psycho, but he COULD have been.

Would I allow a homeless person to sleep on my backyard or use my bathroom? Sorry but probably not but I would give them a meal and direct them to a shelter. To me, that's doing my part without sacrificing my safety/security. In this day and age, you never know if people are good people who got themselves in a bad situation or crazy people who could kill your whole family if you let them in your house. Call me cynical but I've read too many horror stories.

I couldn't agree more. It's a major security issue to have a random stranger taking up residence in the storage lockers. If I had walked into that situation, I would have been freaked out...talk about feeling ambushed. Then I probably would have turned around, walked out and called the cops. Nothing against homeless people, just against people sneaking into places they shouldn't be and making me feel unsafe on my own turf.

[OakLeaf]

it hasn't really taken hold here

I can't imagine why.

[shootingstar]

Yea, I shouldn't have even mentioned Occupy anything.

But part of the Occupy movement is partially (a small, but important part) about inequities of economy and housing that is causing homelessness in some situations. But I'm sorry to have even mentioned about it locally.

No, I actually think he's better served to go directly to social service agency/housing shelter. I'm not convinced right now Occupy movement in our city is gaining a whole lot of traction. This is a conservative city that is hell-bent on making money. The presence of advocacy groups is small, marginalized voices are barely heard in the local media often, etc.

I think it's better in our area that instead the people overtly ask for work with signage asking for a job. We are in the midst of a boom in certain oil and energy industries ---right now in this province.

Anyway here's a woman who incredibly was homeless a few years ago, but managed to buy a home with abit of help..she has 3 children.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rticle2226010/

I cannot even begin to say how important it is, for people and their own mental health/motivation to get out to do volunteer work, learn a new skill (no matter how small) and to attend job skills workshops, etc. I've been there and it's important to be with people who are learning, surviving in the same way but giving yet learning at the same time.

[lph]

I can't imagine why.

Yah, I know, we're spoilt rotten