Saturday 12th February, London
We gathered, a small group of some 200 or so happy souls, to celebrate Love.
Piccadilly Circus, London, under the statue of Eros. Solar Powered Mobile Sound Systems, Solar Powered Samba Drummers, Solar Power People, colourful, decorated, laughing.
In it’s 10th year, Reclaim Love, is one woman’s vision to bring more Love into the world.
There are Reclaim Love events in many countries, all occurring on the same day, the Saturday closest to St. Valentines Day, February 14th. From one event to many events world-wide, the Reclaim Love Journey has been one of trial and error, success and growth. Thus we discover, we learn, we succeed and we thrive.
They gathered, initially some few hundred thousand, to confront Power.
Tahrir Square in Cairo, under the gaze on the Military Dictator, Mubarak. Christian, Orthodox, Jew, Atheist, Secular, old, young, men and women.
Mubarak in his 30th year of Rule. A rule enforced by violence, supported by Western Governments, that has cost many Egyptians their lives, has kept many Egyptians in Poverty, that has made some few Egyptians incredibly rich, that has taken money from tourists who gaze in awe and wonder at the pyramids, which were built by slaves, on the command of divine rulers, whose mythology today spawns countless insanities, new gods to frighten and fascinate the minds of all too easily manipulated people.
Mubarak, who has betrayed many, amongst them the long suffering people of Palestine, for a few baubles, for narcissism.
Mubarak, who sent in his Police and thugs, who shot 300 people in an attempt to break this demonstration, this confrontation of Power.
People who, under duress and the fog of water cannon, of tear gas, continued to pray, to offer prayer. Christian and Muslim protecting each other. People who refused to break.
There we saw the real Power of Love. The bridge of empathy.
And over the past few weeks we have watched as these Egyptian people of all sectors, of all creeds, of all ages have held the streets.
They have held the streets because they have looked after each other, cared for each other, even as Mubarak and the State shut down the internet, shut down mobile phone communications and land lines, even as many thousands were being arrested off-screeb, some tortured, many beaten.
Love in action.
A people cannot resist unless they are committed to looking after each other. When we look after each other, when we cover each other’s back, we are free from the worry, that draining paranoia which comes from knowing one’s back is not covered.
This is Love.
Self-Governance is the action of love, expressed by looking after each other, by covering each others backs, by protecting each other from potential attack. By tending each others wounds. When everyone is keyed to this, then all can face forward and focus on the task in hand. Together. Such is solidarity.
This is the real meaning of the Tribe – it is not a collective of ideology, or of religion, nor is it a fashion statement. It is a living expression, the material expression of how we care for one another, how we cover each others backs.
And love cannot thrive unless there is empathy. For it is empathy that builds the bridges between faiths, between people’s whose beliefs are diverse, between generations, yet whose flesh and blood remains the same, hurts the same, loves the same.
We in the UK have a long, long way to go to be able to do our part.
Because our Governments and Corporations and Bankers have supported and continue to support the most cruel and tyrannical rulers, of all kinds, in many countries. This is our history. This is our present. That support has cost many, many people their lives. That support has resulted in many people living in poverty, in fear, in terror.
All for the purpose of protecting ‘strategic interests’.
Profit and power.
And they will continue that support.
We are the only people who can watch the backs of the Egyptian people, by confronting our Governments, Corporations and Bankers, by demanding that they cease their support for venal, cruel, authoritarian rulers, Miltary forces or installed puppet Governments who pay lip service to ‘democracy’ whilst lining their pockets and toeing the Empire’s line.
That would be an act of love. An expression of material support, and sing of genuine empathy.
Whilst the Egyptian people can take and hold the streets, whilst they can hope that the Military will act with honour and integrity, whilst they face the massive ISI and Police Institutional Power and work rid it of the corrupt, the bullies, the torturers, whilst they organise and hold elections and work towards a constitution that demolishes centralised executive Power, rest assured that those who supported Mubarak for so long will not desist from their intent to dominate, to control, and be aware that the only people who can break that support from the outside are the people’s of the USA and UK and Europe.
We have a moral duty, and an empathic obligation to act with Love.
We abandoned the Afghani people in the winter of 2001.
We abandoned the Iraqi people in the spring of 2003.
The Irish, American, Australian and Canadian peoples have all but abandoned the Survivors of Church and State Residential School Systems.
We must not repeat those mistakes. We must not abandon the people of Egypt.
We must adress these problems directly.
And this must be a step in the long journey towards an empathic society, one that justifies the description ‘decent’ and 'humane’.
Kindest regards
Corneilius
Do what you love, it's Your Gift to Universe
