A ournalist from the Evening Standard has requested that a Christian linked with the occupation sends a letter to the editor. I thought all letters to the editors were spontaneous, but there you go. They request the type of person they want to send the letter, the theme and a word count. Next we'll hear they fake them.
Anyway, even though it was at an impossible deadline, I managed to produce about 180 words. Which I am publishing now in case the letters of my letter suffer any alteration - or vanishing - on their way to publication.
The request was "on how the protest should respond to concerns from the St Paul's authorities" (that they may have to close because of the occupation on its land). Wrong question. However, given the deadline pressure, I didn't want to scorn this journalist with a "wrong question. Please try again later", so here it is:
I think it would be those in power an in possession of property, in this case land and buildings, who "should respond".
It is a shame that the Cathedral is put in a position where it will be necessary to decide whether to close or not by those who could allow the occupiers to enter the building they intended to stay in, in the first place. The occupation is not against this or any other church. Indeed, both occupiers, christian and anarchists are most concerned with social and economic justice, equality and dignity of life. It is the powerful that are destroying all those that those are against, symbolised by the Stock Exchange. Those with the necessary power to make the Stock Exchange, or whichever other building or land that the occupation's assembly would deem appropriate, should the necessary steps so that the occupation can move and thus the carers of the Cathedral do not feel the pressure to need to close.
Good luck and all best wishes in your attempts to get this letter published. Sincerely.
Original article on IMC London:
