[OccupySheffield] [benjacks at gmail.com: Radio 4 notes]

[Chris]

Hi


Forwarding for info.

All the best

Chris

----- Forwarded message from Ben Jackson <benjacks at gmail.com> -----

From: Ben Jackson <benjacks at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:47:48 +0000
To: chrisc at indymedia.org.uk
Subject: Radio 4 notes

Hi Chris
Could you forward this to the email list, please. It's relevant to today's
meeting.

*Notes on Radio 4 Sunday Programme - 27 November 2011, 8-9am.*

The Dean of Sheffield Cathedral spoke about us on radio 4 today. I took a
few notes and thought it might be of interest in view of tomorrow's meeting
with them.

The Occupy bit starts at 33.50 mins. http://www.bbc.co.uk/**
programmes/b006qnbd <http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnbd>

Speaking first was an American political and religious campaigner *Jim
Wallis*. He was brilliant and passionately defended the Occupy movement. He
said St. Pauls should be saying "Thanks be to God. What an opportunity". He
said that the church should embrace the movement and engage in
conversation. He was told by a "kid" there "it isn't a protest, it's at
thinktank". He suggested that St Pauls hold Eucharist on the steps.
Some other quotes from Jim Wallis;

   -    "Economic inequality is a biblical issue".
   -    Speaking of the church he said "Invite them in to our warm church
   basements".
   -    He descibed the "un-economy" as "Unfair, unstable, unsustainable
   and making lots of people unhappy".

Then Came the *Dean of Sheffield, Right Reverend Peter Bradley*. He said
that we have been camping at the cathedral for about a month. He said that
numbers go up and down without being specific. He said "We are learning to
live with them next door to us [problem with the word neighbour?].
Asked whether Sheffield should hold Eucharist on the steps he petty much
said "no" and that "context is everything"[?]. He went on to say that they
are fully committed to their work in the city and that that "takes up all
of our space". He was challenged by the presenter that he was being
diplomatic to which he answered "Yes, I am". He was asked about his
reservations "We have three problems";

   1. "The group is exploring what it's issues are..." He said that one day
   the issue was roads in Sheffield[?] the next it was capitalism  He
   complained that it is "Difficult to engage with a group that is constantly
   changing it's mind". He said that Occupy Sheffield are incoherent.
   2. Safety. Occupy sheffield have an open fire near to tents and that
   there are lots of associated problems[?]
   3. He said that the cathedral staff are devoting too much time to
   dealing with the camp, instead of their duties in the city.

He was asked if he was touched by Jim Wallis' enthusiasm about the wider
picture. He answered "Jim Wallis is a giant. I agree with him" He went on
to say, "The group [Occupy Sheffield] assume we're not engaging. If you ask
local MPs, business leader and community leaders [status qou?], They would
know that the cathedral is actively campaigning on those issues".
He was asked "Are there any Christian ideas there?" He said that
there are a variety of people at camp. There are "thoughtful, angry young
people who don't have a solution but want to register their protest." He
went on  to say that we have representatives from the Socialist Worker
Party who "have their own platform".
He was asked "What is the role of a cathedral. Do you have any excitement
that the cathedral is a focal point for debate... at the centre of city
life?"
He answered that the camp does add "something, but not something we can
work with that creatively in the long term". He was asked if they had any
plans to evict the camp. He answered, "We respect the right to protest,
provided it's within the law. We have no plans to evict them, no".

Pre meeting to discuss tomorrow's meeting with the cathedral is at camp at
1pm today, Sunday 27/11.

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