Yapping in the Yurt

At the Occupy in my city, I woke up on the floor of the yurt that was shared by the Medic and Media team, to hear some people talking about Mormonism. Talking with them, I found out that several of the people in the room were former members!

It got me wondering about the odds of finding several people with the same background under one roof, and whether a community based movement like Occupy might resonate with people who came from a church that seems similar (offering food, books, childcare, hosting classes and meetings etc.)

I don't want to try to make it seem like Occupy is like the LDS church. There is lots of anti-oppressive work done on an ongoing basis that I have not seen in any church I've attended, LDS or not; but it's interesting to see the sort of behaviours many would say are "socialist" being performed in multiple settings, including those who often condemn said philosophies.

Many people who came into the area would ask me questions, often regarding how much something cost, and I found a nice way to sum it up (even though it sounds like a recrafted version of The Communist Manifesto) - Take what you need and give what you can! Unfortunately in many settings, it's give what you must = same cost as everyone else in the store, or a percentage *cough 10%* that may be out of your pricerange.

I saw a video on Youtube of a Mormon at Occupy Wall Street... and I can't say I've walked in a protest with my mom or brother, but I have been in many with my dad.