“Occupy Idyllwild” continues

Idyllwild was the site of another “Occupy” event this weekend. On Saturday people gathered in front of the Tree Monument with signs, musical instruments and good spirits to protest the current state of the country and demonstrate solidarity with “Occupy” protests in cities around the world.

Another “Occupy” event took place last Wednesday afternoon. More than a dozen people were present holding signs. However, this was not the first “Occupy Idyllwild” session, but the first to attract off-the-Hill attention.

“Basically, we are people getting together to talk about the crash concern, such as how property got to be more important than people,” said Sue Nash, Idyllwild resident and one of the organizers.

Nash said that government should to be helping citizens secure the four prerequisites for human life — food, clothing, shelter and medical care. “One of the ways is to provide good decent jobs,” she said.

The current recession and its slow, barely visible, recovery is not Nash’s main motivation to protest. While she is very concerned about the effects of the current economy, for six years, she has spent Saturday mornings standing in front of the memorial advocating peace, justice and nonviolence. The Occupy movement was simply a complementary step.

“I’m amazed. I’ve stood here on Saturdays waving a ‘Peace’ sign, but this is the first time everybody is topping and talking,” she said.

“I want to see what can we do in Idyllwild,” she said when asked the reason for the shift in focus to economic issues. While the national media has reported extensively about the Occupy events in New York, Los Angeles, Oakland and other metropolitan areas, Nash is hoping that the recognition that the concerns occur in rural and isolated communities as well as cities will help convince elected leaders of the need for different directions.

Another of the organizers, Sunny Sundowner, said he was there because the unemployed and homeless are in Idyllwild as well as urban areas. “I’m doing this today for my grandchildren,” he said.

Some see broader objectives and are speaking to officials at every level of government, Virginia Crowder, who attended the Saturday “Occupy” event said. “I want to focus on the system, make it more democratic and get the money out of politics,” she said.