An-Te Chu, Occupier

An-Te, longtime EYA supporter and volunteer, speaks to his experience of engaging with the Occupy Vancouver movement

It was just like another October day in Vancouver but, it was not. Saturday 15, 2011 a day for the history books. Occupy Vancouver, a movement aligned with Occupy Wall Street, has yet to be determined to be a foot note of 2011 or a major turning point in history. I realized this as I saw the throngs of people gathered on this chilly Saturday who had come together to support what they believed in. One's position on the political spectrum isn't why they are there. They are there because they are the guardians of democracy. Democracy is the fundamental basis of our society, fairness and equality is supposed to be embedded in our government. Corruption and greed has eroded that away and both conservatives and liberals can see that. An interesting thing is that Occupy itself has improved democracy by using a magical word, consensus. Consensus does not mean that everyone agrees but that everyone is able to tolerate the majority's opinion. Majority Democracy is flawed because anyone other than the 51% can be oppressed. Consensus democracy is something I feel has worked on a small scale and therefore should be at least experimented with in government. Occupy has brought up many issues such as the environment, the banking system and others but the truth is, if the government listened to the people, all those things would be fixed.

oh wait. I haven't introduced myself, im sorry,

Hi, I'm 14, I'm An-Te Chu, I'm an Occupier

I headed down on the very first day and I stayed until the sun went down. At first, I looked around and saw a throng of strangers a handful of which I knew, I blinked and I saw an ocean of friends. There was a steady stream of people ebbing and flowing around the main stage and it was barely noon. I was busily handing out food that had been generously donated. Across from the Food Not Bombs tent was the Zeitgeist and 9-11 Truth tents, interesting people there. In my mind, the jury is still out on those two movements. City workers and police officers gazed inquisitively, I guess they were expecting the black bloc. Behind us, were a circle of meditators, oblivious to the stares of the fire chief and oncoming traffic. Tent City was just getting set up and people just wandered about and conversing. The general assembly wasn't very productive but there were baby steps. I spoke about consensus democracy and proposed a few ideas. I finally left after joining a committee and making a few new friends. As the sun slowly went down and the second general assembly was being called, I finally went home. I transited home with a postal worker who, on medical leave, had to go home and pick up his sleeping tent so he could show his support. He gave me a bead from his colourful necklace. I slept that night, with my homework still in my backpack, unopened.

I went back the next day, to participate and mediate in the GAs, help out the food tent, and organize things with a committee. I went home at 11. The next weekend and the weekend after that. I went on a march to the major banks but I left with a bad taste because of what happened at TD. People danced on the counters at the Dominion bank, something I felt violated our right to protest. That was the first thing I disagreed with. Over the following weekends, I hummed and hawed about going back. There had arisen a clear leadership and direction issue and there were many things I frowned upon. The Tent City was starting to tick some political nerves and the media's portrayal soured. I grimaced. I loathed the misrepresentation yet I could not find myself supporting a cause that I did not whole heartedly agree with.

I returned. I returned because I felt that if there was something I disagreed with, it was my responsibility to voice my opinion and try to change it. I organized a credit union information blitz that fizzled but my resolve didn't disappear. I joined the new committees and I helped with new projects. I spoke to people and made new connections.
Then the injunction came. I was asked to go down on injunction day but I stayed at school because I wanted to avoid trouble. After spending a day of anxiety and cowardliness, I came home to the news of Phase two and the movement of the camp. I was glad. The fight was now back on the internet where it had begun yet still very much alive. Occupy the Ports was on December 12th. The first of many hopefully.

It's almost midnight. Place your hand with mine and lets turn it back so that the sun can rise again. Remember the sunrise and the taste of democracy. Remember.