Meditating with the Occupation

Buddhist Peace Fellowship organized a public meditation that took place just before the nightly vigil. As you can see, there are tents in front of the gates where ICE agents enter and leave the building, and from which vehicles with people who have been detained arrive or depart from this detention center to be secured in larger and more heavily fortified jails. 

The tents behind the meditators are the ones most vulnerable and belong to some very brave people. I have digitally altered the faces and identifying marks on the three people standing among those tents. The meditators were in no danger and chose to use their white privilege to support those who are more impacted by the situation than they are.

I am writing this on the 8th day of the occupation, and the situation is in flux. I spent Sunday night in the camp, hoping to document the situation if federal agents took action to remove the camp. That did not happen while I was there. For the moment I will say no more, as I am not authorized by the organization to speak. I came home at 6:30 a.m. and took a nap, and I understand there is a meeting going on right now to make some decisions about next steps. I will say this: the people who are operating this camp are showing courage, optimism, and fury against a government that is separating families fleeing situations caused or assisted by that same government. We are appalled by the suffering and trauma being caused by the US government and are doing all we can to change the situation. A fierce group of vulnerable, unarmed people are standing up to military force that could easily destroy them if the order were given. My heart is with them, and my heart is in my throat at the moment, fluttering madly.