Occupy the Quakers

Although a small denomination, the Quakers, formally the Religious Society of Friends, have had a profound influence on American life. Members of their faith were among the earliest opponents of slavery. Most Quaker services end their services with handshakes--and that egalitarian gesture replaced bowing as a form of greeting in the colonies.

Modesty and pacifism are also hallmarks of the Quakers.

In 1917, the Quaker-affiliated American Friends Service Committee was founded to provide work for World War I conscientious objectors. A strong supporter of the civil rights movement, the AFSC has pursued a strong left-wing social justice since then.

Now it supports the immodest Occupy Wall Street.

I visited some small "f" friends in Ann Arbor, Michigan over the weekend. On my way there I veered off of Interstate 94 hoping to visit the Occupy Kalamazoo encampment. Except there wasn't one.

The address listed on their Facebook page is 508 Denner Street. It's a Quaker house of worship where Occupy Kalamazoo holds their weekly meetings.

Kalamazoo Friends Meeting House

At a November 17 Occupy Chicago march, I encountered two AFSC protesters.

Occupy Chicago, November 17, 2011

At the bottom of these signs it reads, "American Friends Service Committee."

Occupy Chicago, November 17, 2011

But at that same rally, I saw this immodest occupier:

Occupy Chicago, November 17, 2011

In an undated article on the AFSC web site--my guess is that it was posted in October--the group had this to say about the Occupy movement:

At last count AFSC offices in 16 US cities were working to support the Occupy Together movement. AFSC staff and volunteers are supporting this wave of nonviolent actions [emphasis mine] highlighting economic injustice. This is not a movement AFSC can or wishes to control, but as we have during past social movements, AFSC is proud to be able to support people striving to bring about change in our society through nonviolent actions.

In mid-November, AFSC reiterated their support of the occupiers. But as I've quipped before, these occupiers are revolting. Numerous sexual assaults have occurred at Occupy camps, there have been two murders, as well as topless dancers, filth, and countless incidents of vandalism.

Occupy Denver,
November 10, 2011

Just two days ago a homemade bomb was found at Occupy Oakland.

Yet the pacifists with the American Friends Service Committee have not rescinded their support of the Occupy movement.

Notes: I emailed Occupy Kalamazoo inquiring about their ties to the Quakers--no one replied. I also emailed the Kalamazoo Friends, I received a bounce-back reply that their inbox was full.

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