Ashley Love's Stance on the Occupy Wall Street Drumming Circle Controversy: This is a Protest, Not a Picnic!

Recently the blogosphere, local and national newspapers have had a field day vilifying and misrepresenting the drumming circle of Occupy Wall Street. Many of these media outlets amused themselves by singling me out as a dart board, not to mention comitting libel.

I spoke at a community board meeting last week opposing the attempted constriction and free speech infringment of the OWS drumming circle. I made a point of clarification when the OWS Community Affairs rep made the mistake of telling the community board that the drummers agreed to drum only two hours, when infact we drummers had concensous on four hours.The following day I was misquoted by the site Mother Jones and The Village Voice. The MJ misquote went viral. Since then blog-roaches and ill-politically motivated parties have continued to misquote, misconstrue and cyber-bully me.

All this because many refuse to beat to the toxic drum of hypocrites, shady politcians, classist pseudo-activists and those in the 99% who are actually doing the bidding for the 1%.

There have been reports of anti-drummer/anti-hippie sentiment, sexism, racism and hierarchy creating entities at the OWS NY camp and certain working groups. As someone who has been at Zuccotti Park regularly for the last few wwek, I and many others I know there can testify that these reports are not without merit.

So I wanted to make the following statement so that things are clear and accurate on where I stand on the drumming circle controversy.

Back in southern California, where I was born and raised, on many Sundays I would participate in the Venus beach drum circle, which drew hundreds of people. It was like going to church for me, a spiritual outlet with a diverse fellowship. Drumming is revered and central to many indigenous cultures and faith communities, including my own Native American, Hispanic and African ancestors.

Disappointedly, I’ve noticed in some Western cultures drummers are belittled as “degenerate hippies”, though there is nothing “degenerate” in how hippies catapulted the anti-war movement in the 60’s and launched a tidal wave of peace signs, health conscious living and green initiatives.

They call us drummers “rebels without causes”, when in fact we are very much artists WITH a cause. Many drummers I know in the Occupy Wall St. drum circle, some professionals, some amateurs, play drums as a form of non-violent protest, as well as a celebratory expression of the inspirational coming together of diverse groups of people who share a common goal: People before Profit.

Drummers are essential to the OWS movement because they are the pulse of the home camp, bring in hundreds in donations daily and because artistic and free expression should be protected.

The OWS General Assembly gave consensus on Monday night that four hours for drumming is fair. The majority of the drummers agreed with this arrangement because we want to be good neighbors.

The local community board would prefer only two hours allotted to us, but they need to understand that we are fighting corporate greed and corruption not just for the well-being of ourselves, but for the board members, their children and for all of the 99%.

This is a protest, not a picnic.

We need to stop beating to the tyrannical drum of the 1% by submitting to fear, unjust laws and misinformation. It’s time to march to the authentic drum of humanity and save this economy and environment from Big Corporation bullying and Wall St Crime lords before it’s too late!

Beat that drum, and beat it loudly!