Thoughts after a 24-hour action-support shift at SFT HQ

(This post was written by Emily of the SFT Board of Directors…)

VICTORY ON THE GREAT WALL*LHADON LIVE FROM BEIJING
(THOUGHTS AFTER A 24-HOUR ACTION-SUPPORT SHIFT AT SFT HEADQUARTERS)

Beijing, August 8: China successfully forced a showing of blue sky over Beijing after a week of shooting silver-iodide bullets out of rocket launchers at the smoggy gray cloud cover.

New York City, August 8: With almost no warning, a tornado ripped the roofs off buildings in Brooklyn and paralyzed the city’s entire transit system.

At SFT headquarters, we joked that China’s environmental terrorism had finally so imbalanced the global atmosphere – or so angered the Gods – that nature’s wrath could be felt as far as NY. We were just being silly. But somehow the events merged in me as I watched the storm from an SFT office window at 6 am, after a long night of press release proliferation training, anxious calls to the US and Canadian Embassies in Beijing, and more calls to worried parents, reassuring them that would get our 6 heroes – the Great Wall protesters – home safe. These parents didn’t yet know that at about 2 am Lhadon and Paul had also been taken into custody. Thoughts of our friends’ well-being tugged at our hearts and nerves, and drove us on through the night.

This was my first time helping out at HQ during an action, and this action was unprecedented: SFT’s Executive Director in Beijing, openly reporting on China’s human rights abuses, while our people dropped a 500-square-foot protest banner from the Great Wall. It was an awesome experience. Some random impressions:

The office vibrating with a low hum – small groups huddled around Skype, becoming the first to know, then scattering to write the fresh information into history… “It’s Lhadon!” – bodies crunch back around the computer to receive her message. Kathy, headset on, composing a press release, completely immune to distraction… Kala, a vision in Team Tibet gear, hustling out the door with a flock of die-hard young volunteers in tow… Bianca, a sleepless machine, silently communing with her computer… Tendor gathering himself for another interview… Heather, subsisting on pistachios, orienting me to her own massive corner of duties… A few limp bodies in the back room, finally succumbing to well-deserved naps… Body odor. Quiet, tense moments. Tough split-second decisions. The relief of a little laughter. The thrill of each hourly success. Someone keeps bringing food, bless them. Phones ringing, ringing, ringing…

If I didn’t get it before I do now. Getting heroes through actions is a hard, complicated, nail-biting, exhausting job, but at SFT there is no way it’s not getting done well. I’m awed by the people who commit themselves to this organization, and by the power of the cause to bring out the most stunning dedication and capability in people. Our great country is finally, painfully learning that violence across the world does reach us here. China’s oppression of nature and humanity is our disaster. SFT is teaching us how to step up and stop the cycle.

PEACE*JUSTICE*BOD RANGZEN*TIBET WILL BE FREE!!!