opSafeWinter - Anonymous Worldwide

[thorfourwinds]

That's not an answer, that's a bad excuse. 

Of course, even You are entitled to Your own opinion, and we appreciate Your unique perspective.   

Perhaps Your energies might be welcomed here, instead of wasting Your valuable time attacking Anonymous and us. 

Most of the homeless people in Portugal are concentrated in the cities of Lisbon and Porto. Reports say that around 300 homeless people sleep on the streets of Lisbon every night. Today, members of the Comunidade Vida e Paz are persuading the homeless population of Lisbon to take part in rehabilitation programs in order to improve the quality of their lives.

Comunidade Vida e Paz
Mission
To meet and welcome homeless people, or socially vulnerable, helping them to regain their dignity and to (re) build their life project, through an integrated preventive action, rehabilitation and reintegration.


BTW, we notice that You have not attacked AnonSocialNetwork on Tango like You have treated us here... why is that?

Why do You find it difficult to appreciate anything positive that is attached to 'Anonymous'?

Direct quote from AnonSocialNetwork

a reply to: thorfourwinds

Thank you for doing this #AnonFamily

We were going to make a post on this #Op but you have taken that into your own, and have done so admirably.

Whether action is taken under the mask of Anonymous or not is never the issue, the ideology that exists is the core structure of what we do, and we are everyone.

It costs nothing to give someone in need; a little of your time, more people need to believe in that.

Thankyou again

ASN

tfw
Peace Love Light
Liberty & Equality or Revolution

Hec'el oinipikte  (that we shall live)

[ArMaP]

Of course, even You are entitled to Your own opinion, and we appreciate Your unique perspective.   

Was that "even" really necessary? Am I some kind of second class Pegasus citizen? 

Perhaps Your energies might be welcomed here, instead of wasting Your valuable time attacking Anonymous and us. 

I'm sure they would be welcome, as I'm sure they need all the help they can get. Unfortunately, I am in no position of helping, as I don't have any money, food or even used cooking oil, and I don't live in Lisbon and don't have money to go to Lisbon to help them as part of their volunteer teams.

And I never attacked you or Anonymous, I just say what I think, after all even I am entitled to my opinion.

BTW, we notice that You have not attacked AnonSocialNetwork on Tango like You have treated us here... why is that?

I don't attack anyone, and I have only seen one thread from that ATS member, and I didn't see anything wrong about it.

Why do You find it difficult to appreciate anything positive that is attached to 'Anonymous'?

I don't find it difficult to appreciate the positive things that they really do, I just don't talk about them, as I usually only speak about the things I think are wrong.

Direct quote from AnonSocialNetwork

a reply to: thorfourwinds

Thank you for doing this #AnonFamily

We were going to make a post on this #Op but you have taken that into your own, and have done so admirably.

Whether action is taken under the mask of Anonymous or not is never the issue, the ideology that exists is the core structure of what we do, and we are everyone.

It costs nothing to give someone in need; a little of your time, more people need to believe in that.

Thankyou again

ASN

Judging by that quote he/she looks like a less "you are with me or against me" person than yourself, and that's good.

[zorgon]

It seems to me that this 'contest of eggos" revolves around numbers

No one will argue that SOME Anon are in it for the RIGHT REASONS

The question many have is "What percentage are working for the good, what percentage are out there hacking everyone they can and what percentage are "useless eaters" along for the ride.

Feeding and sharing with the homeless, (while illegal in some places (REALLY?)), is a noble cause. 

But I see no Anon masks in my city helping the homeless not ONE and we have a lot of homeless because other cities give them a one way bus ticket here That really pissed off our Mob Mayor a while back   

So like that Florida case with the old guy... The way I read that is that the Mayor and the Perp came to an agreement. In fact to ME it reads like the whole thing was prearranged to get the mayor votes for being the good guy (it was an election year ) and I see no Anon presence in that whole deal

Just sayin....

Perhaps we need to get Fox News out to a real Anon "Feed the Homeless" event

(there might even be such a video  I don't have time to see all )

Proof is in the Plum Pudding 

[thorfourwinds]

East-Coast Outreach on Twitter: "Busy night out on the streets tonight, over 75 fed, lots of coats and sleeping bags gone out #OpSafeWinter"


#OpSafeWinter: Generosity Goes Viral
by free • December 6, 2014

#OpSafeWinter: Generosity Goes Viral

It's the time of year when we are most often asked to "think of the less fortunate."

But what if we felt empowered to take action that might actually help them?

#OpSafeWinter, inspired by the lessons learned at Occupy Wall Street and from teachers like Sharon Salzberg and Bob Thurman, aims to do just that by providing a decentralized network of support for the homeless.

Instead of waiting around for relief organizations, is it possible for us to involve ourselves in direct mutual aid, thus revealing the interdependent nature of suffering and compassion?

Inspired by the real-world experience and skill sets developed on the ground during Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Sandy, folks involved in these two previous relief missions came together to address another problem threatening more and more people during the economic crisis: homelessness.

An #OpSafeWinternyc contact describes mutual aid as a two-way street. Not only do the homeless and hungry receive relief in the form of coats and food, but those doing the relief are developing contacts and getting the chance to use their skills. Everyone gets an expanded sense of what's possible by learning to interact with their neighbors, homeless or not, in an informal setting.

From Sharon:

Lovingkindness

Lovingkindness is a quality of friendship. Lovingkindness meditation is the cultivation of  a steady, unconditional sense of connection that touches all beings without exception, including ourselves. The quality of lovingkindness is associated with three other qualities: Compassion, Sympathetic Joy & Equanimity.

Compassion is our caring human response to suffering.

A compassionate heart is non-judgmental and recognizes all suffering—our own and that of others—as deserving of tenderness.

Sympathetic Joy is the realization that others' happiness is inseparable from our own. We rejoice in the joy of others and are not threatened by another's success.

Equanimity is the spacious stillness of mind that provides the ground for the boundless nature of the other three qualities. This radiant calm enables us to ride the waves of our experience without getting lost in our reactions.


#OpSafeWinter is different from traditional relief organizations in that it's a horizontal, decentralized network. Anyone who thinks up a mission that might help the homeless can feel empowered to do so, and the network is a tool to connect those in need with those who can provide.

There are people working to document and skill-share online in major cities across not only the US but across the globe as well. It's also different from a consciousness raising campaign that merely increases awareness of a problem and possibly inspires people to donate money.

#OpSafeWinter takes awareness and builds on it with action.

The movement makes use of direct aid to the homeless rather than relying on intermediaries, a technique we saw in the days after Hurricane Sandy when people refused to wait for the lagging and incomplete support of the Red Cross or FEMA.

The process does one better than merely highlighting the homeless problem across the globe, but also builds a resource network of donated food, blankets, and clothing, thus stepping in with a safety net where the city and federal government has dropped the ball.

This horizontal network emerged not only from the practical on-the-ground experience of the Occupy community and decentralized online tactics like Anonymous, but also drew inspiration from teachers like IDP Lineage Mentor Sharon Salzberg and Buddhist scholar Robert Thurman.

Generosity is the heart of #OpSafeWinter, and it hopes to "inspire or incite people to look at their relationship with others through service to those on the streets."

The open set of tools provided
by the #OpSafeWinter hashtag
succeed in amplifying compassionate intentions.

This method breaks down the self/other boundary so often seen in relief organizations where I, a person of means, can give my time or money to help the amorphous suffering other. By breaking down this binary, #OpSafeWinter exposes the interdependence of suffering and provides tools for mutual aid.

We are, in effect, helping each other.

If you're interested in being involved in #OpSafeWinter, we recommend finding out if people are already active in your city and following them on Facebook and Twitter.

For New Yorkers, @opsafewinternyc is the twitter handle where you can find out about actions, donations, and suggested tools and missions in alleviating the suffering of those most vulnerable during the winter months. You are encouraged to act on your compassion with your unique skills and forms of contribution.

Links to find out more about #OpSafeWinter & keep up with local actions:
http://opsafewinter.org/
http://www.facebook.com/OpSafeWinterNYC
http://twitter.com/OpSafeWinter

Read more: http://www.theidproject.org/blog/caroline-contillo/2013/12/30/opsafewinter-generosity-goes-viral

[thorfourwinds]

#OpSafeWinter: Anonymous fights homelessness worldwide

"Do something amazing this winter... that's the point."

So said the administrator of @OpSafeWinter, the Twitter account heading up public relations for Anonymous' most ambitious project for 2013 and 2014.

We spoke to the Anonymous member via Twitter direct message for an exclusive interview on the umbrella project dubbed #OpSafeWinter.

The goal is to get Anons and "civilians" out into the streets all over the world to save lives by giving the homeless and the critically poor the tools they need to survive at least one more season.

Because it is an international operation, including operatives on both sides of the Equator, the "winter" of the title continues all year long, switching hemispheres at the equinox. They will, essentially, never run out of winter. As New England faces the wrath of Hercules, Anonymous lines up to fight back with sleeping bags, mittens, and hot meals.

The operation was announced in a Pastebin November 7, when it became apparent that this season would bring some truly cruel weather to North America, Europe, and Asia. It quickly gained popularity among Anons, many of whom have been itching to get back into the streets for some direct, and positive, action.

NOTICE !

Wednesday, 23 December, 2014

(30) #OpSafeWinter - Turning Piccadilly Gardens Manchester Into An Emergency Food/Clothing/Bedding Bank

On 23rd December Anonymous members and the general public wanting to help the homeless are invited to bring as many supplies as they can for the homeless of Manchester to survive this winter.

Christmas is supposed to be a time of charity; giving and new beginnings... So let's all come together as ONE and help people who are less fortunate at this time by sourcing items we no longer use that can benefit others..

If everyone was to bring a rucksack filled with goodies like toiletries; food; gloves; hat; sleeping bag; tent etc then we'd have a good chance of helping those who have to live on the streets... SURVIVE at least one more night. Far too many people are dying on our streets of hypothermia; septicaemia and pneumonia whilst their immune systems are 'down'.

Everyone is welcome and we'll be contacting all of the other outreach/grassroots operations currently working in Manchester to help out too.

Twitter: @OpSafeWinter
Website: https://opsafewinter.org/
Email: contactopsafewinter@gmail.com
Forum: http://anonuk.anonsource.org/
IRC: irc.cyberguerrilla.org:6697 #opsafewinter
(alternatively use the webchat on the website for irc)


This kind of do-gooder op is problematic for some older Anons, who remember the days when it was all done with keyboards for the lulz; they call this "moralfagging" with all the contempt they can muster, but since 2008, when Anonymous went up against Scientology in OpChanology, moralfagging has been an important part of the fractious collective.

It can also be highly effective. While actually eliminating homelessness is a problem even Anonymous can't tackle with confidence, making sure some people have food, warm clothes, and some basic tools like flashlights is the kind of thing that appeals to a very wide swathe of the population.

Indeed, in our interview OpSafeWinter made it clear that one doesn't need to be a part of Anonymous to participate and support.

Friday, for example, everyone in New York, Anon or not, was invited to participate in a potluck at 60 Wall Street at 6:30pm, and Occupy was one of the groups supporting the event. OpSafeWinter not only works directly with some organizations, but also just goes ahead and RT's and spreads the word when it becomes aware of similar efforts by other groups. As well, it incorporates many pre-existing localized Ops.

"OpSafeWinter is [an] Anonymous operation, which involves #OpFeedHomeless, #OpNatal (Brazil) OpELE (France) ,#opXMAS (Canada) based & OpHelpingHand (Venezuela)," OpSafeWinter told us.

Activist and author Heather Marsh lists #OpNatal #OpSafeWinter #OpXmas #OpUnaManoAmiga ?/ #OpHelpingHand #OpFeedTheHomeless #OpSyriaAid (coming soon) as participants in the umbrella operation.
"Operations cant work separated but with one goal and same cause to help to homeless people and [the] poor," added OpSafeWinter.

The Pirate Pad planning document lists 13 American cities participating, although the coordinator for Houston has retired after December burnout.

There are only 12 countries officially involved, but as support grows, the paperwork falls behind.

"That's not final number because we are adding twitter accounts with local initiatives regularly every day, about 80+ locations for now. Portland is doing epic things, as [are] Anon UK based activists."

The UK arm of the op is one of the most active, and one of the first to get involved. Almost a year ago this video of Anonymous Nottingham encountering a homeless man went viral, and almost certainly helped inspire the birth of the current operation.

Other organizations that are directly involved include WeSayNoClothing and Miriam's Kitchen in Washington, D.C. "They are directly involved as organizations and some of donors wanted to stay anonymous. Also everyone can make some cooperation with organizations which shows some good will."

You can help our guests today by purchasing an item off of our amazon wish list. We keep this list updated with the items our guests need the most right now, and if you purchase an item through amazon, it will be shipped right to our door!

FoodNotBombs worked with Occupy two years ago, and now Anonymous is helping to publicize their efforts through this Op.

We asked what regular people could do to help without donning a mask.

OpSafeWinter replied, "What is asked: warm clothes, gloves, sleeping bags, food.
Also individual actions.

Even if one person see some homeless person on street, not to bypass him but to stand, speak and show compassion and (if is possible) to give something as donation to that person.
That means much."

"USA activists are trying to do pressure on cities where feeding of homeless is banned. That's not compassion."

He also cited Portland, Oregon, as the "shining star" of the Op; Portland has, of course, a long history of activism. It also has one of the milder climates in the continental U.S. at that latitude, which is fortunate for its homeless population.

While the operation has no hacking component, deliberately avoiding controversy, some of the ops under the umbrella have gone rogue.

"Brazil anons did defaces for OpNatal (OpXMAS). Brazil deface[d] the Prefeitura Municipal de Gastão Vidigal website." That is a government site that was at the time touting improvements to the social safety net, the one whose shortcomings Anons were taking to the streets to rectify.

A group called TeamCrashers took responsibility for the deface.

Interestingly, Black Bloc, the bogeymen of the activist movement with a reputation for random physical violence and government infiltration, actively support OpSafeWinter and even handed out toys to children in Sao Paulo.

"In Brazil BlackBloc also supports op as Occupy is doing in USA somehow. I like when Black Bloc shared gifts to kids in Sao Paolo for Christmas." While the debate about whether Black Bloc is a group or a tactic rages on, the same could once have been said for Anonymous.

If Anonymous can turn Black Bloc into Santa, what can't they do?

tfw
Peace Love Light
Liberty & Equality or Revolution

Hec'el oinipikte  (that we shall live)

[zorgon]

"Yesterday this pile of blankets was all over the ground filthy, partially wet and frozen having been slept in the night before. I saw a D.C. city worker putting the stuff into what looked like a trash bag. Then this morning I walk by the same spot and see the blankets had been washed and folded... Made me smile"

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

[this_is_who_we_are]

Good job. Keep up The Good Work.

My current situation evolved from a number of homeless "adventures" beginning in 2002, and ending in 2007. Off and on.

- PS

I'm still at the computer every night, searching for "Morpheus", waiting for recruitment into something larger and more important. Something "purposeful". Still. Waiting.

TIWWA

[this_is_who_we_are]

"Yesterday this pile of blankets was all over the ground filthy, partially wet and frozen having been slept in the night before. I saw a D.C. city worker putting the stuff into what looked like a trash bag. Then this morning I walk by the same spot and see the blankets had been washed and folded... Made me smile"

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

There are still good people left in the world. That was amazing! Most of the time you hear about people living outside being harassed, beaten or shot down like dogs by the LEO gang and the like.

It's good to see a story about someone doing something... well... good for a change.

[thorfourwinds]

Well, well, well...others have taken notice.   

[thorfourwinds]

Everyone wants to go home ...