Email that we received this morning:
For your information, below is an email I sent to Occupy Pensacola last week:
********************************
November 23, 2011, 10:57 AM EST
To the Membership, “Leadership†Facilitators, Legal Counsel, and Chaplain/Safety Officer of Occupy Pensacola:
My name is Berachot Levine and I am with The Arm of Justice (AOJ), which is basically a group of people from all walks of life and various religious backgrounds (including atheists and agnostics), whose common desire is to see that justice and truth are brought forth. Wade Demers was the original Executive Director of The Arm of Justice, and he is now the Director Emeritus. Wade and his wife Patti had gone to Florida to get some rest from the intense persecution they had been receiving in another state when they happened to come upon Occupy Pensacola. Because of our years of association, Wade contacted us here at The Arm of Justice, so that we could possibly be of help to your cause. I am nearly 70 years old, and am currently located in the State of Rhode Island.
I’ve been apprised of everything that’s been going on regarding situations with Occupy Pensacola and interactions with Wade & Patti Demers. For nearly 30 years I have known these people. You may be surprised at the knowledge of detail at which we (AOJ) keep track of Wade & Patti’s activities; their lives are in danger from corporate America, the government, and organized religion…ironically, the very organizations you people claim to oppose.
Because of who they are and what they do, and their surviving the onslaught of enemies that go all the way back to Washington, D.C., the Demerses have acquired invaluable experiential wisdom that you have not recognized and have squandered and ignored.
You have effectively thwarted my and The Arm of Justice’s efforts to aid you in your cause, because of your actions and inactions and lack of having/using proper wisdom:
1. You have lost the moral high ground with the general public and numbers of those in the city administration who were sympathetic;
2. You have fallen for various “baits†put out by the opposition, and in doing so, have compromised and weakened your position;
3. You have failed to fully comprehend the use of guile, patronizing, and other deceptions by the mayor and the city administration;
4. You have not listened nor paid attention to the voice of reason from those two elder experienced ones sent among you;
5. Your timing of actions and inactions has played into the hands of your opposition, to your detriment;
6. You have neutralized the advantage and effectiveness of those two who had been acting as my eyes and ears among you;
7. You have failed to make certain tactical moves, provisions, and positions in substance, time and space.
8. You have failed to cultivate moral law and discipline.
9. You have refused to listen to wisdom addressing your sorely lacking ability to effectively and peaceably communicate with each other, the media, and city administration. You have refused to listen to wisdom addressing the pathway which would lead to defining and coalescing your disjointed and unclear goals into easily understood objectives spoken with one voice. These two points are causing you to be misunderstood, maligned, and discounted, producing results that are counterproductive and diametrically opposed to your goals.
Ironically, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, which the young marine introduced to your group recently, was shared with me by Wade over 30 years ago, after I had first met him through business association…and it is quite disheartening how many of those principles you are violating, resulting in your present weakened condition.
We here at The Arm of Justice had hoped that our objective third-party observation from a distance would cause your opposition to be more inclined to act and interact with you in good faith. Your actions/inactions with Wade & Patti have caused us at The Arm of Justice, at this point, to disengage our support.
Your failure to address the various insults, rudeness, and even threats against Wade & Patti by your group, quite frankly seems bizarre. Your behavior, and especially the behavior of those in leadership, has caused us to disrespect your individual and separate motives. I do feel I have erred by temporarily associating The Arm of Justice with your movement in Pensacola, and have damaged our reputation.
I stand disappointed as spokesman for The Arm of Justice,
Berachot Levine
P.S. In response to receiving a copy of my email of Nov. 19, 2011 to Mayor Ashton Hayward (see copy of text below), I was contacted via email by a television network executive, asking if we/I wanted to do a show or a series of shows bringing more light on to the subject matter contained in that email, which, of course, would have raised the public’s awareness, sympathy, and support for your cause. Of course, now, because of your collective and individual behaviors, that is moot.
P.P.S. It is sad that you were all, by and large, unable to perceive the wisdom, guidance, direction, and timing of same that Wade & Patti were bringing to you to help you…and of course, that would have helped us, The Arm of Justice, to help you.
Your challenges are the same as those faced by the Occupy Movement throughout the United States. Listening might have put you in the forefront of attaining both understanding and support of the public opinion, as well as, perhaps, real victory.
Though I feel sorry for your present plight and condition, I wish you well—hang in…try to learn…try to articulate…try to unite…perhaps someone will hear.
***************************************
Email sent to Mayor Ashton Hayward and the Pensacola City Council on November 19, 2011:
Mayor Hayward:
This is to notify you that the unanimous opinion of the membership and governing administration of The Arm of Justice of the tactics used by the Mayor Ashton Hayward in dealing with Occupy Pensacola are unconscionable.
You have personally used deception, subterfuge, and guile; have run roughshod over the constitution; and have even violated and misused Pensacola’s own regulations and ordinances.
You have directed your staff as your agents to echo and puppet your abuse of your position and power.
You have used your lawyer to improperly present twisted information to the judiciary.
Be aware that though Pensacola is a small resort and retirement and military community, what you are doing and have done is being closely monitored by many beyond the borders of your city. Like many in government today, you obviously think that things are as in the past and that mayors are above the rule of law.
As you will see, this is not the 60’s, the 70’s or even the 90’s; perhaps it is time for you to consider justice, truth, ethics, and obedience to the laws of the land, the ordinances and regulations of the City of Pensacola, your oath of office, and just common courtesy in dealing with fellow human beings.
Perhaps it is time for you to be more courteous and respectful to the many worthy U. S. Citizens who in your city have chosen to speak out under their First Amendment rights in redressing their grievances. These citizens of our nation in your city should be afforded equal protection under the law and their constitutionally-guaranteed rights and the same treatment that you afford those whom you feel are a benefit to your career and your personal, cultural, and social life.
Vigilantly,
Berachot Levine
Director, Government Affairs
The Arm of Justice
P.S. Perhaps you might want to have your lawyers examine the precedent set in a past Fed