Occupy Your Information- Nullify Your Ignorance

I'm proud to say that instead of watching from the sidelines, assuming, speculating, praising and/or criticizing like some out of shape TV sports fanatic, I got my ass down to Occupy Wall Street yesterday and threw myself into the game. Myself and four other inquisitive and unafraid souls, all very unfamiliar with the city and not knowing anyone who was already there or could get us there, found our way down to Zuccotti park on Saturday to see, hear, feel, smell (yes, smell, since there was much postulation about the protesters being a bunch of "dirty hippies") and formulate our own sense of what is going on there.

My honest report? This movement is not dead, not failed, and is not going anywhere. While there is much criticism that they are "disorganized" I found that they are just organized enough. There is nobody claiming to have all the answers, no one making their voice heard over anyone else. There is a central theme to the movement (corporate and big bank control over the government is ruining the economy and taking away our choice, liberties and ability to sustain ourselves individually and as a whole) and many sub-themes within. People who are passionate about a specific sub-theme will organize a group to march down there and speak to the occupiers. For instance, yesterday there was a demonstration about food sovereignty; government subsidies that sustain corporate control over a food supply that is increasingly processed, unhealthy and unsustainable and lack of development of alternatives that could provide health food for everyone. The sub-movements are organized enough to educate the crowds, and the movement as a whole is organized enough to have their own newspaper and rally people to march together throughout the city.

It was not easy for us suburban folk to navigate the NYC subway system, but we made it there. We made a b-line for Zuccotti park because we had big box of cookies and supplies (gloves, hand warmers, hats) we brought. The police wouldn't allow us to bring in our cookies because they were "on trays"...? We found a guy who helped us smuggle them in and started chatting with him and his friends- who were all extremely thankful and welcomed us with hugs and kisses!

His name was David he said he'd been there for 2 weeks and was there when they raided the camp, he was one of those who linked arms when they tried to dismantle the "Peoples Kitchen", and got arrested. He said when he was finally released after 2 days of jail and court etc, there were a group of supporters waiting outside the courtroom with food, clean clothing and most of all hugs and sincere thanks for all those being released. This organized group call themselves "Jail Support".  This was consistent with the spirit we found there; everyone supporting one another and the cause, people donating what they can and helping out however they can. I never got the sense I was in any kind of danger. I want to make clear this was not just a party, free-love, concert type of atmosphere (although there were a couple circles that seemed that way, not the majority) it was not like "The Vibes" or something. Yes there were some drum circles and people playing guitar, singing, etc but for the most part it was a place of exchanging ideas and imagining a better future for everyone. I knew I would make a sign when I got there and at the exact time I was ready to do that the idea came to me. I didn't want to make a protest sign per-se, I wanted to say something positive and goal oriented.

I had thought of John Lennon's song "Imagine" earlier that morning on our way there- that was my message; as we are spreading awareness of the existent problems, lets also start to imagine what the future can be, lets visualize it and it will slowly take shape. This obviously resonated with the people there as I was stopped several times and asked to be photographed, here is a nice one someone posted to their flicker page:

 We spent most of our time in Zuccotti park talking with people and listening to the demonstrations. People are handing out flyers with information, there are small circles of conversation going on everywhere- not arguing but real dialogue for the purpose of understanding. There were many spectators walking by taking pictures and talking with the demonstrators from outside the barricades to the park, not usually arguing but more-so curious about the protesters message.

Then a march began, we joined in to march down to the Meryl Lynch bull and back. It was exhilarating! Many more people than were originally in the park joined in. There were retired couples, teachers, professionals, students, parents and kids- all kinds of people. The crowd thanked the police who were extremely present but not obstructive on this day. A police officer even complimented me on my sign!

From where I live it was a 30 minute car ride to the train station and then an hour trip on Metro North followed by a 10 minute subway ride. I HATE the cold but dressed appropriately and felt comfortable. Only problem was finding a bathroom but certainly not any worse than going to the Vibes or the New Haven St Paddy's Parade. Total cost per person (including food but not donations) about $30. I highly suggest all you sideline commentators take a day trip and see for yourself, you won't regret it :)

Miss Z

People Over Profits in 2012

This is an official blog entry for the YourLocalSecurity.com Blogging Scholarship. If selected, I'll receive $1000 towards my college expenses in 2012. This scholarship is sponsored by YourLocalSecurity.com

The most important issue in the 2012 Presidential Election will without a doubt be fixing the economy. The way I see it, the only way to achieve this will be by stopping, and reversing, economic and industrial globalization. The free flow of information and ideas, that the creation of the internet has afforded us, is to be preserved. But the overuse of technology to replace working people, and the transferring of jobs and commodities across borders and oversees, especially those essential to our daily lives, simply has got to stop. The driving force behind economic globalization is greed; cut costs, at any human and environmental cost, in order to maximize profits. A system driven by a negative force such as greed will never yield positive fruit. We will not fix the country's, or the world's, problems until we decide collectively to reverse this negative system. Addressing this issue will simultaneously address 3 issues at once; economy, energy and the environment. .

The concept is very simple; if I want to earn my living manufacturing plastic children's toys, I will do it right here in my own home state, committing to handle any waste and pollution created locally, this way I will be aware and accountable for the environmental implications of manufacturing products of this type. I should be willing to give up my land, sacrificing it's potential use for living, green space or farming, if I believe in the value of my product. See, local economies have tighter feedback systems, so when problems arise affecting the lives of the people and their environments in this system, they are acknowledged and addressed quicker. Not only will environmental issues be less likely to get swept under the rug, but also localized economies use less energy to function. For instance, I live in Connecticut, we can grow many varieties of apples here, but if I want a pineapple I will have to import it and since this is more energy consumptive I should pay a significantly higher cost per pound than my local apples. This should encourage people to eat primarily locally grown food and buy locally made products. Consuming what is available locally means less fossil fuels used in transport, resulting in decreased dependence on foreign oil, and consequently producing less pollution in the form of greenhouse gasses.  Additionally, if I need someone to handle customer service for my business, I will hire someone locally who has customer service experience rather than someone 4000 miles away just because they require less pay. Hiring local help will create jobs for the people who consume local goods, and fair wages will be paid because when you have a consistent face to face relationship with the people you employ and do business with, you feel more accountable to them. We need to foster in a new era in which supporting and having healthy relationships with the people in your community (and respecting the human rights of all people across the globe) is more important than getting rich, owning unlimited cheap plastic toys, or eating pineapples every day. People over products.

It's true that on this localized system, we would have limited access to many of the goods we have become accustomed to, but in all reality, we need to accept that in the last 30 years we have been living a lifestyle entirely ignorant of the confines of our planet and thus rapidly depleting our resources. Unless we plan on finding a second planet to live on, we are going to have to accept that we need to scale back our expectations. We in the industrialized world have been sold the idea that material possessions equate to happiness, and so we spend and spend, never truly happier and all the more in debt.  The people reaping the most benefit from the current system are the few at the top of the major banks and corporations. They've convinced us we need the most trivial products, the vast majority of which are made overseas at a lower cost to them and consequently not providing jobs for the people they aim to sell the products to. We buy, we go into debt, and the corporations and banks get rich.

These banks and corporations are consumed by greed and will not volunteer to take reformative actions. It is the government's responsibility to enforce laws that protect and benefit it's people but to be honest at this point in time I don't think even the worlds governments are any match against the muscle of the major global corporations. I personally am not holding my breath waiting and hoping on the outcome of the next election. It is likely that only widespread, grassroots effort will bring about a positive future. People need to come out of their houses, get out of their cars, step away from their televisions, get together and talk to each other. We have many differences but most of us share a common goal; a peaceful existence for future generations on this planet. If we can focus on that goal, suspend our judgements against each other and adopt a more realistic perspective on what is achievable for our species on this planet, we can open up our collective creative potential to achieve it. It's time for communities to unite and generate the tides of change.