I just took the bus home after spending two days in Boston. I know, I know. I wasn't present at Town Meeting. Unfortunately, schedule conflicts would not allow me to be. I'm eager to read summaries in the local newspapers. I have two things to report this afternoon. The first is a very comprehensive examination of why we must demand the labeling of GMOs, published by East Bay Express, an online journal from the San Francisco Bay area, where food seems to matter more than any place else in the country. Please do check out this report. (I wrote about the same topic last week.)
The second is an email from Nick Macdonald, who summers in Wellfleet and lives in Brooklyn. Nick, above with wife Elspeth and Sven, writes, "I have been e-mailing my sons some daily impressions of Occupy Wall Street (OWS). I think it gives a flavor, and decided to share it with you (all). Edited appropriately. So here (attached) are my impressions of OWS so far.
Also, there are some ways to get involved, if you are interested:
1. Visit OWS.
2. Go to AVAAZ (register your support)
3. Follow the occupation: OccupyWallStreet, New York City General Assembly, Take the Square, OccupyTogether.
4. Donate food, warm clothes: in person, or by mail: UPS Store/118A Fulton St. #205/ New York, NY 10038.
5. Donate money: in person, or through NYCGA or by check to: Alliance for Global Justice/1247 E Street, SE/Washington, DC 20003. Indicate 'Occupy Wall Street' on the memo line. Or call: (202) 544-9355
Finally, as an introduction, what inspires me so much is that OWS seems like democracy in action --- without leaders, without politicians, without celebrities or egos (mostly). Grass-roots, from the bottom up. It is peaceful, transparent, uncompetitive, communal. In short, anarchistic. Or “horizontal democracy” as OWS puts it. And it naturally leads one to think more about what you can do, or suggest. Becomes truly a participatory democracy. Without anyone getting credit for anything. An idea is simply in the pool of ideas."
Nick attaches his blog, which is not yet online, unfortunately, but I can share the first few lines:
October 5, 2011 (Wed.)
Day 19 at Occupy Wall Street. My first day (Elspeth started yesterday). Back from the rally and march (and occupation). Very inspiring. Got my juices going in a way similar to the Vietnam days. And what is even better, it’s a real grass-roots, as-of-now, inchoate outpouring. Anarchistic, no leaders, no politicians ..."
