The Unitarian Universalist General Assembly (a meeting of UU congregations in the US) is meeting this week at the Portland Convention Center. On day 2 I attended 2 great workshops.
1) A dramatic reading about the 2003 death of an American activist in Gaza, "The Story of Rachel Corrie: A Death in Rafah," taken from the writings of Rachel Corrie, her parents and other sources. Three actors presented the 1-hr. script, sometimes reading together which was quite effective. The actual details of her death brought horror and tears to me. Two Israel military operated the Caterpillar that ran over her forward and back again. Rachel was protecting the home of a Palestinian family from being destroyed. She was wearing fluorescent clothing and the Cat scooped her up to eye level with the operators with some rubble and she dropped underneath. Those 2 Israel military operators endured no repercussions. The US has yet to investigate. Rachel wrote to a friend, "Come here! Come here." I see her idealism as beauty.
2) Thom Hartmann spoke on the middle class and democracy. He said there is no free market; that is a myth. Economies exist to support people, not the other way around. Big-box chains are a felony in India. There is subtle censorship here. We need to change the "rules of the game" to change WalMart. Economies need to serve the PEOPLE. Get active! There are no "perfect leaders." We elect representatives. Social change has come from a small group of people. "We have to create the parade" because it won't come from the top down. There are a thousand ways to create a parade. Disinvolvement must turn to infiltration and taking over our country. He ended with "Tag. You're it!"
I might have misheard, but it sounded like he said corporate personhood was written by a clerk, and never was the law of the land.
Hartmann also told about studies of animal behavior (deer, birds, fish) in which the alpha male's role is only procreation, but not as a leader. For example, when the herd needs to leave for water, it is not the alpha male who signals them to go. It happens when 51 percent of the herd stop chewing and turn their heads to the direction of the water. Then they take off all together.
Watching the Service of the Living Tradition on live stream was frustrating and I gave up after the singing of "We Would be One" by Jean Sibelius.
Tomorrow's workshops look promising. peace, gk.
Last 2 posts in Corporate control
- Psst...Outside the Convention is Where the Action Is - August 26th, 2008
- I Almost Forgot, It's Always the Dems Fault - August 19th, 2008
Last 2 posts in Economic justice
- I Almost Forgot, It's Always the Dems Fault - August 19th, 2008
- defining your terms - August 13th, 2008
Last 2 posts in Israel
- i just threw up in my mouth a little bit - August 15th, 2008
- "territorial integrity." that's a good one. - August 15th, 2008
Last 2 posts in Palestine
- kucinich was right - November 1st, 2007
- regarding ahmadinejad - September 25th, 2007
Last 2 posts in Religion
- in which i feel my first love for barack obama - August 7th, 2008
- Snakes in Suits - July 20th, 2008
If you liked this post, feel free to subscribe to our rss feeds
Loading ...
2 Comments so far (Add 1 more)
(listed oldest to newest)