Unconference on Community and Bioregional Resilience

What could make a real difference for resilience and sustainability in the Eugene area and the Cascadia bioregion?

Bring your ideas, questions and projects about local resilience and sustainability to our self organizing “Open Space” Unconference 

 

Saturday March 31, 2012
9:00am-5:00pm
City of Eugene Campbell Community Center
155 High St., Eugene, OR 97401

**Volunteers and food donations are needed! Please contact Lauren at asprooth@gmail.com if available **

This will NOT be your ordinary conference. Open Space events like this are participatory and self-organizing: YOU will make it the exciting gathering it will be. There will be no official speakers and no predetermined workshops or panels. Anyone who wants to create a session for any topic related to the question above will announce it in the first 30-45 minutes. Then we’ll just get on with it. We’ll be all together at the start and the finish – but in the middle we’ll each be doing exactly what we really want to be doing. And it will probably add up to something amazing.

Come to learn, share, explore, collaborate or organize around whatever has heart and meaning for you. We can make breakthroughs together because our diverse passions, group knowledge, meaningful conversations and new collaborations will make us far more smart and effective together than we are separately.

But this is important: Only attend if community resilience and sustainability are important issues for you. You may have more questions than answers – or more answers than questions – but it is your passion that counts here. This conference will ONLY succeed because of your energy and the energy of everyone else who comes. The participants will make this the thrilling event it is going to be.

SO please come if you find yourself thinking about things like…

• building local food systems…
• launching community currencies or credit clearing systems…
• nurturing the expansion of gift economies…
• developing peer-to-peer sharing and barter systems…
• strengthening your community’s “buy local” dynamics…
• promoting sustainable, sensible transportation systems…
• advancing local energy systems, local manufacturing, local entertainment, local celebrations…
• nurturing stronger relations among neighbors…
• reaching beyond the choir through media, community leaders, demonstrations, the arts, occupations…
• developing indicators of community well-being…
• bringing more heart, spirit, feeling, movement and vitality to sustainability activities…
• catalyzing conversations about how to get our needs met and live richer, more enjoyable lives without money…
• any other activity, idea or question that could strengthen the sovereignty, sustainability and vitality of our cities and towns…

Do you find yourself excited about things on this list? Then come to this Open Space conference March 31. We need you. We need each other. Your interest, your knowledge, your questions could make all the difference. And we need to make a real difference soon…

* Your participation in this event has been paid for by prior donors to the Co-Intelligence Institute. Instead of paying us back for a service rendered, you may pay it forward to help us to provide such services to others. If you wish to pay it forward, you may do it online or at the event.

Check out the event Facebook page here!

For more information about “Open Space” events, see here

Opinion: Failure within Occupy Eugene

Author: Reid Kimball
Editor: OE Communications
This opinion piece was approved by the OE Communications committee by receiving the minimum number of at least 6 votes needed for publication.

When I was a young boy skating during ice hockey practice I pushed myself beyond my limits to skate as fast as I could. I ended up falling down and crashing into the boards of the ice rink.

I wasn’t hurt in the slightest bit, but it was embarrassing. I knew my coach would be upset that I had failed to skate correctly. After I finished the drill behind the others, he skated over to everyone and looked at me straight in the eyes.

“Did you all see what Reid did back there?”

I knew it. I’m toast.

“He fell down, but he didn’t care. He got back up immediately and finished strong.”

I did?

“You can’t be afraid to fall. Every chance you have on the ice, you push yourself harder and if you fall, you get back up and try again.”

I was smiling.

He finished, “If you aren’t falling, you aren’t trying hard enough.”

This last statement has stuck with me ever since and I think it applies to Occupy Eugene in spades, because within OE we have a problem with accepting failure.

Many of us are young and inexperienced; I am one of them. I have made lots of mistakes, some small, some rather large. I see lots of my brothers and sisters also making mistakes. It’s not because we are unorganized, don’t care, or agent provocateurs. It’s because we are trying and working our asses off. When we do this, we push the boundaries of what we are capable of and undoubtedly, we sometimes fall.

If we aren’t falling, we aren’t trying hard enough.

Despite our efforts, instead of helping each other when some of us fall, I see many within OE verbally attack one another. These attacks do nothing but demoralize and humiliate hardworking, well-meaning individuals from working towards creating the world we all want to see.

Is this what we need? To make everyone fear the opportunity that exists within each failure?

Some see Occupy Eugene as failing. Ignoring the debate of what equals a failure; in my opinion any failure is OK and is necessary. Without failure, we remain stagnant, quickly becoming old, and ineffective.

Within my professional career of video game development we have the philosophy, “fail fast, learn faster”. This is because video games are very complex to create and it is not easy to plan ahead what the end game experience will look like.

Instead of spending two years and millions of dollars on one core idea, we crudely implement many ideas as fast as possible, fully expecting that most of those ideas will be utter failures. But each one will help us get closer to our end goal of creating the best game we can.

Those who embrace failure, welcoming it with excitement, tend to grow the fastest.

It is said that Thomas Edison was interviewed by a reporter who asked him if he felt like a failure for having created thousands of light bulb prototypes that did not work. Edison answered, “Young man, why would I feel like a failure? And why would I ever give up? I now know definitively over 9,000 ways that an electric light bulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp.” And he was right, because after surpassing 10,000 attempts, Edison invented the light bulb and our world has never been the same since.

With each failure we grow stronger. We learn something new about ourselves, our community, the Eugene police, the city council, and more.

But we won’t be able to grow unless we can accept failure, and we won’t be able to do that if we continue to attack each other for our well intentioned efforts.

The story of our hopefully future triumph will include all the obstacles and adversity we faced along the way, each failure will enrich the tapestry of our collective experience. Let’s not knock people who have fallen down, but help them to their feet when in need. Their failure should be seen as a success to be celebrated.

If we all knock each other down, who will be left standing to help us up when we fall?

Help Pitchfork Rebellion Stop Big Pesticide

The people and forests of Oregon are being poisoned. These families of the Hwy 36 corridor now have the proof. It has been submitted and simply ignored.

Please come support them in this fight to make this well documented case public knowledge. Only then will things begin to change.

Who is the enemy you ask?: Monsanto, Oregonians For Food And Shelter, and the timber industry to name a few major players. Another perfect example of money in politics VS humans, land, water, and living ecological systems which are all being destroyed beyond repair.

Pitchfork Rebellion is an Uprising of Forest Dwellers who are tired of being abused by Big Timber and Big Pesticide – i.e. ‘Big Agriculture’ – and who believe, as documented in our ongoing Investigation of the Influence of Big Business on State and Federal Agencies, that the government agencies charged with protecting the environment and the public health have been effectively co-opted by private industry to the profound detriment of the environment and the public health.

Facebook Event Invite and Ridesharing

Pitchfork Rebellion Web Page

Discussion Night!

Every Sunday from 4-7 pm at OE V.

“Diversity of Tactics” is the discussion topic for the month of March.

This is a discussion, not a debate! We will be breaking into small groups of 4-6 people to ensure that each person has a chance to speak. Please come and share your views and your experience on this important topic. This is a great opportunity for us to all learn from each other!

When: Sundays, 4 – 7pm

Where: OE V, 1274 W. 7th, Eugene

Hosted by the Occupy Eugene Library Committee.
Contact us at: oec_library@lists.riseup.net

EMERGENCY FORECLOSURE OCCUPY OREGON MONDAY ACTION!

Please call and write your state congressperson Monday!

We need Senate Bills 1552 and 1564 passed without Rep. Whisnant’s amendments that help the banks more than homeowners.

Perfidy is a word reserved for heartless and treacherous betrayal. This is the word to describe the cynical abuse being visited on the voters who elected Oregon Representatives Whisnant and Hanna.

Whisnant requested and Hanna assigned foreclosure reform Senate bills 1552 and 1564 to Whisnant’s House committee. Whisnant re-wrote these bipartisan bills to not only protect banks from prosecution for the fraudulent foreclosure practices which are increasingly coming to light, but to prevent the Attorney General’s involvement. A more cynical betrayal of the public trust is difficult to imagine.

Whisnant and Hanna support current bank practices of foreclosing on properties while pretending to be renegotiating problem mortgages; and for refusing to meet face-to-face with homeowners facing foreclosure.

The Senate agreed that these practices are wrong and passed SB 1552 and SB 1564 to correct them, but not only is Whisnant satisfied to keep these measures buried in committee, he’s substituted language which would worsen the situation for struggling Oregon homeowners, while giving banks license to commit even worse abuses, and a get-out-of-jail card.

If there were ever an example of a lawmaker working against the interests of the people, and using the powers of government to benefit corporations, it’s playing out right now in the Oregon House of Representatives. Perfidy is “the deliberate act of violating faith, a vow, or allegiance; treachery; the violation of a trust reposed.” Is there not honor in the Oregon House of Representatives sufficient to pass SB 1552 and SB 1564?

Don’t let banks write our laws, run, and ruin our country! Make them accountable for their crimes.

Regards,

– Your Name

You Call to Action!

1) Send the above email to your State Rep. Cut and paste the message above the dashed line, above. Call them too and ask they support Senate Bills 1552 and 1564 without Rep. Whisnant’s amendments.

2) Forward this email in its entirety to your friends, colleagues, teachers, fire departments, police chiefs, mayors, other government officials – anyone and everyone who is concerned about the quality of our schools and other services.

MORE BACKGROUND ON THE ISSUES:

Playing Politics with the Lives of Struggling Homeowners
BY SCOTT MOORE

The dastardly ALEC – corporations writing laws for legislators

This Email Action Campaign is from the Occupy Eugene Neighborhood Action Committee.

Volunteer Opportunities Updated

We have updated our volunteer opportunities page and invite you to see if there’s something you can help with.

Volunteering with Occupy Eugene is a chance to participate in one of the most exciting social change protest movements of our lives.

The time couldn’t be better to get involved as many of us have been involved since October and we can help you get situated quickly in a role that works best for you. Lots of exciting things will be happening this Spring. Help make sure that 2012 is a year to remember for the 99%.

Another Occupy Victory! West Coast Occupy Efforts Key To Forcing EGT Grain Terminal To Honor ILWU Contract.

From an article in the Daily Kos:

EGT bets. Occupy Raises. EGT folds……..

For months EGT, a wholly owned subsidiary of multinational corporation Bunge, Inc, kept ILWU Local 21 members from working the Port of Longview, WA. They had been replaced by other grain elevator operators in violation — as claimed by the ILWU — of a contract EGT had signed with the Port.

On December 12th, the Occupy Movement again demonstrated its ability to mobilize by shutting down the Port of Oakland, affecting other ports on the West Coast, and turning out protesters all over the world. Part of that action was in solidarity with ILWU Local 21.

ILWU workers had engaged in militant protests and pickets over Longview that eventually led to arrests, court injunctions and massive fines against the union. Yet as the grain terminal was about the become operational, the ILWU remained shut out. The first ship to be loaded was due to arrive some time in January.

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In mid-December, Occupy Longview, Occupy Portland and Occupy Oakland began organizing “Stop the Loading of the Ship”. This action was aimed at getting thousands of people to Longview, Washington at a moment’s notice when news of the grain ship coming down the Columbia River first hit, in an attempt to prevent the ship from being loaded. Coupled with statements of support and mobilization actions from various local unions, it began to appear that Occupy, operating hand in hand with these other labor groups, might pull off another coup — even if everyone had to wade through snow, slush and tear gas in southern Washington to do so.

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When the reality of what was about to hit Longview sunk in, strange things started to happen. The Coast Guard announced that a cutter (right) would escort the ship into port, a use of the US military in a labor dispute that had not happened for decades, even though no one had, or has, at any time, ever, in any way, threatened the ship itself. Governor Gregoire of Washington, who had attempted to intervene previously with no effect, tried to restart negotiations. And this time EGT came to the table willing to negotiate.

About a week and a half ago, as Occupy Oakland was doing practice runs of its convoy to Longview, the ILWU and EGT announced a tentative agreement.  On Friday a contract was signed giving the ILWU workers jurisdiction over grain loading operations at the new terminal.

“This is a victory for Occupy in their involvement in forcing negotiations. Make no mistake — the solidarity and organization between the Occupy Movement and the Longshoremen won this contract,” said Jack Mulcahy, ILWU officer with Local 8. “The mobilization of the Occupy Movement across the country, particularly in Oakland, Portland, Seattle, and Longview were a critical element in bringing EGT to the bargaining table and forcing a settlement with ILWU local 21.”

“It is clear that the port shutdowns on November 2nd and December 12th, and the impending mobilization in Longview, is what made EGT come to the table. When Governor Gregoire intervened a year ago nothing was settled — non-ILWU workers were still working in the port. It wasn’t until rank and file and Occupy planned a mass convergence to blockade the ship that EGT suddenly had the impetus to negotiate.” said Clarence Thomas, an officer of ILWU Local 10…

EGT itself made evident the company’s concern about Occupy’s role in the conflict in the January 27 settlement agreement: “The ILWU Entities shall issue a written notice to The Daily News and the general public, including the Occupy Movement, informing them of this settlement and urging them to cease and desist from any actions…”

Opinion: Wake Up

Author: Lotus Occupied
Editor: OE Communications
This opinion piece was approved by the OE Communications committee by receiving the minimum number of at least 6 votes needed for publication.

Hey you! Yes, you. I want you do do something for me: REVOLT!!

Wake up. Wake up and join the revolution!

Wake up and realize that unless you get mad at the system, you will never be able to break out of this docile little box you’ve been numbed into. Turn off your television–better yet, KILL YOUR T.V. It is the single most hypnotizing tool used by the 1% to keep you ignorant of the current state of our world and the more you allow its images to permeate your brain and consciousness, the further from revolution you will find yourself.

I laugh to myself now because I know that far from the revolution is right where you would like to be–pushing reform, much to the chagrin of the 99%.  I get it that you disagree with situations, actions, and disobedience of those around you; I know that you disagree with the current trajectory and actions of Occupy Eugene; I get it that you would like to see an end to the tension between the governments you reside under and your fellow community members but I CANNOT and WILL NOT sit around and listen while members of the community I live in are torn down for their courage and asked to PLACATE the “powers that be” in the interest of “respect and trust”.  No.  My answer is no.

To those who prefer to “reform” the system instead of feed the “revolution” I offer this:

Tell me how many people were evicted from the camp that had no where else to go, how many lost their homes (tents), how many starved because they did not have regular access to food, how many froze into the cold evenings following Christmas because there was no more shelter for them, how many scurried back to their bushes and bridges alone, and dejected, and REjected, and then tell me that you don’t think we need revolution.  Look into the eyes of children who spend their time playing video games instead of spending time with the family at dinner and SEE the dysfunction, look into the eyes of the elderly who are stuck eating cat and dog food because they are too poor to support themselves, look into the eyes of the addicts and alcoholics wandering rootlessly, look into the eyes of the upper-middle class glazed over with consumeristic stares while they buy more CRAP they don’t need, look at the way our men drool over our women, and the way little girls grow up thinking they’re fat while little boys beat them up on the playground, look into the eyes of the zombie in the mirror and ask yourself WHY?!  WHY DOES IT ALL FEEL *SO* WRONG?!

I’ll tell you why:

Our food is poisoned and full of chemicals, our water supply is tainted and will soon be owned by huge corporations, some people don’t have enough energy to heat their homes, our marine life is dropping because huge corporations like BP pollute our oceans illegally which are now covered in slick oil, forests are being torn down for their timber and never replaced, wildlife is dwindling while cattle is bred for mass murder, human beings are getting sicker and sicker while pharmaceutical companies invent more and more “miracle pills” with side effects a mile long, health care is a joke and owned by BIG PHARMA who prospers on–you guessed it–illness.

Our corporate governments have been weaving this tight little nest of laws that actually work to suppress your constitutional rights, but before I get there, lets talk money.  You wake up one day and find a job so you can go out and support yourself and have a family…you know, house, car, job, wife (husband), 2.5 kids, picket fence, the works.  The American dream.  So you get the house, wife, and subsequent *stuffs* and raise children who also want to grow up and live the American dream, and then one day you realize that you were born into this giant, disgusting, continually cycling machine that keeps people as slaves to capitalism by encouraging breeding (sexualizing EVERYTHING) and consumerism (selling EVERYTHING). You realize that when you walk into that job you perpetuate the cycle, you must check your morals at the door, forget you make $8 an hour and then help *huge* corporations swindle your fellow human beings out of their HARD EARNED money and hand it lovingly, and with a smile, over to the 1% and their corporations…and then teach your children a good work ethic.  It’s revolting in that I-just-threw-up-in-my-mouth kind of way.

The money they get is used to buy influence on legislation–they buy votes, they buy congressmen, they buy anything and everything they can–“they” get bigger and bigger.  You realize that your time is valuable–corporations want it.  They want you to spend it making money to buy their things, they want you to spend it watching T.V., they want you to fetter it away on meaningless Big Macs and fries, while they addict you (and your children) to cheap food with chemical additives.  Yellow #5 anyone?  Laws are passed like the Patriot Act and National Defense Authorization Act allowing your fellow Americans to be indefinitely detained without trial or even charges simply because they are “suspected of terrorism”.  Terrorism is anything said or done that can be perceived as “against the government”.  PIPA and ACTA seek to censor your internet, penalizing you and protect corporations.  You see your local Eugene councilman (I won’t mention names here, lol) call a group of silently protesting topless women “TERRORISTS”, and their acts “TERRORISM”, right before you see American cops BEATING peaceful people protesting those same corporations monopolizing your time and the confusion sets in. Protesting is terrorism? or is it a constitutionally protected right called *free speech*?  Who do the police work for?  How can the government imprison its own citizens–doesn’t it work *for* the people?  How can local CIVIL SERVANTS be so blind to wars and real terror and so bent on fear-mongering that they call breasts terrorism thereby marking the breast owners enemies of the state?  What if that was your wife, aunt, friend, daughter?  What if these elected officials bending to corporate will are your grand-father, father, uncle, friend, or son?

One day, there isn’t enough money for you or for your children and you lose your home which was illegally foreclosed on by Bank of America.  After that, you find yourself sleeping on a bench in a park and your children wards of the state.  You are now a criminal considering you don’t pay monthly rent nor do you have a physical address.  As if that weren’t bad enough, you’ve become “what’s wrong with the world” and you didn’t even know it was coming.  It slowly invaded while your children were being sold into the same capitalistic slavery that put you there.  It is a system of oppression and control sold to you for three monthly installments of $9.99, expressly delivered to you at the low price of your free will.  No thanks necessary, just your loyalty will ensure your “regularly scheduled programming”.

So here you sit while so many of your fellow human beings eat shitty food, watch violent television full of hyper-sexualized images, and view the world from Facebook, happily numbed from the brain down, while real activists are on the streets revolting against the state, being chased by the Bicycle Brigade, and reacquainting themselves with their civil liberties.  They realize that this system of slavery with its oppressive laws must be torn down because it *IS* slavery, it is corrupt, and it is *too big* to re-form into something good for humanity. They rage against the machine. They are not afraid because they are too many to fail. Join them.

Occupy. Revolt. Smash Capitalism.