G.A. Minutes 2-9-16
The weather people told the truth this time. It’s winter again; temperatures are a few degrees above zero. The wind is variable but when it blows it’s enough to kill you. Hopefully, it won’t kill any of our homeless ones tonight.
There are few Occupiers this evening; two thirds of those who are present have colds. It will probably be a very short meeting.
There are absolutely no customers in Coney Island and only 1 staff person. He tells us most of the food is gone too. There’s coffee, herbal tea and polish sausage. We’ll get beverages and wait until we get home to have our dinners.
The conversation starts with a discussion about White Earth people who have announced their candidacy for Tribal Chairperson. It appears that 2 people who were/are close friends will be running against each other. That’s about all we know and it’s probably not any of our business anyway.
An Occupier says, “Did you know that Red Lake is the only tribal reservation, in our area at least, that was able to keep all of their land owned in common? They have no individual ownership”. We think that is pretty cool.
Our friend, the City official, has given the Occupier couple tickets to the North Central Windows Program dinner on Thursday, February 11th, 6pm at the United Presbyterian Church in Superior WI. The NC/WP is an art enrichment program serving survivors of domestic violence.
An Occupier comments, “The tickets are somewhat expensive because it’s a fundraiser. The event would have been out of the reach of our personal budget so we really appreciate being given tickets.
“I know the Superior Organizer is quite active in NC/WP. I also know that creating art is very therapeutic for most people. I’m happy to do whatever I can for the project and am looking forward to attending the event”.
Another Occupier reminds us, “On Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14th at 1p-4p the Annual Overdose Vigil is going to be held at the Central Hillside Community Center. It will be a potluck feast with a Native drum group and time for sharing stories and memories.
“Also, on Saturday the 13th the Red Shawls/Solidarity Shawls march will start from Trepanier Hall at 1pm”. The march is in recognition of murdered and missing Indigenous women.
A young man who is talking to himself walks through the door, asks for the key to the bathroom, goes in, comes out, gives the key back and leaves. All the while talking to himself. The hipster staff guy doesn’t bat an eyelash, just smiles at the dude. Sweet.
An Occupier comments, “I still haven’t received any answer from the Clayton Jackson McGhie BOD concerning my request to be invited to their meeting. I guess that means they are deliberately ignoring me or that they don’t monitor their website well. I’m going to the Human Rights Commission meeting tomorrow so can ask the Duluth Human Rights Officer what is up. He’s a co-chair of the BOD.
I was cleaning off my desk yesterday and found copies of all that insulting stuff that the other CJMM BOD co-chair was writing to us last summer. I didn’t remember that I had made a copy of that stuff. I sure hope I’m not forced to show it to anyone outside of our group but I know we’re going to have to have our legal right to make our small, safe fires recognized. There’s a moral issue too”.
We all agree, we certainly don’t wish to cause any BOD member harm or embarrassment but the homeless ones have so little time or place to feel safe or valued.
The homeless ones are the absolute lowest ones in this twisted society’s pecking order. However, they aren’t any different from people who have homes; it’s just that their luck has been worse.
Some of the people with homes have their sense of morality all screwed up. They think they’re supposed to scorn and shun the less fortunate ones. WRONG.
Someone remarks, “In keeping with this subject….. I’m tired and I have a headache. Can we just stop now and go home?”
Yes we can. We clear off our table, gather our spare change for the jar and say goodnight to the surprised looking staff guy.
We’ve been his only customers all evening so he’ll be able to clean up quickly and go home too. We’ll be back on Saturday.