G.A. Minutes 6-28-14
We think we may be rained out tonight. At 6pm the temp is in the 70s and the sky is partly cloudy. The forecast is for strong and heavy rain expected to be arriving soon and lasting until sometime tomorrow. After a brief discussion it’s decided we’d better meet indoors. Seeing as this is a spur of the moment decision, we opt for the plan of last resort. Off to the Occupy couple’s house. They only live a few blocks away from the Memorial.
In a short time we are sitting around the kitchen table talking about the Idle No More Indian Taco Sale that some of us helped out at yesterday. The sale was held at the Red Lake Urban Office. The Red Lake Ojibwe Reservation is about 4 hours north of Duluth but there are many Red Lakers living in our city. The RLUO serves as a cultural center, a place to use a computer, cook and socialize.
Several Native folks from INM arrived very early to make frybread and start chopping all the vegetables. The Occupiers arrived a few hours later bringing more of the main taco ingredients and a vehicle to make deliveries. Quickly the orders started rolling in. We made and delivered tacos for about 3 hours and then ran out of food. People were still coming in and calling in but we had nothing more to give them. This was the first taco sale sponsored by INM. It was a success. They even made a small profit.
An Occupier reminds us that we have committed to helping the Northwoods Wolf Alliance table on July 12th at the Pow Wow at Big Lake on the Fond du Lac Reservation. We’ll have 2 vehicles that day so should be able take every one of our small group. Some of the Occupiers have attended this yearly Pow Wow in the past. They are looking forward to attending again.
Another Occupier says she believes that the mayor of Duluth holds an “open office” on the evening of the last Tuesday of each month. She asks if we would like to visit the mayor on the last Tuesday of July. Unanimous happy octopi.
We’ll have to decide beforehand what we want to talk to him about. We’ll need to remain focused. As we begin this discussion, we hear the rain come pouring down. Looks like we made the right decision.
We initiate a lengthy conversation covering many topics. Among the subjects covered are: the absurdity of various religions that profess doctrines of peace and love and then kill each other, the absurdity of allowing an individual to own a multitude of houses while others are homeless, the probable full legalization of marijuana in the foreseeable future, the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement and other dangerous agreements being negotiated behind closed doors by so called world leaders, the fact that Monsanto is suing the state of Vermont over its new law to require labeling of all GMOs in food, the scary fact that corporations actually believe human beings to not have the right to know what is in their food and the absurdity of the U.S. education system which spends 13 years forcing citizens to get up and be some place on time in preparation for a life of slavery.
As we are talking, an Occupier has quietly been cooking and chopping in the background. He presents us a delicious pot of “real” wild rice and vegetables. We stop talking to notice the hour is quite late and we are all very hungry. There is plenty of food and we have 2nd and 3rdhelpings.
Then it’s time to call it a night. The rain continues. One of the Occupiers packs those on foot into his vehicle and drives everyone to their homes.
The weather promises to be warm and dry for at least the next week. We’ll attempt to have our next meeting at CJM on Tuesday.