Continue reading »]]> TPP, Tar Sands, Keystone XL Pipeline, Coal Export Terminals, Kochtoptopus.  

You name it, folks we have a lot on our plate.  

With the Occupy Love film coming soon (and sold out) it seems fitting to imagine something connected with LOVE.

 I found these great voices singing an old tune about  PEACE.  Enjoy!

Pete Seeger

Serena Rider

John Denver – Many of you will remember this and may have been there!

Simon and Garfunkle

Continue reading »]]> OCCUPY LOVE

WILL BE SHOWING AT THE LIMELIGHT THEATER ON

MAY 21 AT 6:00 PM

 Occupy Love is a journey that goes deep inside the revolution of the heart that is erupting around the planet. Millions of people are deciding that enough is enough – the time has come to create a new world, a world that works for all life. Director Velcro Ripper asks the question, “How could the crisis we are facing become a love story?”

 Join us after the movie to discuss how we can use the movie’s concepts to create a more resilient and self-reliant Whatcom County.

WATCH MORE OF THE FILM HERE

Continue reading »]]> On the day of the annual shareholders meeting back east OCCUPY BELLINGHAM met to protest.  We were there yesterday to let Bank of America know we are still here and we know about their shenanigans.  Two members of the student divestment campaign went to Charlotte with a proxy vote from a local shareholder to speak at the meeting.  Stay tuned for that news.

While we were a small group of folks many turned out who have not been seen for a while and that was heartening.  Terry and Marcia did a great job of organizing and getting the word out.    

There was a significant police presence.  We were told they were there to keep the peace.  We let them know that we would be the first to thwart any violence.

Marcia handed out cake to passersby with a small inserted note about our action and the reason for our protest.  This stems from the historical lesson of a king saying about the starving populous to “let them eat cake”.

 The major “direct action” against the bank was to put a sign up on the door.  Rather than have us contact their customers with facts and information about moving their money to a credit union or local bank they simply closed for the day.

Terry made many terrific signs and when we gathered all our signs we had more than we had people to hold them.  No problem!   We are a resourceful lot and each of us held as many as we could.  Old banners and signs popped up.

All in all a worthwhile protest.  The police who were present had photos taken with us.  Some of them were informed about Restorative Justice.

Go HERE to sign a petition urging Bank of America to Stop Funding Coal

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Continue reading »]]>  

On May 8th, the day of Bank of America’s 1% shareholders meeting, nationwide picketing will occur during open business hours at the Bank of America locations nearest by. Be there, dressed in a way that welcomes strangers’ conversations, carrying a sign that wins their support. Inform your neighbors, your coworkers, your friends, and ask them to join and support the picket.

Organized actions are enthusiastically encouraged but the common picketer, with the sign holding a simple truth, are the everyday heroes that will provide the persistence necessary for the long task of breaking up the BIG BANKS.  Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Citibank

May 8th, long live the picket!

4:00 PM in front of the Bank of America on Cornwall

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Continue reading »]]> A BUNCH OF US MARCHED IN SOLIDARITY WITH 350.org/BELLINGHAM from the Farmers Market to Western for a lovely celebration of Earth Week.  Food, Music, posters, art work.  All the good stuff.  Here’s a couple photos.

 BIDDER 70 IS SHOWING TONIGHT AT THE WILSON LIBRARY AT 6:00 PM

ANOTHER LOOK AT THE TAR SANDS

THEN ON MAY 21 WE WILL COSPONSOR OCCUPY LOVE AT THE LIMELIGHT THEATER.  IT HAS A FOCUS ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS.  (MORE LATER ON THIS)

Continue reading »]]> LOTS GOING ON 

HELP MAKE THIS A MEMORABLE WEEK IN BELLINGHAM

BOTH 350.ORG POSTER AND WWU STUDENT POSTER

OCCUPY BELLINGHAM PLANS TO MARCH WITH OUR LATEST CREATION

 WE’LL MEET UP AT THE FARMER’S MARKET AT NOON 

SINCE WE WILL BE SHOWING THE FILM “OCCUPY LOVE’ ON MAY 21. HERE IS A SEGMENT FROM THE FILM ABOUT THE CLIMATE CRISIS.  STAY TUNED FOR MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT.

Continue reading »]]> Click HERE for the web site where this video was made for written information about this subject.

A new YouTube that has gone viral.  Very good depiction of wealth in America.  This is not rocket science.  These facts affect everything Occupy Bellingham is are doing.  

An interesting game you can play for fun at this web site – click HERE to have fun playing the game and learning even more about these corporate tax evaders.

Finally, this is a comedy skit by George Carlin from 2010.  This video contains F Bombs, scatological terms and other terms that you might find uncomfortable.  He was a pretty edgy guy but told a certain kind of truth.  WATCHER BEWARE

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Continue reading »]]> WHATCOM WILL HAVE A NEW JAIL - THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS BROKEN; DESTROYS CITIZENS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

CAN WE ENVISION SOMETHING HUMANE?

Some current facts:

1. Whatcom County spends 57% of its budget (general fund) on Law and Justice
2. 40% of the jail population have less than 2nd grade education
3. 80% of the jail population are incarcerated for non violent offenses
4. 2/3 of the jail population have a mental illness.
5. There are 90 border guards in Sumas each earning $150,000/year

The County is contemplating a 700 bed facility on 40 acres on the outskirts if Ferndale.  The mayor of Ferndale was heard to say “You will never see an inmate”

When private companies offer states/counties/municipalities to buy their prison they demand a 90% occupancy rate.

Our current prison system amounts to modern slavery.

Read an article by Chris Hedges HERE about neo-slavery in our prisons.

He is not afraid to speak the truth.

The  local non-profit ReEntry Coalition is working to offer alternatives to this broken system.  Click here to find out more about this organization and how you can help.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

WE MUST BE VIGILANT ABOUT THE PROCESS OF BUILDING THIS NEW JAIL AND HELP THE COUNTY BUILD ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON (BOTH AT THE FRONT END AND AT THE LEAVING END) INTO THE PLAN

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