Forum

Occupy Bellingham Education Group met Friday, March 16, 1:00 p.m. at Marcia Leister's home. Present: Marcia L. Ronna L., Barb S., Ene, Alyce W.

Ronna began with showing us and reading from a small book of wisdom, The Great Silent Grandmothers' Gathering. The story simply describes the coming together of women who gather to silently wait to save the world. They had no slogans, just their presence to call attention to wrongs until people notice and join.

We talked of knowing our history. Ronna shared a CD of Seattle 1919--the great, general strike. Alyce talked of insights from John Nichols' Uprising and the importance he gives to the Wisconsinites knowing their own history so they could reclaim it. To bring Ronna and Ena in to the discussion we describle the previous Friday's GA where Carol and Penny, in order to help the group's focus on goals and common information leading actions of Occupy Bellingham, drew ideas and wrote them on the board.

Teachers Ene and Marcia told us of our state's education planning structure for schools. Each school draws up a program plan which is reviewed by the state. The school makes acronym of each goal. This can have jargon, catchy temporary goal that may or may not work. Could Occupy help to begin to change education goals?

How can we be more aware, more silent? An observation from the Seattle strike--nothing (in Seattle) moved but the tide.

We must be aware WE ARE THE GOVENMENT. Those who are oriented toward service must reclaim the possibility of the good for all. We recalled leaders who worked for justice who became targets. Pete Seeger. Judi Berry, leader in the 1990's in CA was harrassed by the FBI and her car was bombed. Saul Alinski wrote of process in democracy. A gem: Power is not what a person (movement) has but WHAT PEOPLE THINK YOU HAVE.

In regard to GAs. Ronna has designated herself as a greeter and she knows nearly everyone who attends. Our people of Occupy Bellingham need to understand our strengths and weaknesses (the critical thinking and reflecting that our text stresses) and how to develop our skills and effectiveness. Each of us has dogma--it is the water we each swim in without being really aware of it. There is much ideology or empire and miscogeny. How can we recognize it so we can adjust our thinking and actions? How can we detoxicy each other in love? How can we remember "that the sunshines on us all.?

Is it necessary or immature for individual members to apologize for speaking up? Should this council of OB fold or change or carry on?

Our committment is to making our nation a more just, loving democracy.