Vernon

Proposed Constitution of North America

2011-10-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

This document does not pretend to be legal or formal. Such a document could only arise through an intense democratic process. Please read this as a starting point for such a process. Discuss the ideas herein, consider alternatives and determine your own ideals. Most importantly, please take the necessary steps to advance democracy in your own community. Imagine a political system that is inclusive, participatory, representative, accountable, transparent and responsive to citizens aspirations and expectations. In celebration of collaboration among diverse citizens, we anticipate this
Proposed Constitution of North America
I. The Continental Congress shall have responsibility and authority for legislation in North America. Each of the 525 Members of this unicameral body shall represent constituents' interests in a collaborative effort to best serve the needs of all while depriving the liberty of none.
A. The initial Congress shall be comprised of representatives chosen from among their members by the existing national legislatures: 363 from the USA; 122 from Mexico; and 40 from Canada. Every second year, that third of the Congress which has been in office longest shall be replaced through elections, designed by the Council to proportionally represent all significant political factions of each of the continent's bioregions. Each Member must reside within the bioregion served and may serve only one six year term. Each bioregion shall be represented by the portion of the whole number of Members of Congress equal to the portion of residents of the whole continent who reside in that bioregion, as determined by the Council.
B. As its first act and whenever called into question, Congress shall determine the delineation of the bioregions of the continent. Congress shall regulate the Continental budget, providing for equal lifetime compensation of every Member of government, not exceeding the mean average income of the citizens, and for the means to execute their charge, and giving full accounting to the people of every revenue and expense. Congress may issue currency without borrowing or taxation. Congress shall regulate inter-regional and extra-continental trade and maintain control of large corporate ventures in the interest of the people. Congress shall oversee the process of maintaining the use of limited resources at sustainable rates. By majority vote Congress may make laws as necessary to improve the general welfare, enhance security, and maintain the liberties of the people of North America, and ratify treaties negotiated by the Cabinet. Congress may by three quarter majority vote impeach any Member of the Congress, Cabinet, Court, or Council for abuse of power or criminal behavior, and may remove any Member of the Court by consensus. Upon impeachment the Member shall be suspended until the Court has resolved the matter.
C. Congress shall make no law restricting the rights, as expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of any person in the world. Congress may not make an ex post facto law, nor suspend the writ of habeus corpus. Every law made by Congress shall contain a date of termination not to exceed fifty years from origination. All proceedings, deliberations and votes of Congress shall be open to public scrutiny and documented for public understanding. Each Member of Congress shall spend the majority of the time of the term physically within the bioregion served. Upon receipt of petition from at least one percent of the voters, Congress shall vote upon any proposal therein. That no proposal shall be voted upon without first being adequately discussed, cloture shall require a two thirds majority vote.
II. The Cabinet shall have responsibility and authority to execute the laws duly passed by Congress. Each of the seven members of the Cabinet will carry out agreed tasks in the manner best serving all the people of North America. Delegation of tasks among the members shall be by consensus of the entire Cabinet.
A. The initial Cabinet shall be comprised of the Presidents and Vice Presidents of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, plus the Secretary of State of the United States. Each year one member of the Cabinet shall be replaced through a continental ranked preference election, beginning with the former Secretary of State, proceeding through the former Vice Presidents and then the former Presidents of Mexico, Canada, and the United States in that order. Each Member may serve only one term of seven years.
B. The Cabinet may hire, regulate, and dismiss such employees as are necessary to execute the laws of North America. The Cabinet shall represent North America among the nations of the world, negotiating treaties subject to ratification by Congress. The Cabinet may direct the Navy and, during times of threat, the coordination of local militias.
C. Every member and employee of government within North America is bound to respect the equal right of each human to access with dignity the necessities of a healthy life. North America shall not engage in aggressive warfare nor occupy foreign lands with troops, and shall abide by all treaties which Congress has ratified. No Member or former Member of the Congress, Cabinet, Court or Council shall be hired for any task of government beyond their duty of office.
III. The Supreme Court shall have responsibility to resolve conflicts and oversee the administration of justice, seeking to prevent recurrence of crime and to provide amends for victims and, when practical, rehabilitation for offenders.
A. Members of the Court shall be appointed by consensus of the Cabinet and shall serve until resignation, death, or impeachment.
B. In response to a complaint, the Court may compel any parties to an orderly trial and delegate authority to a system of local and regional courts to assure quick quality decisions based upon review of observations from every available viewpoint and deliberation of appropriate law and precedent. The primary goal of the courts will be to satisfy the needs of all parties as much as possible within the laws passed by Congress. The Court may enforce the Constitutional limitations of Congress, Cabinet, and Council and resolve conflicts which arise among them.
C. The Court must satisfy the equal rights of accused and victims to a speedy trail by a jury of their peers following due process. No individual is granted superiority within the courts. None may be convicted except by consensus of a jury and the right to appeal may not be denied. Blame, retribution and punishment are to be avoided, but every person may be held accountable for behavior. The Court may only compel to trial Members of the Congress, Cabinet, Court, or Council who have been impeached by Congress.
IV. The Electoral Council shall have responsibility and authority to regulate elections to choose Members of Congress and the Cabinet within the guidelines of this document.
A. The Council shall be comprised of one representative chosen by each Political Party which has established itself by presenting to the Council signatures from at least one percent of the voters upon a ratifying document stating the goals of the Party.
B. The Council may direct government employees and enlist voluntary compliance among citizens to engage all residents of the continent in free and fair elections. The Council shall issue invitations to impartial observers from foreign nations to provide objective witness of their processes. Demographic census data gathered for electoral purposes may be shared with Congress and the public, without disclosure of specific private information.
C. Every decision of the Council must be made by consensus. No individual Member of the Council has authority without consent of the whole Council. Registration of residents for voting may not be used for any regulation of those residents beyond elections. The Council may not regulate the internal decision making processes of any party, nor allow any citizen greater vote than another.
V. Within two years of the ratification of this Constitution, preexisting governments within North America shall have ceded all authority to the new governments of the Continent and the bioregions. Any remaining resources of government will distribute to the lowest practical level of common ownership.
A. When ratified by three quarters of the population of North America, this Constitution and all laws and treaties pursuant to it shall be the highest law of the continent.
B. Within three months of the ratification of this Constitution, every existing national and regional government shall submit to its constituents a detailed plan for transferal of all resources to existing local governments, to one of thirteen new bioregional governments, or to the continental government defined herein. The citizens of each bioregion are empowered to create their own government subject to popular ratification. Within two years of ratification of this constitution, every preexisting state, provincial, and national government in North America shall cease to govern.
C. Within twelve years of ratification of this Constitution and every subsequent ten years, the Electoral Council shall organize a continental election for popular confirmation of this Constitution by the adult residents of North America. Within three months of any such election failing to confirm the Constitution by at least sixty percent majority, the Council shall convene a Continental Convention to draft a new proposed constitution, which will be subject to same ratification.

Open Letter to Middle Class Americans

2011-10-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

To the remaining middle class:

Congratulations. You have survived, through whatever combination of wise choices, fortunate opportunities, and minor compromises. You’ve probably helped a lot of people along the way. You have every right to be proud of yourself.

I mean, look at the statistics. The American middle class is a tiny fraction of what it was in your childhood. If you’re bringing in more than $27K, you’re better off than half the populace. The disparity in wealth distribution hasn’t been this stark since the Great Depression. And the light at the end of the tunnel is the headlight of a train called global resource scarcity.

You are not to blame for these problems. You have simply played by the rules which were made by people far wealthier than you could ever aspire to be. It’s hard to fathom how wealthy these very influential people are. If one could make a million dollars a year, it would take a thousand years to become a billionaire. The richest families, multibillionaires, have been amassing wealth since the dark ages. They were raised to manipulate corporations and governments.

But all that money doesn’t seem to make them any more wise or compassionate. Perhaps it’s the inbreeding that accumulates such fortunes, or maybe the air in those lofty chambers is too rare. Secure in their estates, they don’t ever see the masses they manipulate. Child prostitution, slave labor, and the brutality of war are abstracts they never need look at.

Meanwhile there are real people suffering every day. The USA has become the evil empire, invading any country that refuses to be dominated, murdering and torturing rampantly. We have more of our population, mostly the non-Caucasian portion, imprisoned than any society ever has. US based extractive corporations are raping the planet’s ecosystems and destroying indigenous populations.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The planet has enough resources to sustain a healthy human population. So how do we convince the rule makers that this is our goal? How extreme does the imbalance have to get before enough is enough? To quote the old labor song “Whose side are you on?”

Every one of us has some complicity. We may work for exploitative corporations or at least buy their products. We pay our taxes and vote for the “lesser of two evils.” We cling to our comfortable lifestyles and reject the call for revolution. By refusing to be part of the solution, we become part of the problem.

Change is inevitable. The planet cannot continue to produce all that Americans consume. No matter how wise our leadership, the American Dream must die. We cannot sustain the current group of rich people without great suffering. We certainly can’t afford more rich people. Do we have to chop the last tree, drain the last river, and mine the last stone before we realize that we can’t eat money?

I propose two questions regarding our choice of lifestyles: 1) Would it be possible for everybody on earth to live the way I do? and; 2) Will the next seven generations be able to live the way we do? If the answer to either of these questions is no, it must be time to simplify.

Right now the planet has about 4.3 people per hectare of arable land per person. That’s about 2.7 per acre. It’s a real challenge to live on the food grown in such a small space. Even with all our technology, we aren’t coming close, but with attached greenhouses, window boxes, composting toilets, and a lot of work, we might be able to eat a sensible vegan diet of local organic produce.

Your car is not sustainable. Even if every person could afford a Prius, the resulting gridlock on a paved planet would not be livable. If we devoted land to growing bio-fuel for all, where would we grow our food? There is no replacement for cheap oil. We’ve already used half of all the oil in the world with less than 10% of the world population driving. Now all the Indians & Chinese want to live like Americans, so we’d better set a better example.

The solutions are simple. Refuse to support any system that exploits. Put your energy into creating the world you really want to live in. Grow your own food. Pedal your own bike. Care for your neighbors.

Usury

2011-06-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

If you borrow, you should expect to pay it back. Besides maintaining your honor, responsibility is part of the social contract. By remaining faithful to the institution of lending, we maintain its utility for the community. Paying your debts is simply decent behavior.

But we don't live in decent times. In many cases today, the most socially responsible way to deal with debt is to refuse to pay. It is as honorable as a slave throwing off the chains. Please allow me to explain.

Usury, the charging of interest on a loan, has long been recognized as a method of exploitation. Laws have been passed to prevent such behavior. In ancient Israel, Jews were forbidden to charge interest on a loan to a fellow Jew. Even today, devout Jews will not charge interest on a loan to a family member.

Most of the world's legal systems, developed under Christian Europe, defined usury as the crime of charging exorbitant interest. To allow banks to make a profit and remain open, they permitted some interest, usually capped at about 3% per year. Though bankers sometimes grumbled or hedged by compounding more frequently, for the most part this system worked.

Only Islam has succeeded in completely banning usury. Sharia law prohibits any interest charge on a loan. There are more than 300 Islamic banks in 51 nations, with over $400 billion in assets. This concept has been growing in spite of being targeted for destruction by some very powerful forces. A country with functional Islamic banks seems to be at higher risk of invasion by the USA.

If you go to an Islamic bank for a loan, the banker will want to know how you intend to use the money. They don't ever pay for antisocial or unhealthful behavior that is banned by Sharia. No Islamic ATMs will be found in casinos. In place of a consumer loan, you might end up with a lease agreement, where the bank buys what you want and sells it to you at a profit, with payments over time guaranteed by the collateral of the item purchased.

If you want a business loan, the banker will want to study your business plan, because if it is good, the bank may become your partner, sharing both risks and benefits. This is similar to the way locally owned banks used to function everywhere, before the big corporations bought them up or ran them out. When a community bank gives you a loan, you become a trusted member of the community, which shares in your losses or successes. We're all in it together.

I remember when loan sharks were organized criminals, just like protection racketeers. Attorney General Robert Kennedy prosecuted lots of these criminals for usury, fraud, and bribery. Some speculate that it cost him his life. Today those criminal behaviors have not just become legal, but Congress awards special favors to the worst practitioners.

In 1984, when I was nominated for WA State Representative, I became aware of a lobbying effort that was happening in every state, starting with Delaware. The banking lobby urged each state to become more "business friendly" by eliminating usury prohibitions and other corporate regulations. They threatened legislators that refusing these changes would lead to centrally owned banks closing their operations. In fact, many big corporations are based in Delaware to this day. It worked.

I remember when it was illegal to charge more than 10% interest per year anywhere in the USA. Now the sky is the limit. Banks are barely regulated. They charge hidden fees, jack rates without warning, and compound whenever they choose, especially if they get any indication that you are poor or struggling. Even well trained lawyers can't interpret the fine print of a credit contract. Debt is a yoke around your neck with which they drag you down.

The whole story is bigger than that, involving fiat currency, fractional lending, and global dominance by a few, very powerful people. I encourage you to research it, if only by reading other posts in this blog. But for now, all you really need to know is that the gig is up. Rather than be dragged around by their noses, people are standing up and rebelling.

Look at Greece. They're rioting in the streets because of debt manipulation. They are not alone. So I urge you to join in. Refuse to pay any unsecured debt to big corporate lenders. They really can't do anything but send threatening messages. Plan to default on your secured loans as well, by studying bankruptcy codes, demanding to see the documents (most banks have repackaged and traded debts so much, they can't prove who owns the debt), and organizing to resist foreclosures.

The police and courts don't have to be our enemies in this matter. Talk with them reasonably. They are our neighbors. The bankers that are causing all this pain are not. Use that advantage.

Libya

2011-06-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

I expected to be on a plane to Libya today. I’m not. Apparently, ticket costs exceeded available funds and priorities were set to allow the retiredhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif government officials travel and leave me here. It makes sense. So I’ll be following the mission of Senator Mike Gavel, Attorney General Ramsey Clark, and Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney with the Dignity Delegation and passing word to my friends.

If this invasion drags on the way US occupations have been doing lately, there will be more opportunities. Bike4Peace International could happen, if enough people are willing to step out and demand the militaries step aside and give peace a chance. I’m eager to hear about your commitment.

Meanwhile, I’ve learned something about American hubris by asking friends what I should say to Gaddafi. Even members of the peace community seem to think he’s a tin pot dictator who deserves to be blown away by an honorable US military. It amazes me how quick otherwise intelligent people are to pass sweeping judgments about a situation they’ve barely explored and discount the lives of people they’ve never met.

My history with Africa has taught me to be skeptical of that “dictator” label. My ex-wife grew up very close to President Kaunda of Zambia, who was called a dictator because during his 27 years as leader he built a socialist system of clinics and schools, while organizing resistance to apartheid. The capitalist Chiluba, elected to replace Kaunda with US blessing, followed IMF austerity rules, which led to famine and poverty. They’re lucky they don’t have enough resources to attract military invasion.

NATO & the USA are not invading Bahrain, where women who’ve protested are now routinely being forced to confess under threat of rape. Apparently it’s okay to shoot nonviolent protestors, as long as the bullets come from the USA. Bahrain, the gas station of the fifth fleet, gets a pass on letting Saudi thugs terrorize their protestors. We don’t hear the word “dictator” applied to their leaders.

Let’s look at Libya. The people there enjoy a higher standard of living than the rest of their continent on the average, with free college education, universal health care, and many benefits from nationalized oil. The rate of imprisonment is lower than in Texas. The USA executes about twice as many of our citizens as Libya each year, while killing hundreds of times as many foreign civilians. While I don’t want to become an apologist for Gaddafi, or try to evaluate the relativity of horror, it would be more righteous for the USA to clean up our own act first.

We live in the belly of the beast. The American military is the most gawdawful killing machine the world has ever known. We’re rolling over other nations at an unprecedented rate with absolute disregard for international law. A mere generation after the great hope of post WWII peace building, the American Empire rages as if none of the restraints our parents wrote against war crimes were supposed to apply to us. Our military openly seeks global dominance, occupying about 70% of the countries on Earth.

There is no legal excuse for any nation to interfere in another’s civil war, especially when there are strong indications that the unrest was at least encouraged, if not incited by the secret forces of the invaders. The closest precedent for this situation was probably Korea, which is rarely sited as a model for conflict resolution.

The growing violence in Libya is confusing, to say the least. In contrast to the nonviolent uprisings in neighboring Tunisia & Egypt, the Libyan rebels started off by firebombing a police station in February. The Al Qaida veterans among the rebels made quite a show of parading the burnt remains of cops. Cluster munitions were found to have been used in Misrata. The first accusations were against the loyalist forces, but research showed the munitions to have been purchased by the US Navy.

Apparently the NATO operations in Libya are a direct follow through from joint exercises in the Atlantic, showcasing the new high tech aircraft carrier, the USS GHW BUSH, now in the Mediterranean. After bombing select targets to destroy the response capabilities of the Libyan loyalists, NATO is now providing helicopter support for the rebels, stretching the UN mandate to “protect civilians.” There is still discussion about providing “boots on the ground.” At what point does it become an invasion?

In 1986 & 87, I participated in the International March for Peace & Justice in Central America, along with 350 people from 35 nations. I like to believe the witness we bore helped to move the world toward more peaceful resolutions of conflict. We certainly don’t have any perfect governments yet, but there is a growing awareness that war is obsolete. Every person on Earth deserves equal respect for the full range of human rights. Violence is a problem, not a solution, and we can rise above it.

We must acknowledge to role of overly consumptive lifestyles in fomenting war. The USA would not be involved in Iraq or Libya if they did not sit on two of the largest reserves of a certain liquid mineral that we consume too rapidly. Our taste for the raw resources of other nations underlies much of the conflict. Ironically, we’d be healthier and happier if we slowed our rates of consumption.
The vision of Bike4Peace International is bicyclists from all around the planet pedaling from Tunisia, through Libya, Egypt, Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Kashmir. Self supporting teams of cyclists would be encouraged to join for all or any part of the over 6,000 Kilometer ride through conflicted territories. We would be openly pacifist, willing to listen to every point of view, and asking all to disarm and discuss.

To organize this ride, we’ll need contacts among the peace community of every nation, diplomatic liaisons to precede cyclists and smooth border crossings, language translators, local hosts to provide food and water, and lots of discussions. It is a huge cooperative venture for the noblest goal we can imagine. What part will you play?

Violence

2011-04-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

If you know anybody whose work is military, security, or law enforcement related, please share this article with them and discuss their reactions. I’m eager to participate in those discussions. This dialogue is vital to all of us. It’s past time to quit pretending we live in different worlds.

At the risk of mouthing truisms, I’d like to start with some basic philosophy. People are never born bad. There is no evil culture in this world. People do not set out with intention to do wrong. Yet our differences remain great enough that innocent babies grow up to become soldiers devoted to killing their enemies, who were also once innocent babies. Sadly, people who are still innocent too often get caught in the crossfire.

There are a lot of twisted people in this world. Some have had so much pain that it seems the only language they understand is anger and hatred. Many are struggling with severe addiction. Whether their fix comes from a street pusher, the corner store, or a doctor’s prescription, drugs confuse the mind and goad the addict into violent reactions. It is reasonable to stop them before they hurt somebody.

There are also those who are too eager to exploit another’s pain for their own greed. As long as he doesn’t pull the trigger, and sometimes when he does, a manipulator will share in the spoils without accepting a share of guilt. It’s easy enough to rationalize the pain you cause if you can maintain enough distance to avoid the risk of empathy. A good soldier doesn’t see the humanity in the eyes of the enemy.

It’s always easier to recognize these traits in others than to acknowledge them in ourselves. We can wrap ourselves in the flag of our good intentions and justify occasional mistakes. We’re too busy crusading for righteousness to take time to make amends for our own transgressions. Even when we realize the thin line between ourselves and our enemies, the momentum of the battle carries us on.

Okay, enough philosophy. Here’s the bottom line that I want you to take home and mull over, then bring it back and we can talk about it. A lot of us from around the world are working for a world without war, where nobody hurts others and everybody’s equal rights are respected, a world without prisons, guns, and bombs. Maybe we’re naïve, but we’re not hurting anybody. Some of those manipulative SoBs we were just talking about want you to believe we’re your enemies, but we’re not. We don’t have enemies.

Here’s what I want you to know. You can always say “no.” You don’t ever have to hurt people. We’ve got your back. Redemption is available. And there’s a lot more of us than them.

Insurance

2011-02-06T21:50:00.001-08:00

Consider for a moment the vast sum of money that everybody in your community spends on insurance of various kinds. Business, home, auto, health, travel, and life insurance for everybody in the neighborhood add up to a major chunk of change being exported to big corporations who are probably not based in your town nor focused on your best interests.

Now, other than the meager salaries of a few agents, how much of that money comes back into town? There are occasional payoffs. That’s why we buy it. But in the big picture, the majority of the funds go to the insurance companies. That’s how they stay in business.

In fact, insurance is very much like the casino industry stripped of the entertainment. You bet against yourself at odds set by the company and the house always wins. Oh, they’ll make a big deal about paying off for an accident or tragedy once in a while. Then they’ll quietly raise your rates.

Where does all that money go? Insurance executive salaries are measured in millions, sometimes tens of millions of dollars. A lot of money is invested in the advertising that makes certain geckos and ducks so recognizable. They spend ungodly fortunes lobbying politicians to keep their gravy train running.

Why do you suppose, at a time when the majority of Americans supported Single Payer Healthcare, the option wasn’t even discussed in Congress? Even the watered down public option was defeated and instead we got a constitutionally questionable mandate to buy private insurance. The lobbyists who won that battle were paid by your insurance payments.

If you’re rich enough, you can step out of this game and self insure. Wealthy people can demonstrate their ability to cover their liabilities and continue to collect interest on the funds. Those of us who don’t control such pools of capital are forced to pay the insurance company for being rich enough to back us up. Insurance is one way the rich get richer by making the poor poorer.

Absolute poverty is a way around the insurance racket. When you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose. But this route does require accepting new realities. If you keep driving around in an uninsured car, you may wind up in jail. And if you get ill without insurance, you may die untreated. However, if you get rid of the car, you’ll get regular exercise walking and biking and be less likely to get ill. The odds are on your side if you choose poverty over insurance.

This approach breaks down in a more social setting. Most of us can handle responsibility for our own choices, but what about our liabilities to those with whom we interact? It is in the best interest of each community to protect all members from financial ruin resulting from reasonable risks. As long as we live in a capitalist system, we need insurance, but we don’t need to buy it from ethically questionable corporations.

Let’s go back to that big pile of money your neighborhood is spending on insurance. What if you pooled that into a local mutual fund, democratically controlled by the people who pay into it? It wouldn’t take long to capitalize the venture to the satisfaction of the state insurance commissioner. Imagine the benefits of keeping all that money in town.

Maybe that just translates to lower insurance rates. Maybe it means adequate funding for community services like libraries, schools, fire departments, and swimming pools. Maybe small businesses have an easier time getting affordable loans. It could be invested in locally controlled ventures that used local resources at sustainable rates to meet local needs. These are decisions to be made through democratic processes by the people who pay into the mutual fund.

To help this happen, I’m going to circulate a questionnaire in my community. Please feel free to use these questions to determine how to build a mutual fund in your area.

1. What is your zip code?
2. How much do you spend each month on each type of insurance?
1. Home
2. Business
3. Auto
4. Life
5. Health
6. Other
3. If a local mutual fund offered the same or better coverage and rates on all your policies, plus an opportunity to participate in a democratic process controlling the fund, would you probably switch?
4. If you hesitate to say you’d switch, please explain why.
5. When we form the mutual fund, how would you like to be notified? Please give contact info.
6. If the data from this survey is positive enough, it is the intention of the author to form an organizing committee to meet with the State Insurance Commissioner. Would you like to be part of the committee?

Jubilee!

2011-01-21T14:15:00.000-08:00

Even an old Heathen like me can find good stuff in the Bible. And it's hidden, of all places, in Leviticus, a book of old, mostly nonsensical Jewish law. Now I advise everybody who has a bible to read Leviticus 25 and think about what it says about the Jubilee.

As far as I can tell there is nothing in Jewish, Christian, or Islamic belief that contradicts this ancient law, but there is also no evidence that anybody ever followed it. The problem seems to be with sounding the trumpet. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

In case you can't find a bible, I'll summarize the Jubilee. Every 49 years there should be a big celebration where three things happen.
1. All debts are forgiven.
2. All prisoners are released.
3. Everybody returns home.
It seems like a very good idea. If not every 49 years, at least one time. Soon. Let's look into some details.

Most people in the world today are in debt one way or another. Personal debt, business debt, and government debt add up to an unimaginably huge sum. A tiny group of people make their living entirely from interest payments. Most of us are too poor to hope for this. Even if you scrimp and save all your life, you're almost guaranteed to pay out more in interest than you collect. But some people never have to work a day because they are born into money that works for them. These few are the ones who lose in a Jubilee. In the big picture, a dose of reality will probably be good for them, but they may not see it that way.

Forgiveness of all debt, public and private, is the biggest chunk of the Jubilee. That concept alone would be worth something. Just having all the most indebted nations simultaneously default would overwhelm any possible reaction from the bankers. But as long as we're turning the world on its ear, let's look at the other two elements of the Jubilee, releasing prisoners and going home.

Way too many people are locked up in the USA. Half of them have only committed the "crime" of being born in the wrong place. ICE jails undocumented immigrants with very little regard for due process. They spend an average of two years behind bars before deportation. The next largest sector of prisoners are victims of the drug war, which has not succeeded in slowing drug use, but has created a huge community of frequently incarcerated, disproportionately people of color.

The industry that profits from prisons has used sophisticated methods to lobby state and local governments to perpetuate their profits. They write boiler plate legislation like "mandatory sentencing" and "three strikes, you're out" laws. The system is designed to encourage repeat offenses rather than to rehabilitate. They take advantage of the prison loophole in the 14th Amendment's ban of slavery to exploit cheap labor.

The Prison Industrial Complex is big business that only profits a few. Jailers do not have an easy life and often suffer from the same stresses that haunt soldiers. Prison towns do not have vibrant economies, but rather resemble other sorts of grim boom towns where one company has too much control. These people are ready for a Jubilee that frees them from debt, too. When the trumpet sounds and every worker calls in sick, it only takes one turnkey to set everybody free.

On the third element of the Jubilee I take some liberty. In a traditional society everybody has a home village that goes back for generations. Our culture has been mobile for so long that concept of home has been fractured. Still, everybody sleeps somewhere. I propose that we accept that each person owns that place of sleep. If you share a room, you share ownership of the room. Likewise a house. But if you don't sleep there, you've got no right to demand payment for rent or mortgage.

A Jubilee would upset some apple carts. For most of us, it would be a great improvement to be free of debt and rid of home payments. And if we all demand a Jubilee, what are those few rich people going to do about it? The cops, lawyers, and soldiers are our cousins and neighbors. Most don't even know any rich people. Why would they risk their lives to threaten us and protect some far away banker?

The tricky part of a Jubilee is sounding the trumpet. How do we publicize the precise day and time of the Jubilee so that everybody knows that it's happening? This is a big challenge. Please share your ideas.

Money as Debt

2010-11-08T16:14:00.001-08:00

Change

2010-07-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

Change from Vernon Huffman on Vimeo.

Energy

2010-06-16T13:48:00.001-07:00

Here on Earth, energy flows from the sun and diffuses on a predictable pattern affected by the rotation of the planet and its revolution around that sun. Life has adapted to exploit this energy flow very effectively. Every green plant turns sunlight into carbohydrates. This process is so efficient that, over the centuries, stores of energy – so called fossil fuels – have built up below the surface of Earth.

Our diverse ecosphere had shaped itself an accommodating climate long before humans evolved. Fungi shuffle minerals to where they are needed, building up soil that supports levels of vegetation which exhale the oxygen upon which animals depend, as well as producing their fuels. As animals, we humans have vast stores of plant energy available at every turn to fuel our natural machinery.

We are a tool making species and we have had some remarkable successes. Look at the way a bicycle allows the rider to use her own body to propel herself at the speed of a cheetah. Marvel at our communication capabilities that allow people from around the planet to exchange multisensory experiences with minimal time delay. These great tools have been won only at great cost. Most of our experiments have failed.

People have taken great advantage of the planet that birthed us with little regard for the long term consequences of our behavior. For centuries human development has expanded inhospitable desert regions. We have covered vast areas of fertile land with impervious pavement, severely disrupting the hydrological cycles upon which life depends. We have dug toxic minerals from deep stores to spread them across the surface with predictably negative effects upon life. Worse yet, we have fabricated new toxins, even new elements such as plutonium, and allowed them to kill ecosystems.

I do not believe that people have the power to destroy life on Earth. We do have the wherewithal to make the planet incompatible with our own species and many others. Right now species are becoming extinct at a cataclysmic rate and it is not unreasonable to expect this trend to continue until the source of the disruption – humanity – is eliminated. But life will adapt and continue no matter what we do. Mushrooms, insects, and microbes will collaborate to utilize whatever mess we leave to them.

It would be fulfilling for humans to survive. To accomplish that, we must learn from our experiences. When a human system is at odds with a natural system, the human system must change. Natural evolution is generally slower than social, but much more definitive. When the balance is upset, cataclysm may precede the new equilibrium. If we ignore the balance of natural forces, we risk extinction. We play with forces beyond our comprehension.

Exploitation of fossil fuels is a failed policy. Yes, it has catapulted humanity through a series of changes, from which we can derive lasting good. But now that half of the oil is gone, we must realize we are burning it at a rate thousands of times as fast as the planet can create it. This is not sustainable.

The industrial era was driven by fossil fuels and built upon a foundation of Cartesian logic. We dissected and examined every part until we finally developed systems theories that incorporate the synergies of holism. As our factories cranked out standardized widgets, we attempted to standardize our schools and farms, until we realized the strength of diversity. We sought to build an unshakable fortress until we learned to flow with the inevitable changes. We have learned, but can we utilize our knowledge?

It would be nice if world leaders saw the simple truths in this article, but that does not appear to be the case. We are in a car plunging over a cliff and the driver appears to be unconscious. While yelling at the driver, I say we jump out and roll before it’s too late. I write my observations to Members of Congress, executives in the Obama Administration, and CEOs of corporations every day, but I have lost all hope that they will respond in time.

Change comes down to me. How can I wean myself of petroleum? First step was to quit using cars. Living car-free has been extremely fulfilling, improving my health and allowing me room to travel more broadly. Surprise! It’s easier to get around without dragging along a ton of steel and vinyl. Refusing to own a car was the wisest decision I’ve made in my half century on Earth.

I’m not oil-free yet. Fossil fuels were used to manufacture my bicycle, which uses chain oil at about one ounce per thousand miles as it runs on impervious pavement. I still use plastics and depend upon items imported with fuel. But I’m so much healthier than when I owned a car!

I’ve become a bike-evangelist, promoting bicycles at every turn. Between cross continental rides with Bike4Peace, I’ve helped to organize the Corvallis Bike Co-op. I truly believe that bicycles are the transformative tool needed to save America from itself. Human powered transportation gives me hope for human survival.

Diet is also key. The primary human energy need is food. We must stop eating petroleum and develop our local plant resources – not through corporate monoculture farming, but through sensible permaculture. We can thrive by fostering an ecosystem to which we are naturally adapted. Imagine simply picking your meals where they’ve grown. A raw vegan diet grown within a walk of where I live is a goal toward which I strive.

Another great tool is the attached greenhouse or sunroom. Besides capturing free heat from the sun, thus reducing our use of electricity from non-renewable sources like coal and uranium, a greenhouse enables us to grow tropical plants in temperate climates. Humanity evolved in the tropics and our bodies appreciate these local extensions of tropical conditions.

It is tempting to be fatalistically negative about our prospects. It’s too easy to blame them for ruining our lives. But it’s more fun to dance among the ruins, learning from everybody’s successes and mistakes, while spreading the seeds of a brighter future. Dance with me!

Peace for Israel/Palestine

2010-03-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

In the midst of taking sides, offensive actions, and defensive over-reactions in the last sixty years, it’s too easy to lose sight of the simple, sensible ideals which should drive every person who seeks peace. We support democratic processes and respect for all people. We decry all violence and war. We beg all people to unite around these shared values to find a plan we can all support.

There is only room for one government within the confines of Israel and the occupied territories. No amount of killing and relocation will resolve the differences that exist. It seems all the people with claims to this land are the descendants of David, and it is certain they are all human, thus deserving of the same basic rights. If we demand an eye for an eye, we’ll all be blind in the end.

We call for immediate elections supervised by the OSCE and/or the UN, without interference by the Israeli or Palestinian governments, to select a body to fairly represent the current residents of Israel and the occupied territories. Once the elections have been certified free and fair by international observers, this body will be empowered to draft a constitution for Israel, which has never had such a document.

Obviously, we’d like to see that body embrace respect for universal human rights, regardless of religion or ethnicity. It would be great to have fair return and immigration policies and a process of truth and reconciliation. But this is not for us to decide. We respect the sovereignty of the people who actually live there. This proposal seems to us to be the most direct route to sustainable peace in the Middle East.

Do you think they'll call it Israelistine? Palreal?

How to Drive Around Bicycles

2010-03-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

First off, I wish you wouldn't. It's not just the threat your ton of steel and vinyl poses to me and to the planet. I want you to enjoy life free of the car, to know the healthy development of providing the energy to move yourself. But if you must drive, please take these precautions to avoid hurting bicyclists.

Check your mirrors and signal every turn. Right turns across the bike lane are the biggest killer of cyclists. The signal is for the one you don't see.
Look around before you open your door, and as you pull out of a parking space. Parked cars are a huge risk for cyclists.
Follow a safe distance behind a cyclist in the roadway until you have room to safely pass on the left. If you plan to turn soon, stay behind the bike until it passes your turn.
Please do not honk, gun your engine, or yell at cyclists. We know you're there, but you probably don't see the road surface obstacles with which we're dealing.

Thank you for respecting the cyclist's right to the road. Let me encourage you to spend some time riding your own bicycle. Besides helping you to see the cyclist's point of view, it will be great fun.

Model Ordinance

2010-01-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

Please feel free to use this template to design one appropriate for your town or county.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE

The people of Corvallis, Oregon, hereby ordain the following and instruct the City Attorney to insert these words in an orderly manner into the Corvallis Municipal Code:

Intent

This ordinance is designed to empower any candidate for public office to run a viable campaign in Corvallis, Oregon through communicating with voters, regardless of that candidate’s financial status, by giving free media airtime to qualified candidates.

Definitions

“Qualified candidate” is a person who has met the legal requirements of filing for office necessary to be listed on the ballot in Corvallis and has presented to the Benton County Auditor a petition of support for candidacy signed by at least 1% of the eligible voters of Corvallis. Candidates may be jointly listed on the same petition.

“Media outlet” includes every television or radio station broadcasting over the public airwaves from within Corvallis and every cable television service with customers living inside Corvallis. Others who seek to inform the people of the region may choose to be included in the definition of media outlet.

“Campaign communication” means messages to the public, consistent with FCC regulations and about the advantages of electing a specific candidate. For the purposes of this act, these messages may not include statements about the disadvantages of an opponent.

Requirements

Effective upon passage of this ordnance, as a condition of maintaining public trust, each media outlet shall provide without charge to each qualified candidate an equal amount of airtime for campaign communication. Said airtime will include at least 30 minutes per qualified candidate in each of the three months prior to the election for which the candidate is qualified. In addition, if any media outlet provides airtime to a candidate or any person expressing an opinion about the election for pay, that same media outlet shall provide equal time at no cost to each qualified candidate seeking election to the same position.

Whenever a qualified candidate is provided airtime by a media outlet as required by this ordinance, that candidate may choose the scheduled distribution of that airtime, within the constraints of the station’s normal scheduling practices. For example, one thirty-minute segment is the equivalent of thirty one-minute segments or one fifteen-minute segment plus three five-minute segments, assuming that the station regularly airs segments of each of these lengths. Each segment will air at whatever time the qualified candidate may specify.

The qualified candidate may decide whether the campaign communication is to be recorded elsewhere or within the facilities of the media outlet, or broadcast live. The media outlet may require that the campaign communication meet the definition in this ordinance and any reasonable technical standards, as long as those standards are no more stringent than for paid advertising.

Bike4Peace 2010

2010-01-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited about the ride coming up this summer. It seems we'll have converging rides from south and north meeting us in DC. I'm sure the community discussions will change lives. And I know riding will change mine.

I've been working to promote the ride on all the social networks, driving my friends and family insane with the repetition. Latest is this fun petition:
www.change.org/actions/view/bike4peace_2010
If enough people sign it, it could really help us to get some momentum with the media.

powered by Change.org
Start a Petition »

Lobbying

2010-01-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

A big chunk of my life has engaged me as a citizen lobbyist. Because I was expelled for long hair, I spent what would have been my junior year in high school in the Montana State Legislature. It was very empowering. I learned that one voice speaking truth can accomplish a lot. To this day I contact my representatives at every level of government frequently.

But I have no hope for a benevolent government that solves our problems. It will take every ounce of energy just to limit the federal government from becoming even more oppressive. Our Congress, supported by Presidents of both parties has doubled the national debt with unconscionable giveaways to corporate fat cats. We have a greater percentage of our population behind bars than any other society. Our military occupies more than half the countries on earth and threatens the others. We keep paying more and more to a system that actively recruits its own enemies before torturing and killing them and any innocent who gets in the way.

Even our state governments are composed of the best politicians that money can buy. The divide and conquer, two party system has us fighting tooth and nail over who can marry, while there's barely a word about gutting effective social programs and building more prisons. Perhaps some day we can retake state institutions with democratic action, but we'll have to learn a new way to play the game first. Politics as usual will only make the situation worse.

My greatest hope for the radical governmental reforms we need rest at the most local levels. We can build a multiparty democracy from the grassroots by restructuring local governments. When the City Council is elected by Proportional Representation and the County Executive chosen through Ranked Preference Voting, we'll be setting a good example for surrounding communities. Any jurisdiction has the authority to require broadcasters, including cable TV, to provide free, equal air time to every candidate who qualifies by collecting voters' signatures.

When it comes down to it, good government has to be based upon free choices of individual citizens. No benevolent patriarchal system will enforce good behavior without corrupting into an oppressive autocracy. As a community, we can democratically decide how we will empower people to do the right thing. By teaching effective nonviolent techniques, we can encourage every person to behave in a way that supports the community upon which we all depend. This normal healthy behavior has been modeled in indigenous communities around the world.

So this is my litmus test for social change proposals. Does it recognize the healthy flow of power from diverse individuals? Does it empower good behavior? I will not support top down, force fed solutions. I will not pay taxes to governments that work that way. I will not work for nor buy from corporations that support a corrupt hierarchy. My energy will go into worthwhile empowering projects at the local level. I hope you can say the same.

2009-11-01T19:55:00.000-08:00

We're bicycling from San Francisco to Washington, DC between 24-July and 22-Sept, 2010, without motorized support. Cynthia McKinney, six term Member of Congress and 2008 Green Party nominee for President, is riding. The ride will demonstrate the bicycle as a transformational tool to solve the problems of Climate Change, Oil Wars, the Health Crisis, and the Economic Crunch. Along the way, riders will facilitate community discussions around the question "How can we support each other to live true to our best values?"

Our route, schedule, and discussion group are open to anybody with a free Google account. Please join us. If you would like to bicycle all or part of the route, plan a convergence ride, or host riders passing through your community, please e-mail bike4peace@googlegroups.com. Please forward this and re-post to others who might be interested.

--------------------------------------------------------------+
| __o CONTINENTAL CRITICAL MASS
| _`\;,_ plan to ride from home
| (*)/ (*) CONVERGE ON WASHINGTON, DC
| 22 SEPT - World Car-Free Day
| http://b4p.bbnow.org/
--------------------------------------------------------------+

Transform

2009-10-31T15:36:00.000-07:00

Bicycles are transformational tools to a sustainable future. To demonstrate how bicycles solve problems, let's look at four of the most pressing issues of our time.

Global Climate Change
The Horror of War
National Health Crisis
Economic Collapse

In the USA, personal automobiles are the leading source of greenhouse gases. In fact, cars are the main cause of pollution of air, water, and soil, as well as primary sources of noise and light pollution.

Even if we could retool quickly enough to immediately convert to alternative fuels, we would still have a problem. There is no known method for generating as much energy as cars consume without creating massive pollution. The key is to improve efficiency. The most efficient method known for transporting human beings – more efficient than walking, riding a horse, or a mag-lev train – is the bicycle. A healthy person can travel anywhere on land with cargo equal to his own weight by bicycle. If you can walk, you can cycle. In fact, people without legs can use hand powered cycles.

Wars are fought over resources. Right now the USA is engaged in two wars that are predominantly about who controls the most petroleum rich portion of the planet. Do you think there would be as much incentive to fight if we all stopped buying gasoline?

Furthermore, bicycling fosters a spirit of independence. People who know they can go wherever they want without paying an arm and a leg are harder to manipulate into becoming soldiers. War is an obsolete method of resolving conflicts and someday they're going to give a war which we all refuse to attend.

The diseases which plague the USA today are those of excess consumption. Americans get too little exercise. Next to swimming, there is no better exercise than bicycling. Riding a bike gives you a great aerobic workout without stressing your joints too much.

Converting to bicycles would reduce pollution and stress, thus curbing the rates of several diseases. Most importantly the rate of accidents would be significantly lowered. Today more Americans are killed and maimed on our nation's highways than the total loss of US soldiers in the Vietnam War. Where is our outrage?

The root of the economic crisis is that Americans consume more than we produce. Before the US national debt crossed the one trillion dollar line, it was the largest debt ever amassed in the history of humankind. At this writing it is approaching twelve times that and growing at an insane rate. And the national debt is dwarfed by the combined personal debts and business debts.

Bicycles are a remarkably affordable mode of transport. The average American, who has been spending about half his working hours earning cars, licenses, insurance, gas, etc., can easily afford the time and money to get around on the nicest of bicycles. It is a very comfortable lifestyle transition for most.

The question is not whether Americans will give up automobiles, but when. The world will not continue to loan us unlimited funds so we can kill thousands to control a resource that is becoming increasingly limited. There is no technofix big enough to cover the gross inefficiencies of the personal automobile.

Positive change is not forthcoming from the US government, no matter how loudly we demand it. The change agent you're waiting for is you and your vehicle is a bicycle. You can improve your economy and your health while doing your part for the environment and to resist supporting war. Get on your bicycle and ride!

Helium

2009-10-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Psychosomatic Illness

2009-10-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

When I was five years old, I suddenly got two little brothers through adoption. I responded to the change by getting sick. I would wake in the night unable to breathe and have coughing spasms. My mother, a nurse, was wise enough to avoid a diagnosis of asthma. She called it croup and treated me like a coughing infant, assuring me I would grow out of it. She would send dad across the alley to the hospital to get a steam tent and set me up in my own enclosed world until I felt good enough to face reality.

These memories came back to me as I lay in a steaming hot bathtub, treating the chest cold to which I have succumbed. I'm taking some time out to recover my usual robust health while I adjust to sudden changes in my life.

Mike, my boss, didn't have much choice but to lay me off. Cyclotopia doesn't need as much staff during the winter. When I announced that I'd be gone next summer during the busy season, I painted Mike into a corner. But I don't regret it. I know I'm on path.

This will be my third transcontinental Bike4Peace, converging upon DC on 22-Sept, World Car-Free Day. In 2006, led by Ron Toppi, I rode across the north on a tandem with Ananda Portal stoking. In 2007, I rode across the south with Michele Darr and three of her children in tow. In 2010, I aim to ride across the middle - San Francisco to DC - with Cynthia McKinney, six term Member of Congress and the 2008 Green Party nominee for President.

We hope to demonstrate that bicycles are transformational tools which could solve oil wars, global warming, the health crisis, and the economic crunch. Along the way we'll facilitate community discussions about how we can support each other to live up to our highest ideals.

I'm very excited by the prospects, but I've got a lot of work to do to get ready. First, I need to grieve the loss of a good job and recover my health. Back to my steam tent...

Make a Committment

2009-10-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

Please sign the petition at http://www.gopetition.com/online/31211.html to show your concern for
* Global Climate Change
* Oil Wars
* National Health Crisis
* Economic Collapse
You can make a real difference!

Making Change Happen

2009-09-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Sure, I write my representatives in each level of government with my opinions, but I don't believe we can sit on our hands while we wait for leaders to make things right. When has positive social change ever flowed from the top down? Never in my memory.

Our first responsibility is to take Gandhi's advice and be the change we seek. How can we withdraw our support from systems that exploit and support each other in living true to our values?

I firmly believe the bicycle is a transformational tool into sensible, sustainable lives. It is an empowering experience to transport oneself without relying upon the depleting supply of petroleum. We can go wherever we need to go and get healthier along the way.

So it is with each of our daily practices. When we choose to eat food grown nearby using organic energy-wise techniques, we feel healthier. It seems an appropriate reward for responsible living. As we support our neighbors through co-operative, respectful, democratic systems, we celebrate the warm glow of a healthy community.

Transportation Survey

2009-08-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

Click Here to take survey

Is a Bike Faster than a Car?

2009-05-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

On average, a bicycle travels about 1/4 the speed of a car, but you only spend 1/30 as much of your time earning it. Calculations will vary depending upon your unique circumstances.

Try the Commuting Cost Calculator

How much time do you spend earning the cost of a car?

Purchase price
Insurance
Fuel
Maintenance
Licenses
__________________Tickets__________________
adds to at least $.60 per mile

How much time/money could you save with a bicycle?

Purchase price
Maintenance
__________________Extra food__________________
adds to about 2 cents per mile

Lower Health Care Costs are a Bonus!

A bicycle can be faster than a car, especially during gridlock, if you count the time wasted earning the car.

Take control of your time. You can work for the system or you can walk around it.

Our ancestors did not drive cars. Most people alive today don't drive cars (thank goodness we can still breath). We don't need them either.

Why drag a ton of stinky steel and vinyl everywhere you go?

Will you take responsibility for the energy you use to get around?
Do you pay corporations to incite government to kill people for oil?
Do you buy into a dysfunctional system of factories, insurance, cops, and car crashes?
Wouldn't it be easier to walk and ride a bicycle?

Survive the Collapse

2009-02-23T12:08:00.000-08:00

The economy is going to get much worse before it gets better. Here are some tips for survival.

* Buy Local * Make sure that you can rely upon local people who use local resources sustainably to meet your needs, especially basics like water, food, and shelter.
* Use Free Energy * Heat or cool your home, heat water, and dry your wash with passive solar energy. Get around by walking and bicycling. Encourage permaculture, a local ecosystem that supports your needs.
* Don't Work Against Yourself * Refuse to spend your time or money supporting institutions like the US government or big corporations which work against the best interests of most of humanity.
* Share Your Truth * Speak out to observe reality, envision collaborative solutions, and empower positive action.
* Build Democracy * Support reform from the grassroots up to build institutions on inclusive consensus, establishing multi-party representation at each level of government, starting with the most local.

These five simple points outline a lifetime of work. Let us each dedicate our lives to the next seven generations of humans.

Living in Nature

2009-01-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

For the last half hour we've been watching four blacktail bucks about twenty feet outside the dining room window. There were two with two points per side, one with four, and one with five. They sparred a bit, but for the most part the elder deer seemed dismissive of the younger two. At one point, the two big ones locked antlers for several minutes. They didn't seem to be fighting so much as scratching mutual itches. Periodically they would graze or lie down in the grass. They were completely unafraid of us watching them, even when we stepped out through the door for a better view.

There were jokes an innuendos about bucks outside Yaney's door (must be pheremones) and the exchange between young bucks and older ones. Michael, who's lived with Yaney for two decades, is twenty-six years older than Yaney and I are. We may lock antlers occasionally, but there's no anger to our sparring either.

Being part of a threesome is a relatively minor challenge of this transition. In fact, it's kind of fun to watch friends grapple with the concept that Yaney lives happily with both Michael and I. Polyamorous relationships are relatively common in Corvallis, but still unusual enough to raise an eyebrow or two.

I'm not yet completely moved into Yaney's house. My drumset is up in the basement, a big improvement over being folded up in my small room at Veggie House. Today we'll continue the process of cleaning out some of their accumulations and moving in more of mine. The psycho-spiritual adjustments seem to flow well because we're guided by love.

Reforest North America

2008-12-19T15:51:00.001-08:00

It took riding a bicycle up the middle of North America to realize that the continent on which I grew up is under-forested. Looking for a tree to shade me from the heat of the Mississippi Delta in August was a memorable experience. Surely this lush area was thick with trees when the first European settlers dragged the first African-Americans into what is now a patchwork of treeless fields, mostly growing cotton. I wonder if any of the new arrivals bothered to learn how the first people lived before they made irrevocable changes.

As I bicycled through twenty eight of the United States, I regularly observed the impact of oil intensive mono-crop agriculture. These methods can produce amazing results in the short term, but over time they drive farms into debt and dependence upon volatile export markets. We've got a nation that can over produce GMO corn and soy, but can no longer feed itself. The Frankenfoods being grown across our nation aren't fit for direct consumption by man.

Cutting trees and burning petroleum have also begun to change the global climate. Reversing this problem will take everything we've got. The American way of life is going to have change if humans are to survive. How else will we convince three billion Indian and Chinese people not to follow in our footsteps?

A reforested North America could be a delightful place to live. Calculate the savings if your hometown grew all the fruit and nuts it consumed, rather than importing them. Productive trees won't eliminate trade, but will allow us to save transport energy for the highest priorities. Even with global warming and high quality greenhouses, most North American communities won't be growing their own latex or ironwood.

I've got faith in trees. They absorb the carbon responsible for climate change. They also moderate the immediate climate impacts, by shading us, capturing precipitation, and diverting winds. Mangroves can prevent damage from tsunamis and hurricanes, while any locally appropriate forest can shelter a diverse healthy ecosystem.

So what are we waiting for? If you own property, go to your local nursery and learn how to enhance its value by planting a broad selection of the best producing trees for your location. Talk with the people who own the land around your home. It's likely they'll let you improve their land with young trees.

Please don't stop there. We're all going to have to work together to reforest North America. Visit your city council to discuss a Permaculture in the Parks Proposal. Lobby your federal representatives for tax credits for tree crops. Start gathering seeds and growing young trees. We've got a lot of trees to plant!

Post Election Blues

2008-11-11T22:19:00.000-08:00

The image from this election that sticks with me is both major party candidates endorsing a $700,000,000,000.00 bankers' bailout that was overwhelmingly unpopular among the rank and file of both parties. I understand mail to Congress was running 9 to 1 against the bailout, but our leaders were bullied from the top down into accepting this massively stupid measure. Overpaid executives lobbied for fewer regulations, then ran their businesses into the ground with unwise business practices. Why should our great-grandchildren be expected to foot the bill for their ineptitude? We could just say "sorry; you lose." It's not like these guys are going to be in a soup line if they stop getting exorbitant salaries. Gee, they may have to sell the guesthouse. My heart bleeds.

But in reflection, this isn't the first time the major party candidates have agreed on something unpopular. Like war, for example. Overwhelming numbers of Americans are opposed to foreign military adventures that kill innocent people who have never been a threat to us. But election after election, the candidates who dare to speak truth to power - like Dennis Kucinich or Ron Paul - are marginalized, while those who toe the line for the war machine are promoted. When will we cry out "Enough!"?

What does it mean when both parties are cooperatively steering us away from popular will? Our country has the best politicians that money can buy. They've sold us down the river to please their bosses from the most profitable industries ever blessed by favorable governing - munitions, pharmaceuticals, prisons, insurance - and let ethics be damned. Who pays the piper calls the tune and an increasingly narrow group of capitalists control the means to buy government. Nobody is steering the ship of state as short term profits for campaign contributors become the driving value.

So what are you going to do about it? Well first you'd better reach out to your closest neighbors, especially those of the other party. Listen to their concerns, encourage them to share their most inspired visions, and decide what positive actions you can agree to take together. Recognize that your community is not split between two political poles. You are not just conservatives or liberals. You have a broad diversity of opinions, and there is strength in diversity. Celebrate your differences.

This country will survive when we get past the squabbling over contentious hot button issues and focus on building a system that adheres to our shared values. We will not be divided and conquered by the two faces of the Central Party. We will build a sustainable multiparty democracy from the grassroots up. Please contact me if you're not sure how to advance our common cause today.

End Global Warming & Oil Wars

2008-08-18T23:35:00.000-07:00

Petition powered by ThePetitionSite.com

Please sign the petition at
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Bike4Peace
Thanks.

Help Build a Bike Co-op with No Cost to You

2008-06-02T15:31:00.000-07:00

Please spend a couple minutes to cast a vote for this idea, so we can win $10,000 to start the Bike Co-op.

First go to http://ideablob.com/ and register so your vote will count.

When they confirm your membership go to http://ideablob.com/ideas/2408-Corvallis-Bicycle-Co-operative and vote for us.

Then you can enjoy exploring this interesting web site as much as you like. Maybe you'll even submit your own idea and ask me to vote for it.

Please forward this message to others who might help us out. Thanks!

What I Want

2008-05-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

I'd like to have a room at least 150 sq ft where I control who and what comes in. It should be in a home where I can share the following with up to seven other people, preferably including children.
Hot bath/shower (pref solar preheat)
Composting toilet
Washing machine/rainproof solar drier
Tropical greenhouse attached to home
Space to prepare & consume healthful raw vegan diet
Discussion circle

Some of the facilities could be shared with a larger group, up to about 500 people.
Permaculture gardens ≅ .5 hectare/person
Music room/ creative space
Bicycle storage & shop
Interactive video//Internet facilities
Community meeting room

Ideally this home should be in a conscientious community in a location near public transit with a high walkability rating. It should rely upon passive solar space heating and efficiently use rain catchment and gray water for irrigation, but have reliable access to pure potable water.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I want to be strong, smart, capable & kind. To laugh easily with others who want to be with me. Filled with gratitude for the love which has always surrounded me, I enjoy voluntarily serving and want my requests met only when it brings joy.

Corvallis Bicycle Co-operative

2008-03-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

Corvallis Bicycle Co-operative
A Proposal

We'd like to establish a bike co-op to make it easier for people around Corvallis, OR, to build and maintain bicycles and other human powered, wheeled conveyances. The co-op would facilitate the re-use of components and fabrication of new parts to foster innovative transportation. It would be a fun place to hang out and help other bicyclists.

The co-op could be established and maintained by a Board of Directors, seven people who would eventually be elected or replaced by vote of the membership. Initially, the Board could designate one full-time administrator, provide guidelines for operation, and remove obstacles when they are able.

Obviously, the primary criteria for Board Members are love of bicycling and dedication to the vision presented above. There are specific traits which could serve the cause. We are seeking individuals who:
* Have experience in creation and administration of 501(c)3 non-profit organizations;
* Have had success writing grant proposals;
* Know metal fabrication and have machine tools and/or welding rigs;
* Are certified and/or experienced bicycle mechanics;
* Have friends in the Corvallis government who could help this project to happen.

Please help us to generate excitement for this idea by circulating this proposal. Any suggestions for enhancing or advancing the proposal are welcome. If you fit some of the criteria for a Board Member or know somebody who does, please contact me immediately. Thank you.

Vernon Huffman
kashimbi@earthlink.net
541-757-4981

Building Our Dreams on Common Ground

2008-01-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

It was getting dark. The babies were uncomfortable and so was I. The motel on the corner was obviously a house of prostitution. Several disheveled men in various stages of drunkenness had stumbled into the liquor store where we were waiting for people we'd never met.

Michele, the twins' mother, and I had ridden our bicycles hard that day, crossing through the swamps of southwestern Louisiana. We were already tired by the time we saw the sign on the Huey P Long Bridge over the Mississippi River just west of New Orleans. The sign said "bicycles prohibited." Under different circumstances we might have ignored it, but there was no temptation to fight heavy traffic for a place on that rough, narrow structure.

Our potential hosts were with an organization that several veterans from Crawford had referred us to. They were apparently very busy working on the recovery from Katrina, a cause we wanted to help. We hadn't intended to burden them when we called to learn an alternative route across the river. The response we had gotten was "Wait right there. We'll come get you."

I had explained that our bikes with their trailers were quite large, but the woman on the phone assured me they could deal with it. When I saw the pickup with the flatbed trailer that accompanied her van into the parking lot, I realized she spoke truth. The driver, a thin, dark man, was grinning as he jumped out and gave me a big hug. Suddenly I felt very welcome.

That marvelous moment was my introduction to Common Ground. Sharon and Dan greeted us warmly, loaded up our bicycles, and carried us to St. Mary's, where we met Malik Rahim and other members of the organization. They were very gracious hosts for the rest of the week, until we left to ride up the river to St. Louis. We saw them again in Washington, DC, where we celebrated the twins' second birthday encamped before Congress.

After the girls flew back to Oregon, I rode back to New Orleans, celebrating 10,000 miles of bicycling through 28 states. Here I've been for the last month, volunteering with Common Ground Relief in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. I've come to realize the extent to which my own liberation struggle is entwined with the brave residents of this historic place.

This neighborhood, established by free African Americans in the mid 1700s, is still reeling from the floods that followed Hurricane Katrina. With the help of concerned progressives from all over, the residents have resisted gentrification and land grabs. They have worked together to help each other and to support thousands of volunteers who have cleaned out flood damaged houses and proven to government officials their intent to reclaim their neighborhood and make it better than ever.

Brad Pitt has provided a boon to their efforts by starting Make It Right. The city finally began to restore long needed infrastructure as thousands of tourists visited the Lower Ninth to see the art installation that preceded the building efforts. Architects have donated sustainable flood resistant home designs from which local land owners can choose. Returning residents will find counseling and legal services, as well as financial aid to bridge the gap needed to build new homes.

Common Ground is in transition from the initial phase, which began five days after Katrina struck, into a long term, stable organization able to provide job training to those interested in participating in the rebuilding of New Orleans. The vision of the founders remains intact. People from all walks of life can build community together by working together to solve their most pressing problems.

My brief time in New Orleans has given me more hope than ever for my country. We are jointly learning that we don't need to work for or buy into systems that exploit people. We are capable of building communities that will support each of our efforts to stay true to our highest ideals. Please come to New Orleans. There's plenty of work to do and the experience will make you a stronger member of your home community.

A Reflective Pause

2008-01-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

Today I am in New Orleans celebrating my 52nd birthday and completion of approximately
ten thousand miles of bicycling around the USA. Since August of '06 I've
ridden across the north, down both coasts, up the Mississippi, and across the south,
passing through 28 states. The experience has taught me about myself, about the
American people, and about bicycles.

I've learned that a bicycle is not only the most efficient tool to transport
me and whatever load I choose to carry anywhere on land, but that it is a transformative
tool. Pedaling a bicycle continues to make me stronger, calmer, and clearer minded.

I've learned that the American people, like people everywhere, are resourceful,
generous, and thoughtful. They are generally distrustful of the federal government,
centralized corporate cartels, and mainstream media. At the same time, they feel
compelled to buy into those systems with their time and money.

American communities are tragically broken, largely because of our mobility. The
same force that has made us such an interesting cultural salad bowl has undermined
our sense of security at the tribal level and installed a broad but shallow national
culture. Most American people are full of irrational fears.

I now know that I can accomplish any goal one step at a time. If I let my needs
be known without demand or manipulation, they will be satisfied. There is very little
that I truly need to be healthy. Gratitude is the key to my happiness and service
the source of my joy. I am a minuscule but vital element of a complex universe ruled
by love. Things seem to work best when I choose each of my actions responsibly,
while trusting broader guidance to a higher power.

Hoping your experiences have been as satisfying and that you will share what you've
learned with me.

---------------------------------------------+
|    __o     CONTINENTAL CRITICAL MASS   
|  _`\;,_        plan to ride from home        
| (*)/ (*)  CONVERGE ON WASHINGTON, DC
|               22 SEPT - World Car-Free Day                    
|          
|                www.catalystsofhope.org       
---------------------------------------------+

NW Florida

2007-12-17T11:03:00.000-08:00

7 p.m. Sunday 16 Dec '07

Tallahassee is a hip town. The bike co-op is in Railroad Square, surrounded by art studios and there's an Internet coffee house nearby that's frequented by cyclists and alternative culture types. As I was riding down to check out the shelter, Helen called out from her car window "Are you Vernon?"

She recognized me from my Couch Surfer profile, which she and her husband looked at before turning down my request. But somehow that decision was reversed in short order. Helen is a massage therapist who teaches at the college and Mica is a photographer. They took me to a Chinese buffet and she did Pilates with me.

Leon County also has nice features. After spending some time on the Internet in the public library, I stumbled into a campground for tents only. It was completely free and attended full time by an older couple. Super clean restrooms had all the hot water you could want in the showers. I could have stayed ten consecutive days, up to thirty per year.

The next day was wet, especially in the afternoon. I holed up in another library until it closed, then found a camp site fairly soon. Right after I got my tent up, it rained buckets. I was dry and cozy, counting the seconds between the lightening and the thunder. Two in a row were less than two miles away, one to the south and one to the west. The rest were at least five and as I fell asleep they weren't bright enough to see with my eyes closed any more.

There was about five gallons of water trapped in the bike cover, but the tent was drier by morning than it was when I put it up, having stowed it wet the previous morning. The wind had come up and the rising sun dried everything off. I rode hard all day and now I'm halfway to Mobile, home of my next likely host.

A moment ago it looked like I was going to have free wi-fi, right here in my tent, but it was a passing thing. Might have something to do with the library that's nearby. I'll check with them in the morning, post this, contribute to Helium and check my e-mail before I put some more miles behind me.

Fear

2007-11-30T08:39:00.000-08:00

As this nation crawled out of the Great Depression, FDR (the only 3 term president ever) made the famous statement "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." Today messages bombard us from every direction telling us to be afraid, but I contend that FDR's message is still true.

Ninety-nine percent of the violence in America today is on television. It's not real, folks! Real people have a very difficult time looking a stranger in the eye and hurting him in any way. In fact, most real people will go out of their way, at least occasionally, to help a complete stranger. I can testify because I've often been that stranger. My gratitude abides.

Why would TV producers want us to be afraid? Is it a deep, dark conspiracy? I don't think so. TV and filmmakers will talk about audience demand for the visceral thrills of violence. Pressed a little harder they may admit the truth about what advertisers will pay for. It's a complex system fueled by expensive psychological research. The fact is, commercial media exists to sell stuff, and FEAR SELLS.

People who are afraid will buy more because they don't trust neighbors enough to share. Stuff doesn't satisfy them like the ads implied, so they buy more stuff. Then they need security systems to protect their stuff from the people they fear. Soon they're walled into private enclaves with lots of material goods and few trusted friends. Sound familiar?

Let's not let the politicians off the hook. Too often their messages are laced with fearful stuff about criminals and terrorists. They justify bigger defense budgets, more military training for cops, additional prisons, and more restrictions on civil liberties. It's not hard to see who profits from these decisions. Today the prison-industrial complex is beginning to rival the military-industrial complex for sucking down tax dollars.

The rate of violent crime in the USA has been going down for the last few decades, in spite of prisons that seem designed to insure the continued separation of the criminal class that justifies their existence. Most of the violence is domestic and a huge piece of that perpetrated by soldiers and others who've been taught by their government to use violence to solve their problems. It's a self-perpetuating cycle of violence.

Why do you suppose politicians are now debating torture? It's been against the Constitution since 1791 (8th Amendment) and violates several treaties. There is no legal question about torture. The US Army has been teaching dictatorships to use torture for decades (http://www.soaw.org/), but this administration is the first to suggest it may be okay for agents of our government to torture our own citizens.

Let's remember the reason torture is practiced. It does not help obtain useful information. A torture victim will say anything, regardless of truth, to stop the torture. Torture may be used for vengeance against enemies, but the reason to use it is to frighten people from resisting authority. In fact, you don't often need to torture anybody, as long as potential resisters think you will. Now why are our politicians debating torture?

So what are you afraid of, besides your own government?

Poverty? Having been there most of my life, I can assure you it's not so bad. Frankly, most Americans could benefit physically from a little less comfort. When you stop working so hard to keep up with the imaginary Jones, you find lots of time to sing, dance, and laugh with others who've decided to stop being afraid.

The Unknown? Whatever happens when you die is gonna happen eventually. All you can do right now is be the best person you can be. That doesn't mean obeying the imaginary authoritarian father, it means being the nice person you naturally are and accepting the voluntary kindness of others.

Being weird? C'mon, admit it. Hard as you've tried, you've always been weird. Welcome to humanity. We all are.

Bubba

2007-11-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

Those poor saps! You know who I mean, the muscle-heads. The lower middle class Americans who spend more money on their cars than on their houses. This budget analysis often holds true even after they extend their credit on a mortgage they can't afford.

What are they gonna do when gas hits $10/gallon? Anybody who has laid the Hubbard curve of oil supply against the demand cure driven by Chinese and Indian oil use can see the inevitable crunch. You can pray for a techno-fix, but bio-fuels will only put a minor dent in the problem. Americans are about to loose their cars.

I could go off on a rant about the economic consequences of a debt driven nation that doesn't produce what it consumes, but I want to get back to Bubba. Let me just warn that when the Saudi oil field collapses and the Chinese decide to stop loaning money to their best customer so they can consume their own products, the free ride is over. Hyper-inflation and depression will arrive together.

Meanwhile, the muscle-head is busy beating his wife and kids because his family's proudest achievement has been collecting PTSD for generations. When the shit hits the fan, who do you think Fox News will tell him to blame?

Even though the demographics behind this article are accurate, the stereotype is not. Because there's been a healing transformation taking place. People who've been exposed to violence are learning that peaceful conflict resolution works better. Compassionate communication is taking hold for purely practical reasons. Bubba is not so dumb and peace feels better.

We've still got our work cut out for us. To some degree, we all feed the muscle-head demographics. I'm in debt. You burn too much oil. We all get frustrated and forget to respect each other's autonomy. To complete the transformation, we've got to love the muscle-head without accepting muscle-headed behavior.

It seems Bubba is also a pretty good bike mechanic. He remembers Gramma's garden and canning secrets. Perhaps he even had the wisdom to put in some fruit and nut trees. In his heart, he's trying to love his neighbors. He's not gonna let anybody starve.

Reassure him as the American dream unravels. Get him to look away from the TV and into your eyes. Help him to trust other people and fear only the greedy voice that calls him to make somebody his enemy. We're all in this together and we'll need Bubba to make it through.

Congress

2007-11-12T03:25:00.000-08:00

The USA is governed by the best politicians that money can buy. The sad thing is that few of them even realize they've been bought. It takes some deep analysis to realize how intricate a system we have, where everybody believes he's doing the right thing and collectively we do such horrid wrongs.

For starters College Economics 101 teaches that capitalism rewards ingenuity and intelligence. And too few history courses point out that it has also rewarded thieves and thugs. Thomas Paine made this point well. The accumulation of wealth has legitimized organized criminals in many instances.

But most ambitious young politicians don't have time for such analysis. They buy the popular myth that rich people deserve a better life. Obviously, part of that is access to politicians. And the perks of rubbing elbows with the wealthy are obvious.

Very few votes are bought outright in DC. It's more subtle than that. There is a huge industry based in DC and extending to every state capitol and major city hall in the country. Their job is the distortion of reality to suit the needs of their clients in corporate America.

Mainstream news has always been centrally controlled, but in recent decades the entire news industry has become much more centralized. Fortunately access to media by amateur citizens has also leapt up, but politicians don't give that much credit, except when forced by well organized citizens.

So politicians live in a different world than the rest of us. They believe their understanding of the world is superior to that of most of their constituents, especially if they have access to state secrets. Oh, any politician may resist the elite view on any particular issue, but they meanwhile buy into the big picture.

They also get distracted by "housekeeping." So while the administration was shredding the Bill of Rights, they had protracted discussions about DC cab rates. Congress is, after all, the City Council of the District of Columbia.

How do we get out of this mess? First by supporting those few brave candidates, like Dennis Kucinich, who resist all corporate influence. Then we must build a multiparty democracy from the grassroots. It starts by organizing your closest neighbors. Then we restructure local government, using tools like free media for candidates who qualify by collecting signatures.

Let's work toward living in global villages, each sustainable in locally appropriate ways and linked by a common vision of a world that works. For more big picture ideas, please read Vernon: Proposed Constitution of North America in this blog.

Counter Recruiting Tour

2007-10-17T04:57:00.000-07:00

What if the best way to prevent the next war is part and parcel of the healing of the victims of this one? Apparently an important part of healing from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is to integrate the trauma with a purpose for the life of the survivor. Many former soldiers find healing by dedicating their lives to convincing the next generation of soldiers not to fall into the same traps. Coincidentally, veterans make the best counter-recruiters, because they can speak with authority about the realities of war and the military.

Veterans for Peace (VfP) and Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) have discussed sponsoring caravans of veterans to go on counter-recruiting tours, carrying their truth to schools, military communities, and anywhere youth are willing to listen. Another key to healing is to work with other survivors who are finding peace. These peace-making bands of healing warriors can be a powerful positive social force.

According to Belleruth Naparstek (Invisible Heroes: Survivors of Trauma and How They Heal), two important elements of healing from PTSD are regular exercise and meditation, both of which can be accomplished on a bicycle. Lane Anderson, active in VfP, has recommended that counter-recruitment tours be bicycle based, rather than bus. There is a moral consistency to refusing to buy the resource wars are being fought over. Bikes are a must for sustainable oil-free living.

Bicycles are a great outreach tool. While they don't go fast, they can certainly go far, more efficiently than any other mode. You can easily bike to places you'd have difficulty driving to, especially in a bus. Bikes are human-scale travel. It's easier to jump into a conversation from a bike than from a motor vehicle. Kids being targeted by early recruitment propaganda are often on bicycles themselves. Bikes symbolize freedom.

I encourage my readers to lend support to these healing efforts, which may be the most important part of the peace movement. They can always use input from those of us who have studied nonviolence. If you're a vet, please accept this invitation to ride with me. I'll help you to assemble and maintain a good touring bike and support your peace-making on the road.

Plant Trees

2007-10-15T05:03:00.000-07:00

I woke this morning thinking about John Chapman. I had a new version of his song in my head. "Oh, the world is good to me, and so I thank the world..." the spirit of Johnny Appleseed seems appropriate to our current situation.

When we biked up the Blues Highway, it was hard to find shade. I remember thinking there must have been forests there before all the cotton and peanuts were planted. As much as I appreciate cotton shirts and peanut butter, the whole planet would be healthier if there were more trees in North America, instead of all those open fields.

I've since written notes to legislators, encouraging incentives for planting forest crops like fruits, nuts, and maple sugar. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and produce oxygen for us. They provide shade and shelter while replenishing the aquifers and offering food.

Right now I'm in a Maryland neighborhood that has marvelous walnut trees. This nut, which grows on the Pacific coast as well, is particularly appropriate for the American diet. Its proteins match with grains to replace meats (another source of greenhouse gas), and it contains lecithin, which could help obese people to digest their stored fat.

So I lay this morning imagining myself gathering walnuts in a canvass bag and bicycling them to be planted in the nearest area where there are no walnuts. As I planted them in their new home, I could gather seeds from local trees to distribute further. All the while I'd sing about how good the world has been to me.

I'm likely to follow that dream, but the geek in me says to put technology to service in this endeavor. I'll start a Yahoo Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/plant_trees>to discuss tree planting and use the mails to share seeds. Please join us and spread the word. Together we can reforest our continent with the most appropriate human-friendly trees.

DC Blog

2007-10-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

Wow! We made it! Four thousand five hundred miles across North America the long way round! This is my second crossing in 13 months, for a grand total of over 8000 miles. Now what?

It's been an excruciating, delightful journey. Living as an activist on a bicycle is intense. Living with two-year-old twins and a twelve-year-old girl is intense even when you're not on a bike journey. Intensity is good for me, because what doesn't kill me makes me stronger. I feel very strong!

There is so much to be grateful for in this journey. We've met so many marvelously generous people, learned so much, and renewed our faith in the fundamental goodness of people. We've been blessed with so many great experiences and we haven't gone wanting for anything we ever needed.

I believe the nation is balanced on the edge of a major change of power. There is broad recognition among the American people that our government does not represent us or work for us. Nor does it control us. We don't have to cooperate with those who abuse power. They need us far more than we need them.

I have great hope that people everywhere are going to join with their neighbors in standing together for what is right. We're going to support and care for each other as we refuse to play along with the institutions that harm people. Each of us will insist that our time and the fruits of our labors are only to enhance life.

Toward this end, I look forward to continuing to bicycle about the country, facilitating neighborhood discussions about how we can support each other in living by our best values. This model will work for any community, whether we can sit together for two days or only two hours. It's not about what you believe but if you truly want to live those beliefs. Please contact me.

Before I ride much further, I need to get my equipment together. My SPD shoes have gone 8,000 miles and don't seem ready to go any further, even if I pour another tube of shoe glue into them. Much of my drive train is stripped out, so that I have few low gears. There are plenty of little glitches in my old cycling machine. Some serious time in a community bike shop would pay off well.

I also need a plan for either paying my debt or living free of hassle if I ignore the banks. Life is going to be different, but I trust I will continue to be blessed if I continue to occupy myself in the way that appears most productive toward the needs of the most people. My life is dedicated toward improving the planet.

Recipe for Significant Social Change

2007-10-02T16:38:00.000-07:00

First, please let me review the assumptions. Most US residents don't feel well represented by either the Democrats or the Republicans. We are all increasingly disenfranchised and disenchanted by a government comprised of the best politicians money can buy. The two party system gives each party incentive to make the other look bad and they've both done such a good job that half the populace is convinced that all politicians stink and there's no point in voting. Meanwhile, as both parties fight over the "middle of the road" and the funding of corporations, they reinforce that perception with real bad decisions.

In this age of communications, most of us have access to information that undermines the corporate disinformation that spews from the for-profit mainstream media. We are increasingly distrustful of TV and centralized news, as we piece together skeptical truths from alternate sources, who have no incentive to lie to us. No one source has the whole truth, least of all the mainstream media.

Our human nature is to do good. We wish no harm upon those who have not hurt us. We all care about children in particular. While our competitive culture renders us too eager to search for enemies, we all know how to collaborate for common good. Americans are particularly supportive of individual liberty and democratic decision making.

So we have a nation full of people who are disenchanted, growing informed, and well intentioned. The main element that is missing for social change is personal empowerment. Most Americans have little sense of how much power we each hold. The corrupt lords need us much more than we need them. Our work and money make the future happen. Do we work for the corporate order or do we support a healthier alternative?

What follows is a recipe for setting up a discussion in your neighborhood about how we can best support each other to live up to our own values. It's not about telling anybody what to think or believe, although it leaves room for sharing information and sources. The assumption is that if we empower each other to do what we already know is right, we will improve the world.

We also believe that effective change must be from the grassroots up, rather than the top down. Authoritarian solutions only invite further corruption.

1. First, you must assemble residents of your neighborhood for a discussion. Pick a time slot at least two hours long and a location that will comfortably accommodate at least 20 people. Consider providing food or inviting people to a potluck. Now go door-to-door through your immediate neighbors on weeknights between 7 and 9 pm. Introduce yourself as a neighbor (point out where you live) and issue an invitation. Ask how many members of the household can attend. Continue, expanding slowly outward, until at least twenty people agree to come (please don't accept maybe). Give each a written slip with the time, date, and location of the discussion and get a phone number for each, just in case something changes. The evening before the event, call all 20 to remind them of their commitment.

2. Imagine how the discussion will go. If you can't see yourself in the facilitator's role, please find somebody who can (ask me, if I'm in your part of the country). Consider what you'll do if the worst thing you can imagine should happen. Then go to bed the night before envisioning the best possible outcome.

3. Begin the discussion by asking each person to describe their view of the most serious problems we face. Encourage each to explore their personal complicity in those problems. For example, if the problem is global warming, ask about the carbon footprint of the speaker. If the problem is government, ask if the speaker pays taxes. If war, do you buy the resource they're fighting over (oil)?

4. When everybody has had a chance to speak about the problems, steer the discussion toward solutions. Ask each to share their vision of a world without those problems, focusing particularly upon their personal roles and lifestyles.

5. Save at least the last third of your discussion time for examination of the actions each of us can take to bring us closer to the envisioned solutions. Explore the ways neighbors can support each other in living up to their values. Try to extract a specific commitment to act from each person. Get neighbors to express support for each commitment.

6. Before you end the meeting, decide how you will meet again and if you will expand the discussion to include other neighbors. You may even decide to take a group action (http://www.catalystsofhope.org/collaborate.html).

Please contact me to let me know how this model works for you or if you've found ways to improve upon it. e-mail kashimbi@earthlink.net or call 425-438-8985. Thanks!

Pictures

2007-09-03T06:14:00.000-07:00

Please support the journey

2007-09-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

Michele keeps telling me to have faith, but I figure honest assessment, admission of responsibility, and asking for help are all important as well. I'm over my head in debt.

I'm not going to say we haven't been working, because pedaling these heavy bikes cross country is a full-time job, but we haven't been drawing regular paychecks for a very long time. We've been quite reliant upon the kindness of strangers and we are so grateful for the many gifts we have received.

Bicycling thousands of miles with a twelve year old girl and two year old twins in cloth diapers is quite a challenge (The joys of the children make it all worthwhile.). We camp when we can and try to keep our consumption habits under control, but we need to eat a lot and sleep regularly to keep our energy up. Organizing volunteer support isn't easy, because it's tough to predict exactly when we'll be somewhere.

Besides the daily necessities, we've had some relatively major bicycle expenses. Four thousand miles wear a lot of tires, not to mention the replacement of one dangerous bike (after Michele's second accident) and Tala's outgrown ride. We don't regret these expenses, because they were essential to continue the journey. Still, we hate to keep paying interest on them.

Bicycles are an effective outreach tool and the children are excellent ambassadors. We've found common ground with people of all political stripes. We've stimulated many discussions about war, oil, and personal responsibility. And I trust we've inspired many people to find more effective ways to voice their call for peace.

We're committed to stay out here until the troops come home no matter what obstacles we face. It's tough to imagine how, but we will keep it up even through bankruptcy, if we have to. We derive hope from the many people who call out blessings to us when they read our signs.

Here's the bottom line. If you can afford to deposit any funds in my checking account at the Boeing Employees' Credit Union (yes, I once worked for them), it could help us to continue. The routing number is 325081403 and my account is 3560030567. BECU's phone is 206-439-5700. Thank you very much for any support you can lend.

Love on the Blues Hiway

2007-08-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

In the last couple days we've pedaled from the home of Robert Johnson to the home of Muddy Waters. In the process we've come to deeper appreciate the spirit of the blues. Ironically, I've also had a case of laryngitis, giving me a raspy blues voice. We're playing with it.

Ninety-five degrees with ninety-five percent humidity is Mississippi Delta normal for August, but it kicks me harder than anything we've experienced along this trip. I came close to collapse, sweating profusely, short of breath, and dizzy. Love saved me.

First there was the love of a complete stranger. Paul was on his way to visit the family of a recently departed friend, but he took time to express his concern for me. He helped us to get oriented to the locale, suggested a good place to rest, and stopped back later to see that I had recovered.

Then there was my love for the two girls I was hauling in the bike trailer. I wasn't about to let them down or put them at risk. I found the reserves of energy I needed to carry them to a safe spot by drawing on the love that has surrounded me since birth. All the love of my family, ancestors, and more was there for me.

But it was Michele's love that finally set me onto the road to recovery. I swear she pays more attention to my hydration and nutrition than she does to her own. When I continued to struggle with riding in the heat, she insisted that I switch trailers, lightening my load and solving my problem.

I've recovered and we've switched trailers back to make better time, but I have a new awareness of the never-ending source of strength that love provides.

ENCAMPMENT to STOP the WAR

2007-08-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

ENCAMPMENT to STOP the WAR
SEPT 22-29
Washington DC - Los Angeles

National March on Washington SEPT 29

Stop the War at Home & Abroad
Troops Out Now!
Impeach Bush & Cheney for War Crimes!

from Protest to Resistance...
It's time to Occupy the Occupiers!

It's time to turn up the heat! Funding for the criminal war in Iraq will expire on October 1. The month of September will see the next big struggle over war funding, but this time the antiwar movement needs to be there to demand the immediate cut off of all war funding.

We have all seen that the Democratic leadership in Congress, despite being elected with a clear mandate to end the war, has completely capitulated to the Bush Administration. We cannot wait for politicians to end the war.

Let's bring the occupation to Washington! During the week of September 22-29, antiwar activists will erect an encampment on the Lawn directly across from the Capitol. The site of the Encampment is a square of land directly in front of the Capitol, where we will maintain a determined, visible 24-hour antiwar presence as a direct challenge to the politicians - both Republican and Democrat - who voted for the war and vote to continue to fund the war.

Activists, military families, veterans, trade unionists, and community organizers from activists from across the U.S. are planning to erect a tent city, in Washington, DC, which will be a center of organizing, resistance, and action for the week. At the same time, activists will also be converging in Los Angeles for a West Coast week-long antiwar Encampment and March (see http://www.iacenterla.org for more information and to get involved.)

If you want the social justice issues you are fighting for to be seen and heard around the world and by the national media, then bring your displays, art, graphics and signs to the week long encampment.

Many local and national organizations are planning to have their own tents for the Encampment. There will be actions, protests, and speak outs organized by health care activists, military family members, immigrant rights organizers, and more.

Each day will have a variety of different activities, focused on the impeachment of Bush and Cheney for war crimes, student and youth action, political prisoners, Katrina, stopping a war against Iran, and more. Each night will feature "Culture and Resistance," including spoken word artists, musicians, poets, and more.

We have commitments from several hip-hop groups and other musicians for resistance music at the encampment each evening - if you or your group is interested in performing at the Encampment, see www.troopsoutnow.org/cultureandresistance.html for details.

Carlos Arredondo will be erecting a tent with boots and crosses in honor of his son, who died in Iraq. Other members and chapters of Military Families Speak Out will be a determined presence with exhibits and demands to bring their sons and daughters and ALL the troops home now. Code Pink, the Green Party of the US, World Can't Wait, and other national and local organizations will be on site and organizing creative confrontations in the halls of Congress.

Many of the working people that Michael Moore featured in SICKO are planning a special candle-light vigil for all those who have died for lack of health care.

Youth are meeting and planning resistance actions in the congressional office buildings and streets of DC.

At the end of the week, activists at the Encampment will join activists from across the country for a massive March on Washington on September 29. Buses, vans, and car caravans are coming from more than 55 organizing centers, with 80 buses already scheduled, and more being added every day.

We need your input planning giant displays, literature and organizing tents, skill sharing sessions, and acts of creative protest and resistance. Please contact us to share your ideas and to volunteer to help organize for the encampment.

Over the next few days, we will be posting a calendar of events for the Encampment. If your group would like to organize a tent, protest action, teach-in, etc. please contact us.

We are developing a list of inexpensive housing in the area and will be posting it soon -- activists who are able to join us all week, should also line up housing in the area. We can be a presence on site around the clock but we can not actually sleep at night or cook on-site.

If you are in the Washington DC - Maryland - Virginia area, we need your help with housing, food, transportation and help on set-up. Please contact us online or by phone at 212-633-6646.

Endorse | Donate | Volunteer | Let us know you're coming to the Encampment

Yes! I am planning to participate in the Encampment to Stop the War

I can volunteer to help with the Encampment

My group would like to organize a tent/ action/ teach-in/ activity during the Encampment

I can donate to help with the Encampment

I live in the DC area and can help with the Encampment

If you can't join us at the Encampment, you can send someone in your place.

Your donation can help send a youth or student organizer to the Encampment for the week -- Please consider making a donation online at http://troopsoutnow.org/donate.shtml

CoH FAQ

2007-08-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

Catalysts of HOPE
Frequently Asked Questions

Where are you riding from and to?
We rode our bicycles from Portland, Oregon to Ventura, California, where we turned left. We crossed the high desert between Twentynine Palms, CA, and Parker, AZ, then turned southeast to El Paso. We rode across the center of Texas to Camp Casey and down to New Orleans. We'll continue up the Mississippi to St Louis, then cross to Washington, DC, for a week-long encampment in front of Congress that begins Sat 22 Sept, World Car-Free Day. After that, we'll go down to Georgia, perhaps Florida, and back to Louisiana and Texas.

Doesn't it take a long time to travel this way?
Well, we could choose to spend our time earning the car and the insurance, the gasoline and the maintenance, but the kids like it better when we spend time with them. Bicycling is human scale travel. We take time to appreciate where we are.

When are you going home?
When the troops are home. When everybody's gone home to New Orleans. When the Palestinians have a home and the prisoners come home. Until then, these bikes are our home. The whole world is home.

Don't the twins get fussy?
Of course they do. They're two-year-olds. But they spend a lot of their time in the trailer napping, singing, or playing harmonica. We laugh and talk together as they push me down the hills. And we stop when they need it.

What do you do when it rains?
Generally we get wet. Of course, we get wet even when it isn't raining. The warm rains of the south aren't bad, so long as we can keep most of our stuff dry. We have some pretty good panniers and bags. The babies have a rain cover.

Don't you get tired from all that work?
Yes. Then we rest. Each hill makes us stronger for the next one. It's an invigorating lifestyle. Bicycling, like swimming, is low impact exercise, as long as your equipment fits and you avoid contacting the pavement.

What do you hope to accomplish?
World peace would be nice. In the meanwhile, we're just showing folks that it's fun and easy to live without oil. As long as they want to fight over it, we want to try not to buy it.

Where do you stay?
We often depend upon the kindness of strangers. We've enjoyed the homes of many kind folk along the way. We also carry our camping gear, so we can stay in campgrounds and backyards. Sometimes, we stay in motels, if we can afford it.

How can you afford to do this?
How could we afford to pretend a normal lifestyle works? We accept donations. Like most Americans, we've over-extended our credit cards. We try to live simply and minimize expenses.

What kind of work do you do?
Besides pedaling heavy bicycles, we facilitate community discussions. We help neighborhoods to become more sustainable and to communicate peacefully.

Can we come with you?
Sure! Go to your local community bike shop and assemble a rig that will carry the few things that you really need to live on the road. You're welcome to ride with us or set your own pace and meet us along the way.

Paranoia

2007-07-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

I don't remember when we started counting cop cars. They've gotten thicker since Crawford. Right now the record is thirteen in one day. Few of them actually stop us, less than once a week. When they do, they generally report having gotten calls about us, check to be sure we're okay, and let us continue with a smile. Maybe that's perfectly normal cop behavior. But I've decided that I'm going to ask the next one. "Since the Patriot Act passed, do you guys get surveillance requests from the feds?"

There have been large camera lenses surreptitiously aimed in our direction from unmarked vehicles parked like speed traps. Wish we could get copies of their photos for our web site.

It's more disturbing when stuff disappears. Like our whole collection of political DVDs, somehow spirited out of a pannier. Or notebooks full of names and contact information that keep slipping away. We keep our cell phone and laptop in sight, thus we haven't lost all contact, but we're concerned. Just because we're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get us.

Of course, this isn't new territory to old political activists. We've both been arrested for civil disobedience. Back in the eighties, my phone was tapped, office was broken into, and paranoia pushed to the limit. When previous projects have come under police surveillance, we took it as a compliment that we were effective organizers. If you threaten the power structure, even nonviolently, you've got to expect push back. Still, how threatening is a family on bicycles?

Ironically, if they want to know more about us, all they have to do is ask. All day every day we tell complete strangers detailed information about our quest. We've posted everything we think anybody might want to know and we're accessible (usually) by phone, e-mail, or in person. Unlike the proponents of the security state, we believe in honesty and transparency. That is one example why we will prevail in the long run. Government secrecy is incompatible with democracy.

Sign of Time for Change

2007-07-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

There's a plain, white, rectangular road sign on the east edge of McGreggor, Texas, with three inch tall black letters proclaiming "Observe Warning Signs - Texas State Law." As I rode by it for the third time going away from Crawford, it dawned on me to ask "What bureaucratic idiot authorized this?"

What function could such a sign possibly serve? Do they think that people who ignore icons on bright yellow signs are more likely to respond to this bland message? And how exactly do you enforce a requirement to observe something? Nobody apparently requires us to obey the warnings. Suggested speeds on warning signs remain suggestions.

Soon I was searching for a deeper meaning, a generalization I could glean from this sign. Eventually, it came to me. We all participate in stupid stuff, because the system seems to require it of us. I mean, any of the dozens of people involved in the manufacture and placement of that sign could have stood up and said "I'm not doing this because it doesn't make sense." But none of them did, so the tax dollars were wasted.

I'm sure idiotic examples like this will continue to pop up, but I pray that on big issues - fighting oil wars, polluting the ecosphere, or wasting our youth on junk food & TV - enough people will refuse to participate and we'll force the stupid system to change. Isn't that the heart of responsible citizenship?

Saving Animals

2007-07-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

One of the few depressing aspects of cycling across country is road kill (see Mike Novak's blog from Aug '06 www.bike4peace.org). The Catalysts, especially Tala, have been preventing road kill one animal at a time. The eleven-year-old heroine has, as of this writing, carried two turtles off the pavement, raising the question "do you save a turtle by taking it back to where it came from or taking it over to where it's headed?"

We witnessed a dog getting wounded by a hit and run driver the other day. This made us more glad we'd managed to shake off the dog who followed us for several miles the day before. He was freaking us out because he had no fear of cars. We finally found an empty chicken-wired yard with a gate we could open and latch him inside. I'm sure whoever came home to find a dog from miles down the road was surprised, but at least the dog was alive.

The greatest rescue was the one Michele pulled off the other day. When she spied the small, spotted faun about to dash in front of cars, she began to yell loudly and ride between them. She continued to chase the baby deer down the barrow pit until the dangerous cars had passed, when she allowed it to continue to search for its mother. And the Catalysts of HOPE ride on, saving the world one animal at a time.

Dancing Between the Raindrops

2007-07-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

Bicyclists from the Pacific Northwest are familiar with riding in the rain, but Central Texas rain is a whole different thing than Oregon rain. Down here they have thunder and lightening, massive downpours, and flash flooding. The amazing thing is, we've barely gotten wet.

Now I'm not claiming divine protection, but I can't explain the fantastic fortune we've been served on this ride. It goes beyond the extreme generosity of complete strangers, which has certainly surrounded us. For example, there was the time I said a punch would make a recurring repair job easier and then found one in the middle of the bike path.

Yesterday it got even more mysterious. We'd been given three reflective vests by a concerned highway worker. A certain eleven-year-old resisted wearing hers, even after her mother pinned it to fit more closely. The vest kept getting stuffed into a trailer and eventually got lost. Yesterday we found the vest, complete with identifying pins, on the side of a road we'd never before traveled. We're mystified.

So we'll continue to marvel as we ride by newly formed lakes lined with cactus and mesquite. We're grateful for the grace we enjoy and we anticipate spreading that peace wide enough to cover all who suffer in Iraq.

U+2

2007-06-09T18:20:00.001-07:00

Were it not for Bruce's extreme generosity, we wouldn't have had the tandem tag-along in the first place. He had mail ordered the British built device to be able to ride with both his daughters in tow. They could pedal along in unison without having to match the pace of the adult rider, the seven speeds of the tag-along giving them range. Two wheels made the trailer more stable and provided room for a large basket in the rear. The device seemed the perfect solution for Rebecca, allowing her to ride with 11-yr-old Keenan and 4-yr-old Shayleena. They did ride that way into Arcata, and it seemed to work well.

We hadn't considered taking the device along until the day we started to ride without a support. Prior to that, Tala had ridden in the RV or on a single bike - Rebecca's or Zoe's - and so had never ridden on her single tag-along behind a fully loaded bike. On the day we first tried that combination, we found it too unstable. Rebecca suggested the tandem tag-along. We tried it and found it workable. So off we rode with the twins in their trailer behind my bike and Tala on the U+2 behind Michele. Thus it was until the hills of Northern California.

Our purpose for stopping at Shekhina was to switch trailers. The high mount on the tag-along, which hitches to the seat-post, made it less stable than the dropout mounting trailer. In addition there were the challenges of coordinating Tala's thrusts with Michele's as they struggled up the steep hills. Michele had fallen three times and was ready to switch. Except for one day in Southern California when we tried the combination again, Tala has ridden behind me since.

Outside San Jose, we started to have a problem with the basket sagging. It was filled with two tents, an oversized sleeping pad, and a bag, with Rui's panniers strapped to the top. Sometimes Tala would lean back, adding her weight to the mix. Apparently, the ties that had held it to the frame were over-stressed. We pulled into a Walgreen's to buy a bundle of wire hangers, kept two, and gave the rest to a friendly shopper. Then we fastened the basket securely to the frame and rode off proud of our resourcefulness. That fix worked for a couple hundred miles.

Luckily, the next time the basket started sagging, we were in a town without a Walmart, because only a local hardware store could have provided the fix. The frame was bent nearly 90 degrees at each of the points where we had wired the basket. We got the store to saw a steel rod in half and used two hose clamps on each half to shore up the straightened frame sections. That fix is still holding.

This morning as we prepared to leave Demming, New Mexico, the hitch broke off the head end of the tag along. Providence led me to Wayne and his coworker, Lonnie Zumwalt, who donated a few hours of their time to solving our problem. Lonnie is an innovative machinist and welder who was able to rebuild the hardened steel part so we could reassemble the hitch. He also has dreamed of riding a bicycle across the country. I hope someday to have an opportunity to ride alongside this good man.

We've discussed replacing the tag along with a tandem or a single bike for Tala and a bob trailer to replace the basket. Either option might be less cumbersome, but neither would attract the attention or provide the stories that the U+2 has.

Bike Arizona

2007-06-09T05:19:00.000-07:00

Now that we've passed into New Mexico, I've got to give my assessment of Arizona. The tail winds more than made up for the heat, though I might not say that later in the year. Besides our wonderful hosts, two things stand out in my memories of the Grand Canyon State. There are some filthy shoulders on I-10 and Phoenix needs bike advocacy.

Semi trucks blow retreads in every state of the union, but I've never seen such a concentration of shredded rubber as we found all along Interstate 10. Of course, that rubber usually encases steel belts, which reduce into thousands of sharp little wires that penetrate bike tires. I've pulled dozens of those wires out of our tires in the last couple weeks.

Phoenix drivers are an even greater hazard, although our extra wide bikes got enough leeway. We noticed that most local cyclists ride on the sidewalks most of the time. After riding about on my bike without the trailer, I could see why. I've never been passed so closely and quickly by so many cars. It was terrifying.

Phoenix could learn from Missoula, Montana. The smaller, more northern of these western cities has found that encouraging bikes reduces infrastructure costs. They hire a full-time bike advocate to remove the obstacles for bicyclists. Phoenix has occasional discontinuous bike lanes. Even with a map, it can be challenging to get anywhere safely. In Missoula, virtually every street is bike-able.

I don't believe drivers are inherently more rude in Phoenix, but bikes on the streets are still the exception, rather than the rule. It will take a dedicated effort to train drivers and change the culture. Arizona laws defend bicycles as well as the law elsewhere, as far as I can tell.

An Open Letter

2007-06-01T07:53:00.001-07:00

Dear George W Bush:

We wish to acknowledge some of the truths you have presented about the war and occupation of Iraq. When you told us that the troops are fighting to preserve the American way of life, you spoke truth. You were also right on when you said that Americans are addicted to oil. Inspired by heros and heroines such as Brian Willson; double amputee and Vietnam Veteran; and Cindy Sheehan; warrior and outspoken mother of fallen US soldier Casey Sheehan; we are on a mission to help transform the cycle of oil dependency, so that US soldiers won't be compelled to fight or die any more for our voracious, out of control, oil consumptive habits. This is our tribute to the country we love, this is our sacred tour of duty.

The Catalysts of H.O.P.E.(Healing Our People and Earth) began riding our bicycles across the United States for Peace and Sustainability on 17-Mar-07 in Portland, OR. All the way down the west coast and beginning to travel across the south, we and our message have been supported by Americans from all walks of life. We've had as many as 15 riders at one time, but our core has consisted of two adults, an 11-yr-old, and 20-mo-old twins. We're a traveling family, dedicated to recognizing and reconciling our complicity in perpetuating a system that allows US; 1/16th of the world population; to consume over 1/4 of the Earths resources, and to produce nearly 1/2 of the waste. Our wanton lifestyle choices and disregard for the repercussions that
those choices will have on the futures of our children and generations to come are combining to create a state of perpetual war, terror, poverty, resource depletion, and ultimately threaten our very survival as a species. By being the change we wish to see in the world and encouraging others to do likewise in their own manner, we're striving to reclaim the soul of our nation and heal the damaged ties with each other and with the world outside of our borders.

These past 2 months have been tremendously eye-opening for us. By trusting in and relying on the kindness and concern of our fellow citizens in this great country, again and again we've witnessed the genuine goodness and concern people innately have for one another, especially children. Through countless conversations with Americans of nearly every stripe, political affiliation and ethnicity, we have also found that our shared vulnerability as human beings on this fragile, endangered planet have left many of us overwhelmed and unsure of what part we have to play in the outcome of the course we are now on. Many have bought into the notion that they are too insignificant to have any impact on the seemingly insurmountable problems we face as a country, and instead have lamentably invested precious resources; especially time; into fleeting, transient material gain, thereby further isolating themselves from the very networks of support that could make the shift to sustainable community possible; family, friends, neighbors, and co-inhabitants of a small planet with limited resources. Therefore, the challenge before us is to take heart from successful people's movements from around the world (e.g.: http://www.sarvodaya.org) and to restore the collective belief in the power of humanity to transcend our perceived differences and unite for the common good.

We are appealing to the very best in your human nature, Mr. Bush, as we absolutely do not accept that any human being is a lost cause or is beyond redemption. The movement towards reconciliation and peace is living, breathing proof that another world is possible. We expect to bicycle into Crawford, Texas, on the last weekend in June and would welcome the opportunity to discuss our experiences on this journey and on our past journeys throughout America, the Middle East, and Africa. We will also be in Washington, DC during the second half of September, further providing excellent opportunities to communicate with our elected officials. We've got a lot to talk about.

May there be Peace in Our Time,
The Catalysts of HOPE

Supported by organizations such as Veterans for Peace, CODE PINK, Sarvodaya USA, Whitefeather Portland Catholic Worker, Oregon Peaceworks, and many others, The Catalysts of HOPE (Healing Our People & Earth) are continuing to trek across America and welcome any and all dreamers to join us in whatever capacity each determines appropriate.
(http://www.catalystsofhope.org)

As you come to know the seriousness of our situation----the war, the
racism, the poverty in the world-----you come to realize it is not going
to be changed just by words or demonstrations. It's a question of risking
your life. It's question of living your life in drastically different
ways. - Dorothy Day

Update from Cross-country riders

2007-05-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

The stars are clear and bright over the high sierra desert. I delighted in my view of the Milky Way as I began folding my tent and boiling water for the girls' breakfast and a little camp coffee. We slept the night before just across the highway from Iron Camp. I'm not sure what that is, but it has intimidating signs on the driveway and a vehicle with a spotlight that drives out and turns around about once an hour all night long. Nobody seems to mind our presence.

Services, including water, are about 50 miles in any direction from this location. Luckily, we packed plenty of water and food and we always carry camping gear. We broke out the tent at mid-day as well, to provide shade for lunch and a siesta in the hottest part of the day. Most of our gear has proven flexible enough to serve us as well in this climate as in the Pacific Northwest rain forests.

Michele, Tala, and I made an extra effort to get rolling early each of the two mornings of this long desert crossing and it paid off. We were able to make the crossing in the projected time without dehydrating any of us. We even learned some new songs and practical geometry along the way.

There was a visitor during our siesta. Kareena, whom we had met the day before in a park, had thought about us all night and decided to drive out and give us iced tea. We were delighted to see her again, along with her children, her mother and her grandmother.

We met a pair of cyclists from Montana on the last leg of our trip. They were coming from Colorado through Nevada and bound for San Diego, taking a shorter cut across the desert. Each pulled a bob trailer behind a well outfitted touring bike. We enjoyed swapping road stories before heading off again in opposite directions.

Raymond stopped his motorcycle to talk with us out there among the Joshua trees. He's had plenty of experience touring on bikes with and without motors and shares many of our attitudes toward life. We ran into him again when we got to Parker and shared a six-pack in our room. He's thinking about riding the rest of the way to DC with us. We're excited by the prospect.

Our projected route has been changed significantly (http://www.catalystsofHope.org/south) to include the Veterans for Peace national convention. Of course nothing is written in stone. We changed course as we went down the west coast(http://www.catalystsofHope.org/west), mostly based on recommendations of local cyclists. Please look over the list of towns and give our contact info to anybody who might host us or participate in discussions. Thanks.

Kick Me

2007-04-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

I still love the dream we follow, but sometimes the physical reality kicks my butt. Somehow, I'd built a vision in my head of Highway 25 cutting through between the hills of Central California, but what we found instead was a hot, dry area with killer hills - good practice, when you consider where we're going, but grueling. The day before yesterday, we got down to a couple of bottles of water between us before we found a ranch with a stock tank. From there we had one more muscle testing hill before a gorgeous fourteen mile downhill into King City, where we found a relatively cheap motel and a badly needed laundromat.

Yesterday was not as tough as we followed the 101, even riding legally on the shoulder for one stretch. It was still hot, but the hills weren't much. We got a couple more water bottles and found more opportunities to refill them. After a brief heated discussion about why an 11-yr-old opinion doesn't carry the weight of an adult in the decision making process, Tala was being more cheerful and cooperative.

Then I did something dumb. Caught up in conversation, I let my front wheel get too close to Michele's trailer and my right pannier hooked. I over-steered to compensate and when it broke free, the wheel went ninety degrees to the road. Somehow, I kicked out of the clips and did a perfect somersault over the handlebar, landing without a scratch or bruise. We took a while to adjust and access, determining that my front wheel had taken on the shape of a potato chip, but the tire was retaining air.

I rode my injured machine tentatively, looking intently to see where it was rubbing. Almost immediately I slammed into the rear of Michele's trailer. She had stopped to see if she could determine my problem. The rubbing issue was an easy adjustment, but the pedal bite on Michele's ankle will take some healing. Luckily the rest of the day's ride, a total of about 45 miles, was relatively easy, except for some very rough road surfaces, especially tough on a warped wheel.

The last hill to the only motel in San Miguel is a 16% grade. Somehow, as she transitioned to push it up the hill, Michele's rear wheel slid in the dropouts, locking her brakes. I struggled my over-length rig to the crest, sighted the motel, and fell back to help Michele and Tala with her rig. Even with the brakes disconnected, the wheel wasn't rolling well. It was hard to access anything on the hillside fully loaded. I thought it might be a broken axle. We unhitched the trailer with the babies and limped the last block as three units.

As I climbed onto the motel driveway, I looked up at a big red pickup. A man in full camo climbed off the back bumper as the back-up lights came on. I called out to find out if I was impeding his intended path. As I backed out of the way he hollered, "We're going that way." Since I couldn't see him, I couldn't tell which way 'that way' was until he narrowly missed me. Disaster averted, I went on to discover that the only motel in town cost more than twice what the one the night before had cost. But "it is what it is."

We are where we are, inadequate planning and all. We've been frequently blessed but unexpected kindness. Marty, diagnosed with terminal cancer, invited us into his home with spontaneous generosity. His sharing gave us much needed respite, and his wife was delighted with the change in his character in the presence of the babies. Guess we really are catalysts of hope.

The community discussion in San Jose was worthwhile, even though it was a community of agreement, rather than one of proximity. We're continuing to get closer to the envisioned journey, even though the physical reality sometimes kicks my butt.

Camping in the City

2007-04-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

Ironically, one of the most primitive campsites we've used on this trip is located inside the city limits of San Francisco. The traffic across the Golden Gate Bridge sounds like a river from our tents at Rob Hill Campground in the Presidio. Just a quick bike ride away are markets, laundromat, and an Internet Cafe. Life is sweet!

It's a gorgeous sunny day in Central California. The babies are running nearly naked and enjoying Michele & Tala's attention, while I catch up with plans for a discussion in San Jose. The city goes about its business, barely aware of our presence. We've talked with some local cyclists, but have not yet heard a commitment from any to organize a convergence ride to DC. At least we've sown some seeds...

Our gratitude goes out to all the wonderful people who've made this ride possible. You are the Catalysts of HOPE! We are delighted with this opportunity to weave a network between you and hopeful that our collaborations will help to heal the planet and bring sustainable peace.

Learning as we go

2007-04-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

The hills of the California Coastal Range are teaching us a few things about packing light and trusting the inherent goodness of people. It's been very tough to pedal our heavily laden bicycles up the steep inclines, but we've made it over some tall ones. We've been repeatedly delighted by the graciousness of strangers.

We're spending today reassessing our projected route, considering our behind projection progress of the days since we parted ways with our support vehicle in Arcata. We've decided to avoid Highway 1 entirely, because we've heard it is treacherous. We've also extended down to Santa Barbara, because we've met marvelous hosts there. The new route is posted (http://www.catalystsofhope.org/west.html).

Another goal is to reduce our load. It's challenging to let go of things we think we need, but after a few hills it will be easier. Heavy clothes for northern climes can go, as can paper copies of electronic documents. We wish we could compress our sleeping gear more, but we can't afford the really light equipment.

We also want to learn to leave earlier and ride more intently, so that we can spend more time with hosts. I suspect we'll get better at this as we go, but the children aren't likely to become disciplined cyclists soon. Perhaps the lesson is about planning and projection...

Bicycle Tourism

2007-03-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

Touring is a unique style of bike riding. Demands on both bike and rider are different than other styles. Riders must be prepared to camp, fix their own gear, and pack and carry everything they need. The bike must be prepared to haul all that stuff up and down hills and over diverse terrain.

I strongly recommend bikes for touring be equipped with the broadest range of gears available. A heavy bike is more subject to momentum than a lighter one. In order to make the most of a downhill and make it up the big hills, it's nice to have a range from as low as most mountain bikes to as high as most road bikes.

Including myself, four full panniers, and the twins in their trailer, I estimate my bike weighs about 300 pounds. So far, I've had to replace three broken spokes, but it handles very nicely. On my first Bike4Peace ride, the tandem weighed about 450, but with two people driving it (thanks, Ananda). We broke a lot of spokes and, because my front rack was too high, I fought it more. I'm glad I built up my legs last summer and we're not riding such long distances on this journey.

The bicyclist has great incentive to "unstuff." We become painfully aware of every ounce we carry. Of course, the easiest place to shave a few pounds is usually the rider, and several of us are experiencing that process as we ride. And the most important place to save weight is the rotating parts, because you have to push them around more. Tourists are well served by small SPD pedals, but want to shy away from wheels that are too flimsy.

As a gearhead, I am often challenged by the need to reduce stuff. It's tricky to balance the desire to always have the appropriate item for the task at hand, but at the same time to minimize the weight I haul. One learns to greatly appreciate durable flexible tools, especially small, lightweight ones. I've gathered a few of which I'm quite fond. The more frequently I use one, the more attached I become.

Still, part of the challenge is determining one's role. On the last ride, videographer was a primary role for me. It didn't take long on this ride for me to decide to mail my camera equipment to my sister to make extra space for diapers. Babies naturally take priority. Two minutes of the girls singing and laughing back there is easily worth hauling them and their stuff all day. Still, I'd love to find lighter, less bulky and more effective diapers...

"Nice" Cars

2007-03-24T07:27:00.001-07:00

Not every vehicle out there is an SUV. From the point of view of some SUV drivers, at least their vehicles aren't Hummers. I don't really understand the perspective of people who drive Hummers. In fact, the more I rely upon a bicycle, the less I relate to even drivers of nice cars.

I know automotive sales are very sophisticated. Once they've sold you the idea that you need a car, they can sell you almost anything as "at least it's not a Hummer." Just to bring things back into perspective, I offer this test for Truly Clean Vehicles. Try it on your 100-mile-to-the-gallon Ecosensitive Cruizer.

1. With the vehicle running, position your nose within an inch of the exhaust pipe and breathe deeply for three minutes.

2. On a rainy day, gather 16 oz of the water running off the pavement on the underside of your vehicle and drink. Alternately, you could just mix up a cocktail of the various fluids you regularly add to your vehicle.

3. On a beautiful new moon night, find a quiet secluded spot. Stand gazing up and breathe in the beauty of it, before having some heartless bastard drive your car right by you.

If you're not willing to take these tests, please reconsider asking those around you to live with the secretions of your vehicle. If you need help getting around, visit your local community bike shop.

Healthy Thoughts

2007-03-16T17:04:00.000-07:00

Isn't it delightful that when we do things that are good for the planet, we become healthier? I first noticed this when I gave up my car to start using a bicycle as my primary mode. I couldn't justify burning oil at thousands of times its natural replacement rate. It didn't hurt anything that I was saving huge amounts of money, meaning I needed to work fewer hours and I actually had more time, even riding seventy miles each week. Improved health was just an unexpected bonus.

Today I was thinking about the health benefits of a low energy diet. When we eat locally grown organic fruits and vegetables raw, we save huge amounts of energy that might otherwise be spent transporting, preparing, and cooking a less healthful diet. Like bicycling, it might take a little more planning, but it tastes so good and it turns out that people who eat a raw vegan diet of fresh organic food generally experience great health. Could it be that what's good for the planet is also good for us personally and vice versa?

It certainly seems true about attitude. Positive enthusiasm, respectful gratitude, and a good sense of humor seem to extend healthful life. They also make one easier to be around, which eventually equates to being good for the planet, I suppose. There are undoubtedly other corollaries I can't think of just now.

I shouldn't be surprised at this. After all, the ecosphere is the smallest individual life form and I am a component of that. It only makes sense that I'd be naturally inclined to work for the good of the planet.

Dream

2007-03-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

If things are ever going to get better, we've got to be willing to share our dreams of a bright future, so here's mine. The future begins immediately. If you've been waiting for the future to do the right thing, now is the time.

Under intense public pressure, the US House of Representatives passes Articles of Impeachment against Bush & Cheney for the international crimes of aggressive war. If Cheney resigns, a filibuster prevents Senate consent to his appointed replacement. As the facts of the case are laid out, several Republican Senators agree to vote to convict, in an effort to save their political hides. In her short term in office President Pelosi starts a Truth & Reconciliation Commission to examine Congressional complicity and war profiteering, as well as the complicity of the society that wastes the oil they're fighting over. And finally, in the first free and fair election with mass popular engagement, Dennis Kucinich is elected President and leads the world to sustainable peace.

It's a beautiful vision, isn't it? But I'm not holding my breath. And I'm not going to stop doing the hard, joyous work of grassroots organizing to build a multi-party democracy from the bottom up. The 2007 elections will make more difference than 2008. School board members and other local elected officials have more impact on our daily lives than does the President.

Our daily decisions - how we earn and where we spend our money - make a bigger impact than voting usually does anyway. It's time to start living in the future we want to see.

- Vernon Huffman
http://www.emissariesofhope.org/

Interdependence

2007-03-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

I can't live without you. Well, not you, specifically, but people in general. I'm completely vulnerable. I need other people to survive. Life would be miserable without the attention, respect, and kindness of other people.

I am so grateful to all the people who have met my needs in so many ways. There's no way I could ever repay all that kindness, so I'll continue to make myself available to serve the needs of others. Truth be told, I find serving others to be extremely satisfying work. In fact, it is the source of my deepest joy.

When I think this through, it makes it easier to ask for those things that I need. Because it's unlikely that I'm the only person who enjoys serving others. I've met lots of people who seem to get as much from voluntary service as I do. Requesting what I need from anybody who enjoys service is a kindness. A request is a gift.

Of course, there's a huge gap between a request and a demand. Like me, everybody I know needs autonomy, the sense of controlling one's own life. To respect that need when I ask, I must be willing to hear "no" as an answer. Nobody owes me anything. I certainly don't want to force anybody to do my will.

Luckily, there are a lot of good people who are happy to serve others. So whenever one person can't comfortably meet my needs, I can always ask somebody else. When I ask, I always try to preface my request with the understanding that I don't want anybody to do anything for me unless doing it brings them joy.

So even though I am completely vulnerable, I'm supremely confidant that my needs will be met and I will continue to find opportunities to joyously serve. That confidence makes it easier for me to express my needs without seeming needy. I can freely choose to be with others.

Thanks to Marshall Rosenberg for sharing the principles of Nonviolent Communication expressed above. It really works!

Oil-Free

2007-02-28T11:07:00.000-08:00

I welcome peak oil. I'm looking forward to the long emergency. When gas hits $10 a gallon, all those cars will finally get out of my way. As anybody who walks, bikes, or rides buses around them will tell you, "cars are obnoxious."

Cars are the leading source of air pollution, enough to change the climate. But that is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the pollution caused by cars and the infrastructure that supports them. Distillates from automotive air pollution and runoff from pavement combine to generate the greatest source of water pollution. They also generate noise pollution and light pollution, destroying the peace and quiet we all need. But the worst of it is what I call "social pollution."

A car is a deadly weapon. They kill more people than guns do. Nearly every US family has had at least one member maimed by a car. About the only species of animal that has benefited from cars is vultures, who feed on the roadkill. In sum total, cars are more horrid than wars, but we calmly accept their deadly presence in our midst. When we encase ourselves in a ton of steel and vinyl and dash about threatening each other, it has a detrimental effect upon the social order.

People on buses and trains have polite conversations. Bicyclists wave and pedestrians stop to lend a hand. Car drivers get road rage.

I've spent a decade without a car and ridden my bike across North America. The hardest thing about using a bike for transport is putting up with cars. I can't wait until those cars get out of my way. It will be so much easier to get around. It's not just the obvious risks to my life. The bright lights of automobiles in my eyes make it hard to see at night. The rules of the road are written for cars and don't fit bikes well.

I'm reminded of video that was recorded a decade ago in China. It shows the intersection of two busy streets, each jam packed with bicycles. There is no stoplight or traffic cop, yet the bikes sail through the intersection without slowing down. No collisions or problems occur. Now that is how transportation should work!

I don't think the end of cheap oil will be all that detrimental anyway. People lived well before the discovery of fossil fuels and none of the world's people waste oil at the rate Americans do. We can live without oil. Besides bicycles, we'll have sailboats. Lots of new technology, like human electric hybrid vehicles, will be useful. Even if transportation becomes a little slower, communication can continue to progress. We needn't give up mobility and interconnectedness.

Of course, we won't see as much of the oil-based plastics, short of what we can recycle. Slightly more expensive plastics can be made from vegetable oils. Perhaps the increased cost will inspire us to design products to last longer. The shift in consciousness from cheap, throw-away toward quality tools feels like welcome change to me. It feels good to contemplate a pace of life more attuned to the constraints of nature. It's like all of human society relaxing into our mother's arms.

Complicity

2007-02-25T14:42:00.000-08:00

Relatively few soldiers actually perpetrate first hand the horrors of war, the rape, torture, and wanton murder of innocents that always accompany military actions. Most of those live out their lives in self imposed hell when their consciences catch up with their behavior. Only a very few become the professional killers responsible for the continuation of terror.

Most military personnel can distance themselves from atrocities. Artillery and aircraft crews rarely look upon the innocent civilians they routinely blow up. Support services enable the killing, but don't directly engage. Some of these folks later come to terms with their consciences, but some live in denial, building false stories about rights of passage and the glory of war.

Only one step away from these are the normal civilians of the militarized state. Though they distance themselves from war, they pay the taxes and salute the military. They consume the resources over which armies struggle and provide political justification. One needn't drive a Hummer and work for Lockheed to share complicity in the crime of aggressive war. If I use any oil or pay any taxes, my hands have blood on them.

It is a challenge to live in a militarized state and maintain resistance to war. It's about voting, activism, and speaking out, but to an even greater extent, it's about everyday choices to live peaceful, sustainable lives, refusing to accept the spoils of war.

Let's support each other's efforts to truly live by our values.

Breathe

2007-02-25T14:36:00.000-08:00

The most important thing I've ever learned is how to breathe. Like everybody else, I learned subconscious breath at birth. Then I had the advantage of spending most of my developing years between five and ten thousand feet, which imparted upon me relatively large lungs. Many of the adults I spent time around were slow breathing people and as a teenager, I began to study yoga and meditation. Somewhere I picked up the ability to consciously breathe very slowly. I regularly breathe at one tenth of the rate of a normal relaxed person. And I regularly meet others who could benefit from developing this simple basic skill.

It is a challenge for me to empathize with people who grew up in violent surroundings. Oh, I wrestled with my friends and argued with my siblings, but all my life I've been surrounded by unconditional love. Never have I had to worry that I might not be loved or that a family member might injure me. I'm eternally grateful for this fortunate life, but I don't really understand the pressures experienced by those who are not so fortunate. It makes it hard for me to know how to react when they act out that tension.

Of course, like every other American family, mine has struggled to transition from the age of competition and hierarchy toward the age of collaborative networks. I've learned that I don't want anybody to do anything for me that doesn't make their life more wonderful. I know that my deepest joy comes from serving the needs of others and it is delightful when others find joy from serving my needs. It is rewarding to believe that I've influenced another in a positive direction, but that reaction cannot be won through force. Coercion, manipulation, and authoritarian behavior have proven to be completely ineffective. This understanding makes it still harder to empathize with those who feel driven to control the behavior of others.

We cannot expect the victims of violence to be the only ones who deal with the unmet needs of the perpetrators. They need to be heard, empathized with, forgiven and given room to heal. We don't want to allow them to continue to damage others, especially their own children. Violence has been passed down through enough generations. The cycle must stop here. We must heal the victims least they become the perpetrators in the next iteration. We must teach effective nonviolent tools.

So how do I react when I witness somebody trying to force somebody else? Well, if necessary to protect a weaker person, I will intervene and risk violence to myself. If I can maintain a calm and nonthreatening manner, it is easier to deescalate a tense situation. So I breathe very slowly. If all else fails, I can always focus on my breath.

What's Alive in Your Culture?

2007-02-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

culture |ˈkəl ch ər| |ˌkəltʃər| |ˌkʌltʃə|
noun
1 the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively : 20th century popular culture.
• a refined understanding or appreciation of this : men of culture.
• the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group : Caribbean culture | people from many different cultures.
• [with adj. ] the attitudes and behavior characteristic of a particular social group : the emerging drug culture.
2 Biology the cultivation of bacteria, tissue cells, etc., in an artificial medium containing nutrients : the cells proliferate readily in culture.
• a preparation of cells obtained in such a way : the bacterium was isolated in two blood cultures.
• the cultivation of plants : this variety of lettuce is popular for its ease of culture.
verb [ trans. ] Biology
maintain (tissue cells, bacteria, etc.) in conditions suitable for growth.
ORIGIN Middle English (denoting a cultivated piece of land): the noun from French culture or directly from Latin cultura ‘growing, cultivation’ ; the verb from obsolete French culturer or medieval Latin culturare, both based on Latin colere ‘tend, cultivate’ (see cultivate ). In late Middle English the sense was [cultivation of the soil] and from this (early 16th cent.) arose [cultivation (of the mind, faculties, or manners)] ; sense 1 dates from the early 19th cent.

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In my mind, culture is largely about entrainment, the mysterious process by which living things fall into synchronism with each other. Much of my artistic focus has been on the rhythm of music and dance, where we play with complex entrainment patterns. I've cultivated a theory that harmony could be a rapid fractal of rhythm, fantasizing about a keyboard that would automatically pulse each note at a tempo relative to its frequency. Each chord would be an interesting polyrhythm, if my initial math is right. But I digress.

Entrainment is also at the root of the other meaning of culture. Historically every village and tribe has sought to entrain other species, including microbes, to support human health. Since nature prefers symbiosis and all life dances to the same circadian rhythms, there are myriad ways to culture probiotics. Much of our energy has gone into cultured foods - yogurt, cheese, tofu, miso, sourdough, kimchi - and the list goes on. Every local culture includes cultured foods.

Cultural exchange is a way to promote human health on a broader scale. When members of distant tribes learn each other's songs and dances, when they exchange seeds and absorb symbiotic microbes, they are working toward the common good of our entire species.

My Heroes

2007-02-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

My life has been completely consumed by the vision of a continental critical mass of bicycles converging upon DC for World Car Free Day, Sat 22 Sept. Energy for this Gandhian action is coming from all directions, convincing me that the ecosphere has a mind. Let me tell you a few stories.

Ron Toppi is the founder of Sharing Wheels, a community bike shop in Everett, WA. Determined to simplify his life and save others, this brave veteran has ridden to DC twice with Bike4Peace (http://www.bike4peace.org). "We'd rather bike for peace than kill for oil." Ron is planning to lead another contingent across the northern route this year.

Michele Darr is a mother driven by love to heal our society. Having spent two months in Kuwait under Iraqi occupation, she is aware of the realities of war and opposed to US military activities in the region. Even with three children in diapers, Michele has been arrested three times for practicing free speech in a Senator's office. The Journey of HOPE (Healing Our People & Earth) will move down the West Coast and across the south, empowering discussions in communities along the route (http://www.emissariesofhope.org). I'll be riding with Michele and family.

Brian Willson recently added another chapter to his inspiring story by leading a ride up to the Veterans for Peace conference. Brian lost his legs to the nuclear train while engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience, but that hasn't stopped him from riding a human powered vehicle. We hope to see Brian cycling in DC.

Don't wait to be led. Check the web to find out what's happening in your area. Take the initiative to organize a ride to DC from your home. Host riders coming through from elsewhere. Spread the word to everyone you know. Please tell us how you fit into this cross-continental uprising. Sustainable communities are breaking out all over!

Life

2007-02-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

The ecosphere is the smallest unit of life. Remove any life form from the Earth and it will be as dead as a limb chopped from the body. If we could 'lay an egg' on another planet, it might grow to a related individual, but that's not going to happen soon. We cannot live apart from our complete interdependency with all life on Earth. Individuality is a myth.

Every cell contains the genetic map to the whole ecosphere. Iteration appears to be a law of physics. Every atom is a fractal of the cosmos. You can find the universe in a grain of sand. Patterns observed on one level of iteration frequently can be observed in both micro and macro dimensions.

Differentiation and specialization of cells strengthen the whole, to the extent that balance is maintained. Sexual replication maximizes healthy diversity, as does most infection. Our ecosphere incorporates DNA as simple as a virus throughout every complex creature. Since symbiosis is selected for, evolution favors those cells which benefit the whole.

Every cell of the ecosphere constantly communicates on multiple vectors, sharing vital information in every direction. All life dances to the circadian rhythms of the sun and moon. Every event, however microscopic, has an impact upon the whole, which all life seeks to maintain.

The ecosphere functions as an integrated whole with synchronistic functionality. New ideas arise across the system in coordination. Synchronicity at the level of human communication is welcome evidence of healthy function of the greater whole.

The human species may be the Gaean nervous system. We cannot afford cancerous growth, but neither can we allow ourselves to decay in the manner of Alzheimer's. We seek to maintain the balance, which is not the same as standing still, for we are always in motion. We know healthy behavior because we are integral parts of the whole ecosphere.

Perhaps all human functions are healthful in the big picture. Maybe pulling oil to the surface and spreading it around is analogous to earthworm casings in the garden. Death is essential to life. Perhaps the eradication of whole species, probably including our own, is essential to the survival of the ecosphere. I find comfort in knowing that even simultaneous detonation of every nuclear weapon would not remove all life from Earth, though it would certainly change it. Adaptation to plutonium, a man-made element, is a massive challenge.

Science and religion are converging. Gaea, the Greek Earth Goddess, was the daughter of Chaos. Peace is chaos in service of community. Unity and diversity are correlational.

Collaborate - Culture - Conspire - Question

2007-02-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

We are rapidly transitioning from the age of competition to the age of collaboration. This paradigm shift is necessary for the continued survival of humans on Earth. The anomalous dominant culture of competition has been enormously stressful to the relationships of humans with ourselves, each other, and the rest of life on our planet. The end of inexpensive energy from oil will trigger calamities. Humans will only survive by learning to collaborate, that is, to work together.

The ramifications of this shift in thinking will appear at many levels, from the intra-personal, through interpersonal, to cultural and global behavior patterns, virtually every type of human behavior, conscious and subconscious, will change as people realize that symbiosis is selected for. That is to say, evolution favors those who benefit others around them. To apply this biological concept to the world of business, "success comes to those who help others to succeed."

At the microscopic level, every tissue of our bodies is a colony of microbes. The vast majority of these "germs" are beneficial to each other and to our body as a whole. The web of life is more complex than the hierarchy once theorized. Because our study of microbiology began in the competitive paradigm, we've focused on identifying pathogenic microbes and eradicating them. Some have imagined that we could establish a sterile field inside the human body, but such a state would be fatal if we could establish it. We depend upon microbes to maintain the functions of our bodies. The trick is to maintain a healthy culture of symbiotic microbes in every tissue. When such healthy culture is maintained, there is no room for pathogens. Studies have shown that simple steps like eating yogurt and miso after ingesting antibiotics can benefit health. We need to learn a great deal more about probiotics, the art of maintaining symbiosis at the cellular level. If I had millions, I'd invest in the microbial study of healthy people, and the development of means to share symbiotic cultures through skin cremes, inhalers, injections, and suppositories.

There is communication between cells, whether they grew from the embryo or passed into the system as a virus, a bacteria, or a fungus from another culture. They pass chemicals and electrical impulses on a shared circadian rhythm, dancing to the pull of the moon. In a healthy body there is a conspiracy, in the oldest sense of the word. Conspire is Latin for breathe together. Every human can culture a healthy, natural conspiracy within. Our conscious job is to project these natural patterns onto our society. We must conspire to subvert the dominant culture. If we would inspire before we expire, we must conspire.

Marshall Rosenberg has done amazing work applying an understanding of collaboration to interpersonal communications. Realizing that people derive the deepest joy from meeting the needs of others, he has broken communication into four components - observations, emotions, needs, and requests. By teaching us to hear these components in others' communication efforts and to clarify them in our own, Marshall has conspired with many people toward happier lives. Applicable from the bedroom to the boardroom, everywhere people talk to each other, Nonviolent Communication holds proven potential for reforming criminals, restoring sanity, and improving culture.

More people are learning to ask astute questions and to listen empathically to the answers. The question is the highest form of communication, for it reaches into another and pulls out ideas, feelings, and opinions. A good question implies a willingness to empathize and a desire to understand. When we discuss, we grow thoughtful questions in an internal Petri dish. A well cultured question is an invitation to a conspiracy. Collaborate to culture conspiratorial questions.

When has brute force ever solved a problem without creating a greater one? In Washington State a conspiratorial project has been teaching nonviolent communication to convicted felons. Another group works with the culture of convicts to share from the inside out. These prison reform advocates have recently been reaching out to victim advocates questioning if there might be collaborative solutions. The conspiracy is based upon the successes of restorative justice in Ireland and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa.

Is the North finally following Africa's lead? Since my visit in 1991, I've said that the problems of Africa fit like puzzle pieces with the problems of America. We suffer from excess, while they have not enough. Their communities are strong, while ours have stretched and snapped. It is past time for African missionaries to come to lead us back to sensible lifestyles. In African cultures the conspiracy between nature within and nature without is alive and well. They question our culture and the dance continues to engage us all.

Teachers of organizational development and business management will recognize the applications of collaborative thinking within business cultures. Voluntary efforts toward shared goals are far preferable to attempts at control. Mediation practices have saved the courts time and money by guiding people toward mutually satisfactory solutions. Nonviolent conflict resolution has always been more productive than competition and violence. Today we are better than ever at asking astute questions and teaching these skills.

Particularly exciting are the applications of collaboration in the political arena. A growing number of governments have evolved into multiparty democracies by replacing winner-takes-all elections with proportional representation and ranked preference voting. In the old competitive system we had two parties each spending most of their energy trying to make the other look bad, convincing many of us to question all politicians as worthless. In a multiparty culture where no one party holds a majority, each has an incentive to respect all others as potential collaborators. Please read the Proposed Constitution for North America for conspiratorial principles. I suspect the changes will foment from the grassroots by questioning local governments first.

Are we on the verge of a broad recognition that war is obsolete? The invasion of Iraq by the USA was the first war to be globally protested before it even began. There is every indication that people are questioning the need for soldiers. Through Counter Recruitment, Veterans for Peace conspire with potential recruits to grow a peaceful culture. Global governmental collaboration to solve the problems of resource management in equitable and sustainable ways is a prerequisite of continued human life on Earth.

Unfortunately, it is always darkest just before the dawn. The competitive culture threatens to devastate more before we replace it with a sensible system. Secretive conspiracy spirals away from health. The threat of nuclear war is still very real, especially when theologically justified by those who seek Armageddon. Global warming and desertification are limiting the carrying capacity of the planet while population growth pushes against it. There's never enough money for education or health care, but plenty for aggressive war. As a culture of corporate greed runs our economy into the sewer, the competitive parties question who should marry. What's a concerned citizen to do?

Those who see the promise of a collaborative future must live as if such a system were already in place. We must question our lifestyle to eliminate any support of the old competitive culture. Do you give them your time or your money, as a consumer, an employee, or a taxpayer? How did the first people live in your region? How did your ancestors live? Do you eat locally grown organic food or live in a sustainably built home? Could you make a few high quality goods to barter and get around by walking and bicycling? How do you communicate your good intentions with others? A collaborative conspiracy questions culture, while conspiratorial questions culture collaboration.

Proposed Constitution of North America

2007-02-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

Our political system is not working well. Winner-takes-all elections encourage a two-party system, where each party has incentive to make the other look bad. Besides legislative gridlock, this generates a lot of negative campaigning. With both parties generating negatives about the other, many people start believing that all politicians are worthless. This helps to explain the very low voter turnouts that are characteristic of the USA.

Much of the negative perception is based in reality. There has been a lot of corruption in our politics. A small minority of the population has had disproportionate influence, often using threat, bribery, and even election tampering to get their way. Only a vigilant, engaged populace can prevent such behavior, but systemic changes can make it less likely. Unelected bureaucrats have thrown the balance toward a powerful executive and a legislature that is often wrapped around its own processes. We rely upon tradition, rather than engaging the populace in a continual improvement of democracy. Unfortunately, it's difficult to reform political processes that are dominated by the people who benefit from their shortcomings.

In the ideal world, every individual is free to participate in government or not. Voluntary collaboration results in continual betterment of life for all without forcing anybody against their will. Of course utopia requires perfect people, so we're going to have a flawed system, but there's no reason not to continue to try to improve. To do so, we must engage as many people as possible in creating a compelling vision. That is the intent of this pamphlet.

The current system of the USA is based on the hierarchical model of feudal Europe. While the founders threw out the hereditary king, they maintained an elected head of state, who, over time has come to resemble that king too much. Now the most powerful person in the world is replaced every four or eight years, standing everything on its head. Elections are marvelous, but the concentration of power is not healthy, especially when subjected to a competitive contest.

History has been a series of accidents. Even people who thought they were doing the best thing could not foresee the long-term consequences of their actions. Too many good plans have been promoted with brutal force, which taints everything it touches. When we remember that government rules only by the consent of the governed, we realize that when people stand united for positive change, they have more power than any tyrant. To unite the diverse people who live on this continent, we must open our ears to the best ideas from every sector of the population.

Witness the patchwork of boundary lines that crisscross our continent. Many reflect nothing more than an arbitrary ruler set to a map. Yet these arbitrary rules affect real lives in profound ways. Political systems should support natural healthy human communities. We are divided enough by the constraints of our physical world without being divvied between governments like so much ransacked booty. All humans are born with the same rights, which should not be limited by place of birth. When we come together around a common vision, we can erase the accidents of the past, while embracing those traditions that still make sense, and innovating collaboratively.

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This document does not pretend to be legal or formal. Such a document could only arise through an intense democratic process. Please read this as a starting point for such a process. Discuss the ideas herein, consider alternatives and determine your own ideals. Most importantly, please take the necessary steps to advance democracy in your own community. Imagine a political system that is inclusive, participatory, representative, accountable, transparent and responsive to citizens aspirations and expectations. In celebration of collaboration among diverse citizens, we anticipate this
Proposed Constitution of North America
I. The Continental Congress shall have responsibility and authority for legislation in North America. Each of the 525 Members of this unicameral body shall represent constituents' interests in a collaborative effort to best serve the needs of all while depriving the liberty of none.
A. The initial Congress shall be comprised of representatives chosen from among their members by the existing national legislatures: 363 from the USA; 122 from Mexico; and 40 from Canada. Every second year, that third of the Congress which has been in office longest shall be replaced through elections, designed by the Council to proportionally represent all significant political factions of each of the continent's bioregions. Each Member must reside within the bioregion served and may serve only one six year term. Each bioregion shall be represented by the portion of the whole number of Members of Congress equal to the portion of residents of the whole continent who reside in that bioregion, as determined by the Council.
B. As its first act and whenever called into question, Congress shall determine the delineation of the bioregions of the continent. Congress shall regulate the Continental budget, providing for equal lifetime compensation of every Member of government, not exceeding the mean average income of the citizens, and for the means to execute their charge, and giving full accounting to the people of every revenue and expense. Congress may issue currency without borrowing or taxation. Congress shall regulate inter-regional and extra-continental trade and maintain control of large corporate ventures in the interest of the people. Congress shall oversee the process of maintaining the use of limited resources at sustainable rates. By majority vote Congress may make laws as necessary to improve the general welfare, enhance security, and maintain the liberties of the people of North America, and ratify treaties negotiated by the Cabinet. Congress may by three quarter majority vote impeach any Member of the Congress, Cabinet, Court, or Council for abuse of power or criminal behavior, and may remove any Member of the Court by consensus. Upon impeachment the Member shall be suspended until the Court has resolved the matter.
C. Congress shall make no law restricting the rights, as expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of any person in the world. Congress may not make an ex post facto law, nor suspend the writ of habeus corpus. Every law made by Congress shall contain a date of termination not to exceed fifty years from origination. All proceedings, deliberations and votes of Congress shall be open to public scrutiny and documented for public understanding. Each Member of Congress shall spend the majority of the time of the term physically within the bioregion served. Upon receipt of petition from at least one percent of the voters, Congress shall vote upon any proposal therein. That no proposal shall be voted upon without first being adequately discussed, cloture shall require a two thirds majority vote.
II. The Cabinet shall have responsibility and authority to execute the laws duly passed by Congress. Each of the seven members of the Cabinet will carry out agreed tasks in the manner best serving all the people of North America. Delegation of tasks among the members shall be by consensus of the entire Cabinet.
A. The initial Cabinet shall be comprised of the Presidents and Vice Presidents of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, plus the Secretary of State of the United States. Each year one member of the Cabinet shall be replaced through a continental ranked preference election, beginning with the former Secretary of State, proceeding through the former Vice Presidents and then the former Presidents of Mexico, Canada, and the United States in that order. Each Member may serve only one term of seven years.
B. The Cabinet may hire, regulate, and dismiss such employees as are necessary to execute the laws of North America. The Cabinet shall represent North America among the nations of the world, negotiating treaties subject to ratification by Congress. The Cabinet may direct the Navy and, during times of threat, the coordination of local militias.
C. Every member and employee of government within North America is bound to respect the equal right of each human to access with dignity the necessities of a healthy life. North America shall not engage in aggressive warfare nor occupy foreign lands with troops, and shall abide by all treaties which Congress has ratified. No Member or former Member of the Congress, Cabinet, Court or Council shall be hired for any task of government beyond their duty of office.
III. The Supreme Court shall have responsibility to resolve conflicts and oversee the administration of justice, seeking to prevent recurrence of crime and to provide amends for victims and, when practical, rehabilitation for offenders.
A. Members of the Court shall be appointed by consensus of the Cabinet and shall serve until resignation, death, or impeachment.
B. In response to a complaint, the Court may compel any parties to an orderly trial and delegate authority to a system of local and regional courts to assure quick quality decisions based upon review of observations from every available viewpoint and deliberation of appropriate law and precedent. The primary goal of the courts will be to satisfy the needs of all parties as much as possible within the laws passed by Congress. The Court may enforce the Constitutional limitations of Congress, Cabinet, and Council and resolve conflicts which arise among them.
C. The Court must satisfy the equal rights of accused and victims to a speedy trail by a jury of their peers following due process. No individual is granted superiority within the courts. None may be convicted except by consensus of a jury and the right to appeal may not be denied. Blame, retribution and punishment are to be avoided, but every person may be held accountable for behavior. The Court may only compel to trial Members of the Congress, Cabinet, Court, or Council who have been impeached by Congress.
IV. The Electoral Council shall have responsibility and authority to regulate elections to choose Members of Congress and the Cabinet within the guidelines of this document.
A. The Council shall be comprised of one representative chosen by each Political Party which has established itself by presenting to the Council signatures from at least one percent of the voters upon a ratifying document stating the goals of the Party.
B. The Council may direct government employees and enlist voluntary compliance among citizens to engage all residents of the continent in free and fair elections. The Council shall issue invitations to impartial observers from foreign nations to provide objective witness of their processes. Demographic census data gathered for electoral purposes may be shared with Congress and the public, without disclosure of specific private information.
C. Every decision of the Council must be made by consensus. No individual Member of the Council has authority without consent of the whole Council. Registration of residents for voting may not be used for any regulation of those residents beyond elections. The Council may not regulate the internal decision making processes of any party, nor allow any citizen greater vote than another.
V. Within two years of the ratification of this Constitution, pre-existing governments within North America shall have ceded all authority to the new governments of the Continent and the bioregions. Any remaining resources of government will distribute to the lowest practical level of common ownership.
A. When ratified by three quarters of the population of North America, this Constitution and all laws and treaties pursuant to it shall be the highest law of the continent.
B. Within three months of the ratification of this Constitution, every existing national and regional government shall submit to its constituents a detailed plan for transferal of all resources to existing local governments, to one of thirteen new bioregional governments, or to the continental government defined herein. The citizens of each bioregion are empowered to create their own government subject to popular ratification. Within two years of ratification of this constitution, every preexisting state, provincial, and national government in North America shall cease to govern.
C. Within twelve years of ratification of this Constitution and every subsequent ten years, the Electoral Council shall organize a continental election for popular confirmation of this Constitution by the adult residents of North America. Within three months of any such election failing to confirm the Constitution by at least sixty percent majority, the Council shall convene a Continental Convention to draft a new proposed constitution, which will be subject to same ratification.

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Who can say when conditions in our society will be truly ripe for a proposal of this magnitude? It certainly won't happen without a lot of work. I'm happy to illuminate steps that appear to lead in the right direction, but it is up to you to decide what actions are appropriate for you.

To change the current system, we must become deeply integrated into it without allowing it to warp our ideals. We must vote, recruit and register voters, and help count votes, so we can be sure it's done fairly. We must discuss issues with politicians as well as our neighbors and friends. The goal is to realize our ideals without giving ground to the forces who promote violence and injustice. To compromise one's values for the sake of power is to lose.

We don't want the kind of systemic change that can be imposed from the top down. Democracy grows from the local level up. Please take responsibility for initiating change in your locale. The changes you institute in your city or county can make an impression on the continent, especially if they fit into a broader vision. Your testing ground could prove the viability of a concept that will eventually become the norm.

Probably the most essential change we can promote is the evolution to a multi-party democracy. Besides gridlock and negative campaigning, the two-party system is more easily controlled by elite people who wish to maintain the imbalance of power. When we decentralize party power from the grassroots, we undermine their control and make major changes, such as this constitution. So if you like some of the ideas in this pamphlet, please work to change your local governments, using tools like proportional representation and ranked preference voting.

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Bike4Peace

2006-06-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

A group of us are getting ready to ride across the continent on our bicycles. Tue 1 Aug we leave Everett, WA, to arrive Fri 22 Sept in Washington, DC. We'll stay in the homes of peace people along the way, networking together people who support alternative energy, sustainable living, and world peace. The spoke folk revolution began with this same ride last year. This year more people will participate and we'll make a movie.