[Dialogue] Fwd: GMCA Sept 26-27

[David Zahrt via Dialogue]

*FRI SEP 26* *Maumee to Toledo, OH*



While I waited for the scrambled eggs, I made my lunch for the day. I chose
a route north along the west side of the river to Toledo. We’re staying in
an abandoned Convent at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. It was abandoned
when the elevator stopped working. We have to climb the outside stairs 4 ½
 flights to get to the Convent. The facilities are nice. I claimed a room
and then went to the local library.

In the afternoon we were shuttled to a community garden placed on a 1/8
acre lot in East Toledo—we had to cross the river to get there. The garden
is somehow in violation of the city ordinance!  Kat led an introductory
conversation—around the circle; name and concern prompted by Climate
Change—and then we broke into groups to discuss particular interests. The
group I chose focused on solar electricity. It’s one thing to get solar
panels up; it’s yet another to get access to the electricity produced
because of the utility companies. Then a retired engineer gave a short
presentation. He has a chart of the way we (human civilization) have used
up Mother Earth <www.cs4us.org>. I haven’t looked at his website but I
think his prediction is that humanity will use up Mother Earth and we will
not be able to inhabit it at that point: Humankind will become extinct!
But Mother Earth will rebound.


We were shuttled back across the river for dinner offered to us by a church
that closed and has become a Homeless Shelter. Talk about humility and
gratitude! We were able to walk back to the Convent. At the evening meeting
Deb led a workshop focused on the qualities that the participants would
like to have the March embody. As I recall she did this workshop earlier in
New Mexico. I think she re-instated it because we have some new Marchers.
It was meant to be a brainstorm that would be gestalted. It turned into a
discussion and lasted until 9:30pm with the need to continue the
conversation.



*SAT Sep 27 *It was a leisurely morning. I ate breakfast and took a shower.
At 9am there was an All-Camp meeting. This one was to allow members of the
March to express opinions that they might have been harboring—“I”
statements. Then we were to gather at 11am to be shuttled to a BP (British
Petroleum) processing plant to demonstrate against the way BP is poisoning
the Toledo environment. There were very few locals that joined us in the
shuttle. We found a parking lot and there were a few more people there.  We
Marched back to a place that would put a labeled BP storage tank in the
background (for filming). Several local folks made presentations as did
several Marchers. At the end of the presentations there were Marchers that
collapsed on the ground. The rest of us wore face masks to symbolize the
pollution that the processing plant is leaving in the atmosphere.


Then we Marched back to the parking lot where one of the local women
provided bagels and cream cheese.  We ate lunch and shuttled back to the
Convent where once more dinner was provided by the Homeless Shelter. There
was a Prayer Vigil scheduled at one of the local churches. I missed going
with our group and I didn’t know the directions through the neighborhood.
Since the neighborhood was said to be dangerous after dark, I decided not
to go and returned to the Convent to pack up and get ready for the Sunday
March.
-- 
Peace, David
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