[Oe List ...] Fwd: GMCA Sept. 9

[David Zahrt via OE]

*TUE SEP 09** East Side UMC, East Chicago to Marquette Park UMC, Gary, IN*



After Circle-up I got on my bike and rode the route through the industrial
area. I think the route was designed so that the Marchers could personally
confirm the information the locals gave yesterday afternoon and evening.
It’s clear why the environment of the cities joining the lakefront has been
poisoned. I suspect I could have chosen a more direct route but I thought
it necessary to take the tour. As I got further along the route I found the
directions confusing. I stopped and asked for directions several times.
Sometimes people didn’t know their way around, sometimes I got
misdirection. The neighborhood was mixed Latino and Black. I found an
elderly man out on his front porch. I asked for directions. He made several
attempts to give me directions. I had a hard time understanding his
dialect. He finally suggested that I put the bike in his pickup and he’d
drive me there. It was 3 or 4 miles further. He didn’t say anything about
what it would cost, but I handed him a $5 bill and thanked him. He was
pleased.



I helped set up at the church and then caught up on some journaling. We
cooked our own dinner but there were contributions from local residents and
church members. After dinner there was an All-Camp meeting. The topic was
how we, as Marchers, get training for demonstrating. Apparently there had
been some demonstration on today’s March that many Marchers were
disappointed with. When the topic of demonstration arose the day before I
realized that our family spent 20 years demonstrating—demonstrating that it
was possible to live cooperatively, with minimal income, assisting those
who are poverty stricken, dispossessed, or culturally deprived and helping
them build their community from the ground up instead of waiting for
something to trickle down from the top. Because of that I have a difficult
time identifying how to demonstrate on the March. When it was time to end
the meeting there was an interest expressed in continuing the discussion.
Then it was time for bed. Tomorrow is a 20+ mile March.
-- 
Peace, David
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