A Way Through

[Le Taz Hot]

It has become painfully clear that our country, our world, is heading towards a sort of neo-feudalism and 98% of us aren't on the receiving end for the goodies. How many times has this scenario repeated itself throughout history? The difference, of course, is that in the past, the “takeover” was always within a particular country or region. Never before has it been global. Welcome to the New World Order. It's what they've had in mind since The New Deal. The election of Ronald Reagan (with the help of the Religious Right Loonies) enabled “them” to set the gears into motion.

There was a time in this country that The People/The Congress/The Senate/The White House/The Supreme Court/Rule of Law/Sanity was a given. We were secure. The “Good German” syndrome could NEVER happen to us. Then there was the Coup of 2000. With encouragement from the Mainstream Media (our illustrious “Fourth Estate”) and our elected “representatives,” the Great Conspiracy could very possibly result in the ultimate demise of American Democracy.

So how do we, the peasants, survive the Clashing of the Gods? We turn to history and enact those techniques by which our ancestors survived previous oligarchies. We become self-reliant and by “self,” I mean community.

What is “community?” Community is whatever the participants establish is community. In my case, I'm attempting to establish a community made up of residents within a specific geographical boundary. Having said that, the possibilities for the definition of “community” is endless.

Why “community? Because it's more manageable and isn't it the essence of Democracy? An essential bonus is that, each action we take that relies on one another is commerce we do not give the oligarchy.

Here are some ideas I've been working on in my own community:

Community Plant Sales I've lived in a lot of different neighborhoods and a commonality among most of them was Spring Outdoor Cleaning/Planting. The process necessitates elimination of that which is in overabundance to make room for that which is desired. Example: Every year I have an overabundance of ferns, geraniums and begonias. My neighbors have an overabundance of tomato or pepper starts but their garden is in need of annuals. I use peppers and tomatoes every year for my veggie garden. We trade. Does it get any simpler and no one had to go to Lowe's to accomplish it.

Community Yard Sales Participants benefit by pooling resources and making what would normally be a singular yard sale by making it an “event.” Advertise for free by putting it on Craig's List, the social networking sites, and community calendars.

Once "my community” is established:

Make available:
- A List of Services for Barter List and/or a List of Services for Hire List
- Seminars on subjects ranging from Square Foot/Inch Gardening to tax laws – whatever topic in which members of the community are interested.

**

These are just starting places. I confess I've been disappointed in the past when I've put a considerable amount of thought/research/effort into a post only to see it quickly sink to the bottom. But I'm trying again and my sincere wish is that Duers read my much-worked-on missive and offer their contribution.

[Goldstein1984]

1. The G20 isn't meeting to promote the general welfare

They've basically superseded the authority of the U.N. and the sovereignty of nations by controlling the economics of the planet.

[LiberalEsto]

2. Excellent ideas

There is a movement to create Common Security Club that seems to be similar to what you are doing.

http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/common-security-clubs/building-resilient-congregations-and-communities

http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/common-security-clubs

I'm going to look into whether members of my Unitarian Universalist congregation might be interested in starting a Common Security Club.

[OneGrassRoot]

4. LOL, I just posted similar links. :)

Great minds. ;)

[Le Taz Hot]

6. Excellent links!

Sorry, all of this just excites me as I can TRULY see the way out via "self"-sufficiency, in every aspect of the concept. Thank much for your contribution.

[OneGrassRoot]

3. I agree about community...

And your suggestions are good ones. :)

Might I also suggest people read sites like www.yesmagazine.org and www.transitionus.org.

This has also been the underlying (or overarching?) vision behind Wishadoo!:

Wishadoo! allows regular, everyday people like you and me to dream a better world and feel empowered to do so, and then take action in the doing. We can brainstorm about new types of structures (co-ops, bartering clubs, time banks) and new ways of doing anything and everything. Websites dedicated to inventors/innovators/visionaries intimidate so many of us. At Wishadoo! we can come together to develop innovative ideas and create a new world.


To me, we can multitask; we can focus on local, sustainable communities as we also take steps, in unison, to directly change the bigger systems. Micro and macro approaches.

K&R


edit to create links

[Le Taz Hot]

5. This is EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

It's the PEOPLE who have the answers. I'm old enough to remember a change from home remedies to "science knows best." (Of course, Boomers like myself adapted "Better Living Through Science" but not in the way Monsanto intended. :evilgrin:)
We as a society bought into the concept so much that the treatment of Athlete's Feet, for example, became a run to the pharmacy as opposed to using the vinegar and warm water solutions our great grandmothers told us about. Another: You don't need Bactene if you know hydrogen peroxide is every bit as good a disinfectant, and much cheaper. You don't need an anti-itch cream to sooth a bug bite when you know a paste of baking soda and water will do the same (it draws out the irritant).

"Community" is a manageable way to share useful information such as that which you offered.

[OneGrassRoot]

7. And it's simply common sense....

Getting back to the basics doesn't have to be a "doom-and-gloom" scenario. It can be something to look forward to doing and creating, because it makes sense and is healthier on all levels (physically, economically, emotionally, etc.), rather than being a pre/post-apocalyptic plan.

I know it sounds all woo-woo or psyche 101 or whatever, but I firmly believe that we can be MUCH more effective if we work TOWARD what we choose to experience and create, rather than simply react out of fear and anger.

I'm on a mission. ;)

[dgibby]

8. Love it!

I'm moving back to my hometown next month. My niece and I are both selling our houses, moving in together.
It's a small town where everyone knows everyone, a real community, where there are no strangers.

We'll be growing a garden,keeping a few laying hens, joining a CSA, pet sitting and baby-sitting for family and friends.

Some other things to consider: recycle and buy 2nd-hand, join a CSA, grown enough in your garden to be able to donate to the local food bank, learn to can/preserve your own food, stock up on items you can use to barter for things you'll need(you can't eat money).

My parents grew up on farms during the depression, and my mother used to tell me stories about how they survived. She even wrote a few of them down, and believe me, that knowledge came in really handy when Hugo hit and I didn't have electricity for about 3 weeks!

If you don't subscribe to Mother Earth News, please consider it. There's a wealth of info that will help you considerably.(I have no ties to them, just found them to be very useful).

Go green as much as possible, and consider buying a diesel powered auto, so you can run it on recycled veggie oil.

Google the term "sustainable living". Lots of great info!

Good luck, and thanks for posting this.

K&R!