Protesting Greed

Backbone launch of inflated sculpture

The Backbone Campaign has completed another Summer Action Camp which culminated in the launch of this sculpture powered by helium balloons and kayaks and floated on Lake Washington in full view of the Paul Allen helicopter port off Mercer Island. The launch of the “mooning” sculpture was accompanied by a second banner declaring the disparity between the top one percent and the rest of us

Getting these banners in the air was not easy. Making these banners at the Action Camp on Vashon was fun, but it helped to be with experts.

First we figured out what we were going to say. Then we projected giant letters ( 8 feet high) onto Tyco fabric painted orange, then we cut it out and sewed it onto a netting. The giant pant sculpture required a lot of sewing on an industrial sewing machine and two huge inflated balloons to hold it up.

Even with a lot of help and skill and knowledge, the project was subject to the whims of nature, as currents and winds, gravity and heat, all created unexpected events. But the protest came off! It concluded with songs, speeches, chants and dances ( The bare ass review).

Backbone Bare Ass Review protesting greed

But the camp lasted for eight days and during that time there was both skills taught like kayaking and tree climbing, as well as protest art making and in depth programs presented by groups like Vida Urbana who are actively protesting evictions of both owners and tenants in Boston

Vida Urbana use the sword and shield to protest evictions in Boston

These highly effective organizers give advice to people who have received eviction notices letting them know what their rights are and what the procedure is. They also show up at auctions of houses and heckle buyers.

The United Workers group are calling publicly exposing the abuses of day laborers in Baltimore. They also have brilliant strategies and tactics and are realizing a lot of success in getting better wages for exploited hourly workers who can’t belong to unions. The stories of exploitation among stores on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor in national chain restaurants like Cheesecake Factory, Hooters, Pier 9 and Phillips Sea Food are mind boggling. ESPN Disney shut down with one week warning. Unitedworkers.org  organized a protest to demonstrate that developers were getting all the money from taxpayers.

This chart demonstrates that respect for human rights, sustainable practices and public benefits are intersecting actions that lead to a better situation for everyone.  These intersections can replace the current top down, divide and conquer approach of corporate developers

In the evening I did a presentation about my book Art and Politics Now, Cultural Activism in a Time of Crisis as well, showing these political activists how effectively artists use art in so many different ways to address political issues. This is my current focus, supported by funding from the Puffin Foundation.  See the rest of my website to learn more.

And that was only part of the program for one day! Anyone that attended the whole camp had an intense education in tactics, strategies, and techniques for activism. There were people who had traveled from all over the country to carry ideas back to their own campaigns. That is the idea of “Localize This!” the name of the action camp.

And speaking of organizing, on August 29 in Pioneer Square there was a protest of the Tar Sands with a march to President Obama’s office to ask him not to approve the Keystone pipeline.

Here are some pictures from that event.

Tar Sands Protest Banner going from Seattle to DC

I first heard about Tar Sands at last years Backbone Action Camp and did a blog about it then. Do really educate yourself on it read Tar Sands by Andrew Nikiforuk. But try to find a protest right after you read it or you will be really down in the dumps. He covers every aspect of the ecological disaster, human disaster, planet disaster.

Last summer at the Backbone Camp we heard from courageous young activists who were planning on blocking the giant trucks from driving from Lewiston to Alberta. Apparently they had a hundred people lying in the road in Moscow Idaho to continue that protest last week. All across the country people are furious and protesting. Here is a video about the Megaload arriving in Idaho on scenic Highway 12.

Greed must be stopped. The rape of the planet must be stopped. If not we will be stopped by nature. Tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, nuclear spills, oil spills, take your pick. The planet will win in the end. What kind of a future are we giving our grandchildren.