Hello Friends! 

This morning I appeared for an arraignment regarding the action of civil disobedience I took to address David Petraeus' egregious war crimes of murder and torture for which he has not yet been held accountable.  The response to this action from the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan are two misdemeanor charges against me of trespassing and "obtaining property by fraud or trick". (Charges carry a maximum penalty of 93 days in prison and/or a $500 fine.) 

Today, in the 61st District Court, I pleaded not guilty.  Six supporters of me and this action traveled through this early morning's bitter, single-digit temperatures to accompany me in the courtroom.   Kate, an attorney who works for David Lagrand  (who agreed to defend me pro bono), met us all at the courthouse and led me through this morning's process. 

Next steps:  on February 25 the prosecuting attorney and the defense attorney will meet to discuss the prosecution's plans.  I will then be notified of the prosecution's offer and we will discuss.   Also, some local activists might plan a demonstration in Grand Rapids about Petraeus and case.

Please read the following segments of an interview conducted between Grand Rapids writer Steve Middendorp and myself regarding this arrest and my thoughts on activism: 

How much did tickets cost to this event?  $150.

What was the primary demographic of the people at the event?   The people in attendance seemed to be professionals.  Just before the lunch was served, I sat at a table which had the label “Ferris State” where there were three empty seats.  

What would you suggest to other people that are interested in political and environmental activism?  

I say this to people who are interested in political and environmental activism:   First, remember that you are important, what you think is important, and you deserve a chance to be heard.  You are valuable and you have a right to express yourself.  Furthermore, expressing what you think and feel is freeing and fun!

Second, PAY ATTENTION to what is going on in your local community as well as in global spheres.  Seek out news sources which are not funded by corporations.  Even NPR is far too beholden to corporate sponsors to be trusted. There are several not-for-profit news agencies available on the internet, some of which are broadcast on radio and television.  The DemocracyNow.org one-hour long, Monday through Friday broadcast is my primary source of information about the world.  I also regularly check TheRealNews.com which posts several interviews about current events each day.  Follow your heart and dig, dig, dig up the true information on topics which interest you. The internet is an unbelievably vast resource of information.  The social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, provide great opportunities to see what other activists are doing, writing and reading.

After you have educated yourself about current events, make intentional decisions about what is truly important to you. Determine your particular priorities.  Research the history of issues important to you.  Over time, anyone can become an expert in certain areas through staying informed.  You don't need a Phd. to speak authoritatively on any of today's most pressing issues.  Talk about what you care about with your friends and family.  Post articles on social networking sites and converse with others over the internet. 

Regarding actions of civil disobedience, it is very helpful to know a community of people who will support you in your action or—better yet—join you in discerning what action to take. The independent action I took of speaking to Petraeus was inspired by dozens of activist friends who have been arrested many times for civil disobedience.  Since my arrest, many of them have communicated their unwavering support for me.  Though I acted alone, I have been consistently aware of the love and encouragement that I have received in the past and will continue receiving from the activist community.

Regarding environmental activism, I suggest that one of the best, most inspiring things to do is to consistently ask yourself where all the objects come from which you take for granted each day.  Most of Americans’ food travels thousands of miles before it is consumed.  Question the necessity of food traveling thousands of miles to you when the land right around you is suitable for growing loads of food. Also ask:  where does your heat, electricity and gas come from?  Who made your clothes and where?    

In my adult life I have sought out communities of people who desire that the earth and its beings are respected in the process of maintaining their lifestyles.  Thus, in April through October of this coming year I will be living on a farm in Missouri which uses no electricity and nearly no petroleum.  The farm is called the Possibility Alliance (blogs about the farm can be googled).  Approximately 1500 people visit the farm each year for “Visitor Weeks” and other happenings.  All of the courses offered at the farm, including permaculture certification courses, are part of the “Gift Economy”.  This means that no person is obligated to give money in exchange for a course or a visit.  Rather, each person is asked to “pay it forward” after they receive the gift from the Possibility Alliance.  In addition, many members of the immediate and surrounding community are very involved in activism and take part in nonviolent resistance actions for social and environmental justice.  Please visit the farm!  Here is the Possibility Alliance phone number:  660-332-4094.

 

What kinds of things should we be doing to make a difference in the way the system operates?

In order to transform the destructive, imperialist, racist, fossil-fuel-and-war-based economy into a life-giving, inclusive, creative, ecologically sound economy, humanity must work on all ends of the spectrum.  We must carefully discern how to respond to individual opportunities as they present themselves.  We must work in the inner cities as well as in wilderness and rural areas.  We must work with the federal, state, and local governments as well as with our neighbors.  But not everyone needs to work in every area.  We must at least pay attention to what is going on in various sectors and be awake to the possibilities to act for change in many areas. 

We cannot afford to not have a more informed citizenry about the broad range of issues facing humanity now.  The climate crisis and the spread of wars across the world are twin problems exacerbating each other to the point of threatening the very future of life on this planet.  Thus, we need each capable person on board this ship to lend their hands to the best of their abilities.

The “All-American” capitalist economy states that the primary virtue of each person must be to meet their own needs without dependence on anyone else.  This mentality has led our citizenry down dead-end paths of isolation, depression, and disconnection from nature.  Creating community by sharing resources and information with the people closest to you is a great way to form a lifestyle which challenges the dominant paradigm.  Eighteen months ago, a new coop house was formed in Grand Rapids called the James Russell House.  Here is the vision statement of the house:  The Grand Rapids Alliance of Cooperative Communities fosters a framework for creation, growth, and connection. We seek to connect our member/ owners to their local community and to the global cooperative community. As individuals, we aim to grow collectively from every partnership. Together, we live intentionally in a way that helps to grow our communities into healthy and sustainable environments that blur the lines between life, work, and play. We achieve all this by creating outlets for equitable, affordable, and democratic lifestyles. In the end, we fight for the chance to create the world we want to see and celebrate the opportunity to do it together.

 

Should we focus more on educating ordinary people or by trying to sway the motives of the money-hungry war machine?

I don’t think we have to choose one or the other of those things.  We can do both.  We can pay attention to all the opportunities and take individual actions, one by one, which add up over time to make an impact.  I regularly lobby my legislators and President Obama through various means. I make phone calls to the government officials, sign online and paper petitions, and I visit my legislators’ offices in Washington DC and in my hometown.   

I also regularly educate others regarding what is important to me.  The most common way I teach others is in daily conversations.  I also make regular posts on social networking internet sites.  I occasionally give talks to people in my community.  Soon I will be making a public presentation titled “Palestine, Private Manning, Petraeus and Permaculture” at the James Russell House in Grand Rapids.  The free presentation will be at 7pm on Tuesday, February 25 at 535 Fulton St. E, Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Refreshments will be served.   Maybe I will see you there!

Thanks for reading!  Please feel free to share this interview and add your wocomments.

Best,

Deb Van Poolen

www.debvanpoolen.com