By now we've all heard about Occupy Wall Street, right? The issues that inspired people to camp out in Zuccoti (Liberty) Park resonate so deeply with ordinary folk that now there are "occupations" all over the country. Protests make some people uncomfortable but I think there are a few things we can all agree on.
A lack of regulatory oversight has allowed financial institutions to reap obscene profit at the expense of everyone from homeowners to every single worker with a 401K account.
Wages have been stagnant for years while stockholders enjoy record gains on their investments.
Large corporations are raking in profits from wars in which our sons, brothers, and husbands continue to fight and die.
Those of us who have been quietly opting out of the industrial food system understand the need to remove the corrupting influence of corporations from out lives. Every day small family farmers struggle to survive while giant food conglomerates and commodities traders are walking in high cotton.
Today a classmate told me it's crazy to fight the system, that Goliath is too big and David doesn't stand a chance. Okay, so maybe we won't change the world. But my little corner of the world is worth fighting for. As we learn to stop spending our hard earned cash on disposable plastic junk from China, perhaps we'll learn support local businesses. We can vote every day with our wallets and our feet.
Michael Pollan says we have an opportunity three times a day to make our wishes known. If I buy beef at Wal Mart, I have cast my vote for CAFO operations that disrespect the animal and the eater alike. If I buy from those nice guys down the road, I've cast my vote for healthful food that builds my local economy.
Go to www.localharvest.com. Enter your zip code in the search box and click the enter key. You will get a list of small scale food producers close to you. Cast your vote for family farms, for healthy food, and for your own local economy.
Okay, I'll get off the soap box now.
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