This GA was fairly loose.
Brainstorming. Jokes.
(No, not about you. Pinky promise.)
Alternative Winter Meeting Spaces
Baby, it’s getting mildly cool outside.
Ideas:
- The P&J Center is not feasible considering the frequency of our meetings, PJOLA membership covers one/month. We have nine.
- Maybe finding different place in the UNM SUB, perhaps top floor?
(Find where cleaning crew starts, that way they aren’t around during GA.)
Caveat: Still doesn’t address meeting when the SUB is closed (UNM winter break, ~1 month) - UNM Women’s Resource center has a nice meeting room, but not open on Sundays. Two locations could be a hassle, and it’s buried for non-students, and fairly hidden even for campus folk.
- The church a few blocks S. on Yale would be open, if we were religious.
Two Ideas: Turn GA into religious group worshipping Flying Spaghetti Monster. Or, since they do host AA/NA meetings, become a support group/intervention for one of our most milquetoast, straight-laced members, after leading him down a path of bad decisions, necessitating frequent meetings and radical action. - Pitch enormous tent. Put space heater inside. Open flap so we don’t suffocate.
- Encampment at top of parking garage over winter. (They won’t notice!)
- One compound word: Fire-pit. (in park)
- Meet at Nob Hill mini police station. Pitch in for donuts.
- Frontier kinda’ worked for some meetings; best place is the round table in the rug room.
- El Mezquite market, not so much. (Not a conducive atmosphere, and like the Frontier, workers aren’t treated well.)
Comment: “Effective space requires ability to create sphere of community […] not be sucked away.”
- Birdsong books? Were supportive, but it’s a used bookstore, so space is likely at premium.
- Electrical outlet in park could be handy, but can be disabled at any time.
Change it up every time. Keep it fun and exciting.
Setting up a tent would take a while, but what if we get faster at it?
Tent time trials! Race against the clock and the cops!
(Could also be a fun part of a larger day of action or event.)
Keystone XL – Tar Sands Blockade – Update/Support
tarsandsblockade.org
TransCanada had cut off Texas tree-sitters from supplies. In response, they trained ~50 people for 3 days. Day of DA, lots of stuff. One aspect: Camouflaged, they surrounded the trees and rushed. Pudgy sheriffs tried to catch running, supply bearing activists. 8 arrests; supplies got through while others served as distraction.
How to support
- Raise funds as part of larger event?
- Place signs in trees, banners? Blitz city.
Key focus would have to be education about Tar Sands & pipeline, before even reaching blockade aspect. Most people don’t even know what KXL is. (Tie to local water issues? ex: KAFB jet fuel spill & aquifer)
