SUMMIT II/PROGRESSIVE ACTION FOR THE COMMON GOODIt was a beautiful, late October Sunday afternoon not unlike many others, except for the gathering of the curious.
No, it was not a herd of Guernsey's bobbing across a field to see who had walked up to their fence, but the second gathering of humans from Eastern IOWA and Western Illinois interested in making a positive contribution to their communities.
The campus at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL was awash in vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds as folks entered to sign up for their favorite workshop. They could choose from Education Reform, Effective Lobbying, Protecting Our Environment/Hog Confinements (my personal favorite), Combating Hunger, Predatory Lending, Rapid Response/Effective Response to Media Coverage, Wake-Up Wal-Mart Campaign, or 5 others.
As attendants munched on cheese cubes, mini-muffins, and coffee they were called into the main auditorium to take their seats. I had set up my "classroom" in one of the basement areas. There, with the help of a highly competent assistant and good friend, Monica Kurth, a large map of IOWA was taped to the board. (It took two of us you know.) On it, I had marked in green, the 13 counties that have chosen this year NOT to be part of the MASTER MATRIX process.
This means that (in no particular order) CLAYTON, IOWA, WASHINGTON, LEE, WAPELLO, MAHASKA, MARSHALL, WARREN, DECATUR, FREEMONT, SHELBY, WOODBURY, AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES CHOSE TO OPT OUT of having any input when a construction permit is applied for a new or expanding CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation). Monica and I also placed about the room environmental magazines, local pollution photos, and a bibliography of some of the best sustainable living books, telephone numbers, and web-sites.
We then made our way up to Wallenberg Auditorium and I took my place on the stage as to ready myself to introduce our keynote speaker DAVID OSTERBERG. After Cathy Bolckom's opening remarks regarding our reason for forming a progressive group and our intentions, I introduced David and was concluding when, all of a sudden, I broke into song. I don't know what overcame me, but there I was, singing in front of over 200 people.
I had never sung in front of a group of ANY number of people before, so I was quite taken back when this song just came out…(Sung to the tune of "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning" from "OKLAHOMA")…I call it "ODE TO THE EPA"…With my thanks to Rodgers and Hammerstein.
"There's a brown, stinky haze on the meadow. There's a brown, stinky haze on the meadow. Particulates flying in/out of my nose, And taking a deep breath could blow out my toes.
"Oh, What a breathtaking morning, My asthma gets worse every day, Mercury levels are rising, 'Cause big money's slashed EPA.
"We're bound and determined to change things, By building a livable world, Where justice prevails with good fortune, Joining Peace and Clean Air, Flags unfurled!"
Well, it went over pretty well. Actually, several weeks before, I had been trying to think of some kind of joke to tell about David during the introduction. But sometimes it's difficult to chuckle with those pesky environmentalists, you know how serious they are. Anyway, while driving to work one day and mulling this over, all of a sudden it came to me, and I had to write it down. But, I just couldn't finish it. So I asked help of my friend Dick Fallow. He not only plays instruments by ear as I do, but he also writes songs. So, we practiced with Dick playing the accordion and there we were, together in front of many, many, many, many people, singing and playing and having a good time.
We hoped they all liked it. From the laughter and applause, it sounded as though they did. More later about the rest of the summit.
And don't forget now, CPR…CONSERVE/PARTICPATE/RECYCLE
