[GPSCC-chat] Notes From the US Social Forum -- Part 1

[WB4D23 at aol.com]

NOTES  FROM THE 2010 U. S. SOCIAL FORUM  
July  3, 2010  This is the first of two  reports from my attending the U. 
S. Social Forum (USSF) in Detroit, Michigan  this year in connection with 
attending the Annual National Meeting (ANM) of the  Green Party of the United 
States (GPUS) onal Committee member (I am a delegate  from the Green Party of 
California). 
I  arrived at the Detroit airport Wednesday, June 23rd, and eventually  
boarded the Route 125 “Smart Bus” for about an hour-long ride to the downtown  
center, where I transferred to a Route 610 to get to the Wayne State 
University  campus where I had reserved a dorm room and where the GPUS meetings 
were to be  held.  The University also was the  location of USSF workshops, 
but the largest number were being held in Cobo Hall,  a large convention 
center in the downtown area near where I had  transferred.  The ride from the  
airport was memorable for the numerous potholes, the worn shocks on the bus, 
and  the route running from the outer airport offices area, through worn 
looking  light industrial stretches evidencing no activities in the middle of a 
weekday,  a few residential areas, and then a major arterial street leading 
to the  downtown area.  The bus driver was  calm and patient in dealing with 
all passengers, which was what I heard from  others repeatedly as 
describing the Detroit bus drivers.  The passenger mix was familiar – people  going 
to and from work; to and from school; to and from their probation  officer.  
The following day I rode  another bus route from the University to within 
three blocks of Cobo  Hall. 
I  had co-registered for the USSF with my ANM registration.  After checking 
in and getting my plastic  orange buckle bracelet, the indication of my 
registration, I picked up my tote  bag with the workshops schedule and toured 
the large number of information  tables in that auditorium area.  Already 
there was a sense of many, many people moving through the  hallways and the 
auditorium space.  Reports of attendance I heard were 20,000 or 25,000.  Many 
of the groups represented at the  literature tables were familiar; some were 
not.  The breadth of what I call progressive  organizations were 
represented.  I  wandered down the hallway and eventually found a table off a coffee 
bistro where  I could sit down and study the schedule of workshops.  There 
were over a thousand to choose  from over the week of events.  I  found a few 
in my initial scanning – but they were either back at the University  or on 
the following day when I knew I was committed to attend GPUS  meetings.  So 
at about 11:00 am I  went for a stroll in the area around the Hall.  Found 
office buildings, parking lots, an  ambulance bay and eateries.  When I  
returned to Cobo Hall, it was about Noon, where I experienced mild  
claustrophobia because the lunch break brought a horde of people to the main  floor where 
there were various food services.  I got an expensive pint of mild for  
lunch and went to find the location of the afternoon workshop I had agreed to  
attend as an assistant for the small group discussion component (more on 
that  separately). 
I  was given my first item of literature on the bus ride from the airport 
by a  distraught woman (early 20’s) who was traveling on her own for the 
first time  all the way from Guam.  She had  missed her shuttle connection and 
was understandably upset.  The bus driver and I were able to help  her calm a 
bit before other passengers boarded.  I picked up a few items from the  
literature tables, some more that were just piled around pillars in the main  
hallway on the first floor, and off the table where I read the schedule.  
They were, not necessarily in  order: 
Stop  the military buildup!  Guahan  Coalition for Peace & Justice.  
_www.weareguahan.com_ (http://www.weareguahan.com/)  
Color  Postcard for “Vietnam: American Holocaust” documentary.  
_http://VietnamAmericanHolocaust.com_ (http://vietnamamericanholocaust.com/)  
LOWDOWN  – newsprint – News From The Mayfirst/Peoplelink (progressive 
internet membership  organization) _http://mayfirst.org_ (http://mayfirst.org/)  
Americans  for Informed Democracy information leaflets – college campus 
oriented  _www.aidemocracy.org_ (http://www.aidemocracy.org/)  
Leaflet  for workshop on “Palestine is STILL the Issue” organized by the 
Chicago chapter  of the International Solidarity Movement (for 10 am June  
24th) 
Two  leaflets from Campaign to Legalize Democracy’s “Move to Amend” 
project – re  fighting corporate control via local organizing and local government 
 resolutions  _www.MovetoAmend.org_ (http://www.movetoamend.org/)  (also 
listed:  _www.WILPF.org/cvd_ (http://www.wilpf.org/cvd)  and 
_www.ReclaimDemocracy.org_ (http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/) ) 
Leaflet  for workshop and support to fight California prisons ban of the 
Revolution  Newspaper _www.PRLF.org_ (http://www.PRLF.org)  
I  will bring my tote bag and its contents to the next GPSCC general 
meeting on  Wednesday July 7th. 
Warner 
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