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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">NOTES
FROM THE 2010 U. S. SOCIAL FORUM <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">July
3, 2010<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">I
arrived at the Detroit airport Wednesday, June 23<SUP>rd</SUP>, 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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The passenger mix was familiar – people
going to and from work; to and from school; to and from their probation
officer.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The following day I rode
another bus route from the University to within three blocks of Cobo
Hall.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">I
had co-registered for the USSF with my ANM registration.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Already there was a sense of many, many people moving through the
hallways and the auditorium space.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Reports of attendance I heard were 20,000 or 25,000.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Many of the groups represented at the
literature tables were familiar; some were not.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The breadth of what I call progressive
organizations were represented.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There were over a thousand to choose
from over the week of events.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So at about 11:00 am I
went for a stroll in the area around the Hall.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Found office buildings, parking lots, an
ambulance bay and eateries.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She had
missed her shuttle connection and was understandably upset.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The bus driver and I were able to help
her calm a bit before other passengers boarded.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They were, not necessarily in
order:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">Stop
the military buildup!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Guahan
Coalition for Peace & Justice.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><A href="http://www.weareguahan.com/">www.weareguahan.com</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">Color
Postcard for “Vietnam: American Holocaust” documentary.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><A href="http://vietnamamericanholocaust.com/">http://VietnamAmericanHolocaust.com</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">LOWDOWN
– newsprint – News From The Mayfirst/Peoplelink (progressive internet membership
organization) <A href="http://mayfirst.org/">http://mayfirst.org</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">Americans
for Informed Democracy information leaflets – college campus oriented<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><A href="http://www.aidemocracy.org/">www.aidemocracy.org</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">Leaflet
for workshop on “Palestine is STILL the Issue” organized by the Chicago chapter
of the International Solidarity Movement (for 10 am June
24<SUP>th</SUP>)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">Two
leaflets from Campaign to Legalize Democracy’s “Move to Amend” project – re
fighting corporate control via local organizing and local government
resolutions<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><A href="http://www.movetoamend.org/">www.MovetoAmend.org</A> (also listed:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><A href="http://www.wilpf.org/cvd">www.WILPF.org/cvd</A> and <A href="http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/">www.ReclaimDemocracy.org</A>)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin">Leaflet
for workshop and support to fight California prisons ban of the Revolution
Newspaper <A href="http://www.PRLF.org">www.PRLF.org</A></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><o:p>I
will bring my tote bag and its contents to the next GPSCC general meeting on
Wednesday July 7th.</o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><o:p>Warner</o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Cambria','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>