I Stand With (in) Oakland

The agents of change have taken up residence my city. Oakland has been an epicenter for those wanting change and a few fringe crazies who insist on making it violent- both inside and outside of the city government position- these past few weeks. I was closer to the sister "Occupation" efforts (Occupy Dame Street) in Dublin, Ireland.

I am due to visit the Oakland city center encampment and frankly, I'm hoping to be able to take those folks some pie or something delicious. As I'm finishing up this post, I see they are having their 1 month birthday party tomorrow night and are asking on Twitter for cake.

The Occupiers are doing what I cannot. But there are other things I'm doing to wield my own power:

- I'm participating in Small Business Saturday. In fact, I always try to keep my business with local, family-run chains. It really should happen every day, but you have to start small. I have my breakdowns in truth- times when I patronize national retailers. When they happen, I try to make sure my purchase tax dollars go to Oakland.

How can you feed the businesses and entrepreneurs working in your community?

- I'm dumping Bank of America for good. I missed Bank Transfer Day but the spirit ($80 million dollars moved in one day?!!) is still with me. Here's how you can find a credit union too.

- I'm going to continue to read and point out the current political relevance and examples of certain pages of President Obama's book Of Thee I Sing. It is in this spirit that I write (and take my little one to also go deliver cake this evening). He writes:

"Have I told you that you are part of a family?"

"A man named Abraham Lincoln knew that all of America should work [Occupy?] together. He kept our nation one and promised freedom to enslaved sisters and brothers. This man of the people, simple and plain, asked more of our country--that we behave as kin."

I think I should help them eat cake, don't you?  :)

Photos:  Occupy Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland.