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THE COMING-OUT OF AN ACTIVIST


First Grassroots Gathering on Biodevastation: Genetic Engineering
July 17-19
Fontbonne College
St. Louis, Missouri

The author plus partner publish a monthly 24-page publication called Green
Acres News from Iowa City.

Two weekends ago they crossed state lines to attend the Biodevastation
Conference;  the resuting August edition of GAN catches the power of the
Conference and of Vandana Shiva, the principal speaker, who says --

<<I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YEARS FOR SOME KIND OF ORGANIZED RESPONSE FROM
THIS COUNTRY.  WE ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING.>>

And because of this power, I'm posting this (and the related Shiva speech
separately) with the authors' agreement. This is for all of you to read
and to repost to your friends and to all your consuming acquaintances. 

MichaelP

========

A Reluctant Activist Comes Out
-- by Jean Thompson (published with author permission)

	Well, you see, I didn't really want to go in the first place.  I
hadn't worked out a plan for not going yet, being unsure and insecure.  I
am often uncomfortable in crowds and not eloquent when speaking up or
asking a question.  I tend to shake and sweat and get it all confused. 
And I hate sleeping in those hard, armless chairs when the speakers get
boring.  Man, was I surprised. 
	We stayed at Fontbonne College, near downtown St. Louis.  It was
just like being in college again.  There we were, living in a dorm,
wandering a lovely campus with old brick buildings and ancient trees.  The
cafeteria was all vegetarian and the rooms air conditioned, so we were
pretty comfortable. 
	So, the Conference commenced on Friday, July 17 with what they
called an 'Open Plenary', then at 10:30 a panel and lunch at noon.  I was
amazed to find it lunchtime, so completely absorbed I had become.  After
lunch and a brief rest, there was another panel and at 3:45 we broke up
into workshops again with dinner at 5:30.  After that, we watched a
special presentation by the Japanese delegation who treated us all to safe
soy candies and real green tea.  Then it was 8 p.m. and time to listen to
Vandana Shiva, who rose from her sickbed to speak to us.

 IT DIDN'T TAKE ME LONG TO FIGURE OUT THAT WHILE I DID NOT ACTUALLY SEE
GOD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT (I SAW HIM AT MY FIRST GRATEFUL DEAD CONCERT), I
WAS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS. 

  They were young, they were old, they were farmers and growers, they were
from faraway places I can only dream of ever seeing, they were journalists
and reporters, like us.  Just like us. 


	Saturday and Sunday continued with a similar mix of panels,
workshops, eating and networking.  Each day, there was a new face to whom
you could say, "Good Morning, Andy" (or Mika, or John, or Lila or Ronnie) 
and on and on.  I've never met such an open group of people; you know the
kind, they just walk right up to you and introduce themselves and start
talking.  Or they overhear your conversation with someone else and just
join right in, or they say, "So-and-so over there said I should talk to
you." 
	The panel discussions highlighted people with extensive expertise
and experience who each spoke from such a solid and passionate knowledge
base, that they were impossible to ignore, let alone to become bored with. 
	The organizers had wisely scheduled all mealtimes to be two hours
long so people could relax and network for a while, which was one of the
best parts.  There was actually time to have a conversation!  We started
each day at 9 am and went on till 9 or 10 at night and then just fell into
bed. 
	But an astonishing thing happened to me throughout these three
days.  I slept deeply and calmly.  I ate well.  I understood what I was
being told.  I stood before groups and asked questions and made comments
and even got some applause for my efforts.  I was strong, I was unafraid
and it was great. 
	When we arrived at Fontbonne College late on Thursday night, Greg
discovered the Japanese delegation sitting dejectedly on the curb waiting
for a cab.  They had been on airplanes all day, didn't know exactly where
they were (Greg didn't know for sure either), mostly didn't speak much
English and were absolutely starving there being nothing to eat on campus. 
Greg rounded them and a van up and took them to a nearby restaurant and
solved their problem while having a whale of a time himself! 

	The things I learned overwhelmed me, and I felt so tired when I
walked in my own front door on Sunday evening.

 I WAS DESPERATE FOR MY OWN BATHTUB, MY OWN BED, AND MY OWN HOUSE, BUT I
WAS SO SAD THAT IT WAS ALL OVER.  I STILL CAN HARDLY ABSORB IT ALL AND I
STILL WANT MORE. 

	Boy, I am reaaaalllllyyyyyy lucky that I didn't get totally stupid
and not go.  Really lucky sometimes just comes your way, doesn't it? 

================================================ Reprinted from Green Acre
News, August 1998, Greg and Jean Thompson, 4222 Harmony Lane SE, Iowa
City, IA 52240-9385, Phone: 319-337-7722,

JTGardens@aol.com.  

=================================================

If you send us your snail mail address, we'll send you a complimentary
issue.
JT
=========