Bright and early the morning of Earth Day
(they had to do it secretly and not tell the neighbors so the police wouldn’t stop them)
The Occupy Movement took over a lovely open space 2 blocks from my house in Albany Ca. Before the sunset they had plowed and planted 16 acres for an “organic garden”. To grow food for the homeless in Oakland
Unilaterally they decided they know what was best for tract of land owned by the Univercity of California Berkeley (UC).
I have been documenting in photos the wild turkeys, deer, and geese as well as the mustard field for a couple of years.
All that is gone in a day. It made me very sad to see the mustard pulled up by the hand fulls and stacked around for seating while the Occupiers stomping around as if they owned this beautiful place and smiling for the cameras.
Did they consider it as a wild space where the Mother Earth and her creatures live? Do they remember it was theirs first. They are who we need to “take it back for”.
Did they think that they really could grow enough food to really make a difference in peoples life in Oakland 10 miles away? Maybe they know a loaves and fishes trick that I don’t.
Did they think to ask people of Albany if we could might grow food in our gardens for food banks?
Did they think about sources of water? UC turned off the water today. The neighbors are mad about the sound of the generators.
It doesn’t seem to me they thought this through.
I believe the Occupier’s minds need to be occupied by teachers, communicators, naturalist, negotiators and Moms to teach them not to steal.
We may be the 99% but the Living Wild Earth is the 100% of all we have. I don’t want to let a false sense of scarcity destroy it.
Not very light words today but maybe enlightening.
Light Words 
I agree with everything you said here. The way I see it, this movement is all about self-centeredness. In a strange way, isn’t it often that people become what they hate? Sure, we hate the greed and selfish motives of Wall Street. But, so much of this movement has moved to become what it purportedly hates.
LikeLike
Thanks Carol, As hard as I try not to make it a them and us situation, somehow a line gets drawn that separates me from the kids sleeping in the tents where wild things use to live.
LikeLike
I think you could write an informative and interesting article called Where the wild things used to live. The concept of being self-focused is a real issue and society struggle on many levels. i grew up with the concept that people can/ do/ should help one another as a matter of course but it seems that this is no longer taught or learned.
LikeLike
OMG that title is just what I am thinking and feeling. Thanks .I am going through the batch of photos missing my Wild Things. Yes, help each other that includes plants and animals. I did post most of this as a long comment in local E News. Got good feed back. You have given me a great assignment.
LikeLike
Very, very good job Carol. I fully agree with you on this one. These radicals don’t think. Basically I would call them stupid. They need to open their eyes and look at the beauty of our world before they mess it up like that. What about the deer and turkey?? Now they will have to go and find another area. And it’s not only these groups, it is other’s, business and etc. that take some of our beauitful land and “mess it up”!! I was so upset years ago when cell phones were coming into existance. At first I didn’t realize that there had to be a cell tower every 10 miles for us to use them. Now look across our horizon . . . cell towers everywhere!! What a beauitful site to see cell towers everywhere. Oh look, what a beauitful sunset . . . except for that cell tower. Oh don’t get me started on other things. By the way, I do have a cell phone. lol
And on a personal note about you. I remember years and years ago your parents went to their place in southern California to stay for the winter. Your dad mentioned to me that he threw a plactic bottle down on the ground while you were there visitiing them. He said wrong thing to do!! You told him about how they don’t ever disentigrate and etc. In other words, you jumped him big time. Ha Stick with it Carol and it will be a better world.
Sorry about my rant.
NDL
LikeLike
Wow. well said. I may use some of it in a piece I will called Where the Wild Things Were. I remember nothing of my rant at my dad. He must have told you all about it when he got home,
LikeLike