Seeing all of these bikes being utilized really left an impact on me. If our generation can see that there's something wrong with the way we rely on automobiles due to their convenient nature, and actually attempt to make a difference, then maybe there is more hope after all. An orlando friend says "I do as well love seeing all of those bikes because I look at cycling as a backbone to a political crisis were having within transportation issues." And that mindset is the reason I am hoping one day all of this will be revolutionary beyond our wildest dreams. God, we all know that something has to change soon. Let's start now.
Chris Fields began volunteering because she was "upset that the city of Orlando was trying to make it illegal for people to do what they feel like they should do from their inner-being". She stated, "I should be able to share a sandwich or Twenty-Five sandwiches, or a Hundred sandwiches if I see that someone is hungry."
As I understand, the ordinance that Orlando passed makes it illegal for any individual or group to serve more than 25 people in a public park within 2 miles or a mile of City Hall.
I spoke with another volunteer named Adam who informed me that the Orlando FoodNotBombs chapter began in January 2005. A couple months ago they started serving breakfasts on Monday mornings at 8:30. In his neighborhood, where alot of the volunteers reside, they recently started a free produce distribution stand as well.
I asked Adam to give me a little more insight on what they are trying to achieve through these efforts...
"An international movement against violence and hunger. There are chapters all over the world in places such as Nigeria, SouthAmerica, Russia, and Europe. All organizes under the principles of using food that would otherwise be wasted and vegetarian food and just giving it away for free to anybody. So, we're kind of like just one part of a global movement. It's not an organization, it's more of a movement. People just start their own chapters."
"I see this as building an alternative to the mainstream capitalist economy and kind of underminding it and creating an alternative to the current system; creating a better system...putting it out to people so they can see it as the good idea we see and hopefully adopt it. The idea is that if people get food for free, they won't have to go out and buy it and it just underminds the whole "for-profit economy". And we hope to branch out to other things so people can get things like free daycare. It's like building a new infrastructure for a new way of living."
"Poverty causes homelessness, not food. If businesses won't put the food to good use then we will go out and physically intercept it and make sure it gets put to use; if they wont do it we will. It's a direct action against waste of food. Half the food produced in the United States gets thrown away, so how anyone can possibly go hungry when there is so much food being thrown away is mind boggling."
Enabler? A man who gives his entire life to his country, claims that by supporting such movements and compassionate efforts such as Food Not Bombs, I am in fact an enabler. What is so enabling about wanting to assist efforts against homelessness and violence? How can I be enabling anyone any more than our own government and today's society has done and continues to do on a daily basis? Healthcare is denied for it is a luxury, not a right. If someone is in the position to give, why should anyone object? I was always taught that if you see someone down, that's the time to pick them up...set our differences aside and we will never look back.
For more information on Orlando Food Not Bombs visit http://orlandofoodnotbombs.org/
Orlando FoodNotBombs is always looking for volunteers and donations.
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Keep up the good work!
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