In exchange I'll tell you what was on my mind and why I think it matters.

I came back from Burning Man to a shitload of overwhelming information about Katrina and New Orleans. Seemed unreal. Seemed unimaginable that our government who makes such a big fucking deal about keeping us scared and then claiming to protect us could so thoroughly fuck shit up for so many people.

I mean, on one hand, did we ever have any illusions that the safety they talked about applied equally to everyone, rich and poor? And did we really think it was much more than an excuse to achieve full US domination of the globe and simultaneously erode our liberties and fatten the wallets of corporate cronies? Good god, I hope we're not that naive. But nevertheless...

I think, we did imagine that our governments and institutions would make a token effort to at least keep us safe and fat and happy. But I think Katrina shatters that illusion.

You knew of course, that the administration directly funneled money away from reinforcing the New Orleans levies just this year for other pet projects and wars? You knew that there were few national guard troops and equipment to help victims of the hurricane because they were all busy in Iraq. You knew that the president was golfing and Condi Rice was shopping for shoes in NY as the storm raged? You knew that local police were not letting poor residents of the flooded quarters of New Orleans escape the city across the bridges on foot?

Our government cannot and will not keep us safe, happy, and free.

I came back feeling like, What the fuck? These are the people we depend on to tell us what we can and can't do? Are we crazy? Our institutions can barely manage their own affairs.

I don't hate them, I just think they are largely irrelevant in our lives. WE make this country. And WE make this city. And WE make our communities. Us. Not a bunch of elected yahoos. We are what make our communities connected and vital and full of life.

When I heard that First Night had finally collapsed in on itself in a corpulent pile, I thought, of course. Exactly.

This is our town, our celebration, our night. The last night of the year. And the last night that we'd make the mistake of depending on anyone else for our safety, our freedom, our entertainment, our education.

We are radically self-reliant and radically interdependent. The world is ours for the making. A new world in our hearts.

Hi , Rob Here......I'm still formulating my participatory vision for last night but I'm looking forward to helping in some way...I'm also looking forward to hearing everyone's ideas....I'm fully behind this idea for a renegade parade!!

Cooper here. I can make noise and warm yellowish orange flickering light. I can do it while riding on my tricycle. I think I can talk some friends into doing the same thing. That's about it. Oh yeah, I can dress funny/scary too.

Hi!

My name is Kristalee. I'm here to do anything I can to help! I can dress up all in blue and tote my children along with me. I'd like to make a statement for the children of our community. Blue has nothing to do with it, it's just that I have a really cool costume and wig....very fun!!

The Children are our Future!!!!!

Hi! I'm new to posting in this tribe, but I've been watching. I'm gonna be there... in some kinda wilde costume, of course. Great ideas everyone... see you there!

hey hey.. one little bug here. I love takin' back what's already ours...at least in theory(our ownership, that is). I'll be there in all my tallbike glory. Wish I could get the rest of the Cycledelics behind it, but I know some peeps are going to be out town... so I can account for me, anyway.
It makes me happy to see this develop- just people, doing what they want to do, in the streets they pay for every year.

Oh, and in case ya'all were interested, there was a DIY parade last year up on the UCSC campus- not too many people showed up, due to extreme lack of advertising (it was intended to be solely word-of-mouth). So maybe this year...flyer?
And what Dr. Wasabi said about passing stuff out- as long as we clean up afterwords, I'm down. But there's notmuch as dissapointing as passing through an area deserted by progressive, awesome people and seeing the trash they leave behind.

cheers,
bugalink