What a Weekend

This morning I realized that it was September 11th, and for the first time since 2001, I was not in New York. It was a bit odd, really.
Thursday night was the Saints' opening game against the Vikings. For those of you who don't pay attention to football, this was a re-match of the NFC championship game. Basically, the only thing to do Thursday was to go watch the Saints game since the entire city shuts down when they play. Businesses started closing early in the afternoon so that people could go to the pre-game parade. I went to the Central Business District at that time, and I felt sorely out of place since I was wearing a brown dress and nothing black or gold.
Last fall I appreciated this complete focus on the game. If I was out somewhere and riding my bike home, the experience was wonderful because I would generally be the only vehicle on the street. Everyone else was watching the game. Now I realize I've become more local, so I too went to a neighborhood bar where there was barbecue and mac & cheese for everyone.
Friday I went to see Swimming Upstream, a collaboration between Eve Ensler and several New Orleans women. It's a play about the experiences of these women during and after Katrina. It'll be showing in New York in a week or so, and I wonder how it will be received since so many of the issues referenced are really local. For example, there's a dig at the Times-Picayune, and a scene about contractors who cheat a woman who's trying to rebuild her home. Being there, though, also made me feel more connected to the city because I know what they're talking about, even if I didn't live through it.
Today I briefly sat in on a strategy session for some national organizing around racial justice. Being present for that was also moving. One participant reminded us of the legacy of oppression in the South and the institutions that have disenfranchised and exploited Black people for centuries, institutions now being focused on Latinos. I couldn't help but think of Howard Zinn and how racial lines have been used to divide poor folks for centuries. So, yeah, it is inspiring to see some of the work happening to create a just and welcoming world.
I also heard an interesting story on the BBC today about how some Greeks are using new strategies to protest the government's austerity plan. Marching in the streets isn't changing things, so one group is targeting businesses and, en masse, asking for discounts since the government is cutting wages and social services. I like this creative approach.