You are very welcome, if you support human rights and nonviolent revolution in mental health, to our monthly grassroots meeting of MindFreedom Oregon.

If you live in the Eugene, Oregon area drop on by to our free 2 pm meeting downtown.

If you live out of this area or unable to attend in person, you can now participate for free via the web: computer video or even just phone.

This July meeting we celebrate Mad Pride Month! Folk singer David Rogers will expertly play a few tunes on his guitar, including “The Thoughts Are Free.” Psychiatric survivor activist Chrissy Peirsol and I will host you, and chat about next week’s event with Patch Adams, MD at the 50th Oregon Country Fair (July 12, 5 pm, Community Village).

I want us to start the world’s biggest sneeze with Patch! We are allergic to so-called “normality.” Let’s start a global revolution for this Mad Pride Month! Below are details about the meeting this Friday: Where to meet in Eugene, or how to pre-register for our free Zoom web call.

MindFreedom Oregon

Grassroots Meeting

Celebrate Mad Pride! Win human rights and choice in mental health!

Join psychiatric survivors David Oaks & Chrissy Peirsol:

Folk singer/songwriter David Rogers will play us some tunes!

Where: Trauma Healing Project in downtown Eugene

1100 Charnelton St

When: July 5, 2019, 2:00 pm

For Oregonians outside of Eugene:

Part of the meeting will be live-streamed online via Zoom, free, starting at 2:15 pm. Please pre-register using this link:

https://tinyurl.com/mf-or-july-2019

MindFreedom is one of the main independent coalitions working for human rights and alternatives in the mental health system.If you support our goal of a peaceful revolution in the mental health system, you are invited! For info: mf-oregon@aciu.infohttp://www.mindfreedom.org

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For several months, my Amazon movies have had a problem: About every second, there is a little hiccup in the video, a short pause of action. Movie-lovers who watch with me have noted the problem. This only has impacted the visual part of the movie, not the audio.

I informed Amazon of the problem using live chat. We provided a bunch of information. First challenge I noticed that the Amazon helpers would often repeat the questions, wish they had read what had already happened. Second, I was handed off to several helpers at Amazon. I think this stutter is complex enough to deserve expert help.

A few days ago, I noticed the problem now periodically extends to the audio. I see that once in awhile, the sound is garbled for a moment.

As I have already informed Amazon, we never have any of these problems in Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube. Also, the problem occurs in other browsers here. Everything is updated.

Well, I will now contact Amazon and show them this blog. I will post the results. After many years as a loyal Prime customer, it may be time to be an Amaznope?

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David W. Oaks, community organizer with more than four decades of experience in nonprofit advocacy, is launching a for-profit consulting firm, oriented towards green accessibility and empowerment.

In 2012, David experienced a major accident, and he is “quad” (or “tetra”) in a power chair, with disabled voice and fingers. With the support of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), he prepared a business plan to launch this business, with a focus on disability. Now VR has given a green light to support this launch.

This firm, Aciu Institute, will help businesses, nonprofits and individuals make workspaces, services, and homes friendlier to and more inclusive of all people regardless of ability, with an ecological perspective, especially for disaster prep. Aciu Institute is already consulting with a human rights nonprofit, MindFreedom International, as well as World Health Organization based on in Geneva.

Aciu Institute has formed an advisory panel with many experienced leaders in disability, business, sustainability, activism, and more.

Aciu Institute is a member of GreenLane. David said, “Networking with other GreenLane members has supported my pre-launch process. Aciu!” For more information, contact David by email, revolution@aciu.info.

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This year, 2019, is my 43rd year working for human rights in disability. Based on sheer numbers, we are one of the largest social change movements in Earth’s history.

Let us act like it now, and help lead a world-wide revolution.

Sound crazy? Well, the odds are indeed against us. However, this is not a question of what can be done, this is a question of what must be done.

Here are three reasons I feel we must pour our souls into this endeavor, now:

1. Creative Disorder

We in the disability movement are extremely diverse. Some of us reject our diagnoses. Some of us embrace our labels. But all of us have been diagnosed as “disordered.”

When society by any definition seems paralyzed, who you gonna call?

The disability movement! The current individual who occupies the White House identifies himself as a “very stable genius.”

But we need instability right now. And not any kind of instability.

We need creative instability.

Creative Disorder! This is a modernization of a phrase that Martin Luther King used over and over for over a decade. MLK repeatedly said he was proud to be “maladjusted.”

In fact, MLK said the world was in dire need of a new organization, the “International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment” (IAACM).

2. Never Again!

Over and over and over again many of us have vowed, “Never Again!” We will never have another Holocaust.

But now scientific experts overwhelmingly warn us that the ecological crisis may wipe out a heartbreaking amount of life and civilization. Humanity keeps heading toward trigger points for positive feedback loops. Dozens of them.

Most recently, scientific studies show that the warming of the oceans may be 40% worse than originally thought. As methane is released from the floor of the ocean, for example, this can lead to more warming, which means more methane, which means more warming, etc.

We are headed toward a wall of cascading chaos. We cannot predict the future exactly, but let us glance at a worst case scenario.

I have made a very rough, unscientific estimate of just the number of human lives at stake.

The life of a species is about one million years. We humans are only through part of that cycle. Basing my estimates on the “carrying capacity” that many have estimated, along with the number of generations yet to come, etc.

Adding this all up, just focusing on human life, I get an incredibly large number.

By coincidence, this number is six million squared. In other words, for each person lost in this six million estimate, there is another six million.

This is the Holocaust Squared. That is the human cost that I estimate is at risk. Not even addressing all the animal and plant life at risk.

3. Extinction Rebellion

My hats off to you for being a leader in the coming global revolution.

For example, I have been active with the group 350.org. I am gratified to see Our Children’s Trust continues to fight for the future. There are many other groups.

There are a couple of organizations that I have only recently found out about, are very promising for a global revolution. Everything that I have seen so far is positive.

First, there is a group that started recently in London with non-violent civil disobedience that shut down several bridges, and is going international, Extinction Rebellion.

Second, today, 15 January 2019, is a kickoff date for a national Earth Strike. There are several more dates over the next few months, leading up to 27 September 2019, Earth Strike! Check it out.

Disability Leadership Needed Now!

In the comments below, I would love to hear your reactions and suggestions. I know revolution is difficult. The first question I often hear is “what kind of revolution?” But even talking about the topic is helpful.

And I feel, that no matter what the odds are, hearing that folks are positive Revolutionaries may help us maladjust to our collective trauma, creatively.

And we are all, 100%, traumatized today. All of us, 100%, are now the Creative Disabled!

Let’s roll!

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UPDATE 17 December 2018:

We have just filled all shifts. Home care workers are encouraged to fill out our online, brief, private survey, link below. We will keep answers on file for future openings and sub positions, plus you can indicate that we can share your interest with other disabled consumers.

Below is our original entry:

Living with severe disabilities, I have a great team of six homecare workers through Senior & Disability Services who help me throughout the week in my daily life needs.

Due to a worker leaving, we are looking for care workers to help fill the schedule. If you have an active SDS provider number and are interested in working for me, please fill out the below survey.

In the survey, you can indicate if I can share your interest with other disabled consumers in Eugene who might employ you:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2019-eugene-homecare-worker-survey

If you do not have your active SDS provider number yet, but you would like to do home care work in Eugene, you can learn more about becoming with a homecare worker with SDS here:

http://www.sdslane.org/182/In-Home-Care

More About Joining My Spectacular Homecare Team

We have a wonderful and appreciated half-dozen homecare workers supporting me in our home with my amazing wife Debra. Several regular shifts are opening soon, and here is a chance to join our team, where we aim to have the best workplace on Earth!

Several on our team have worked here for many years, and we are very grateful. More information about this position is on my blog here:

https://davidwoaks.com/current-help-wanted-for-2019 

Because of timing, priority must go to people with a current, active Oregon Senior and Disability Services home care provider number.

This month, December 2018, is the six-year anniversary of my severe falling accident that made me a quad in a powerchair with impaired voice and hands. In the disability activist movement, we have joked that this kind of thing is “re-establishing our credentials”!

My attitude is that today Earth faces eco-crisis but much of humanity seems paralyzed. Hey, when there’s paralysis involved, who ya gonna’ call?

Please spread the word to homecare workers with an S&DS provider number, or are highly motivated to get their number and become a homecare worker. It is an extremely important career that helps many of us live independently. Thanks!

You can email me at davidwoaks@gmail.com.

 

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