Announcements:

 

The Rochester workshop has been cancelled, due to the Vermont hurricane disaster and resulting upheavals. The material from the workshop will go into several public talks:

Workshops and Public Speaking events

with Carolyn Baker, Ph.D.

 

• Wednesday 9/21: Burlington: Navigating the Coming Chaos Fletcher Free Library 7:00 – 9:00PM
• Thursday 9/22: Montpelier Hubbard Library 6:00 PM
• Friday 9/23:
  • Montpelier: Navigating the Coming Chaos for Helping Professionals, 9AM City Hall
  • Putney: Navigating the Coming Chaos for Helping Professionals, 6:30 PM Putney Library
• Saturday 9/24: Private Sessions. Use the contact form below, to enquire about a private session.
  Ripton: Evening drumming, bonfire at a mountain homestead, beginning at dusk: 1049 Lincoln Road.
• Sunday 9/25: Randolph Center: Evening Presentation & Potluck, 3:30 PM 55 Turkey Hill Road

Carolyn Baker, Ph.D. is a storyteller, drummer, and a student of myth and ritual. She is the author of Navigating the Coming Chaos: A Handbook for Inner Transition. Carolyn maintains a Transition Counseling/Coaching practice and will be available for private sessions on Saturday 9/24. To register your interest in a private session, please fill out the contact form.

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Independence Day Parades

Thanks to all who waved, marched, attended, debated, and smiled. All had a great deal of fun. The pictures are coming in, click on a thumbnail to view full size.

EVERY DAY IS INDEPENDENCE DAY

…when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is [the right of the people], it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Last year’s parade activities in Warren, Montpelier & Bristol:

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Introducing: the Vermont Independence Alliance

Though the movement for Vermont’s political independence has been in existence for a number of years, its size and profile has been recently increasing. Last year, almost a dozen Vermonters openly ran for political office as advocates of independence, and the outreach done by their campaigns brought many fresh faces into the movement. Furthermore, we’ve also recently received an unprecedented level of coverage from the press, which culminated recently with Vermont being named by TIME Magazine as one of the world’s top ten “aspiring nations.”

To build upon these gains and bring the independence movement to the next level, we’re pleased to announce the formation of a new organization: the Vermont Independence Alliance (VIA). Intended to be grass-roots and democratic, VIA will provide a “big tent” under which the diverse supporters of a Free Vermont can organize locally around the following principles:

1. Local Action: We believe that increasing the resilience, autonomy, and self-reliance of our communities is essential to the prosperity and happiness of the people of Vermont. We are therefore dedicated to supporting service projects which strengthen our communities and strive to meet local needs with local resources.

 

1. Electoral Reform: We believe that the two-party system fails to honestly represent the interests of the people of Vermont; consequently, we support electoral reforms aimed at allowing for the true diversity of Vermonters’ opinions and ideas to be represented in a fair, multi-party political system.

 

1. Political Independence: We believe that Vermont should return to its status as an independent republic through peaceful withdrawal from the United States of America, and affirm that such an act of self-determination is both legal and legitimate as long as it reflects the will of the people of our state. As such, we are committed to educating our fellow citizens about the advantages of independence, and actively back candidates for public office who support that goal.

In order to advance these shared principles, VIA chapters will first be organized in each of our state’s counties. These groups will serve as local hubs of both political activism and community service, forming the movement’s sturdy, grass-roots foundation. Once a sufficient number of counties are organized, a convention will be held to constitute a state-wide organization. While most resources and responsibilities will remain at the county level, the state organization will take the lead in coordinating large events and supporting state-wide candidates for public office.

If you support our principles and goals and would like to get involved in your county, please enter your information into the form here. Once enough people in your county have expressed interest in starting a VIA chapter, we will schedule an organizational meeting and help you get this project underway in your community!

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Third Wednesday Film Series

…at the Center in Hancock

Every third Wednesday of the month, come see a thought-provoking film at the Center. Right afterwards, join us for a roundtable dinner & discussion at the Hancock Hotel across the street.

All films start at 5:00 PM unless by special arrangement. Rescreenings will be listed here on the schedule as well. If you wish to stay the night, affordable accommodations and hostel beds are available from the adjacent Gathering Inn.

Click the film title on the right of this page, in Upcoming Events, for more info!

Full schedule on the Film Series page!

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Vermont Film Currently in Production

Green Blooded: Vermont at a Crossroad from Teo Zagar on Vimeo.

Produced by Christopher Piana & Teo Zagar

Music by Bow Thayer

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Map & Directions

Click here for a map, that you can use to get directions.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Green Blooded: Vermont at a Crossroads GreenBloodedVT.org

Rural Vermont RuralVermont.org

Earnest Productions: EarnestProductionsVT.org

Longshot Productions: Ten Days Ten Years by Teo Žagar: LongshotProductions.org

Stop the F-35 in Burlington StopTheF35.com

The Vermont Commons, our state-wide independent news journal: VTCommons.org

Free Vermont Radio FreeVermontRadio.org

Vermont Finance: CurrencyCommonsVT.org

Provisional Vermont Council of Censors: VermontCouncilOfCensors.org

The government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection and security of the people, nation, or community, and not for the particular emolument or advantage of any single person, family, or set of persons, who are part only of that community; and that the community hath an indubitable, unalienable and indefeasible right, to reform or alter government, in such manner as shall be, by that community, judge most conducive to the public weal.

-Vermont Constitution, Article 7