Wonderful Chaos in Detroit

The U.S. Social Forum exudes what’s best about America

By Jay Walljasper

The U.S. Social Forum is wonderful chaos—a mass of people in a huge convention hall with a million ideas about a different kind of world ricocheting off the walls. The crowd looks like America: young, old, black, white, brown, red, yellow, scruffy, sharply-dressed, gay straight, East coast, West coast, Heartland.

Everyone is in high spirits, swapping tales about what’s happening in their hometowns. Everyone I’ve approached to tell a story for our story mapping project has offered an inspiring account of work they are doing—either as a volunteer or as part of their job.

It’s hard to believe the Tea Party speaks for America when you feel the energy here in downtown Detroit.

A very festive feel to the event. I’ve shot video of a raucous marching band (complete with sousaphones) parading through a corridor, a Latin music jam session with at least a dozen pickers on a variety of stringed instruments, and an accordian player elicting polkas from passers-by. This is what’s best about America. And I could never imagine it happening at a Tea Party meeting.

More soon

Posted June 24, 2010