I’m an odd sort of activist. I think the best way to change the world is to exemplify the change you are trying to create. I think that letter writing campaigns, marches, and protests are less effective than people believe. I think there is emphasis on noise and the assumption that enough noise creates change.

It is that assumption that I challenge. True change is more subtle than the alteration of a law or the defeat of a bill. True change, lasting change, occurs in the hearts and minds of society, and you can not legislate that. I feel deeply that legislation meant to protect and defend can often be a form of intellectual violence, and that the minds and hearts of people opposed will harden against that violence.

As a result, my personal activism has always been that of exemplification. I believe that by demonstrating the benefit of my beliefs through enacting them I influence and help to create those beliefs in the people around me. I believe that this change is far more effective and lasting.

But my time at starwood caused me to realize something. The slow and steady effect of personal congruence and exemplary activism is sometimes not enough. There are times for specific direct action. There are times, when we are faced with direct injustice, that we are forced to realize that other action must be taken.

As a result I’ll be writing open letters to the organizers of Starwood and the stewards of Wisteria explaining my thoughts and feelings about what is going on with their festival and land. And I will be encouraging my brothers and others who attended the festival or who visit the land to send similar letters. I believe that the land is in pain and that it is being abused by the people who should be caring for it. I can not only promise to exemplify a better way in my life, although I do. But I must act, in some way, against the ill that is being done right now even though I have no direct authority in this arena.