Power will push until it meets resistance. The source of resistance is almost always the people who are directly affected by the abuses of power. Women advocate for women’s rights, minorities for minority rights, etc. If someone takes something from you, you have a right to speak loudly in opposition. The problem is that most activism is reactive. We react to globalization, environmental degradation, or a particular abuse. We react with a gut-level passion that moves us to set aside the many projects and particulars of our daily lives, to make the sacrifices of time and resources to fight back. Our movements will mature when we take the passion of the moment and sharpen it into long term, thoughtful, solutions.

There are some problems that simply cannot be solved by just reacting. The conversion of our economy to unimpeded corporate dominance is one of those problems. How does that affect us? The corporate economy is rapidly turning our green area into one paved Mega-Profit development. There are three major new developments planned in Albemarle. A big box next to Carsbrook, as well as a massive new shopping and residential development at Proffit Road, and another in Green County. This is in addition to the North Fork project near the Airport, which is larger than all the aforementioned projects.

Will these developments: Benefit the most needy in our community? Improve the quality of life for the average middle-class person in our area? Improve the natural environment in our area?

Might these developments create an out-of-control growth machine that will rapidly convert our green county into Northern Virginia? Do the majority of people want this? Who will benefit other than a few rich developers? Why is this happening?

Do such questions make you want to go out and stop these guys? Now for the harder question – can you find a means to bring that passion to a more enduring solution?

As long as the people who build monster developments have all the money, we will not have much power. As long our culture maintains a religious belief in the virtue of cheap goods in purchased in big stores, we will not be able to stop them. As long as we have no control over the economic decisions made in our society, our political democracy will continue to wither under the growing power of our unelected transnational corporate government.

Two suggestions. Contact your county supervisors, and ask them why there is such an enormous discrepancy between all the pretty words about controlling growth and the extraordinary growth that is actually happening.

Now the long term part. Tradelocal is going to print a local business directory this fall. We hope to list as many locally owned businesses as possible, especially the very small businesses – baby sitters, carpenters, artisans – who live throughout our community. In the long run, community economy can create employment at a rate that can displace the need for corporate sponsored low-wage jobs. We can use help making phone calls and with other tasks. There are many small steps up the largest mountain. Come walk with us.