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Food Not Bombs isn’t a nonprofit organization. In fact, it’s not organized at all. When I ask Trevor Barrick who’s in charge of the local chapter, the answer is “no one.” It’s also not a charity. Sure, it feeds the hungry, but these kids are activists first and foremost. They’re like little commies or something.
“Food Not Bombs is for unity and community; it’s for solidarity,” says Barrick, his dreadlocks peeking out from beneath a rain-touched beanie. “We’re against the military industrial complex, the prison industrial complex. We’re against police brutality and capitalism.”Idealists! Huff! They’re the worst … except when they’re not. Barrick and his compatriots hit Farmers Market every Thursday, pushing around a shopping cart and soliciting donations.
“The cart gets filled,” says Barrick, “and then we make food on Fridays and feed the people in Meadow Park at about 5 p.m., and then we make more food and feed the people in Mitchell Park on Sundays around 1 p.m. I think the people in Meadow Park are more receptive. Some of them live there.”
With Barrick’s encouragement, I take a plate (no paper or disposables; these kids take silverware and china and wash them after) and load up on curried rice and vegetable stir-fry, with tortillas and guacamole on the side. Pretty tasty, I must admit.
“It’s always vegan,” Barrick says. “The whole thing was started in the early ’80s by anti-nuclear activists, but we’re also against the military. I don’t know if it’s true, but they say one week of the military budget could feed the whole world for a year. It’s like that old bumper sticker: We’ll be happy when the schools are fully funded and the military has to hold bake sales.”They’re also against factory farming, multinational corporations, racism, and big fat jerks. Just saying.
So anyway, I still think face piercings are stupid looking, but these kids are all right.
Glen Starkey takes a beating and keeps on bleating. Keep up with him via twitter at twitter.com/glenstarkey, friend him at Myspace.com/glenstarkey, or contact him at [email protected].