Photo courtesy of Katie Thomas
Ken Green “occupies” Cooper Landing.
By Susanna LaRock
Turnagain Times
Cooper Landing Correspondent
Occupy Cooper Landing: One Activist Takes a Stand
Ken Green is a long time Cooper Landing Resident. He cleans dumpsters with the Sexy Senior Dumpster Cleaners, he helps out at the library, he is an avid reader and writer, and he is Occupying Cooper Landing.
Ken has taken to the bridge on the Sterling Highway in Cooper Landing with his sign that reads “Occupy Cooper Landing Restore Glass-Steagall Protection” When asked why he is standing on the bridge with a sign; Ken is prepared with a flyer that explains the stand that he is taking.
Some of the goals of Occupy Cooper Landing are to show empathy with the Occupy Wall Street movement, and to promote basic understanding of what the greater protests are about and why they are going on.
Ken had read a lot of news stories about the protests, which prompted him to do some research online and find out why these protests are happening. Ken says, “Being in the middle of nowhere you get to feeling helpless and like your only link to the outside world is the internet.” Through his research Ken found that he agreed with the Occupy Wall Street movement in its assertion that corruption on Wall Street has had an effect on today’s economy.
He points to the Glass-Steagall act, which was passed in 1933, after the Wall Street Black Tuesday Crash of October 1929, and prevented U.S. commercial banks from operating investment-banking businesses. The Glass-Steagall act was put in place to avoid another Great Depression. Its requirement to keep investment banks and commercial banks separate was overturned in 1999 when President Clinton signed the Gramm-Leach-Biley Act. This led to commercial banks taking considerable risks to maximize profits. Risky loans and mortgages increased, and were later sold as AAA top safety rated assists by Wall Street financiers, who reaped inflated profits on all of their transactions. When the housing market crashed and the government decided to bailout the financial institutions with tax payers’ money, many people were enraged.
Ken believes that the Occupy Wall Street movement is, “about restoring moral and ethical financial practices,” and that, “it stands against rampant corruption and collusion between government, industry, and banking institutions.”
He has decided to take a stand right here in Cooper Landing, to support the Occupy Wall Street movement and promote awareness in the middle of nowhere. He stands on the bridge with his sign and hands out a well thought out, well written flyer to anyone who stops to ask questions. He encourages curious passers by to read about the Glass-Steagall act and do some research of their own.
In his own way, Ken is connecting with people and is connected to the greater movement. He is proving that one can be an activist no matter where one is, even in Cooper Landing Alaska.
Christmas Swag Sale at Cooper Landing School
Every year around the Holidays, Cooper Landing School has its Swag Sale fundraiser. This year is no exception. Decorative Swags to hang on your door for the Holidays will be ready for purchase soon. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to support Cooper Landing School and get a beautiful Holiday Swag made of Douglas Fir Boughs. Call the school and order yours today 595-1244.
Health Fair November 19
The Annual Cooper Landing Community Health Fair will be held at Cooper Landing School, Saturday, Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be free health screenings and education on blood pressure, height/weight and BMI, vision, ColoCare education, and prostate education. There will also be high quality, low cost blood tests available for individuals eighteen and older.
Recycle Cans and Support Cooper Landing School
Cooper Landing School is participating in the Great Aluminum Can Round-Up again this year. This is a national campaign with a goal of getting more people involved in recycling. The way it works is that the school collects aluminum cans to be taken in at weigh in dates over the course of the school year.
The school is given 20 cents for every pound of aluminum collected, and if Cooper Landing School places first in the Small School Division (which it has done in the past) then $300 is added to the earnings. The school will be collecting aluminum cans all winter long, so please think before you throw, separate your aluminum cans at parties, and community functions, and bring it to the school, or the recycle center.
Every little bit helps to keep aluminum out of the landfills and support Cooper Landing School.
