Picture Diary: Hypocrisy of Dryden Theatre
On Saturday I attended the 5pm showing of the world renowned documentary ‘Black Gold’ at Dryden Theatre. The film in masterful depth explains how the Ethiopian farm workers are exploited by the invisible hand of capitalism - commodity traders, WTO, and lest not forget multinational coffee corporations i.e. Starbucks. It is a sad state of affairs when we pay $3 at Starbucks for coffee and impoverished farmers are paid $0.10 a hour. The farm workers and families lack all elemental needs for everyday survival: basic sanitation, clean water, milk, and food.
There is a serious disconnect which must be addressed. Which bring me back to Dryden.
After the film, I went to the Dryden Cafe and saw this:
Paul deLima suffice to say is not fair trade coffee. I asked the manager of the theatre if they served fair trade coffee and was told ‘No’. With a follow up question, I asked if I could request fair trade coffee and was told to fill out a ‘Comment Form’. I then spoke to the cafe manager and was told, you guessed it, fill out a comment form…
Being Super Bowl Sunday, NFL films says it best: ‘If this does not light your fire, then the pilot light is out’. A passive comment form is tepid and indirect at best. Which is why I support the following action:
1) Click the link for the online form
http://www.eastmanhouse.org/inc/pages/contact.php
Under ‘Choose an area’ select ‘Tell the Director’ and remind them how they can screen the movie ‘Black Gold’ yet not serve FT coffe and teas. Then demand they serve FT coffee and teas. Simple enough.
2) Call George Eastmen House at 585.271.3361 and request they serve and sell FT coffee and teas.
Silence is betrayal. This is one small step to a just and fair world. In a micro level way, this effort will support union rights, fair wages, and economic development on a world-wide scale. I will leave you with this final thought of how the bottom line is cruel and inhumane (from UK Guardian)
$1.10: Amount per pound of coffee that growers receive after deducting costs
$160: Amount that retailers can make on a pound of coffee
[Update: btp here. What a great time to remind everyone that our masthead photographer, Joseph Sorrentino, has an photo exhibition in support of fair trade coffee that just opened:
Mexico: Color and Contrast
AT: Coffee Connection, 681 South Ave. Phone: 442-2180
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, Feb. 2, 6:00-8:00
Exhibit runs through March 26
Joseph talked about it in a little more detail in an earlier post on RT.]
Related posts:
Not time for the one man protest yet…
Wow, nice catch and nicer post. Do you have a camera on your cell phone, or did you happen to have your camera with you?
I happened to have my digital camera on me. I plan to a post on Spot Cafe later this week, stay tuned…
It might be easier than you realize to effect a change at the Dryden Cafe - because Paul deLima does offer fair trade coffee, due to customer demand - in fact, they have four different blends of certified organic fair trade, including de-caff. http://www.delimacoffee.com/Results.cfm?category=5
So you can let the manager of the Cafe know how easy it is to get thru their current supplier. Paul deLima is also based in Syracuse, which means that even though we can’t buy “locally-grown” coffee, we can support a Central NY independent coffee business.
As a good liberal, my heart is with you, but I question the wisdom of hassling George Eastman House during a show. How far do we take this? Are the pastries and other offerings Fair Trade? Do we demand to see their ingrediants? What about the post cards, books and everything else in the gift shop? Do we want to inspect them for recycled paper from union printers? What if they are found lacking? Do we demand they be removed? I think there is a right way and a “left” way to go about this, and we don’t want to be obnoxious. A good way to start might be to become a member of George Eastman House. It’s around $50.00. That way, we can support a valuable community resource and begin our Free Trade letters with, “As a member of George Eastman House…” We liberals need to put our money where our mouths are and remember, people are watching.
LOL. Are you a troll?
“Are you a troll?” Are you serious?
How far do you take something? If they showed, Inconvenient Truth does that mean we protest the people driving to the theater?
I think the point here is the argument coming from a member it has more power than otherwise. For example, calling out of state Senators to protest a vote doesn’t carry as much weight as if you were in that state. I think that is Jacques Noir’s point.
My take on all this is Free Trade Coffee is an important issue that frankly I don’t think people are aware of. This becomes an education process. Part of the education process is not to turn off the people being educated. There is a fine line here.
The original post was great, excellent and, in fact, needed. As part of the education process (Glenda’s post) then, if management doesn’t want to modify their practices, then there are other alternatives.
But, for a business to change there needs to be a business payoff - like increased goodwill or margins.
There are points in Glenda and Jacques post which can to change.
You crossed into the corporate line of ‘margins’ and ‘payoff’. Change does not occur if we cowtow to George Eastmen standards. Which has more power of the purse? Paying George Eastmen House $50 for membership dues or boycotting their organization. This should be a no-brainer folks.
Stop– you’re both right– it’s a floor wax AND a dessert topping. (Obscure SNL reference, sorry.)
Jaque Noir is correct that membership brings more leverage. But I think $50 is better spent elsewhere. Like supporting progressive infrastructure, for example.
However, as Ben Kenobi once said, “There ARE alternatives to fighting.”
How about we use a different kind of carrot. How about a campaign to list all the places selling free trade coffee, and those not.
It’s unrealistic to go down the line and demand that EVERYONE do EVERYTHING to the highest and best way (e.g. Jacque’s fair trade pastries, recycled paper products), but like stlo7 says, you start with the low-hanging fruit, and that builds awareness.
Or that’s the idea anyway. Horse to water and all that.
What’s a troll? And what are the labor conditions in the factory where that camera was manufactured? I may be naive (obviously, since I don’t know what a troll is), but this is the first I’ve heard GEH pegged as a tool of oppression. I am a member, so maybe I’ll just write a letter before things get ugly.
Now I am curious…What is a floor wax and a desert topping?
A troll is an unflattering comment about a poster that I don’t think was warranted.
Thanks; I looked it up. I think my 5th Grade teacher was right; I’m more of an Instigator. Anyhow, I wrote the letter. We’ll see what happens. I’m drinking my Free Love coffee now, black and strong. Excelsior.
We at George Eastman House are aware of the issues linked to BLACK GOLD, a documentary which sheds light on trade and labor practices related to coffee farming. It was our intention to bring attention to these issues by offering the documentary. Recently, the museum investigated the possibility of offering fair-trade coffee in the Eastman House Café and learned it is available through our vendor. Effective immiediately, George Eastman House is pleased to offer fair-trade coffee to its museum and theater patrons in our Café. We thank you for your past and continued support of the Dryden Theatre and George Eastman House.
Jim Healy, Assistant Curator, Exhibitions
Motion Picture Department
George Eastman House
[...] Recently optimusprime posted that although the Dryden Theater at the Eastman House was showing the pro-fair trade coffee flick “Black Gold”, they didn’t offer fair trade coffee at their coffeeshop.ÂÂ A little storm got kicked up in the comments about it, along with some really productive discussion/ideas. [...]
(Checking Old Posts Tonite)
Wonderful : )
I must mention thanks to you and the whole staff at the Eastman House for exhibiting ‘Black Gold’ and the information sessions on the value of a global economy based on Fair Trade principles. As you can see, it opened my eyes to say the least.
Thanks Jim.
Sincerely,
Optimusprime