Wee Shall Overcome
February 24, 2010 · Print This Article
It has been nearly 14 years since I started, what I like to call, my aggressive pacifist’s campaign to make the built world a smaller place. To date, my approach has been to pretty much just live my life in a small footprint and hope that my example might inspire others to do the same.
On Wednesday, March 3 at roughly 7:00pm at the Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol, CA. I’ll be taking a somewhat more active approach. Ignite Sebastopol 3 is part of Global Ignite Week. Roughly a dozen speakers from the Bay Area will be given just twenty slides and five minutes each to present their subjects. I will be using my time to rip America’s system of imposed excess a new body part. My distain for the building codes that restrict how small a house can be is no secret. On March 3rd I’ll be making my position all the more clear. All presentations will be recorded and posted for international viewing.
We’re expecting a full house (~130 inside, and others watching the live feed to a screen in the outdoor Beer Garden), so get your tickets early.
I see this as a great way to kick off a period of more active activism in which I will be working to convince the International Code Council that International Residential Code (sections 304.1,2 &3 in particular) needs revision. I don’t expect this to be easy. The road ahead is likely to be a long one for all opposed to size prohibition- one full of marches and demonstrations, possible jail time and the all the fun stuff seemingly integral to social change. I’m already working on my “I Have a Tiny Dream” speech and bracing for the possibility of my own tiny Waco. I hope everyone else out there in favor of housing rights will start thinking about what they can do to help. I will, of course, be using our website to keep folks posted about marches, sit-ins, stand-offs and other fun ways to get involved.
I’m including a copy of my proposal to amend codes here. It is still a work in progress, so feedback is very welcome.
Viva la Tiny Revolution!
Jay Shafer
You need also to eventually post easy ways for others to help out in any way they can.
Reply to this comment
Dear Jay and or Steve -
I really appreciate your activism, I live in Minnesota but i am trying to get a tiny house so I can buy land on Madeline Island, WI – (land of very high taxes), build a garage and park my tiny house in the garage in the winter, well December to March – the rest of the time is planning, planting and growing an organic garden on the most precious soil and air, I have ever experienced.
Thank you again and I love the sign off – Viva la Tiny Revolution! –
working in New Hampshire for two years in politics, we found that in New Hampshire, Revolution is a legal right in the state constitution. People tend to gather there for that reason. Note:
The New Hampshire Bill of Rights states: “Government being instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the whole community, and not for the private interest or emolument of any one man, family, or class of men: therefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of non resistance against arbitrary power, and repression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good of all mankind.”
Art. 10. Right of Revolution
effective June 2, 1784 (never modified)
I think we are all ready for a Tiny Revolution. I have some contacts if you go through the area.
Please consider a stop on an island – Madeline on Lake Superior. A ride over to the island on the Ferry would be another great picture. The key is to let the Lake Superior breeze and the Wisconsin soil do the magic.
Reply to this comment
Jay Shafer reply on March 3rd, 2010 2:26 pm:
Thanks, Deb. I have just found new respect for NH. It is easy to forget that We the People are still supposed to be in charge here.
Reply to this comment
[...] Wee Shall Overcome [...]
When your presentation of March 3 is posted, please let me know.
Reply to this comment
Updates? How did it go? Do you feel any waves were made? I’m very curious to see how everything went!
TINY POWER!
Reply to this comment
[...] Wee Shall Overcome | Tumbleweed Tiny House Company [...]
[...] Wee Shall Overcome [...]
[...] Wee Shall Overcome [...]
[...] Wee Shall Overcome [...]