Our modest attendance by no means diminished the value of the event. What we found is that through their lack of cooperation most of the banks and credit unions in our county validated suspicions that they are averse to giving their depositors the kind of information that is needed to make moral decisions about whether or not their money might fund the kind of business interests they find unworthy of support. Hence, these institutions showed themselves to be interested in having our money, but unwilling to explain what is done with it. Without the Bank Fair, we would never have known, only guessed, about the profit-focused (as opposed to service-focused) nature of our area banking institutions.
Any reader who supports the objectives of the Occupy movement' might find a Bank Fair a great vehicle for raising public awareness about the policies and practices of their local banking institutions. Perhaps a Bank Fair would be a good idea to emulate in your area, whether you live in a rural county or a big city. This is a model we hope other groups will adopt, as we think this is a practical activity which will give ordinary citizens an opportunity to learn about their financial institutions and incorporate a social justice component into their banking practices.
About the authors:
Don Lathrop is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Brian Trautman is an instructor of Peace and World Order Studies, a program concentration founded by Lathrop, at Berkshire Community College (BCC) in Pittsfield, MA. Don and Brian are members of Berkshire Citizens for Peace and Justice (BCP&J). To learn more about BCP&J, visit the group's website .
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