Two southerners came to Iowa City Monday night with the message that individuals leading grass-roots movements can and must make a difference in this world.

Wendell Berry, a Kentucky native and poet, essayist and environmental activist, read from his latest novel, Jayber Crow, as a part of the "Live from Prairie Lights" series broadcast live from Prairie Lights Books, 15 S. Dubuque St., on WSUI-AM.

Earlier in the evening, David Cobb, the secretary for the Texas Green Party, spoke at a Students for Ralph Nader meeting in the IMU.

Although Berry's reading was not formally connected with the Students for Nader meeting, Berry said he supports Ralph Nader in his bid for president.

Russell Lovetinsky, the Green Party candidate for state Representative in the 46th district, which includes Iowa City, was also present at the Students for Nader meeting. Lovetinsky said neither Democrats nor Republicans in Iowa care enough about the corporatization of farming in the state.

"We have a governor who wants to turn Iowa into the Silicon Valley of biotech agriculture, and I am completely opposed to that," said Lovetinsky. "There are no Democrats or Republicans who are."

Cobb said he believes that the Green Party is gaining national momentum on the local, state and national levels, citing the fact that the Green Party now holds 80 elected offices nationwide.

"We're seeing the Repub-locrats, the corporate duopoly, running scared now," Cobb said. "And it's because meetings like this are happening -- grass-roots meetings held by people seeking social and political justice."

Students for Bush co-chairman Josh Bowen, a UI junior, said he believes this is not an accurate portrayal of either of the two major parties.

"There are so many differences within the two parties," Bowen said. "I don't see how anyone could group them together."

Wendell Berry's newest novel is fictional, but Berry said during his presentation that he still writes nonfiction argumentative essays, the genre that brought him his most widespread recognition in 1977 with the publication of The Unsettling of America.

"I'm always trying to do something to help people working for a better world economy and social situation," Berry said.

Nader will have a chance to take his own political and economic stand when he appears on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" tonight at 10:30 p.m. on NBC.