Reply #31: You are right! [View All]

[LeahMira]

We should have an action team that doesn't just post stories about how bad everything is, but who organizes action to oppose bad legislation, protest against injustice and make our voices heard.

This is a great idea, and there is already plenty of information on the web about the most effective ways to write letters, make phone calls, etc. Maybe someone would like to organize a "Best of the Web" sort of list of these.

There are also links that exist between and among various human rights groups. Word of the protest marches that ANSWER organized was spread first on the internet. Michael Moore has on his website links to sites like Buzzflash where people can get good information... and of course there's Truthout which I wish he would list!

There does need to be some way of reaching people who aren't on the internet and/or who don't have access to computers. I'd think these are the people who are low income, maybe working two or three jobs just to make ends meet, etc., and they are the ones who have the most to lose right now because they are struggling just to hang on (while we can always sell the computer if we're really strapped!) I guess I really don't quite know how you do that unless you post notices on telephone poles.

There also needs to be some sort of rapid response network that can get hundreds of people to one place at any given time. There's something going on with what they are calling "thumb warriors" where people get a message to show up at a certain time and do some sort of crazy thing and then they disperse. Can we use this technology?


And most importantly, above all else, we should get this message out, and continually evangelize the nation to the fact that if they're not involved then they're to blame for what's wrong.

I totally agree that complaining to one another has its purpose, but unless that complaining is directed into action it's just complaining. Still, most folks need direction and organization, because although they may be upset about things they are not sure what they can do about it.

The lady who cleans our office, for instance, has a hard time reading and writing, and she gets flustered even when she has to make a phone call to her kids' school. But, sometimes we talk about politics and if I can show her a letter on the MoveOn site or the TrueMajority site, etc. that she can just put in her name and address, she will send it... and she feels good about doing that.

So, please don't be too hard on people you think aren't involved. Sometimes they don't know how to get involved.