Local action?

[snot]

I'm not sure I agree with the response quoted below in every detail; but I'm feeling somewhat stumped that all our letters, e-mails and phone calls haven't had greater effect. The response can be found at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x369685 . (Edited for brevity.)

GuvWurld (253 posts) Mon May-16-05 03:23 AM
Response to Reply #5
12. Don't Understand, Or Don't Allow Ourselves to Believe?

* * *
If we want to coordinate a really useful self-help effort it should be helping each other find the chasms between what we say we believe and the way we act on the same information. We must accept that there is no number of e-mails, calls or letters that will suddenly make a Senator give up a career of ignoring and/or systematically distorting the truth. And we should stop acting surprised when people or networks act as they always do.

Organize in your community. Ask your City Council to protect your town. Show them that the federal government is compelling them to take action damaging to their constituents. Cite your town's budget problems and connect it to the war (see Arcata's Municipal Response to Federal Lawlessness resolution). Talk about No Child Left Behind, which is widely despised by teachers and school administrators. Point out HAVA requirements ensuring future elections will continue to deliver inconclusive results. Go with ten of your friends and say that you want them to pass the Voter Confidence Resolution.

The most common definition of insanity is repeating the same action and expecting a different result. We must stop wasting our time trying to communicate with a Congress that is not interested in what we have to say. They are not only failing to account for the Consent of the Governed, they are not even seeking this Consent. They are completely unaccountable and we don't have a way to change that in a single step. Thus the better strategy is to create intermediate steps that are actually doable. City Councilmembers are accessible and accountable. Get their cooperation and we can start making some progress toward healing our divides. Creating unity in this way is essential to establish effective resistance to fascism.

www.guvwurld.org guvwurld.blogspot.com

[Peace Patriot]

1. Hear, hear! Very wise words!

"They are completely unaccountable and we don't have a way to change that in a single step. Thus the better strategy is to create intermediate steps that are actually doable. City Councilmembers are accessible and accountable. Get their cooperation and we can start making some progress toward healing our divides. Creating unity in this way is essential to establish effective resistance to fascism." --GuvWurld

[GuvWurld]

2. OK, let's talk about local action

For the first time I am glad to say I have Google Alerts sending me messages when it finds references to GuvWurld. I'm really psyched that I would be quoted for the start of a thread, but I'm disappointed to see it didn't take off and I didn't even know about it for so long. Hopefully we can revive this.

snot, you say you are feeling stumped. This is exactly what I am talking about when I say there are gaps between what we say we believe and what we do with the information. We know Congressmembers are not listening. We know we have a history of our calls, etc. not leading to change. This behavior should not be surprising then, and we shouldn't expect a greater effect from our calls, etc. This is not meant to quash hope but instead to take a common sense look at adjusting expectations around predictable things.

On the strategic local aspect, think of it as acceptance of greater responsibility and control over your fate. Instead of *hoping* to get enough calls, only for matters to remain out of your hands even if you do, by working locally you will speak publicly and on the record before your City Council, and your local paper will be there covering what you say. We know from history to expect this. How the Council responds is far more in your control than what a Senator might do in response to your best collection of phone calls.

That's just one angle on why local. The original thread presents some others and I'll add one more here: it is the lowest hanging fruit. Among the other diagnosed ailments of the Progressive community, I see a trend to look past intermediate goals. Planning steps along the way to our sweeping visions is necessary to ensure we get there.

I like the meme "least you can do." I say, identify the least you can do, and commit to doing at least that much. I can't ask any less of you. This is good for helping beginner activists find ways to feel truly useful, and also to guide planning around small tangible actions that aim to produce a specific result or change.

Is it going to be easier to round up five people from around the country to join you at the City Council meeting, or will it be easier to find five people in your neighborhood? Take them the Voter Confidence Resolution. This is meant to be a consensus statement when a group is ready to say they will not continue to knowingly accept Big Lies. Here you're back to where others experience the dissonance.

Our education efforts will go over better if we don't try to convince people that they've been lied to. Instead, assist them in finding where they are lying to themselves, holding two contradictory beliefs. I believe this will function like a switch and you will have a new kind of bridge building that will tend toward the unity necessary to establish effective resistance to fascism. I think real resistance will begin when communities start making such bold collective declarations. Arcata, CA is first in the queue with a public hearing on July 6.

[GuvWurld]

3. Kick (eom)

[GuvWurld]

4. Kick (eom)

[GuvWurld]

5. Kick (eom)