Showing posts with label activism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label activism. Show all posts

Sunday, March 7, 2010

GDAE Podcast - Episode 28

  What Motivates Political Action?
  • Corporate Power: Supreme Court sides with Coal Mine Profits over People.
  • Prosecute Bush: The Chilcot Inquiry into Britain's role in the Iraq war, a window into a US inquiry.
  • MUSIC: Francisco Herrera mixed with poetry, "Casas de Carton"... 
  • The Psychology of Motivating Action: Is "more" always better? Research suggests that isn't the case. 
  • Experimental psychology: The Gaza Strip test case.
  • Hope: A key ingredient in a person's decision to join a cause.

Posted by Iffah Syarifah at 5:46 AM 0 comments
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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Challenge Conventional Wisdom


The recent US Supreme Court decision, Citizens United, has been called a "Pearl Harbor for American Democracy" by a coalition seeking "to overrule the decision and amend the Constitution to restore the power of people over corporations, beyond election law."

The coalition, Move to Amend, takes its name from the right that we have, but rarely use; we can move to amend our constitution. Recall these words you've probably heard or read. The Tenth Amendment states:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the States respectively, or to the people."

The people can call, or move, to amend the Constitution through their states:

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments,... [Article 5, US Constitution]

The active members of this coalition are not alone in their thinking, as is expressed in a blog post that questions the sanctity of the US Constitution. This thought-piece is a spring board to consider The Case Against Judicial Review, by David Cobb.

READ MORE - (Referral to full post @ GDAEman blog)

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Posted by Iffah Syarifah at 7:25 AM 0 comments
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Thursday, July 16, 2009

Turn Our Backs on the Establishment

A friend was saying, "You can't government jobs, they are too strong." "You have to simply turn your back on them."

The context of our discussion was actually a global perspective on "the establishment." That is, US financial and monetary "establishment" versus the rest of the world. In that context, my friend's point was that other nations are not challenging the dollar as the international reserve currency, but they are walking away it as best they can.

OK. I admit this example is a stretch, but it's the concept that's important. It's also consistent with the Three-Element Strategy for Activism. One element is to "Identify and Invest in Alternatives to the Status Quo." The effect of this strategic element is to turn your back on the establishment.

Lets say you've been doing your banking with Bank of America. Then someone starts a truly community-based bank and you switch your banking to the community bank. You've turned your back on B of A.

Same thing if you switch your shopping away from main-stream grocers who get their food from mega agri business, and begin shopping a local food coops and farmers markets. There are numerous examples of how we can "turn our backs on the establishment." Alternative media is another.

But to what effect? If we take the long view, that we are in a multi-generational struggle like the struggle against slavery, then strategies like this don't seem so crazy.
Posted by Iffah Syarifah at 5:02 AM 0 comments
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Monday, June 29, 2009

What Can We Do?

That's a question most of us hear often; people understand that both the Republican and Democratic parties have been captured by corporate power. We realize we're on our own, and we don't know what to do about it. Or do we?

The answer is 'yes.' We do know what to do... it's just that most people don't really want to do it.... what ever "it" is... it's hard work, long days, decisions you'd rather not deal with, phone calls and schedules, feelings of self-worth, connecting with people who feel the same way you do, hopeful signs of progress, growing numbers of active Americans reasserting their mutual will over their republic. Doesn't sound so that bad, does it?

In the coming days and weeks this blog will delve into bedrock questions about the elephant in the room and what to do about it. I invite people to contribute as co-authors. If you're interested, send an e-mail to gdaeman ak yahoo doc com
Posted by Iffah Syarifah at 5:26 AM 0 comments
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