Paying attention . . . Yes, by simply schooling yourself on how our local governance is organized, who are the players, what are the screw-ups, where is the money and what things get reported you can legitimately call yourself a citizen, an advocate for democracy.
For most people local politics only becomes a reality when you are afraid for your home, your property or your neighborhood. Fears can be physical, financial and cultural. Fears can be great motivators, as so many activists' stories of initial involvement attest.
Citizen Tip = "Don't Give Up"
This month's look at the worldwide, nationwide changes and the connection to our local reality, local scene is linked to activists not giving up.
From the video clip description:
"A surprise Arab drive for freedom, the West's structural crisis and new hope coming from Latin America. That's the modern world in the eyes of Noam Chomsky and Tariq Ali, two prominent thinkers and this week's guests on Julian Assange's show on RT."
There is a secondary tip about dues here and in last month's Assange interview, the BBC's Century of Self Series last week and that tip is - you need to search for information that can be trusted.
US media is now controlled by about four owners who have clear agendas for their own direction and prosperity. On top of that, our social and educational culture is being dumbed down to the point that young people aren't learning history, civics or humanities. The things discussed in this video from men who have been active for over 60 years each are known by fewer and fewer people. Recently I read the following description:
American's Core Beliefs
Don't make me feel bad about the way I live, and
It will all work out, we're Americans
This is it really. This is our worldview these days.
Don't make me feel bad about the way I live, and
It will all work out, we're Americans
This is it really. This is our worldview these days.
That's a deeply cynical view and my fervent hope is that more US citizens will protest the bar being placed so very low as to be a fantasy. In order to go on, to not give up we will have to raise that bar and allow some self-criticism and allow some inconvenience and a bit of discomfort. Oh, and maybe we can stop calling ourselves Americans - which makes all Central Americans and South Americas disappear in that one ethnocentric label.
Hat tip Common Dreams
Hat tip Common Dreams
