Forum Post: What we really need is more substantive political discussion
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 7, 2011, 12:32 p.m. EST by meep
(233)
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There are a lot of intelligent people on the right, and a lot of intelligent people on the left. The majority of Americans, left or right, care deeply about each other and about the well-being of the nation. The thing keeping us apart is the abysmal work being done by our journalists and the hateful and partisan rhetoric of our politicians. Someone needs to stand up and be the better person, and when they do, people will listen. If OWS has public forums, where the wisest, most reasonable, and most knowledgeable voices can gather and invite debate from those who reject or do not understand our movement, then we will only become stronger. Let these people be selected democratically. Turn to the 3-12 people in your vicinity, talk things over, decide who is the wisest and most knowledgeable, who can best represent your voice. Then let them find other representatives and do the same. And when you have, in this way, found a handful of reasonable, wise, and knowledgeable representatives (and those people probably wouldn't include me, as I'm not the most knowledgeable supporter of this movement), voices that you can trust to represent your common interests, then host a forum. Invite the media, invite the tea party, invite the Republicans, invite American's for Prosperity. Whoever comes, honor them, be respectful of their views, use reason and empathy, be non-violent both in your actions and your voice, and there will be a true revolution of mind...
Here's a site that facilitates the "substantive political discussion" -- http://www.youmepolitics.us/
Definitely cool, but I feel like the nation needs something that culminates on a national stage with all eyes watching. The world has plenty of blogs and discussion boards, we need a place where voices of reason can gather and reach our ears as a nation.
OWSers are active and full of energy, but they are not focused. While there may be no "head" to OWS, there must be a "heart" and right now there is no evidence that that exists. OWS needs the discipline of developing a Vision statement, Mission Statement and a few Core Values. When correctly written and accepted, they will allow OWS to capture peoples hearts and (aspirational, not destructive) minds. From clarity of Vision, Mission and Core Values will naturally flow "substantive political discussion."
If you really like to change things, please click the following link and start a campaign to get millions to sign it......Thanks.
http://www.change.org/petitions/members-of-congress-and-senators-fix-the-economy-and-balance-the-budget-now?pe=d4e
We need to get more families involved in the protests. If the people sitting at home watching the news saw Moms, Dads, and kids carrying signs it would look a lot more like something they could get behind.
Keep up the passion, bang the drums loudly, make sure everyone knows they are welcome to sit in with you .
But does being louder than the other guy really get us anywhere? If the best way to oppose the forces of tyranny is non-violent resistance, then what if the tyranny is the tyranny of noise? Wouldn't the best way to defeat it be intellectual non-violence? If we make our rhetoric more open than theirs, if we make our voice more welcoming than theirs, if we strive to embody the democracy we want to have, then we will find the revolution of the mind that we need. This is not to disparage OWS or anything that has happened so far, but we need to ask ourselves now "What do we want our democracy to look like?" I want it to look like reason. I want it to look like love.
Our goals will soon gel. First we have to get a consensus on if we should have a consensus on any issue. We need to put forth pretty simplified versions of
Fixing the banking system, wall street regulation, and corporations not paying taxes are all very important issues, but also very complicated. There will be those who will bang the drum and say regulations hurt businesses. I would answer: "Who do you think would really benefit from further deregulation? You, me? doubtful."
I want to put forth the idea that The First Bold Step of OWS should be to get the money out of politics. Public funded campaigns. Could be done with a 10 cent additional tax on gasoline. If we pay you $170,000 a year to work for the people, that better be the only number on your IRS form. While serving you will not own any stocks or any other similar investments. If you take one penny from a lobbyist you go directly to jail.
But that's it right there: "There will be those who will bang the drum and say regulations hurt businesses. I would answer: 'Who do you think would really benefit from further deregulation? You, me? doubtful.'"
Who will say that? When will you answer them? Where? Who will be listening? We need to bang drums less and talk more, or it won't matter if we come up with a perfect solution to all of our problems, we will be seen as the enemy by those that mistakenly think that we are out to attack and destroy them. And the people that want them to think that have a lot of money. And the only thing more powerful than money is love.
I predict that will happen when the temperature in New York City falls below 32 degrees (F).