GREETINGS!
45 days = 1,080 hours left to change American history.
If the game were football, we’d all know exactly what to do. The field of play would be clearly defined. The rules of the game would be set in stone. Truly independent referees would make the close calls and duly penalize offenders for unnecessary roughness.
Unfortunately, few things in this American life are as clearly defined or as readily understood as football or baseball. In fact, most Taking Root readers are of the opinion we’re in a whole new ball game, but only inasmuch as most of our readers (like the publishers and editors of this tome) are new to the game itself. While we bring a lot of enthusiasm and gusto, our knowledge of the field of play and rules are based on impressions borne out of 6th grade civics class and the nightly news.
One thing is quite clear: we cannot afford to become Monday Morning Quarterbacks before this game is fully played out. Let the professional pundits take on that futility, but don’t let their rancorous rhetoric sway your determination to succeed. More importantly do not let them dissuade you from energetically setting about the important task of touching every targeted voter with the progressive message.
In football parlance, we’re in the fourth quarter, and frankly, this game is all tied up. Worse, those who oppose progressive values have possession of the ball. There’s still a good amount of time left on the game clock. The stakes of this election are as high as this country is evenly divided. Let’s marshal on to the beat of our own fight song and strip one from the Gippers.
As ever, Taking Root endeavors to help you find your position on the team. If you were among the hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters in New York last week at the Republican National Convention, you will learn about a legal defense fund set up to advocate for those abused by excessive police enforcement. Asian-Pacific Americans are solidifying their squad of progressive activists to organize their community and support candidates like Stan Matsunaka.
As always, subscriptions to Taking Root come spam-free to your email box.
If you like what you see here and would like to lend a hand, please drop us a note at volunteer-at-grassrootsforamerica.us or make a contribution to support all of our grassroots efforts.
| --Kimberly Krautter |
Glimpse What’s Inside!
Click on a title to jump to the story below.
NEWS FROM THE ROOTS
No Excuses!
By DeAnn Deason
Dr. Maya Angelou gives compelling reasons to register and vote in this 1 minute 30 second clip, No Excuses.
Grassroots for America is pleased to provide you with this DVD/CD created by Voices for Working Families
This is a free motivational public service announcement by Dr. Maya Angelou and Voices for Working Families and can be burned to DVD/CD using files avaialbe from the Grassroots for America site. Voices for Working Families would also love to send staff out to help register voters in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina where they have field operations.
Please participate in burning this motivating clip and distributing it throughout your community by going to http://gryphon-systems-vpn.dnsalias.net/video/maya-voter-video/ to download the files for burning.
Whether you show the DVD/CD at a state fair, a college campus or in front of a grocery store, communities are sure to feel compelled to register and vote by Maya Angelou's No Excuses.
Two other excellent clips are available to burn, compliments of Voices for Working Families at the Grassroots for America site, Crossroads and Pairs That Care.
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RNC Mass Defense Effort Launched
By Liane Allen
Were you in New York city during the RNC? Were you detained? If so, your constitutional rights may have been abridged or you may have been subject to police misconduct. If you were not detained, you may have witnessed misconduct.
A grassroots group called RNC Mass Defense, comprising a coalition of the National lawyers Guild and others is putting together a case to get damages for arrestees. Information about this initiative can be found at this web link: http://www.nlgnyc.org/rnc.html.
Do these look familiar? They are your rights.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons ... against unreasonable searches and seizures....(this includes seizure of the person).
Amendment V
...nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;
Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, ... and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.
There are more Civil Rights, but these are most pertinent to arrest and detention. If these or other rights were abridged at any time when you protest, you deserve compensation. If the case costs enough in penalties, perhaps other cities will think twice before allowing their law enforcement organizations to be commandeered in this way.
If you witnessed any arrests, details you provide could be crucial to the success of the case. Be sure to let friends & family members know about this suit. The more participants, the more likely our democracy will prevail.
Editor’s Note: Re-familiarize yourself with you’re basic civil rights. Go to: http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
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FIRST PERSON: Taking It To The Streets
By Dave Robinson, guest writer
Hello! - I'm from NYC and worked for Dean and since then have done a ton of voter registration and am now involved in other progressive grassroots efforts up here. I am more energized than ever after the RNC, and I want to do something good in PA, the closest swing state to me. I hope you can all help me out with what I think is a good idea.
In these last few weeks before election day, we obviously have to motivate as many people as we can to vote. A higher voter turnout will help Kerry and hurt Bush - people who normally don't vote but who get motivated to vote this time around probably will do so because they want change. Traditional canvassing, phone banking/letter writing are all important for state and county races, abut re: Bush/Kerry, I think we just have to motivate more people to vote.
So: my idea is to get 4 people (we'll be 5 including me) holding signs a lot like the ones in the attachment, and have us spread out approx 1/8 of a mile apart from each other on the side of a busy, high traffic roadway where people usually drive by at 40-50 mph. Picture this - you're driving along, and then you see a guy on the side of the road with a big sign (all signs start off with the word "wrong" with a red, circled & slashed W): "Wrong on Iraq - PA Votes". An 1/8 of a mile later, another sign holder: "Wrong on the environment - PA Votes". You, the person in the car, are now asking yourself, "What is going on?" when you see another sign holder coming up "Wrong on jobs - PA Votes", and then 15 seconds later "Wrong on healthcare - PA Votes", until finally you see the last sign holder with a big sign that says "PA VOTES FOR KERRY".
That's it - we're a more or less mile long art project with a message that I think will motivate some people (those who don't take a shot at us) to make sure they get their votes to the polls on Nov. 2. This idea is partially inspired by my experience at the RNC in NY last week, and is already being done (minus the people part) by people all over the country (see http://www.freewayblogger.com/index.htm). If one of you (since I don't know PA) picks the right location and we stay out there for a few hours, hundreds if not thousands of people will see us, we may get some media attention and this act of personal/public conviction can inspire a lot more people to vote Bush out.
I welcome people's input, creativity and help - I'm also prepared to do all the work since so often that is how things get done. So please let me know if you would like to join in this project! Let's make a difference some upcoming weekend!
Kind Regards,
Dave Robinson
daverobinsonworks-at-yahoo.com
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NEW GROUPS TAKE ROOT
This section was compiled by Pam Paul
Introducing Asian-Pacific Americans for Progress: GenerAsian Leaders 2004
During the Democratic Presidential Primary season, a large group of Asian-Pacific Americans around the country organized to support the candidacy of Gov. Howard Dean, M.D. We were inspired by Governor Dean because we feel his campaign gave Democrats their voice back and ignited the grassroots all over this country. We are proud to have played a role in that movement.
When Governor Dean suspended his campaign and launched Democracy for America, his Asian-Pacific supporters re-organized under the auspices of Asian Pacific Americans for Progress. The organization has developed into a powerful grassroots network of Asian Pacific Americans and friends standing for progressive values around the United States.
In addition, the group has launched Asian Pacific Americans for Progress Fund to present a nationwide conference call with seven Asian Pacific American candidates/incumbents running for Congress or state office. More information about the event can be found at: http://www.apaforprogress.org/?q=node/view/443
APA for Progress Fund (APAP Fund) is a separate, independent but affiliated political action committee of Asian Pacific Americans for Progress. APAP has previously held house parties for Howard Dean and John Kerry.
For more information, please email Curtis Chin at curtischin-at-aol.com or Gautam Dutta at gautam-at-aya.yale.edu.
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Watchdog Group Forms to Monitor the Radical Right
In 1975 Maggie Cooper joined the Radical Religious Right to protest changes made to the Catholic Church by the Second Vatican Council. After seven years, she discovered that the alleged true Catholic teachings she was being taught as fundamental Catholicism were almost identical to the teachings of Radical Right Protestant Fundamentalists. Through her activities in this period she was also invited to join the American Nazi Party. As you might imagine, this woke Maggie up and got her out of the Radical Right.
For the next eighteen years, Maggie tried to inform liberals and moderates in both religious and political organizations of the burgeoning power of the Radical Religious Right but no one took her seriously until after George W. Bush entered the White House. At present, Maggie is moderator of “Radical Right”, a Yahoo! group where the tactics of the Radical Religious Right and their efforts to gain political power are discussed.
Maggie earnestly wants to help defuse the power of the Radical Religious Right because she knows that their ultimate goal is to gain political power around the world, and they are eagerly looking forward to World War III in order to usher in Armageddon. She knows from bitter experience that this is what nightmares are made of. You can join the watchdog group she has formed at this web link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Radical_Right.
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GET INVOLVED
This section was compiled by Max Gordon
Make sure EVERY vote gets counted
One of the biggest controversies about the upcoming elections is the voting technology itself. Verifiedvoting.org is just one organization that's trying to make sure every vote is counted. Verified Voting suggests that concerned citizens Adopt a Legislator, ideally meeting personally with legislators or their staff to discuss, in person, House bill H.R.2239 or the identical Senate companion bill S.1980—and let them know you want verifiable elections.
The VV website lays out a plan for how to select and "adopt" a Senator, a Representative, or a member of their staff, and even supplies primers on what to say during the face-to-face or, if calling or writing is the most you can do, how best to convey your message. For info, go to http://verifiedvoting.org/resources/town_meeting_resources.asp
Another group determined to ensure accuracy in voting is a nonprofit started by investigative journalist Bev Harris, BlackBoxVoting.org, whose sole purpose is consumer protection for elections. Harris, author of Black Box Voting: Ballot-Tampering in the 21st Century, spent over two thousand hours researching voting machines, and interviewed dozens of witnesses including many election officials and even voting machine programmers who work directly for the firms that build these machines. (In the spirit of "open source," the book is available in PDF format on the site.)
Largely a watchdog group, BBV has a Forums section that lists a number of things that can be done now to help keep the November elections out of the courts. There is also a BlackBoxVoting.com site: This one is not affiliated with Harris (anymore, that is) but with her former publisher, David Allen of Plan Nine Publishing. Allen keeps the site humming with the latest failures in electronic voting systems, and reading even a single post should be enough to convince you to get involved in this issue as fast as you possibly can.
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There is no Emily, but there is EMILY's List
Who knew? EMILY is an acronym for "Early Money Is Like Yeast," as in, it makes the dough rise. That's the fund raising and the model for change behind EMILY's List, the nation's largest grassroots political network, one dedicated to helping as many pro-choice Democratic women as possible get elected to federal, state, and local offices. Until EMILY's List was founded in 1985, no Democratic woman had ever been elected to the U.S. Senate in her own right, no woman had ever been elected governor of a large state, and the number of Democratic women in the U.S. House had declined to 12 -- less than 3% of the chamber's 435 members. Since then, EL has helped elect 56 Democratic pro-choice members of Congress, 11 senators, and seven governors. EMILY's List has also become the largest financial resource for minority women seeking federal office. The website features dozens of ways you can get involved—it even includes available internships and job postings with active Democratic campaigns—as well as schedules for upcoming events such as these:
WOMEN VOTE! Dinner and reception (see the Web site for more information)
With the November elections coming ever closer, EL's challenges everyone to become activists with some easy online tools they call the GOTR (Get Out the Republicans), the best of which is the interactive "Dress Up Dubya" game, an email-able paper doll cutout with a handful of special outfits for the incumbent.
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CANDIDATES
This section was compiled by Will Thomasson
Stan Matsunaka: Colorado, 4th Congressional District
Stan Matsunaka (http://www.stan2004.com) is a fourth-generation resident of the Colorado Congressional district he seeks to represent. He grew up in the 4th district's rural Eastern Plains but now practices law in the rapidly growing city of Loveland -- a combination that he says provides him with insight into the needs of both rural and urban Coloradans.
He proudly points to his father’s World War II service in the famed Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the unit that for its size and length of service was the most highly decorated in US military history.
Matsunaka served as Colorado State Senator from 1995 to 2003 and was Senate President for the last two years. In 2002 he ran for the then-open 4th District seat, but appearances by President Bush and Vice President Cheney tipped the balance in favor of his opponent, Marilyn Musgrave. “I thought I was never going to run again,” Matsunaka told the Rocky Mountain News. But then Musgrave made sponsorship of the Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage the cornerstone of her first term. "Musgrave's name identification is tremendous for a freshman representative, but she has effectively polarized the district," pollster Craig Hughes said in a news release announcing that as of late May the incumbent led by only 48% to 45% within the poll’s margin of error. She has even driven a wedge into the Republican party: Tom Selders, the Republican Mayor of Greeley, is supporting Matsunaka. “I don't think she's representing the people. She has a very narrowly focused and personal agenda," he told Denver’s TV Channel 4 (CBS).
In his personal profile for the Rocky Mountain News, Matsunaka says that the biggest accomplishment of his public life was, “Helping shape the future of Colorado by negotiating solutions for multi modal forms of transportation, education funding with accountability and trying to create more jobs for this state.” His Web site lists positions on a wide variety of issues. Jobs and the economy are at listed at the top, including pledges to: support alternative energy and biomass fuels as a means to job creation; cut the deficit; eliminate incentives for American companies to move jobs overseas and reward companies that create jobs; enforce environmental and fair labor standards; and see that tax reform benefits the middle class, not just the wealthy. Other categories include accessible and affordable health care, support for agriculture and rural communities, a sensible foreign policy with real homeland security, excellent schools, protecting the environment, and defending women’s rights as well as civil rights for all.
Matsunaka also has a sense of humor. When the Rocky Mountain News profile asked about his biggest regret, the former high school football and basketball coach said, “Mike Shanahan not calling me to be the offensive coordinator for the Broncos when John Elway was the quarterback.”
Matsunaka was endorsed by Democracy for America as part of the final Dean Dozen.
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INSPIRATION POINT
Gitmo North
Arrested in NYC
By John Elfrank-Dana, Bronx, NY
I was swept up with other sideline supporters of the demonstrators on 16th St. Tuesday night. I got out of jail on Thursday late afternoon. They put us on their make-shift prison, Pier 57, which was filthy. Bus loads of prisoners from this political sweep just kept coming in all night. We cheered each new arriving group. There was about 1200 of us in all. We were fenced into pens with razor wire, about 100 of us confined to a space of about 40 ft. by 80 ft. There were about 15 such pens. We had to stand, sit and lay on a greasy concrete floor (Pier 57 used to be a bus depot) for the first 20 hours before being transferred to the city jail. From there we were held in holding cells for about another 8 hours with 28 of us in a room 8 ft by 30 ft. I rejected the city's offer of dismissal and instead am suing the city for false and malicious arrest. My trial date is October 21st.
There was a lawyer there interested in taking my case pro bono, so I have good counsel representing me.
The experience only strengthened my resolve to fight this burgeoning police state. I could feel that the cops were being ordered from on high to clear the streets in time for Bush to get into town (If that's not acknowledging the power of the demonstrators I don't know what is). As we were cuffed and put into police wagons it was heartening to see hundreds of neighborhood people across the street in Union Square chanting "Let them go!, Let them go!" Most of these people did not look like demonstrators but people coming home from work. As we were driven off I was sitting at the window. Dozens of eyes from the street met mine. They were mostly supportive, a couple scornful, and a few even adoring. The people I met while incarcerated and with whom I shared cells, sang, clapped hands, demanded, played soccer using paper cups, and discussed politics and spirituality, were totally inspiring. They were young and old, artists, students, workers, teachers, and lawyers, in all shapes, sizes and colors. We cheered for our women comrades in their pens across the way and they cheered for us. We were covered in grease and grime from head to toe. We smelled as you would expect. However, everyone's inner beauty shined right through it all.
We were right and they were wrong. I met bystanders who weren't political but were just swept in who said this event opened their eyes and ignited their spirits to now get involved. After about 30 hours in and several hours of shouting to try and get corrections staff to tend to my elevated blood pressure and need for medicine, I began to despair. It was one false hope after another. Being told constantly that we were almost out of here and then only having to wait another eight or so hours with nothing happening was demoralizing. When I first reported my medical needs I saw a prison medic who suggested I go to the hospital for treatment. As my transfer was about to take place I was informed by corrections staff that it would be a major hassle to take me there and that I would be put back at the end of the line for processing, possibly delaying my release another day. I could, however, elect to be processed immediately and released much sooner which would allow me to get my medication on my own. I elected to do that. I was printed, photographed and led to the special cell awaiting court appearance rather quickly.
However, that's when everything just stopped and I began my difficult final 20 hours of detention in the roach-infested city cell. As my concerns about my health increased I pleaded with the guards by calling out "I need my medication, will someone please take my blood pressure". After several hours a guard came and said they would work on it. One inmate in my cell, not a demonstrator but a jail regular, threatened me if I kept calling for assistance (he was annoyed). About four hours later, nothing. I went to the pay phone in our cell and called 911. They sent an ambulance to the jail to take me to the hospital. This didn't go over well with the sergeant. One other detainee, a Ms. O'Reilly, said she heard one of the guards telling the ambulance driver to "rip him (me) a new asshole" for calling them. I was shackled taken to the Beakman Hospital and finally got my meds.
One young demonstrator at the Pier prison (Gitmo North I called it) took the paper cups given us and tore them up into fragments and carefully laid them out across the concrete floor of our makeshift prison; it read "The spirit has no cage." Another group took the miniature cereal boxes thrown at us from over the fence (like it was feeding time in Mogadishu) to create an enormous peace sign with the words "Peace" and "Freedom" on its seal.
For those who snicker at, as they see it, the "naïve altruism" of the demonstrators, I have no doubt many of them would have "seen the light", as the others have, if they were in our shoes. Indeed, the inner light has no cage.
John
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SITE SEEING
This section was compiled by Nicole Johns
The Emerging Democratic Majority
www.emergingdemocraticmajorityweblog.com
If you want to know the pulse of centrists and populists, this site is for you. Designed as a virtual meeting place and open forum, the site serves proffers the thesis that demographic trends are creating conditions for a strong and lasting Democratic majority.
The website is a companion piece the book “The Emerging Democratic Majority” authored by John Judis and Ruy Teixeira. On the site you will find public opinion, polling data, articles on political strategy, an online library and a weblog. It is hoped that by facilitating dialogue, the site will help strengthen the Democratic Party.
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Progressive Trail
Progressive Trail was established to provide grassroots activists with a public forum and to provide news, commentary and policy information for the purposes of public education. The core issues examined on the site include: promotion of civil liberties and social justice, analysis of corporate and capital influence on the political process and promotion of transparency in government and corporations.
The Progressive Trail accepts editorial submissions and story ideas.
When Taking Root checked the site out there was a clear and informative piece on the causes and aftermath of September 11th, including the intentions of Al Qaeda.
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THE TOOL SHED
Environmental Scorecard
Environmental Defense has developed an excellent tool for concerned citizens to learn more about what is in their air, water and soil, and who put it there. You can search by zip code, toxin, or company.
There is more information than you can absorb in one sitting about who are the polluters in your county, what toxins are in your air and water, local superfund sites, and almost anything else you can want to know about the quality of your environment. The site also arms you with tools for taking action, like contacting your governor, representatives, and joining local action groups.
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For Political Junkies Only
If you just can't wait to find out how the latest polls are tracking, head on over to http://www.electoral-vote.com to get up-to-date state-by-state poll information. The polls are translated into a map depicting the electoral college results predicted by the current polls and there's lots of great material to help you truly understand what you're seeing and the implications.
For example, this entry talks (at length) about polling methodologies, and in particular why Gallup's polls should be tossed out the window along with Time and Newsweek.
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GI Rights Hotline
The GI Rights Hotline is answered by a coalition of nonprofit, non-governmental organizations who provide information to members of the military about discharges, grievance and complaint procedures, and other civil rights.
http://girights.objector.org/whoweare.html
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Grassroots Calendar
Sept 22 | |
Sep 27 | Chicago, IL & Chapel Hill, NC -- Emily's List WOMEN VOTE! Reception. |
Sep 28 | Silver Spring, MD -- Reception and screening of Hijacking Catastrophe send a blank e-mail to theatretickets-at-grassrootsforamerica.us for ticket information. |
Sep 30 | Washington, DC -- Emily's List WOMEN VOTE! Reception - Watch the Presidential Debate with Ellen Malcolm. |
Oct 5 | Sarasota, FL -- Emily's List WOMEN VOTE! Reception. |
Oct 20 | Bethel Cinema, Bethel, CT -- Grassroots Theatre Network, 7:00 PM double feature - Hijacking Catastrophe and Bush's Brain - send a blank e-mail to theatretickets-at-grassrootsforamerica.us for ticket information. |
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About Our Newsletter
Editorial Team
Editor-In-Chief: Kimberly Krautter
Managing Editor: Pam Paul
Contributing Writers: Bert Caradine, Max Gordon, Nicole Johns, Will Thomasson
Send Letters to the Editor to: editor-at-grassrootsforamerica.us
Send content submissions to: news-at-grassrootsforamerica.us
Subscribe to Taking Root, a semi-monthly newsletter by Grassroots For America. (You will only receive the newsletter email through this list.)
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VISIT OUR WEB SITE
Grassroots for America is a resource for progressive grassroots organizations across the nation, connecting groups and providing services, infrastructure and consulting to:
- Energize their ideas and bring them to life
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- Mobilize bodies of voters for active citizen engagement
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Grassroots for AmericaSM is a not-for-profit corporation operating as an IRS chapter 501(c)4 organization.
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