GREETINGS!
This past month has been another extremely busy and eventful one to say the least. Citizens from across the world are engaged in so many tasks and events it is hard to keep track. Between Hurricane Katrina relief, meeting with members of Congress, local Activist Trainings, and Leave My Child Alone efforts there is plenty to Get Involved with!
We hope you enjoy this month's features as we continue to do our best to find diverse information that keeps you well informed while offering you ways to participate in areas which you are passionate about. This edition is chock full- so whether you are a conscientious shopper, a compassionate citizen, a builder of Democracy, a candidate for office, or a Peace Activist- we will lead you to where you need to go!
Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who are suffering during this rather serile time in our history, and we thank all who work so tirelessly to help create a better American community! Without citizen activism we loose the very foundation our fore-fathers worked so hard to build.
Drop us a line if you have topics you would like to see covered in future editions or have links to progressive groups and activities that you would like your fellow activists to learn about.
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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.
We welcome your story ideas and are very interested in your letters and opinions. Email us at editor-at-grassrootsforamerica.us.
Thank You and Enjoy!
| Grassroots for America Newsletter Team |
Glimpse What’s Inside!
Click on a title to jump to the story below.
NEWS for the ROOTS
Alo Novo Progress Report
Made an on-line purchase lately? On alonovo, right??
We are happy to report that alonovo launched on schedule last month and, if they haven’t already, will soon pass the 1,000,000 hit landmark.
As we reported last month, alonovo lets you buy products online from companies that share your social values. You define the social and environmental values you care about and see how different merchants perform in those areas using data from KLD Research and Analytics , and, every time you buy something via alonovo, the non-profit of your choice, GFA included, gets a contribution of between 1% and 1.5% of the purchase price.
Check out alonovo and have your online purchases help sustain the roots!
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Democracy For The Displaced
Submitted by Quintus Jett. Quintus Jett, Ph.D. is founding director of African Americans for Democracy and a Root Camp mentor. Email Quintus.
Several hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes following Hurricane Katrina. In New Orleans, communities have been taken apart and residents have been displaced to adjacent states and scattered around the country. Those who have endured the most severe impact are from the poorest and predominantly black neighborhoods of the city. How can we assess and meet the needs of so many displaced people, who are diverse in their needs and now dispersed in many places?
I am a professor of management and organizations in my professional life, and I have spent the past two years examining how to combine activism and technology in a truly grassroots way. I am an African-American who sees many people around me feeling a call to consciousness and action. I see people who have donated money and physical goods, yet want to do more. They would gladly apply the skills that they have gained from years of employment and volunteerism for the benefit of those who are displaced. We have all the human resources that we need in this country to serve the displaced, if we can envision a structure to coordinate our independent efforts.
So what can we do together? Physical separation has severed the democratic mechanisms of New Orleans, and further isolated the city's residents who are most in need. Bringing democracy to the displaced – even if they have not experienced it in New Orleans – will require three steps: 1) Basing volunteer efforts on factual information about New Orleans evacuees, in order to dispel simple characterizations and stereotypes; 2) Helping evacuees develop functioning local groups wherever they are now displaced; 3) Helping evacuees reconnect with their elected officials from New Orleans, so that these officials will be held accountable in representing their interests.
If you want to contribute to bringing democracy to the displaced, please contact me. I volunteer my expertise and network to help with any ideas that you have.
Thank You!
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The Message of Hope and Compassion comes to the US via an outside source.
Submitted by Pam Paul
The Dalai Lama is on a 21 day visit to the United States. His first since 2003. Crowds of thousands wait to hear what this Nobel Peace Prize winning, spiritual leader has to say. Even business students at Thunderbird, the Garvin School of International Management come in droves to hear his words of wisdom.
His words to these students did not include secrets on guerilla marketing nor do they include strategies on becoming the greatest CEO. Or did they? The message- simple yet poignant, short but seemingly far in reach could ultimately be the key to all our successes. The message he sends is the same message that he has shared with millions upon millions of people across the world. This message is of hope and compassion. One can only imagine the shift in our world's inner riches if we all had both and practiced them within ourselves and among others on a regular basis.
Ironically the Dalai Lama, not native to our country, may be one of the most helpful voices during these turbulent times for the United States. Between the unsettledness with the War in Iraq and the wake of Hurricane Katrina, American citizens, now more than ever, need hope and compassion and they need a messenger who is not giving lip-service to the meaning of these words. Americans need a figurehead, any figurehead, who can light the way during these dark times.
It is estimated that a total of hundreds of thousands will attend his visits. A diverse group of individuals- from all faiths, all walks of life, with one common thread- the belief in the message of hope and compassion. If you cannot make one of his stops you can find his work in the collection of his writings. One of his most popular books- The Art of Happiness, one of my personal favorites, has sold well over a million copies and now has a newer follow- up handbook. In his most recent book The Universe in a Single Atom he investigates the convergence of science and religion and challenges us to open our hearts and minds to the connections between science and faith. For more information on the Dalai Lama you can visit the Office of Tibet: New York site. It has information on his books and his schedule.
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National Movement to Activate for Peace- September 24-26th in Washington, DC
United for Peace and Justice is preparing for a 3 day gathering for those who wish to end the War in Iraq. United for Peace and Justice is a coalition of more than 1300 local and national groups throughout the United States who have joined together to oppose our government's policy of permanent warfare and empire-building.
Hundreds of thousands of American citizens will descend upon Washington, DC in this spirited, peaceful demonstration against the war in Iraq. The last major gathering for Peace which was held on January, 2003 was attended by over 3 million people world-wide.
The most recent poll of Americans taken reveals that only 34% believe that going to war in Iraq was the right thing to do and 60% disapprove of the way the war is being handled. These numbers have changed dramatically as we now know that the reasons for war have changed and that Iraq had no ties to the 911 incident. No matter your views on the Iraq War one thing is certain- more than half our country is unhappy and will continue to speak up and fight for a peaceful resolution.
For the agenda for the weekend or other information please visit UFPJ's website for details.
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The call for an Independent/Bipartisan Commission to Investigate the Hurricane Relief is struck down
Taken from a recent Rapid Response Network Alert. Get involved- Join Rapid Response!
76% of Americans want an independent bipartisan commission, like the one that investigated the 9/11 attacks, to investigate what went wrong. In fact, according to the same poll, Americans of all stripes, Republicans and Democrats, are united behind their support for such a commission (64% of all Republicans and 83% of all Democrats want a commission) even though they were aware that the Republicans in Congress are doing their own biased and partisan investigation.
So why did every Republican US Senator (save the Senator from Louisiana, who simply didn't vote) vote AGAINST forming this independent, bipartisan commission to investigate what went so horribly wrong, and to find out how we avoid an even larger catastrophe the next time Osama attacks a major American city with a chemical, biological or nuclear bomb?
It's time to find out.
Visit AMERICA.blog to find the contact information for those who voted against this action and contact them immediately requesting an Independent and Bipartisan Commission Investigation!
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Final Report of the Carter-Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform released to the public
Washington, DC ( September 19, 2005) The final report of the Commission on Federal Election Reform, co-chaired by former president Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker, was released to the public, congress and the President of the United States today. The 21-member Commission offers 87 recommendations to strengthen the country's electoral system and build confidence in the political process.
The full report, as well as the executive summary and the list of recommendations, is available on the Commission Web site.
The 21-member private commission is organized by American University. Comprised of former Members of Congress, scholars and nonpartisan leaders, the group identified "five pillars" of election reform voter registration, voter identification, voting technology, increased access to voting and nonpartisan election administration and recommended ways to strengthen them.
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State Field Briefs– a variety of news sent in from across the country!
41 States In; 19,000 Kids Opted Out; 257 Events
A note sent out from the crew at Leave My Child Alone
Who Do YOU Know?
Good news is a challenging find with Katrina's impact unfolding daily, but we have some: Leave My Child Alone currently has 257 Opt Out events now scheduled for September's big back-to-school push. Close to 19,000 kids have opted out, and the emails from people who have successfully changed policy in their districts are mounting.
List of the Missing States:
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Rhode Island
- Wyoming
NOTE: Megan Matson, of MMOB, will personally send you a "Make Levees, Not War" t-shirt if you manage to put one of these states on the map. Just sweet-talk your friend, and then get the event posted. Send an email once the new event is up.
Best to everyone,
The crew at Leave My Child Alone
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Kansas Grassroots Organizing and Campaign Training (Trainings)
Submitted by Creed Lawrence of Lawrence DFA
Do you wonder how Republicans always seem to have their message together? It's skills. They have them. Now it's our turn to take back the country.
The solution? Create a team of trained citizens prepared to respond. Are you ready to be part of the solution?
Please join us in Lawrence, KS October 22-23nd for an integrated 2-day campaign training course specifically geared to our local and regional politics. With experienced DFA trainers, together we will learn the nuts and bolts of running an effective grassroots organization.
We are calling on potential candidates, aspiring campaign managers and workers, and grassroots citizens just itching to jump into the political fray, to sign up and show up. The tuition is minimal and the skills are invaluable.
See you in Lawrence!
Creed Lawrence
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Oklahoma City activist training is a success!
Submitted by Linda Wade of Democracy for Oklahoma City and Root Camp.
Democracy for Oklahoma City held its first activist training on August 27th at the IBEW 1141 Union Hall. Over 40 Democratic precinct leaders and activists attended the 4 hour event from across the state. Linda Wade and Chris Heldenbrand presented information on Democratic organizational structures, and the political landscape in both Oklahoma County and Oklahoma State. The attendees warmly received this information, which will assist them in navigating the rules and structure of their party. They were exposed to the Oklahoma by-laws, and how to use them.
Renowned local activists Martha Hayes and Wanda Stapleton provided attendees with reality based training focused on activating their precincts. Martha discussed initial contact dialogues and persuasive techniques. Wanda was quite a hit! She brought innovative props to demonstrate how one effectively puts “feet on the street”. Her use of straw hats, cotton clothing, and how to roll literature for placement under a door knob (she brought a door knob prop too! ) were exactly the kind of real world information that new activists need!
In addition to the on-site training each participant received a resource CD which was packed with Oklahoma based activist and Democratic resources. These tools were compiled from different areas of the Oklahoma political landscape as well as those from Root Camp- which have been contributed by activists across the nation. This CD will become the foundation for Democracy in Oklahoma trainings both within the Party and out.
Since the training was a four hour commitment from our Leaders and Activists, fruit, coffee, and munchies were served during the two short breaks that were incorporated in the presentation. Contributions were collected in excess of $200.00, allowing us to plan for another training to be held in Payne County (date not yet set).
It is clear that activism and desire are alive and well in Oklahoma County. The eagerness and commitment of the attendees served to energize DFOKC to provide even more of this essential and important training in the months to come.
We are more together!
-Linda Wade, DFOKC
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Felton's FLOW has big impact on water flow in Santa Cruz!
Submitted by Gary Lasky of Root Camp.
Felton FLOW, a local community group in the small, coastal mountain town of Felton, California, near Santa Cruz, successfully passed an $11M bond issue to buy out their local water utility, California-American Water. The margin was 74.8%, with two-thirds required. Turnout in the mail ballot Special Election was 65% of 2450 eligible voters. Between our canvass and phone banks, 1,265 supporters were identified.
"Local water, local control" was the campaign theme. Each water customer will now be taxed up to $600 a year to be annexed by an adjacent municipal utility with stable rates and locally accountable management. Felton is self-sufficient for its water, with a pure source in the Santa Cruz Mountains; the utility plays only a local distribution role. The Cal-Am Corporation did not help itself when it applied for a 108% water rate increase and billed the rate payers for its election campaign.
I had the privilege of managing the Voter File for the campaign, producing walk kits with custom GIS maps, and helping with strategy and training. I was one of only two non-residents invited to participate.
This is international news ... water privatization is now widely recognized as contrary to the Public Interest. Three large European companies have quietly bought up U.S. water systems in the past five years. A Japanese video crew came to Felton to report on our story. They stayed for 10 days and told us of their concern about the prospect of water privatization in Japan. We believe clean drinking water is an inalienable right ... not a commodity, like oil, to be profited from.
Thanks to the 36 volunteer canvass leaders who -- in conditions appropriate to mountain goats -- covered their backwoods neighborhoods three times. Also our Steering Committee that has carried this campaign for three years, inaugurated by 85 year-old Frank Adamson, who canvassed all 1,300 homes in the district to get the issue on the ballot.
Santa Cruz, CA
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GET INVOLVED
Progressive Activists and Members of Congress Convene for 06 Electoral Strategy
Submitted by Kevin Spidel, Political Director, PDA
In addition to PDA's Grassroots Strategy Days, this Sunday, September 25, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) will hold a strategic planning session for the 2006 election cycle, marking the initiation of a coordinated effort within the Democratic Party to embrace the pro-peace movement. Saturday’s March on Washington will be the largest antiwar mobilization since the start of the Iraq War, evidence of a growing opposition to the Bush Administration’s failed Iraq policies. As more and more Americans question the leadership of a White House and a Congress that took us to war under false pretenses, PDA’s participation in events this weekend serves not only to call for an end to the war and advocate bringing the troops home, but to begin directing the End the War energy into a comprehensive electoral strategy for the 2006 mid-term elections. At the day-long event, PDA will announce its endorsement of several congressional candidates, and grassroots activists will acquire a specific strategy to elect representatives who share the values of a majority of Americans who see the Iraq war as a mistake and wish to have our troops home safely.
We hope you will join us!
Kevin Spidel
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Sending Smiles
Submitted by Lauren Shannon of Democrats Abroad.
I had the idea soon after the NOLA and other Hurricane Katrina survivors and evacuees were moved to shelters in Houston and across many states, to organize a drive to provide some activity books, crayons and coloring books for the families and kids that are going through so much stress and worry as they try to deal with the future after Katrina.
Thanks to some Democrats Abroad friends world wide, especially Shari Temple for help in tracking down information and assistance back home from, I am ready to launch an action called "Sending Smiles."
Many of the larger centers are getting a lot of assistance and media attention so we decided to start this by working with some smaller shelters or less well known ones first, this will also help make sure that our donation is not a burden for distribution in areas already overwhelmed with donations and gift items.
"Sending Smiles" from Overseas Americans will start by partnering with Camp Gruber in Braggs Oklahoma. You can read all about the project and help us at http://sendingsmiles.blogspot.com/
Thank you!
*Lauren Shannon, Democracy for America- Japan Chapter and Democrats Abroad Japan.
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Habitat for Humanity
The situation on the Gulf Coast is grave. Reports of devastation are staggering. Thousands of families are left homeless or with homes that are severely damaged.
Katrina was nothing short of catastrophic--especially for families in low-income housing and mobile home parks. In a disaster like this, families who were hanging on by a thread before the hurricane will sadly suffer the most in its aftermath.
They have lost so much. We must help them piece their lives back together.
We need your help. Habitat for Humanity thrives on the work of its gracious volunteers and donors and invites people from all faiths, cultures and geographies to work together to build houses with families in need.
We invite you to become a participant in the effort to rebuild lives and communities. Get involved now and make a difference in the lives of those affected by disasters and conflicts.
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We've Raised a Half-Million Dollars and Sent Over 50 Tons of Food and Water- an open letter from Michael Moore.
Friends,
Last week I closed my New York production office and sent my staff down to New Orleans to set up our own relief effort. I asked all of you to help me by sending food, materials and cash to the emergency relief center we helped set up on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain with the Veterans for Peace. We did this when the government was doing nothing and the Red Cross was still trying to get it together. Every day, every minute was critical. People were dying, poor people, black people, left like so much trash in the street. I wanted to find a way to get aid in there immediately.
I hooked up with the Vietnam veterans and Iraqi war vets (Veterans for Peace) who were organizing a guerilla, grass-roots relief effort. They were the same group that had set up Cindy Sheehan's camp in Crawford and now they had moved Camp Casey to Louisiana.
I have good news and horrible news to report. First, your response to my appeal letter was overwhelming. Within a few days, a half-million dollars was sent in through my website to fund our relief effort. This money was immediately used to buy generators, food, water, a mobile medical van, tents, satellite phones, etc.
Others of you began shipping supplies to our encampment. People in communities all over the country started organizing truck caravans to us in Louisiana. Twenty-two trucks from southern California alone have already arrived. A semi-truck from Chicago delivered ten tons of food. A group of friends in New Jersey got two 24 foot trucks, got their community to load them up with goods, and arrived in Covington tonight. Fifteen iMacs are inbound from California. One man gave us his pick-up truck and another donated truck is en route from Houston.
Your response to my appeal has been nothing short of miraculous. And it has saved many, many lives.
A number of you decided to just get in your cars and drive to our camp to volunteer to help. We now have had 150 volunteers here doing the work that needs to be done. Last night they unloaded twenty tons of food from a tractor trailer in under two hours. Each day more volunteers arrive. Everyone is sleeping on the ground or in tents. It is a remarkable sight. Thank you, all of you, for responding. I will never forget this outpouring of generosity to those forgotten by our own government.
My staff and the vets spend their 18-hour days delivering food and water throughout the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. What they have seen is appalling. I have asked them to post their daily diaries on my website (www.michaelmoore.com) along with accompanying photos and video so you can learn what is really going on. What the media is showing you is NOT the whole story. It is much, much worse and there is still little being done to bring help to those who need it.
Our group has visited many outlying towns and villages in Mississippi and Louisiana, places the Red Cross and FEMA haven't visited in over a week. Often our volunteers are the first relief any of these people have seen. They have no food, water or electricity. People die every day. There are no TV cameras recording this. They have started to report the spin and PR put out by the White House, the happy news that often isn't true ("Everyone gets 2,000 dollars!").
The truth is that there are dead bodies everywhere and no one is picking them up. My crew reports that in most areas there is no FEMA presence, and very little Red Cross. It's been over two weeks since the hurricane and there is simply not much being done. At this point, would you call this situation incompetence or a purposeful refusal to get real help down there?
That's why we decided not to wait. And we are so grateful to all of you who have joined us. The Veterans for Peace and my staff aren't leaving (and that's why we are hoping those of you who can't get to Covington will make it to the Veterans for Peace co-sponsored anti-war demonstration in DC on September 24.
If you want to help, here's what we need in Covington right now:
- Cleaning Supplies (glass cleaner, bleach, disinfectant, etc.)
- Aspirin and other basic over the counter drugs.
- Bottled Water
- Canned Goods
- Hygiene Supplies
- Baby Supplies - Baby Food Formula, diapers #4, #5, Wipes, Pedialyte
- Sterile Gloves
- Batteries - All kinds, from AA to watch and hearing aid batteries.
- Volunteers with trucks and cars
- Self contained kitchens with generators, utensils, workers
Consider sending supplies in reusable containers. List the contents on the outside of the package so the folks in the warehouse can easily sort the items.
Clothes are not needed. If you go, keep in mind that you MUST be self-sufficient. Bring a tent and a sleeping bag. People are driving to Covington from across the country and often have extra room in their cars for you or for an extra box of supplies. For more information, go to the Veterans for Peace message board: www.vfproadtrips.org/katrina/.
Send supplies via UPS to:
Veterans for Peace
Omni Storage
74145 Hwy. 25
Covington, LA
Thanks again for funding and supporting our relief efforts. It has been a bright spot in this otherwise shameful month.
Yours,
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Purple Ocean's Response and Rebuilding Efforts-A note from President Andy Stern (sent to members of PurpleOcean.org).
Many PurpleOcean.org members have contacted me asking what PurpleOcean.org and SEIU are doing in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Our first action was to seed a SEIU Hurricane Relief fund with $100,000. The money will go directly to our affected members--workers in schools, local governments, nursing homes, and commercial buildings--and their families.
Because of the round-the-clock work of SEIU members and leaders already on the ground, we've also been able to respond quickly to other immediate needs. Teams of SEIU nurses have traveled to the Gulf Coast, and more will be deployed in the coming weeks. Our SEIU Mobile Action Centers, usually used for phone banking or calling members, have been relocated to provide phone access for those in the Gulf Coast with no access.
I realize that many of you have already contributed to the Red Cross or to other organizations. If you're still looking to give more, I'd like you to know about a few organizations that our local leaders have recommended as being highly effective at getting help to working families on the ground.
- SEIU's Hurricane Response Relief Fund will go to helping workers and their families affected by the hurricane and the federal government's response failure. Because these funds will exclusively support our members, contributions to this fund are not tax-deductible.
- ACORN is a community organization of low- and moderate-income families working together for social justice and stronger communities since 1970. Their headquarters was located in New Orleans, and they are already in contact with thousands of needy families throughout the Gulf Coast. Contributions to ACORN are tax-deductible.
Thank you in advance for your support and generosity.
Andy Stern, President SEIU
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Inspiration Point
A Prayer for the World
Submitted by DeAnn Deason
We have watched our neighbors die before our very eyes and have seen our children stranded without help. We have heard all the stories and listened to all the blames placed yet this fact remains; nothing...absolutely nothing removes the deep and intense grief we have for our neighbors. As I search for new words, new takes, new anything on this devastation I find myself continuing to go back to the very old newspaper clipping from Parade Magazine which is placed upon our family's refrigerator. With tears of sorrow and hope for human kindness I share this prayer with you.
DeAnn Deason
A Prayer For The World
Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations.
Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect.
Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows.
Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken.
Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly.
So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color.
Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness.
So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrows of our neighbors.
And let the light of the sun be so strong that we will see all people as our neighbors.
Let the earth, nourished by rain, bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty.
And let the mountains teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven.
Amen.
--Rabbi Harold S. Kushner
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SITE SEEING
Balancing fun, rest, relaxation and activism
T'is the season to try leaf peeping!
Leaf peeping :(wikipedia definition) Leaf peeping is an activity that one might partake in during autumn in areas where the foliage changes colors. It is the act of admiring autumn foliage for its beauty. A person who leaf peeps is called a leaf peeper. Leaf peepers are often tourists and are known for driving slowly on public roads. This activity was lampooned in the animated television show Family Guy in the episode Lethal Weapons.
Ahhh... wouldn't it be nice to just enjoy the foliage? When was the last time you just took a drive, enjoyed the fall colors or the seasonal changes in your area and just left your cares behind?
Are you a leaf peeper? Would you like to become one? Do you want to become one but live in an area which does not always offer a good peep?
If so we have The Best Fall Foliage sites in America site which offers information on key spots across the country. We have also found this Cyber-Leaf Peeping site which offers you links to virtual web cam peeping! Be sure to take some time off and Enjoy!
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A little Lakoff goes a long way!
The Post-Katrina Era
By Professor George Lakoff, founder of the Rockridge Institute; the following is an excerpt from the article appearing at The Huffington Post:
"It is impossible for me, as it is for most Americans, to watch the horror and suffering from Hurricane Katrina and not feel physically sore, pained, bereft, empty, and heart-broken. And angry.
The Katrina Tragedy should become a watershed in American politics. This was when the usually invisible people suddenly appeared in all the anguish of their lives — the impoverished, the old, the infirm, the kids, and the low-wage workers with no cars, no tvs, no credit cards.
They showed up on America’s doorsteps, entered the living rooms, and stayed.
Katrina will not go away soon, and she has the power to change America.
The moral of Katrina is mostly being missed. It is not just a failure of execution (William Kristol), or that bad things just happen (Laura Bush). It was not just indifference by the President, or a lack of accountability, or a failure of federal-state communication, or corrupt appointments in FEMA, or the cutting of budgets for fixing levees, or the inexcusable absence of the National Guard off in Iraq. It was all of these and more, but they are the effects, not the cause.
The cause was political through and through — a matter of values and principles. The progressive-liberal values are America’s values, and we need to go back to them."
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Link up through DFA Link
Democracy for America is using a new tool for Meetups and other community events. This new tool is called DFA Link and it will be used as an alternative to MeetUp and other organizing resources that DFA has used in the past. It is currently in the Beta testing phase and although it was just recently released there are over 6,000 members.
DFA Link has successfully been used in the Leave My Child Alone and Hurricane Katrina relief initiatives as well as the monthly DFA community meetings.
Visit the new DFA Link site to become connected!
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Have you heard of the Saint Patrick's Four?
They are four Catholic workers from Ithaca, N.Y. Daniel Burns works in the film industry and traveled to Iraq in 2003 to promote peace and reconciliation. Clare Grady has worked for 17 years as a kitchen coordinator at Loaves and Fishes Community Kitchen, a ministry that feeds the hungry. Peter de Mott is a former marine who served in Vietnam, then joined the Army and took a NATO post as a linguist. Peter, too, has traveled to Iraq as part of a Christian peacemaker team. Teresa Grady is a dance instructor and founder of the Ithaca Catholic Worker community with a long history of working with the homeless.
On March 17, 2003, Dan, Clare, Peter, and Teresa entered a military recruiting center in Lansing, N.Y., and poured a half cup of their own blood around the vestibule. No one was prevented from entering or leaving the recruiting center as they then knelt and read a statement they had prepared.
The following month they were tried for criminal mischief and they were acquitted. Now, however, they are being retried for conspiracy to impede "by force, intimidation, and threat" an officer of the United States, and three lesser charges. The trial began Monday Sept. 19, and if the four are convicted, the penalty could be up to six years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
This will be the first federal conspiracy trial arising out of civil resistance to the invasion of Iraq. It will also be the first federal conspiracy trial of antiwar protesters since Vietnam.
The above information was found on Anti-War.com. Visit the Saint Patrick's Four website for more details and information about the ongoing case.
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IS this the wave of our future?
This may seem like a joke but think about it and you will realize this may be the reality of things to come.
Written by Joe Forgy of Oklahoma
"Back in 1991, when I retired, with the rate of inflation and interest rates, I had enough money to last for my life time.
Now Bush Administration economics have caused my plans to go awry and I must make other plans. I'm too old and ill to work and I decided to place some rather expensive items on sale to be delivered after my demise.
I am a veteran of World War II and I don't believe I will survive very long with the medical support now available to veterans and the elderly. Medicare costs me more and more each year and my savings have been decimated.
I have decided to plan ahead by selling some of my most treasured assets. My first offering will be my Pacemaker and the accompanying leads.
It is a..
- Clarity DR pacemaker, model CL860uus, Serial # 0176282499.
- Two pace maker leads:
- Model ICF09B58, serial # VMR052075V
- Model ICFo9B52, serial # VMR054088V
I have added a clause to my burial contract whereby upon my demise my undertaker will carefully remove the item and ship it by overnight mail to the winning recipient. A copy of that contract will also be mailed to the new owner. This type of item may no longer be provided by Medicare in the future. Plan ahead, don't be caught without the resources you need."
Thank You!
Joe Forgy
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THE TOOL SHED
Announcing "Politics the Wellstone Way"
Wellstone Action's first book, "Politics the Wellstone Way: How to Elect Progressive Candidates and Win on Issues," is now available on bookstore shelves.
During the past four years, political activism has grown to a level that has not been seen in the United States since the Vietnam War. Tensions over the war in Iraq and the presidential election motivated hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the political fence to take to the streets. Politics the Wellstone Way offers a comprehensive set of strategies to help progressives channel that energy into winning issue-based and electoral campaigns.
There is no doubt that this book would be beneficial for anyone actively working in politics today. Find out more about "Politics the Wellstone Way."
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One World.net
One World.net brings together the latest news and views from over 1,600 organizations promoting human rights awareness and fighting poverty worldwide. The full range of OneWorld content is from its partner network, is in 12 languages and is organized by eight main topics (with 80 sub-topics) as well as by country/region... You can use the OneWorld.net site as your library, resource or just browse.
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OpTruth Launches TroopNet: The Nation's First Online Community For Current Troops and Veterans
In early September, Operation Truth made history by launching the first-ever online community for current Troops and Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. TroopNet is a groundbreaking tool that our men and women in uniform can use to share their stories, find friends in the service, and link up with a support network of friends in their area. Think of this service as a 'virtual VFW'.
Also, visitors to the OpTruth website can browse stories written by TroopNet member veterans who choose to share their experiences with the public. New accounts of the war from the Troops who lived it are posted daily, so check it out.
You can access TroopNet anytime from the OpTruth website by clicking on the TroopNet icon in the right-hand column of the homepage.
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The New Orleans Network
The New Orleans Network site was designed as a tool to help people in the New Orleans and Gulf Coast area stay connected to the communities they love, access and share resources, and begin the discussions needed about the past, present, and future of New Orleans citizens. The site can be used to help residents rebuild social circles, neighborhoods, the different communities they participate in, and their cities. This site is also a tool to address the challenges that New Orleans has always faced, and widen the imagination of how it can be a better, more just, more beautiful place to call home.
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Peace Majority
Submitted by Bill Scheurer, Peace Majority Editor.
The PeaceMajority Report is an email newsletter and online resource with news and information for building the American peace community. Reaching out to the broad "community of communities" for peace, and sharing information among these groups, helps bring a greater unity of purpose and action to everyone's work.
The PMR project helps other peace groups educate and mobilize key players—the Congress and administration, political parties and candidates, the media, and the public—on peace instead of war as our key to security. It does this through publicizing the actions and events of these peace groups, along with news and information about peace building tools, and a unique "peace scorecard" rating all House and Senate members on an up-to-date basis.
Future plans include a massive outreach—of course, in conjunction with other peace groups—to help millions of new people find their homes in the peace community. Visit the www.PeaceMajority.org website for a free subscription to the newsletter, and to volunteer or donate to this project.
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GFA News
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Thank You!
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Looking For A Few Great Volunteers!
Grassroots for America is putting out a call for activists who wish to contribute your creative abilities to our newsletter!
In order for us to gather a full spectrum of experiences and stories we would like to build upon the already awesome team of writers we currently have.
This entails a few hours a month and your desire to share your writing and/or editing talent!
Please contact Pam-at-grassrootsforamerica.us if you wish to become part of our team!
We thank you for your support!
About Our Newsletter
Newsletter Production: Pam Paul
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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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