Citizen Power

Solidarity seems to be the cornerstone of citizen action that actually accomplishes something in any societal movement. Have you ever noticed corporations' motivational seminars? They emphasize teamwork towards their common goal of greed, and they never waiver from it. We can adopt their methods for our common goals of peace and social justice for all. Congress is where citizen political power really resides, Constitutionally speaking , so we need to vote in solidarity for those who are for us and our common goals. But we have to develop our common goals into solid platforms first, and then rally united support behind each of those who truly uphold our clearly defined platforms (Example: not just healthcare reform, but Single Payer as a platform).

October Rallys and Demonstrations Protest Afghan War
by Arn Specter, Phila. (Twitter and Op Ed News)
Sept.27,2009
The following article [NYCLAW] Antiwar Movement: US braced for surge of protest over war in Afghanistan
gives us a picture of the growing opposition

Sent: Saturday, September 26, 2009
Subject: G20: Summit, Protests, Police, Videos, Pictures

America's Police State in Action in Pittsburgh, Oakland
by Arn Specter, Phila. (Twitter and Op Ed News )

KDKA, Ch2 in Pittsburgh has extensive coverage of activities before and during
the G20 Summit, which ended today. Protesters set up tent cities in Pittsburgh and
rallied too in Oakland, Calif. facing hundreds of fully armed police and swat teams
from America's Police State.

Over 100 were arrested, some injured. Many were there protesting for the need for
jobs, protections for their homes against foreclosures, changes in the banking system
and the way the U.S. government fails to protect the public; the corrupt giving of
billions of dollars as bailouts to large financial corporations; the villainous role of the
Federal Reserve System (not a gov;t agency!); to call for "regulations" of the financial

Afghanistan may be the final nail in the coffin of our republic. President Obama is now rethinking his campaign position about going into this poor and war ravaged nation. He has sent in more troops, but reports seem to indicate that he may slow down and consider the fact that Al-Qaeda is not in Afghanistan. This is a problem, if your justification for going into a place is to “Get the Bad Guys.”

I just wrote another article about “Westmoreland” becoming a verb. The cry from this general during the Vietnam war was just give him more troops and he would win in Vietnam---wrong, didn’t work and we now have that experience to guide us here. All the stupid warmongering statements of condi, mccain, and lieberman will not change the fact that we are killing Afghans because the bad guys are gone. General Petraeus should be fired or transferred to lead a security detail for Sarah Palin, watching Russia.

By BuzzFlash
original here, and signed copies of the book available

David Swanson is the most prolific, indefatigable advocate and activist that BuzzFlash knows of. He is equally at home writing countless persuasive commentaries on the Internet about the urgency of upholding the Constitution and making those in power accountable under the law on his main site AfterDowningStreet.org. and with being a ubiquitous grassroots activist.

Swanson is a young father, but his personal actions echo the mobilization protests of the '60s. Unlike so many of us creatures of the Internet who make our logical arguments for principle and social justice on the net and feel that we are doing our job, Swanson doesn't miss an opportunity to hit the streets, Congressional offices, protests in front of the White House, organizing advocacy marches -- whatever it takes.