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Post by rwparkinson on Nov 25, 2011 22:25:34 GMT -5
We need to stop, look, and listen. The Black Friday event had less people than the first Peace Corner protest. OMF should not do anything - purge all proposals - until we can sponsor an event that brings more than our first one.
The Black Friday march had less people than attend the Monday night GA meetings. What is the point?
We don't need to watch a video at the Henegar (good idea, but not appropriate at this time). We don't need to do anything but raise awareness by sponsoring an event at which a large number of people attend.
Perhaps we need to coordinate an action with the other groups; Orlando, Space Coast, etc. But whatever we do, it better be big.
Ideas anyone?
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Post by James on Nov 26, 2011 0:07:36 GMT -5
WARNING! Tl;dr. Skip to 4th paragraph.  I think it is first important to point out that this is a holiday weekend, and many have family obligations that they might consider more important. Second, it was a very long march, and some really weren't capable of going the distance so to speak. Personally I feel that all the individuals who were able to be involved were involved in the best way they could be. Further, I don't want to say that numbers aren't important (we all want more people to be involved), and I do agree that with each action we take we need to raise the bar a bit. But, I really feel that this group is still working on getting really coordinated. We should try and focus on that. Maybe try planing events on a longer timeline, put together some pamphlets, and work with what we have as far as attendance and participation for the time being. There are also a lot of things that push people away from being active. There are certain risks you have to take, even if your just holding a sign and walking down the sidewalk. Not everyone can stomach being called an "asshole" from a faceless person driving by. I feel that many people that live in the area(especially younger people)want to be involved, but don't know how, where or why they should be. We need to encourage people to come out and start doing things like teach-ins, weekly soap-boxes, or things that spread awareness or are more focused on social outreach. So, that people know there is a safe place for their voice. I also feel that these things have the potential to be more effective in working towards permanent change. We should be trying to construct places where we can function outside of these oppressive power structures. So, we educate individuals on the issues at hand, and then we start working to change what we do. From there we can do things have swap-meets, farmers markets, or do a "gift-economy" really-free market, starting a Food Not Bombs group, etc... So, to sort of plan this out: Set a date for a teach-in/soap-box, get some speakers scheduled(maybe, just make sure someone does speak...), generate some literature/flyers/press-releases, pass things around the week in advance/attend other things(football games? Is that illegal?)to get a more targeted audience, do a cost-benefit analysis of seeking the under 20 age group(<---- is sarcasm, lolololol), hopefully have huge turnout, get some voices heard and some community built. I really don't think that marches "get the word out" as effectively as something like this would, and I don't think that they really help to build places where we can escape the power of the 1% at home. Which is what we should be doing, because we can't fight Wall St. from here. |
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gm0ney
Junior Member
Posts: 55
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Post by gm0ney on Nov 26, 2011 22:40:10 GMT -5
Don't give up!!!
Things are winding down -for the moment...
They probably won't start to pick up untill March, but something might happen 4-11 Dec or around the 29th.
What we need right now is keep the faith, continue to muddle through and find a way to peack the interest of the under 30 set. Many are interested, but either feel entitled that someone else should do it for them, are too cynical to believe they can make a difference, feel they don't have a right to make their voice heard because they haven't done their part (in society) yet, or are more passionate about shopping than they are about changing a society they don't understand yet because they were not told the truth about it.
Honestly, it's not their fault, the education system has done a good job in training them not to think for themselves -especially in an area like this one. So maybe, we need to focus on educating them and utilize the few under 25ers that we have somehow.
That, and streamlining how our system works would be helpful. We still have a few years for the energy of this to work itself out. The important thing is that in participating, even though we don't know what we are doing maybe, by getting our wheels spinning on it, we WILL figure it out.
So, I council to stay with it; let go of any preconcieved notions of what will work and what won't; let go of doubts, negative thinking; and if it feels good try it and keep doing it as long as it feels good (which the march did to me).
Keep in mind, the reason the Conservatives won the 2010 elections to the degree that they did was because they did not give, did not back down, and continued to endure despite the obsticles and all the pundits saying they were finished -they did the same thing in 1994, so it shouldn't have been a surprise. We must follow this example, for that is how we will win.
Have the WILL to endure and the rest will follow. Fight, fight, fight. Fight till your last breath (peacefully of course, but fight for your biggest enemy is your (mine own) self doubt.
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Post by gaiaally on Nov 27, 2011 13:29:40 GMT -5
I agree with rwparkinson and gm0ney re outreach to more members in our community. All age groups have something to offer.
First step, with residents / business owners / students / authorities (police, teachers, even local government) = LISTENING to “where they’re at.” Extending an olive branch and offer to support THEM, patiently building relationships, starting with THEIR concerns. Interspersed with sharing what we’re about--especially what concerns we have in common with them.
Brainstorm how to specifically extend ourselves to ally with segments of our community whom we’re not currently in communication with. (all age groups, all ethnic groups, those in positions of power, the disenfranchised, organizations--be they clubs or churches or unions--since they have numbers, etc.)
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