Friends,

I hesitate to say anything on this topic because I've done so little with NWOPC while you've all worked very hard and kept the flame alive regardless of current events, but I feel like I'd be watching an injustice and doing nothing if I didn't say something. 

The injustice is that good people are feeling sick at heart because the world is full of suffering, there is so little we can do to relieve it and on top of that, the system we live in and loathingly support is the world's greatest perpetrator of that suffering.  If that doesn't sicken, depress and frustrate the strongest heart I don't know what would.  Support from a small band of good souls is lifesaving but in a world where the vast majority of our fellows seem content to let the system steer a course of blind detachment through it all -- and those cursed with sight see it everywhere -- it's exhausting.

At least, that's the way I see it.  And why I'm writing.  Not to suggest what anybody else should do, but how I perceive this vale of tears and try to do about it.  It's why my socially useful efforts have been mostly limited to working with Move to Amend for some time. 

Just to be certain, I believe the work NWOPC does, like the work of so many other groups keeping a righteous flame burning, is important.  If I believed in the afterlife, I think anybody who picketed through a Toledo winter should get an automatic pass into the eternity of their choice. 

But because my calender is getting rapidly thinner and I'm trying to figure out how to best use the pages left, I find working with Move to Amend feels like the thing to do -- for a couple reasons.  It feels like (with apologies to the plant kingdom) striking at Empire's roots instead of its branches and more importantly, I see how people respond to it.

 

Just think of all the person-on-the-street responses to reporters' questions about "what's the point?" and "why don't you focus on something?" during the Occupy movement.  A surprising and refreshing number of people know what empire is and that we're it; even more know this isn't a democracy.  I'm not telling them anything new when I broach those subjects.  Usually they're interested in "so what do we do?"  And believe me, it is surprisingly, increasingly easy to zip through a few of the crucial issues of the day and get right to the one people feel in their bones-- we don't have the life we need because we're not running the show.  The 1% is and they sure ain't running it for our benefit. 

Not everyone runs out at that point and becomes an activist.  Never enough do.  But you're talking their language.  Part of what needs to happen, I think, is to look at why we feel hopeless; why we feel life sucks but it's what we're used to, so just work harder.  This gets to the universal theme of successful movements: people start demanding better and getting active when they start thinking of themselves differently.  This is what the Populists learned. I think it was an important part of what the civil rights movement learned.  It's the cornerstone of Move to Amend-- we're "the people" and this government is supposed to be run in our interest.

Volumes much wiser have been written on this topic so I'll leave it at that, except to say, it's not for lack of trying or goodness of heart.  It's the system...and it's not ours.

mike       

www.movetoamend.org

 

On Wednesday, March 11, 2015 9:31 PM, Anne Abowd <anneabowd@PROTECTED> wrote:

Sundays are usually good for me.  I have to be  in Detroit tomorrow, but let me look at the calendar and let you know on Monday.  You might have to remind me though.

Thanks,

Anne

On Mar 11, 2015, at 8:30 PM, Dakotakwolf@PROTECTED wrote:

Thank you, Anne. I know that you do lots of work on the issues that are important to you. (No, I never got an e-mail from you on this issue, by the way).

 

I would like to have a meeting perhaps after a demo on a Sunday to discuss what we can do on April 22 and or March 19. Is there a Sunday you could make such a meeting?

 

Again thank you for all of the work that you do.

 

Karen

 

In a message dated 3/11/2015 3:10:40 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, anneabowd@PROTECTED writes:

Karen,  I recall responding that I thought it was a good idea to have a demonstration of our own, in Toledo (since it’s not realistic that many of us could get to DC.)

I hope you got my email.  I understand your frustration, but would like to point out that many of us were at the UT divest events, and Terry was actively engaged in making it happen.

There are so many issues, I sometimes feel swallowed up by them.  Especially when we face so much resistance to the causes.  The Blade is outright shamelessly pro-zionist, and 

failed to cover the historic divestment victory.   One action we need to do, is express our opinions in writing, in force.  Sunday there were 5 zionist statements defending Netanyahu’s 

address to Congress—with no rebuttals.  They refused to print the one I sent way back on Jan 31st, and re-sent just before Netanyahu’s visit. It was a highly controversial issue, even the

President boycotted his visit.  

Amjad also wrote—one a letter about how Lessenberry misquoted Alison Weir.  That letter was also ignored, never published.  It’s why I feel we need to have a writing committee at times like that, when a war criminal is not only invited to address the WIMPs (called our representatives) but he is applauded after every sentence, and defended in our local press.  Not a word in the opinion page about it, but 5 statements FOR it, one day and several  others on another day.  

Could we please try to do something that reaches lots of people in order to raise consciousness on a large scale?  Just an idea.  Hang in there, Karen, and thanks for caring so much.

I think we’re all burning out a bit. 

Anne

On Mar 11, 2015, at 1:10 PM, Dakotakwolf@PROTECTED wrote:

As article after article posted by members of this group shows, the U.S. is becoming more and more greedy and violent in its dealings with other countries and its own people.

 

I so wish that our membership would rise to the occasion and voice opposition to these evil actions.

 

Two opportunities for events were posted this week that NWOPC could easily participate in. Yet no one, except Josie, has responded. I am FRUSTRATED, ANGERED, AND HURT in realizing that our Peace and Justice organization continues to remain mute on crucial life threatening issues.  

 

Perhaps we should quit pretending that NWOPC exists and shut down the web site and close out the bank account.

 

Sharing your thoughts on this would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

Wolf 

Subscription Reminder: You're Subscribed to: PEOPLE who still give a shit using the address: anneabowd@PROTECTED

From: nwopc@PROTECTED

Manage Your Subscription » or, Unsubscribe Automatically »

Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail

Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail

Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail

Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail

Subscription Reminder: You're Subscribed to: PEOPLE who still give a shit using the address: dakotakwolf@PROTECTED

From: nwopc@PROTECTED

Manage Your Subscription » or, Unsubscribe Automatically »

=

Subscription Reminder: You're Subscribed to: PEOPLE who still give a shit using the address: anneabowd@PROTECTED

From: nwopc@PROTECTED

Manage Your Subscription » or, Unsubscribe Automatically »

Subscription Reminder: You're Subscribed to: PEOPLE who still give a shit using the address: mike.ferner@PROTECTED

From: nwopc@PROTECTED

Manage Your Subscription » or, Unsubscribe Automatically »