Here it is as a blog post, with a few formatting inconsistencies, if you want to view it on Google Docs or print or download, see this post:
http://pag2stl.blogspot.com/2016/03/first-issue-template-for-change.html
FRONT COVER
THE POLITICAL
ACTIVIST'S GUIDE TO ST. LOUIS
First Issue:
Template For Change 5 March 2016
YOU
HAVE THE POWER
TO
CHANGE THE WORLD
You
know you are powerful. Maybe the knowledge of your power is
buried beneath the weight of your day-to-day life. Maybe you don't
always have the chance to exercise that power, but it is there. You
know that you matter.
You
have a vision of a better life for yourself and your loved ones. You
have a vision of a better world. Your vision is as valid as the
visions of Mayor Slay, or Rex Sinquefield, or Governor Nixon, or the
Koch Brothers. You have a right to a good life.
It
may seem that to use your power you must find a large group of like
minded people and stage large demonstrations or actions. Or have a
lot of money. Or have a lot of guns. All you need is your own
mind, and a decision to use it to make change. Just a commitment of
a little of your time, to exercise your power.
It
may seem that changing something in your own life takes so much of
your personal power that there is little leftover to change things
for other people. That is exactly why you are so powerful.
The vision that you have, as a (seemingly) “powerless” person, is
a vision that is shared by many people.
Your
issues are the issues. What you need
is what everyone needs. You
speak for millions. Your thoughts, your solutions, your actions, can
change the world for everyone.
Take
the $15 minimum wage movement as an example. Even if each one of the
individual people in that movement had demanded a raise for
themselves it would have created a similar result. By joining
together and synchronizing their actions, they created a visible
movement. Done in unison, they were able to prevent retaliation on
individuals (by firing them). But it began with just a few
people, speaking up for their rights. People that knew they had power
and weren't afraid to use it.
The
Fight for $15 is a great example of just how much change a few people
can create. Each person in the movement is acting on their own
interests, and their interests align with many other people's. Like
small drops of evaporated water, naturally gathering together to form
large storm clouds.
FIRST PAGE
WE
ALL NEED:
Practical
people know that to change something, you must have a vision of how
things should be. That vision should be “idealistic,” the best we
can imagine. We
don't have to like each other, or agree on everything.
We
just have to start with what everyone needs.
Clean
air.
Clean
water.
Arable
land for food.
Health
care, medicine, and emergency services.
Shelter
and clothing.
Child
care and Elder care.
Education,
including college.
Work.
Safety
nets for disability, disease, and old age.
We
also need:
(Real)
Civic responsibility.
Travel
through community, civic or military responsibilities.
Freedom
and leisure to pursue our own interests.
Very
few humans on this planet have all of those things, and those that do
are mostly in “developed” nations like ours. There is enough for
everyone: enough air, enough water, enough food, enough medical care
and medicine, enough clothing, enough homes, enough work. Travel,
civic responsibility, and freedom and leisure are also available in
abundance.
THE
WORLD'S RESOURCES NEED TO BE DISTRIBUTED MORE FAIRLY. And that
includes work. There is plenty of work, but not enough jobs. Everyone
should work, even if they are rich. A minimum amount of work should
be required of everyone on this planet to provide for that person's
basic needs, and to ensure equitable distribution of natural
resources. If everyone worked at the jobs that were necessary, for
10 hours a week, people that chose to work and earn more would still
have the opportunity. But every person should have a job.
PAGE TWO
START
LOCALLY
Altering
local government and institutions will automatically change the power
structure at the top. Even many Federal laws can be altered at State
and Local levels.
Local
laws and regulations effect your day to day life much more
significantly than national or state laws. Representatives are
easier to reach. And careful monitoring at a local level would
ensure that only the best of local leaders make it to the
state and national congresses.
We
have more power in our own communities. Occupy Wall Street sought to
shut down Wall Street. To change something nationally- and globally-
requires changing a lot of big structures and networks. In other
words, changing Wall Street means changing St. Louis. It's actually
simpler and more effective to do it in the reverse. Change St. Louis,
and the country changes.
We have to become more
involved by keeping in contact with local politicians, by being aware
of what laws and legislation are affecting our communities, and by
monitoring elected judges and their records, and watching who is
appointed to run government funded entities (like John Nations
appointment as CEO of Metro).
Most of the City's funds
for business development are used to lure discretionary spending by
county residents. This does not always benefit city residents. In
fact, it often robs the city to do this. (Ballpark Village, Cortex,
etc.)
City leaders waged what
they knew was a losing battle to keep a football team. And
they fought hard until the end.
If
our city leaders can rally around a $1 Billion stadium on their own
decision, We The People can force them to rally $1 Billion for jobs,
social services, and to save our schools! The level of organization,
energy, time, and resources that was given to the Rams stadium
project needs to be forced into real economic development. If that
money was available for a football team, it must be available to hire
unemployed citizens to clean up, repair, educate, and reorganize St.
Louis. IT'S UP TO US TO MAKE THEM DO IT!
PAGE THREE & FOUR
JOIN
THE ARMCHAIR REVOLUTION
(AND
PHONE IT IN)
The
systems and modes that worked up until World War 2 are no longer
relevant or viable. That includes revolutions. Violence against the
government and ruling classes is no longer a path to transformative
change for We The People.
We
live in a truly “New Age.” The population of the planet has
doubled since 1970, and of all the people that lived on this earth,
half of them are dead. In other words, the global population (7
billion) is now twice that of all the people that have ever lived
before us. Never before have humans been a greater threat to nature
than the other way around. Never before have we had technology like
we do today. Never before have governments had “weapons of mass
destruction.”
Our
world is run by bankers and the Departments of Defense (and their
contractors) in a few governments globally, the U.S. being the top
dog. We cannot fight them with weapons. We don't need to, and it
wouldn't be effective change, anyhow. Violence would simply change
the faces in power. The real power is the active voice of We The
People.
Right
now politicians decide what issues will be placed before voters. We
need to start dictating the issues to them. To change the power
structure we have to change. The current
government structure does need many changes, for instance, the
electoral college. George W. Bush's election is proof of that. But
no changes are going to matter until we take control of our
government. Right now, the government has no reason to take us
seriously. That has to change first.
We
don't need more people running for office. WE THE PEOPLE need to
start running all of the government offices and public institutions
by individually starting our own revolutions. Each one of us
needs to become just a little more active and aware, socially and
politically, in our own communities.
“When
the people fear the government there is tyranny. When the government
fears the people there is liberty.”
–John
Basel Barnhart
What
we need is for more motivated people to create a culture where social
activism and civic responsibility is woven into the fabric of our day
to day lives. If we all do a little more, none of us will have to
do too much. The Armchair revolution is on-going, which means that We
The People will stay in control.
Social
change is created through the actions of as little as 12% of the
population. In St. Louis city that is roughly 37,000 people.
Imagine the changes in our city, if everyone at the Card's game was a
registered voter (whether they voted or not) and called an elected
official once a month? Or 4700 people made 5 phone calls a month
(still 37,000 calls a month)? An increase of this size in telephone
calls from registered voters would create widespread change in our
local government, and shift the balance of power in St. Louis.
Marches,
rallies, and demonstrations are still necessary. But too often they
create extra revenue for the police, in addition to putting burden on
a lot of individual people. And often mass actions without
consistent, active follow-up, achieve only small results. The work of
the Ferguson uprising continues almost 2 years later. Every day
dedicated people make phone calls, write letters, sign petitions, and
have conversations in our communities. This work has to be done!
Let's start now, before things get critical enough that we have to
take to the streets!
We
can “gather” and “create large mobs” and “demonstrations”
simply by using our cell phones. Registering to vote, calling elected
officials, researching issues and power structures, can all be done
from a cell phone.
The
Armchair Revolution does not require an oath or dues or signing any
contracts. It does not require you to agree with anything or anybody
but yourself. You do not need to tell anyone you are a
revolutionary. It requires only that you make a decision to use your
power, a little of your time, every day, week, or month, to do a
little more to create change in your life and your community. 5
additional actions a month, 11 months a year.
“People
should not be afraid of their governments; Governments should be
afraid of their people.” -V
for Vendetta
PAGE FIVE
REGISTERING
TO VOTE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN VOTING
There
is only one power in the government that cannot be bought or sold. It
is the only legal power capable of overthrowing the oligarchy** our
government has become.
Politicians
only pay attention to people that are registered to vote. It doesn't
matter if that person has actually voted. In order for a politician
to gain or keep their power, they must be voted into office. By
becoming a registered voter, you are another potential source of
election (or re-election) to a politician. (You don't have to vote.
Just register to vote. But as a form of protest, you can also legally
write-in anyone,
including people that aren't running, and exercise your voting
rights. Your vote
is your voice.)
Every
person that registers to vote becomes another person politicians have
to call and send mailings to. Another person they have to (at least
pretend to) listen to. Right now elected officials
only have to communicate with roughly 30% of the population
(averaging out very low local voter turnout with higher state and
national turnout). Which means those 30% have more power with
politicians than lobbyists. You have more power now as a
registered voter than when the majority of people are registered.
Our
government answers to very few people. The voting public is so
inconsequential that election years are the only time we really
matter. Dishonest politicians do not want more registered
voters. Honest politicians, who truly want to do the will of the
people, are working in an environment where corruption is “business
as usual.” The more people that register to vote, the more power
politicians have against the lobbyists and special interests, and
even other politicians. Which means you have greater power.
Super
wealthy, special interests are trying to make it more difficult for
people to vote. They recognize the power of a registered voter.
Even if you don't vote, please register and stay registered.
“I
am the ballot in your box...”
PROTECT
THE RIGHT TO VOTE. REGISTER.
**Oligarchy:
a small group of people having control of a country,
organization, or institution.
PAGE SIX
HOW
IT SHOULD BE:
Everyone
is guaranteed a home, basic food, clothing, medical care, education,
and work 10 hours a week at a wage that pays for the basics. (This
wage might be more than $15, or less.)
Community
daycare and elder care are available free.
All
utilities are public services are publicly owned, NON-PROFIT, and
managed by the government. Not publicly “held”. Publicly
owned. Water, electricity, gas, telephone, internet, trash and
waste removel, public transportation, health insurance and medical
services, hospitals, emergency services (ambulance and fire), police,
prisons.
HUD
and Section 8 buys people homes.
Stores
like Wal-Mart and Costco are community owned and operated
co-operatives (like WinCo, for example). Every community has a
publicly owned and operated “Superstore” Co-op. (These large
chains can sell non-necessities for profit.)
Our
schools have 100% what they need. Every child deserves a GREAT
education, including tutoring, extra-curricular activities, sports,
and social events. Every child is given what s/he needs to thrive and
prosper. High school drop-out rates are low, and post secondary
degrees (college, trade school) are the norm.
Our
communities are centered around school districts. All other
districts- fire, police, transportation, voting, etc.- are organized
around the school districts.
Every
6 block area has a community garden and collects rainwater. (Our
planet's supply of drinkable water is set to run out in 2025. This
will effect developed nation's like ours first.)
Everyone
is automatically registered to vote at age 18.
Every
resident has a personal public transit pass, with free fare days on
July 4th and election days. All resident passes “cap
out” each month when fares totalling the cost of a montly pass are
reached. Discount passes for low income and unemployed are
available, as they are for seniors and the disabled currently.
All
of this is possible NOW! Other communities around the world have
made changes like these. So can St. Louis!
BACK COVER
5
FOR 11:
FIVE
ACTIONS A MONTH, 11 MONTHS A YEAR
Register
to vote
Make
a call to a political official
Sign
a petition
Learn
about something! Globally: the TPP. Nationally: Glass-Steagall,
the Carried Interest Loophole, the Electoral College. Locally:
Metro's $5 million “contributions to outside entities”. (The
same amount of money Metro needs, supposedly, from rider fare
increases this July!) All of these things directly impact the St.
Louis economy.
Encourage
someone else to take action. Share this 'zine on-line, or print
and distribute it. Feel free to use part or all of it to make your
own leaflet or 'zine.
If
you were arrested at a political demonstration DON'T TAKE THE PLEA
AND PAY THE FINE. Take it to court. Protect the First Amendment
and your right to political action. Don't let your political
activism be an easy source of revenue for the police and courts.
Even if you lose, your challenge will remain in the judicial record,
and will contribute to future cases. (Many criminal arrests need to
be challenged as well.) The police and courts, and lawyers, are very
powerful (and wealthy) in St. Louis, and often get away with taking
actions and powers that are not legally theirs to take. Law and
Order are not the same as Peace and Justice!
“IDEAS
ARE BULLETPROOF” 5 For 11 and the Armchair Revolution are
inspired by the movie “V For Vendetta”. Instead of planting
bombs, plant information and knowledge. Instead of blowing up
buildings, “blow up” the phone lines with calls.
PAG2STL
MISSION STATEMENT: To encourage
citizens of Saint Louis to register to vote (whether they vote or
not). To encourage powerful, visionary citizens to create social,
political, economic, judicial, legal, environmental, and community
change via “The Armchair Revolution.”
