How to Change American Public Opinion on Palestine
I was just looking at a DVD of a rally held by the US Campaign to End the Occupation in D.C. a few years ago. The highlights of several speakers were shown intercut with scenes of the crowd which numbered in the (tens?) of thousands. Each speaker was earnest, passionate, and compelling, no one more so than my old comrade and hero, Huwaida Arraf. The had set up in front of the Capital Building, after arranging for all the permits and following all the government's rules. They were speaking Truth to--not Power, but to (tens?) of thousands of like-minded people, and within hours, the grounds were cleared, the microphones, speaker systems, and stage were stored away, in preparation for the next fruitless demonstration by yet another group which wants to speak Truth to Power, but will end up just blowing smoke.
That's the way our democracy works these days--or doesn't work. That's the quality of what we call "organizing." I've wasted too much time at such exercises in earnest, passionate, and compelling rhetoric which do next to nothing to make any true change in our country, except to make the participants feel that they's "fought the good fight."
I've stopped going to demonstrations, or supporting them.
Does that mean I've given up? Sadly, I admit, pretty much.
Does that mean I have no ideas on what would be successful, and bring change and success to important movements such as Free Palestine? No. I do, but it would require a radical re-imagining of the art and implementation of Organizing, and I am pessimistic as to whether our ditzy, distracted, and disturbed culture could handle it.
But perhaps you'll consider a couple of concrete ideas.
Organizing and those who wish to practice it need to get back to its roots and learn from past successes and failures. The best templates for successful organizing are the Labor Movement, the Civil Rights Movement,
I was just looking at a DVD of a rally held by the US Campaign to End the Occupation in D.C. a few years ago. The highlights of several speakers were shown intercut with scenes of the crowd which numbered in the (tens?) of thousands. Each speaker was earnest, passionate, and compelling, no one more so than my old comrade and hero, Huwaida Arraf. The had set up in front of the Capital Building, after arranging for all the permits and following all the government's rules. They were speaking Truth to--not Power, but to (tens?) of thousands of like-minded people, and within hours, the grounds were cleared, the microphones, speaker systems, and stage were stored away, in preparation for the next fruitless demonstration by yet another group which wants to speak Truth to Power, but will end up just blowing smoke.
That's the way our democracy works these days--or doesn't work. That's the quality of what we call "organizing." I've wasted too much time at such exercises in earnest, passionate, and compelling rhetoric which do next to nothing to make any true change in our country, except to make the participants feel that they's "fought the good fight."
I've stopped going to demonstrations, or supporting them.
Does that mean I've given up? Sadly, I admit, pretty much.
Does that mean I have no ideas on what would be successful, and bring change and success to important movements such as Free Palestine? No. I do, but it would require a radical re-imagining of the art and implementation of Organizing, and I am pessimistic as to whether our ditzy, distracted, and disturbed culture could handle it.
But perhaps you'll consider a couple of concrete ideas.
Organizing and those who wish to practice it need to get back to its roots and learn from past successes and failures. The best templates for successful organizing are the Labor Movement, the Civil Rights Movement,
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