Activism From the Home Front

by Lisa Cochran, from the February 2003 Newsletter

Last month, I suggested activities that parents can do with their children to promote world peace and make changes to existing social challenges. Two suggestions I gave were peace marches and vigils. But walking the streets or gathering in groups may not be your style. No problem. There are some online activities you can join such as MoveOn.org. This Web site allows you to be a part of democracy in action and is designed to bring busy, but concerned people into politics. Like any grassroots movement, MoveOn.org was created to build advocacy groups and bring their collective voice to the political table. Though becoming politically active online is a relatively new concept, electronic advocacy is the ideal way to make political action easily accessible and incredibly flexible. Obviously, the more options we all have to be part of the democratic process, the more people will be involved.

Using special software, MoveOn.org has a mechanism in which members have a voice to propose issues that are important to them. Ideas are shared, and others can comment or build on them. Once large numbers of members share a unified direction, then the most strongly supported ideas, along with information and tools to maximize impact, are implemented. Issues change depending on what is most important to people at a given time. Once one battle is fought, then if it is appropriate, they move on. Because there are so many burning issues at any given time, it is impossible to give all issues equal intensity. The process used by this group ensures that issues do not fall by the wayside due to spreading energies and resources too thin.

MoveOn.org has a nationwide network of more than 600,000 online activists and boasts some very impressive success stories. By being able to generate more than 250,000 phone calls and send a million emails to Congress during the Clinton impeachment process (which was slower than molasses and cost taxpayers millions of dollars), a clear message against impeachment and for quick resolution came across. A MoveOn.org spokesman states, "Using email and the web, we focused a broad and deep consensus in the American public into action." Right now, the focus is on peace.

Like it or not, the Internet is a part of our culture; schools are wired, and our children are becoming expert virtual travelers in the pursuit of information and knowledge. The Internet is also another tool that can be used to promote positive change and even peace. Sharing your online involvement toward this end is an exciting contribution to your kid's education.

Finally, there is something all of us can do right now using just the telephone. If you oppose the war in Iraq, call President Bush and tell him so. The president has said that he wants to know what the American people are thinking. Let him know. Time is running out. The White House has an "opinion line" at 202-456-1111. The line only accepts calls from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. A machine will detain you for only a moment and then a pleasant live operator will thank you, after you've said, "I oppose" or "I approve." It will only take minutes. Note that the weekends are closed for calls. A single phone call equals 10 to 20 people who didn't call; please pass this information on to friends.

The opportunities for each of us to make a difference in the world our children will inherit grow as the avenues for personal expression widen. It is easier now than ever to make your mark for all of our tomorrows.

Lisa A. Cochran is a longtime Moscow resident.

Copyright: Copyright on articles and recipes are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

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