ChumForThought » David Satterlee

Civil Resistance – Nonviolent Methods

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May 112012

Ushahidi’s director of crisis mapping, Patrick Meier, and Meta-Activism Project founder Mary Joyce are collaborating on a project to update and add to Gene Sharp’s 198 "Methods of Nonviolent Action," a manual for civil resistance, with ways these techniques could be adjusted for the 21st century. Together with other contributors, they’re managing a spreadsheet in Google Docs with each of 198 methods from the pioneering researcher in protest and activism. For each — and a few new ones added on — they’re listing ways the traditional method could be tweaked to take advantage of new technology, and ways that those methods could be completely reinvented.

For example, Joyce updated Sharp’s method number 175 — "overloading of facilities" — to suggest that a distributed denial of service attack is an equivalent action for the Internet age. In a "DDoS" attack, so much Internet traffic is directed at a given site that it is unable to handle the load and either performs poorly for visitors or can’t be viewed at all.

THE METHODS OF NONVIOLENT PROTEST AND PERSUASION

Veterans for Peace Music Video: War is Not the Answer

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May 102012

Liberals often cluster themselves into relatively small interest groups, instead of running with larger packs. Because of this, their voices are often drowned out by the amplified roar of the conservative media machines.

This heartfelt video was put together by the Boston chapter of Veterans for Peace. I love their sincerity and the lilting movement of their music — reminiscent of the best of the 1960s folk song groups. Won’t you please put down your mouse and let the peaceableness and hope of these veterans embrace you for a few minutes?

I found this in the comments section of http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/10/1088931/-The-Thing-About-Real-War-Victors-and-Vanquished , which is worth a read when you pick your mouse back up.

FDR Castigates Organized Money and Do-nothing Government

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May 062012

Extract from famous 1936 speech in Madison square garden….

"For twelve years this Nation was afflicted with hear-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing Government. The Nation looked to Government but the Government looked away.

Nine mocking years with the golden calf and three long years of the scourge! Nine crazy years at the ticker and three long years in the breadlines! Nine mad years of mirage and three long years of despair!

Powerful influences strive today to restore that kind of government with its doctrine that that Government is best which is most indifferent. For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up.

We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace‹business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering. They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs.

We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.

Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me‹and I welcome their hatred."

May 4, Remembering the Kent State Massacre (1970)

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May 042012

In these contemporary days of protest (Occupy et. al.) it is timely to remember the four students killed and twelve wounded. Your hippie grandparents were not all about free sex and drugs. They stood for freedom, justice, and responsibility. Today, don’t forget to invite them to your nonviolent events… and talk with them about values, virtues, civic involvement, and the common good.

Thanks to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young for “Ohio.”

Is America a Christian Nation?

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May 022012

Is America a Christian nation? What if one of our Presidents had been a Primitive Baptist from Tennessee? Should he have felt right about insisting that no citizen play musical instruments in church or hand out temperance society tracts?

Would Americans have approved of anyone who had insisted that we were, and should act like, a Primitive Baptist nation? A Baptist nation? A Protestant nation? A Christian nation?

Actually, in the greater scope and scale of history, this continent has only very, very recently changed from being a collection of native tribal civilizations. We are presently a diverse nation of immigrants.

The framers of our constitution were careful to draft a secular document that gives our government authority drawn exclusively from the people. It is structured to actively resist the overriding influence of any special-interest group without having to resort to another revolution.

Our elected President is expected to represent all Americans. He is responsible for managing a civil society that protects life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all of us. Modern civilizations like ours work best when no social class, race, religion, or business interest is allowed to cause others to be oppressed.

President Obama does, in fact, have the benefit of teaching constitutional law for over a decade. This has given him a profound understanding of the balances that must be maintained for the health and growth of this nation.

As for Obama’s personal faith, Christianity Today published an interview in 2008 and quoted him: “I am a Christian, and I am a devout Christian. I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life.”

President Obama, has a lifetime disposition of seeking to find common ground between people. He promotes sincere respect within a healthy discussion of issues, including faith, in our pluralistic society.

To achieve this goal, he believes that, during public debate, religious people should translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific values. [Whitehouse.gov] He has also been pointedly frank about telling liberals that they “must put aside any religious biases, and reach out to others, including evangelical Christians, as a reconciling essential in a democracy.” [June 28, 2006]

We may, in our pursuit of happiness, seek out and associate within communities of people like ourselves. However, this does not diminish our responsibility to respect, honor, and defend those with different faiths.

We should take care to not aggressively thrust our private values or religious symbols into the face of others. The fact that the faiths of others are different from our own does not mean that they are without values or have no goodness.

It is precisely our diversity that, bound together like a bundle of sticks, strengthens our nation to bend without breaking. We should be determined to treat all neighbors as we would want them to treat us – to, as far as it depends on us, live at peace with all men.

Videos: Koch Brothers Exposed

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Apr 252012

Please watch and share these trailer videos about the activities of the Koch Brothers to undermine important functions of our Americans government for their own profit.

Why I sound “too preachy”

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Apr 252012

It has been suggested that I sound “too preachy.” Yeah, that should have been expected. Let me introduce myself a little more to those of my neighbors who, so far, have only smiled and waved.

As you probably have noticed, there’s nothing like a conservative preacher, any teacher, or a flaming liberal, to tell you just how things ought to be.

First, I was actually the closest thing to a conservative preacher in my young manhood. I was raised in a fundamentalist, evangelical Christian faith that believed in the ordination of all lay ministers. During that time, I led adult Bible study groups every week for years. For the record, the brotherhood and I eventually saw fit to part ways.

Second, I have also regularly taught children and adults. I spent almost two decades in computer work for Amoco Oil Company, where I designed and led many technical classes. Next, I spent a decade as an herbalist – telling people how to live. I was also a substitute teacher for several years and am married to a career public school teacher.

While I was with Amoco, they gave me a series of career-development psychology tests. In one of them, my top two archetype identifications were found to be “Evangelist” and “Warrior.” That was tough news for someone with social anxieties.

The counselor had a hard time putting his finger on my potential. He mumbled his way through the obvious, but I knew he was thinking: missionary to the heathens, tilting at windmills, and questing hero. In the end, Amoco buried me deep in the corners of several computer rooms. I managed to make trouble anyway.

And finally, in case you haven’t noticed, I’ve become that odd duck in the middle of rural Iowa, a flaming liberal. Find me a tree and I’ll hug it. Fear not, my good neighbors. I am a gentle soul and, as my wife says, “the nicest man I’ve ever met.” I’ll put it out there and you can buy it or not. I quit putting my foot in actual doors a long time ago. Love, DavidS

Watch: “Who Stole the US Economy?”

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Apr 192012

Girl Scouts: Liberal or Conservative?

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Apr 172012

I would like to say a few nice things about the Girl Scouts.

In recent news, Bob Morris, A conservative State Representative from Indiana, made headlines by writing in a letter that the Girl Scouts were “quickly becoming a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood” and were being “subverted in the name of liberal progressive politics and the destruction of the traditional American family values.” There is more, but it starts to get truly ugly.

The fact of the matter is that the Girl Scouts are a fine, conservative, 100-year old organization with the ambition to: “help girls develop self-confidence and good decision-making skills that will help them make wise choices in all areas of their lives.” They believe that girls deserve to be educated, informed, and involved in society – that they should be “given the opportunity to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually.”

Naturally, we have to understand that, 100 years ago, these were all radical, liberal, progressive notions. In America, women weren’t allowed the right to vote until 1920. They were often expected to remain “barefoot and pregnant” or be the “perfect housekeeper” until well into the 1950s (or even later, depending on where you live.)

The first Girls Scout meeting was organized on March 12, 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low brought eighteen girls together. One hundred years later, 2012 is “The Year of the Girl.” It is estimated that 50 million women in the United States today have been Girl Scouts.

Last year, I had occasion to take a picture of our local troop. They insisted that the American flag, along with their Promise and Law be displayed with them.

The Girl Scout Law is: “I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.”

I think that we should honor and support these traditions and values of Girl Scouts locally and nationally.

About Hate Speech

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Apr 112012

@ChumForThought – By David Satterlee – Throwing ideas into dangerous waters

It has been a week for contemplating Matthew 12:34, where Jesus pointed out that, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” We continue to be witness to speech and actions of intense hate, cruelty, and outright evil.

I like to think that I am optimistic and frequently take note of good things and of how many things are getting better. In fact, I hope to start many columns with the words, “Things are getting better.”

This week, I watched a recording of Representative John Sullivan from Oklahoma at a town hall meeting. He implicitly threatened Democratic Senators: “You know, but other than me going over there with a gun and holding it to their heads and maybe killing a couple of them, I don’t think they’re going to listen unless they get beat.” [He later apologized.]

Memories from just over a year ago came flooding back. Democratic U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head at point blank range by an anti-government activist. Eighteen other people were also shot and six of them died.

I was reminded of how that year was thick with the coded language of “second amendment remedies.” Sarah Palin’s PAC had published a political action “target map” showing Giffords’ district in the crosshairs of a gun. The Pima Arizona County Sheriff expressed concerns that the pervasive rhetoric of anger, hatred, prejudice, and bigotry had contributed to Giffords’ shooting.

A brief Internet search shows that there are at least six different versions of “Liberal Hunting Permit” circulating – usually with no bag limit.

Don’t even try to tell me that this is harmless rhetoric. This is Real. This is Immediate. This is Personal. This is Evil. I lived in south Texas when James Byrd, Jr. was lynched not so very long ago. He was tied with chains to the back of a pickup truck and dragged to death near Jasper, Texas.

Fear and hate in our hearts and hands are not yet gone from our nation. So, let us take a stand for the fruitages of the spirit. May our hearts be open to abundant love, joy, peace…

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