[ComCom] GRP statement for October 27th

Tue Oct 23 08:39:44 EDT 2007

Hmm, OK

-----Original Message-----
>From: Eli Beckerman <elibeck at gmail.com>
>Sent: Oct 23, 2007 8:32 AM
>To: BillCunningham <etwee at earthlink.net>, "This is the Communication/Media working committee email list." <comcom at green-rainbow.org>
>Subject: Re: [ComCom] GRP statement for October 27th
>
>Bill, I put out a modified draft to this list last week, trying to get a GRP
>statement.
>That is what Merelice is commenting on. I was hoping to get comments or
>re-drafts in by today so that I may send it on to AdCom for approval.
>
>On 10/23/07, BillCunningham <etwee at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>> Merelice, thank you for your comments on the MRGRA statement drafted by
>> annie and myself.
>>
>> This was put out two or three weeks ago for criticism. The demo is in four
>> days. We must decide on printing at our meeting tomorrow night.
>>
>> The second section (Building new institutions) of the MRGRA draft is a
>> summary of the 2005 District 7 Principles of Peace. It is our response to
>> District 7's challenge to the antiwar leadership's failure to deal with
>> racism. I have noticed that most suggested changes, and all modifications
>> made to satisfy the Boston chapter, came in this second section.
>>
>> Re Venezuela and the Soviet Union (R.I.P.): there is no present threat of
>> US bombing or invasion of those places.
>>
>> Re "terrorism" - excellent point, but a difficult one to make in a few
>> words.
>>
>> Re five-minute speech: this is a substitute for the one we won't get to
>> give.
>>
>> Re fitting on one side of a sheet, this text does.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> >From: Merelice <merelice at gmail.com>
>> >Sent: Oct 23, 2007 12:07 AM
>> >To: "This is the Communication/Media working committee email list." <
>> comcom at green-rainbow.org>
>> >Subject: Re: [ComCom] GRP statement for October 27th
>> >
>> >Hi,
>> >Hope our email lists are back up and running.
>> >
>> >My comments apply to this version, though I have also received a draft
>> >from Elie. Furtherr, I agree with Elie that SPWG could be included in
>> >this process, especially since David Spanagel expressed interest in
>> >participating.
>> >
>> >I thank Bill for the good writing and good thinking that went into his
>> >draft. I'm sure the material will be useful. If someone needed to make
>> >a five-minute speech, this would be a good script.
>> >
>> >However, we need to make a distinction between a position statement
>> >and a rally flyer.  Ideally, Saturday's flyer would be just two sides
>> >of a third of a sheet, or no more than one side of a full sheet. It
>> >should have comfortable space for our logo.
>> >
>> >I had hoped to have a new draft by now, but here is the direction I
>> suggest.
>> >
>> >First, much shorter. People at the rally and march (and even the
>> >reception, afterward) will be ready for strong concise messages,
>> >rather than a think-piece like this.
>> >
>> >Second, have several subheads that convey the core message so even if
>> >people don't read the body copy, they see what we are about. For
>> >example, I liked the parallelism of a "green society" and a "rainbow
>> >society." But each time, it's buried as the last sentence of a
>> >section. I'd put it in the subheads.
>> >
>> >While people are angry and feeling "anti," (anti-war, anti-Bush,
>> >etc.), they are hungry for something to be "for." Could we turn some
>> >of our language toward what we are for, instead of what we are
>> >against? For example, instead of seeking an anti-racist anti-sexist
>> >society, maybe we could say something like: We work for a society that
>> >values respect for and inclusion of all. (That's not meant to be exact
>> >wording, just a tone and direction to go in.)
>> >
>> >We get into sticky territory by saying we are warring on Muslims
>> >because of oil, etc. While there is certainly a connection, its raises
>> >questions about Venezuela and the Soviet Union (which are not Muslim).
>> >If we are going to address the "war on terrorism," let's point out the
>> >fallacy of warring against a tactic. Terrorism, like bombing or
>> >espionage, is simply a tactic used in waging war and not something to
>> >be warred against.
>> >
>> >I forwarded the statement from "no war, no warming" but it might not
>> >have gone through. Their three points are clear and concise and set an
>> >example of what Saturday's flyer should do. I repeat them here:
>> >
>> >"STOP the war in Iraq and future resource wars by ending our addiction
>> >to fossil fuels.
>> >
>> >"SHIFT government funding to rebuild New Orleans [I wouldn't confine
>> >the Katrina disaster to just New Orleans] and all communities
>> >suffering from racism and corporate greed.
>> >
>> >"GO green and promote environmental justice with new jobs in a clean
>> >energy economy."
>> >
>> >I haven't signed into the wikidot, yet. Can't get back to any of this
>> >until tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon.
>> >
>> >Merelice
>> >
>> >
>> >On 10/18/07, Eli Beckerman <elibeck at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >> Dear ComCom,
>> >>
>> >> Some of you have been subscribed to this list, but at some point
>> >> had emails blocked -- probably because of bounced messages.
>> >> I just reset your status, so If you don't want to receive emails
>> >> on this list, please unsubscribe or write to me and I will remove
>> >> you from the list. The ComCom list archives are public so you
>> >> do not need to be subscribed in order to read them.
>> >>
>> >> Since some of you had email blocked, you may not know that I am
>> >> now the Communications Director. I would like to use the October 27th
>> >> New England anti-war demo that's happening in Boston as an opportunity
>> >> to develop a process for jointly creating statements and press
>> releases,
>> >> etc.
>> >>
>> >> I have attached a draft for a GRP statement for October 27th,
>> >> which was started by Bill Cunningham and Annie Butler, sent around
>> >> for feedback, then continued by me. I am also exploring the use
>> >> of a wiki for collaborative editing -- http://green-rainbow.wikidot.com
>> >> That site is currently private, and completely unofficial. Just go to
>> the
>> >> site and
>> >> follow the instructions for applying for membership (you will need to
>> create
>> >>
>> >> a wikidot.com account, and then apply for access to the wiki I set up).
>> >>
>> >> This statement will need to be approved by AdCom, so I propose a
>> >> deadline of next Tuesday night for a final version. And I should say
>> >> I think it's less important that we get it perfect (the words as well
>> as
>> >> the politics) than that we get it out there.
>> >>
>> >> Thoughts? Comments?
>> >>
>> >> Thanks!
>> >> Eli
>> >>
>> >> PS: I also plan to try for a new GRP brochure (possibly just a 1/3
>> sheet)
>> >> in time for this event... using a similar process.
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> ComCom at green-rainbow.org
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>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
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>>
>> Bill Cunningham
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Bill Cunningham