[Campaignforrealdemocracy] crd strategy

Wed Oct 28 11:22:40 GMT 2009

thurs 5th good for me,

On Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 9:52 AM, Mark Barrett
<marknbarrett at googlemail.com>wrote:

> > i think we should schedule a CRD meeting specifically designed to work on
> > producing something like an intro flyer
>
> seconded :-)
>
> one eve next week? how about thurs 5th nov, at the royal festival
> hall? or another day.. ?
> only eve i can't do is wed 4th
>
> mark
>
>
>
> 2009/10/28 James Holland <james at dogmanet.org>:
>  , rather than more general
> > discussion?
> >
> > j
> >
> > On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 9:11 PM, Mark Barrett <
> marknbarrett at googlemail.com>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi Barry & Everyone
> >>
> >> Thanks for your email. Please do send through what you feel we need to
> >> read; any pointers on necessary mediatory structures, most welcome. As
> it
> >> happens this topic came up at a meeting last night..
> >>
> >> But first, just to be clear, the CRD strategy mail you've responded to
> was
> >> primarily about 'real democracy cells'. So, a message to
> >> encourage grassroots campaigners to consider (1) these issues, and (2)
> the
> >> possibility of a wider alignment. Essentially in their local groups
> >> and communities and, by way of challenge, in response to state-managed
> (ie
> >> council-run) local fora.
> >>
> >> But if this comes to fruition, mediatory structures (by which I am
> >> guessing you mean the nature of our constitution as a campaigning group)
> >> will, presumably, become more important? But for now, at such an early
> day?
> >> At this point, I'm just thinking: er, let's just get a leaflet about
> real
> >> democratic decision making and the need to form local cells sorted, and
> >> then (a) do it in our local communities (b) spread the word to others of
> >> like radical mind and (c) see what response we get.
> >>
> >> That said, as you know, I do think a discussion about structures is
> >> important.
> >>
> >> And it seems to me that this breaks down into two strands, both of which
> >> need to take place in my opinion on the Project 2012 list so that the
> CRD
> >> list can remain low traffic and centre solely on the real democracy
> >> campaigning side of things.
> >>
> >> 1st, and  most closely related to the CRD strategy is the question of
> our
> >> own organisational constitution, which is I think the one you raise.
> >> Personally I would welcome this conversation, but let's use Project 2012
> >> where posting is free and easy.
> >>
> >> 2nd, is the idea of developing a programme of ideas about structures
> >> around which we can realistically visualise a just, democratic world
> >> operating. While not the same as (and no substitute for) getting
> organised
> >> in our local neighbourhoods, such a programme could be used in a variety
> of
> >> useful ways. For example as a backdrop to an event (eg some of us are
> >> planning a Real Democracy / Third Sector / Transformation of
> >> Culture event, for Feb 2010) or in press work around some form of direct
> >> action, as was case with the now defunct New Sovereignty blog at the
> London
> >> G20.  We could, for example, be in need of a set of principles /
> propaganda
> >> / or whatever if we did demos at town halls, or the GLA. If we are to
> build
> >> a strong sense of what we are about in the media establishment that is
> what
> >> the journalists are looking for or else they will paint us as a bunch of
> >> desparadoes with no political maturity involved in purely gesture
> >> politics. Or indeed, it could eve form an electoral manifesto.
> >>
> >> Anyway, following this, last night a discussion ensued about the idea of
> >> us all writing a grassroots manifesto. Why not, said Robin.. So with
> that in
> >> mind I've set up a wiki space for this, here is a place where all the
> voices
> >> who desire can contribute and maybe make a nice patchwork
> >> quilt:  http://crdmanifesto.pbworks.com/
> >>
> >> So, in the spirit of Jocelyn's excellent words (which somehow
> didn't come
> >> to my inbox, but thankfully I found them, by chance when trawling the
> >> Project 2012 googlegroup archive) the "..idea of a third force, real
> >> democracy, local community based politics can include a much deeper
> desire,
> >> love of, passion for equalising" I agree with that sentiment 100%, so
> let's
> >> all get stuck in..!
> >>
> >> All ideas very welcome although there can be no guarantees what will
> >> become of them. Suggest intellect, emotion, history, desire and the
> >> unconscious : whatever works to get people interested, engaged,
> inspired,
> >> let's just tap into it all?
> >>
> >> Mark
> >> 2009/10/27 Barry Fineberg <barry at fineberg.co.uk>
> >>>
> >>> Hi Mark,
> >>>
> >>> Your strategy resonates but sadly I am confident that without some
> >>> disciplined framework you are poised on the threshold of an
> unmanageable
> >>> complexity. My response of 08.09.09 offered what I believe to be a
> naturally
> >>> ordered approach which, however, may need further graphic evidence for
> its
> >>> better understanding. I shall try to put this together asap.
> >>>
> >>> To recap, I felt that 'natural spatial disciplines----must be brought
> to
> >>> bear on current disorder'. Your view instead was ' try to push on all
> doors,
> >>> and trust that truth will always win'. A noble but wholly impracticable
> >>> sentiment I regret to say. The 'doors' are virtually infinite and,
> >>> notwithstanding  common aspirational values, such multiplicity of
> issues
> >>> will I fear defy coherent, practical coordination in the absence of
> >>> appropriate mediatory structures.
> >>>
> >>> Best wishes,
> >>>
> >>> Barry Fineberg.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ---- Original Message -----
> >>>
> >>> From: Mark Barrett
> >>> To: campaignforrealdemocracy at lists.aktivix.org ;
> >>> project2012 at googlegroups.com
> >>> Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 1:37 PM
> >>> Subject: [Campaignforrealdemocracy] crd strategy
> >>> Having met with local colleagues yesterday, I want to draw together
> >>> some of what has emerged from picnics, meetings
> and discussions on lists and
> >>> elsewhere. Do people agree with the tenor of this? If so, I will draw
> up
> >>> a brief leaflet including these  points for distribution.
> >>>
> >>> The short/medium term aims of CRD are to :
> >>>
> >>> (1) link different individuals and groups working at the local level
> >>> around the concept of real democracy
> >>> (2) promote real democracy as equality via horizontal, inclusive
> >>> consensus-decision making, in groups & starting at the neighbourhood
> level
> >>> (3) encourage groups to connect for an alternative, democratic society
> >>> locally, nationally and internationally
> >>>
> >>> The strategy (so far identified) to make this happen is  to offer
> advice
> >>> / support / encouragement / materials to individuals and groups to
> start CRD
> >>> cells in local boroughs, wards, neighbourhoods (here and ideally
> >>> also abroad).
> >>>
> >>> Presumably by:
> >>>
> >>> (1) connecting with like-minds in local area, whether by advertising
> for
> >>> a new group or via already organised groups such as Transition
> Towns, NO2ID,
> >>> LA21, Community Development Network, Housing Co-ops,
> >>> Residents/Tenants Associations, anti-tescos campaigns or other
> >>> (2) focusing on council run meetings operating at the smallest (ie ward
> >>> or, as in my case three ward) level and developing the group as a
> strategic
> >>> challenge to the non-democratic structure of the council run meetings
> >>> (3) local independent meetings as CRD/ CRD aligned groups
> >>> (4) considering in the medium term the possibility of decentralised
> >>> simultaneous actions - eg militant picnics at town halls - to raise
> >>> awareness, recruit and get positive media coverage..
> >>>
> >>> And at the London/wider level we also have the possibilities of :
> >>>
> >>> (1) taking up the offer of a regular monthly CRD slot at the Peace not
> >>> War sessions at Dalston's Passing Clouds, as a way of sharing
> >>> info, spreading campaign literature and connecting with the wider
> public
> >>> (2) developing regular CRD meetings and strategic partnerships
> >>> (with members of the 21st
> >>> Century Network (www.meetup.com/21stcenturynetwork see for example
> meeting
> >>> on Dec 2nd ), the Community Sector Coalition
> >>> http://www.communitysectorcoalition.org.uk/ Peace not War www.peace.fmand
> >>> possibly others such as NCIA, Transition Towns, Climate Camp and
> others.
> >>> (3) using the web / live streaming / other tech possibilities for
> >>> meetings
> >>> (4) more picnics!
> >>> (5) connecting with other groups nationally and internationally on line
> >>> to see if they would like to join forces under the same banner
> >>>
> >>> What do people think? good, bad, indifferent? are people up for doing
> it
> >>> / getting involved? any other ideas?
> >>>
> >>> Mark
> >>>
> >>> ________________________________
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> Campaignforrealdemocracy mailing list
> >>> Campaignforrealdemocracy at lists.aktivix.org
> >>> https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/campaignforrealdemocracy
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> "We hear men speaking for us of new laws strong and sweet /Yet is there
> no
> >> man speaketh as we speak in the street.”
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Campaignforrealdemocracy mailing list
> >> Campaignforrealdemocracy at lists.aktivix.org
> >> https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/campaignforrealdemocracy
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > James Holland
> >
>
>
>
> --
> "We hear men speaking for us of new laws strong and sweet /Yet is
> there no man speaketh as we speak in the street.”
>

-- 

James Holland
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