[Campaignforrealdemocracy] crd strategy

Thu Oct 29 09:35:23 GMT 2009

Hi,

I have been thinking about a poster on the back of my bathroom door 
that I got from Amnesty - it has the declaration of human rights 
written on it and I keep thinking, Must mention this to Mark. . .

Was wondering whether it would be worth putting some kind of 
declaration/statement/creation/the future/genesis of real democracy 
together. And / or something that people can sign up to? Basically 
saying that really democratic living starts now, just choose another 
way.

I have marked the 5th in my diary.

If I don't make it, I think the most important aspects are mainly 
visual, not too wordy, nice images win people. Also absolutely 
non-confrontational. We want a message that is so correct and 
compelling that politicians themselves will be happy to sign up to it.

I think there was talk of designing a flag? That would be really nice 
to put onto the flyer.

I feel that the future is not about lobbying and arguing because that 
rarely works and you just get red in the face trying to force something 
into being. Instead, by spending your time doing the thing you want to 
be doing - setting the example, having fun and letting others know 
that, actually, the system we have doesn't work and another system is 
better, is all you have to do to turn the tide.

The only snag of course is, if people want another way, they have to 
work for it. We all do.

Anyway, hows this to get us started with images/logo etc?

http://www.keymath.com/x3308.xml

Link to draw yourself the mathematical symbol equating the growth of 
all life on this planet. Linked to golden mean/Fibonaci, the daisy is a 
potential symbol for interconnection and natural collaboration and 
mother nature made it first, not us. She is at least ten times 
cleverer. xx

Sally :)

On 28 Oct 2009, at 11:22, James Holland wrote:

> 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.fm and
>> >>> 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
> _______________________________________________
> Campaignforrealdemocracy mailing list
> Campaignforrealdemocracy at lists.aktivix.org
> https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/campaignforrealdemocracy
>
www.thepeoplespalace.org.uk

07989 513 577

We are the ones we have been waiting for
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