I sent this along with my request to be cancelled from the moveon.org
mailing list.
When MoveOn first started, I was very interested and wished to become
involved in a group that was changing what Americans were talking
about. However, as time has worn on, MoveOn proved itself to be solely
about being against everything that that the administration is for.
In my interactions with MoveOn--weekly emails encouraging me to be
against another Bush administration policy--you have never tried to
create a vision of what we are "moving on" toward. Stop being so
negative--Yes, this administration is one of the most bone headed and
absurd in American history. Yes, Bush is an idiot and an ass hat to
boot. I know. I see it every day in the news.
You have a powerful position--you should use that position to enact
change. Right now, we need a change in how Americans talk about
politics. We need to talk about how most Americans are isolationist
and wish to keep from entanglements in foreign affairs. We need to
talk about how most Americans would give up some of their prosperity
for increased time with family and increased financial security. We
need to talk about how most Americans are Wage Laborers--few of us
could keep our standard of living or our houses without the next
paycheck. Above all, we need to talk about power. We need to talk
about how power, political and economic, is concentrating in the hands
of a very few.
MoveOn.org is in a position to put into words what people already
believe--beliefs that are overlooked by the media and political
parties. An easy way to do this is to look at polls and find areas
where people strongly believe something that the political parties and
the media gloss over. Isolationism is a good one to start with. Also,
people feel largely disenchanted with the "democratic process", as can
be seen through low voting rates. Most people believe that the system
is broken, that it has nothing to do with them. Perhaps if people saw
examples of alternatives that are more democratic than our system,
they might become interested in politics.
If there is going to be change in this country to a more democratic,
more egalitarian society, change will begin in people's minds. MoveOn
has an opportunity to change the words that people use and the ideas
that people think about when they talk politics. Please stop
squandering this chance of real change by being against everything
that Bush is for. People who are against what he is doing will
continue to be against it and people who are for what he is doing will
continue to be for it. Start making changes that will matter a year
from now. out power. We need to talk about how power, political and
economic, is concentrating in the hands of a very few.
MoveOn.org is in a position to put into words what people already
believe--beliefs that are overlooked by the media and political
parties. Look at polls and find areas where people strongly believe
something that the political parties and the media gloss over.
Isolationism is a good one to start with. Also, people feel largely
disenchanted with the "democratic process", as can be seen through low
voting rates. Most people believe that the system is broken. Perhaps
if people saw examples of alternatives that are more democratic than
our system, they might become interested in changing to a more
involving system.
If there is going to be change in this country to a more democratic,
more egalitarian society, change will begin in people's minds. MoveOn
has an opportunity to change the words that people use and the ideas
that people think about when they talk politics. Please stop
squandering this chance of real change by being against everything
that Bush is for. People who are against what he is doing will
continue to be against it and people who are for what he is doing will
continue to be for it. Start making changes that will matter a year
from now.
