cj#312> re: what can we do?

1995-11-23

Richard Moore

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Date: Tue, 21 Nov 1995 12:12:38 -0800
Sender: •••@••.••• (Joe Ferguson)
Subject: re: * Question of the Day *

> I wish there was some way to organize
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> the powerless, raise their awareness that they are not entirely helpless,
> and let them join force with right minded people who want justice for all,
> and not exploitation by the few.

    I assume the goal here is to organize a majority of people, not
a minority.  To unite a majority of people, it is necessary to appeal
broadly to them, which requires focus and discipline.  The focus needs
to be on issues that unite; the discipline is needed to keep from
indulging in petty debate, the "parlour game" of logic.

    A natural majority of "right minded people" exists in the United
States, and presumably the rest of the world, and can be identified by
asking the right questions.

    In cj-4/14 I reported results of a National Security News Service
poll, from April, 1994 that was printed in a CA PeaceAction flyer:

>    1) 96% of the American people oppose selling arms to
>       countries that abuse the human rights of their citizens.

    Recently I tried to get Richard to see that his recent article on
human rights and the NWO needed some work to be less threatening to
reasonable business people, but rather than do that, he got distracted
with his metaphor of the car.  The reason I registered the criticism
was not to indulge in parlour debate, but to help Richard appeal to a
broader readership with his otherwise well-thought-through ideas.

    Since the power of the NWO comes mainly from wealth, and since it
is the consumer that provides the vast majority of this wealth, it
follows that the ultimate power in today's world is indeed in the hands
of the general population.  We just don't use it.

    To use the power we have, we must discipline ourselves to avoid the
divisive traps that are everywhere set for us by the powerful, and focus
on the big issues that we agree on.  I think 96% is plenty to get the
job done.  If even a smaller majority agreed on something, and agreed
on a corporate target, a boycott could bring that target to its knees
or elimiate it in a matter of weeks.

    - Joe

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Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995
From: George XX -- [a PeaceNews reader]
To: •••@••.•••
Subject: Thanks for your Pnet Posting + 2 Questions!
        [Re: Human Rights & The New World Order]

Sincere thanks for your posted article which was clear, concise and to
the point.  I also appreciated your suggested readings and quoted sources
- also excellent.

I'd appreciate hearing answers to two questions - meant sincerely and
straightforwardly:

1.)     How do we (in the US and elsewhere) spread the words of your
writing and other progessive ideas to more than the small numbers of
people that we reach - and get away from simply "preaching to the converted"?

2.)     (Related to 1. above) - How do we counter - the multinationals -
our "grassroots" organizing to date often seems like a few ants being
ever more trampled by massive mega-monsters - what and where and how do
we move - and avoid merely bemoaning our "fates"?

References for good readings etc. would be most welcome!

Thanks!

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Dear George,

These are good questions, and in line with recent Cyberjournal discussions.
I encourage more readers to send in their ideas and suggestions.

The "converted talking mainly to the converted" is a definite problem:
people mostly subscribe to magazines & lists they already agree with.  I
think there's a lot of diversity of opinion among CJ readers, but many
people are shy of posting their ideas, for one reason or another.

How to reach more people?  That's a tough one.

How do "we" counter the multinationals?  Partly its a matter of helping
people see the extent of the control, and understand which social/legal
changes are part of the problem, and which part of the solution.  The NWO
articles try to address this, but the magazine publishing them is
small-circulation, and features "Conspiracies & Metaphysics"  -- hardly
mainstream.

Democratic change has never happened in history unless people organized
effectively.  Ultimately, there needs to be an organization/coalition with
appropriate focus, size, and direction.  We've talked about how we need a
coalition among "green" and "labor" groups, on a global scale.  How to move
toward that?  Any ideas?

As for "good reading" -- I've posted a "Recommended-Reading" file to
CyberLib (See sig below).  I'll paste it below for convenience.

-rkm


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                       ********************************
                     CyberLib's Recommended Reading List
                               23 November 1995
                       ********************************

Fuller, R Buckminster, _Grunch of Giants_ (New York: St. Martin's Press,
     1983)
     Bucky departs from his usual apolitical technology endeavors, and
     analyzes global corporate hegemony.

Fuller, R Buckminster, _Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth_ (New York:
     Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster, 1970)
     Bucky's system view of world history shines forth, as he exposes
     the British Empire as bit of a hoax -- the "White Man's Burden"
     being a ruse to enlist the British people in making the world safe
     for the East India Company (dubbed the "Great Pirates".)
     Especially interesting is his analysis of pre-radio navies, and the
     problem of distributed control.  He traces the invention of
     academic specialization, as a way of preventing technologists from
     achieving ascendancy over capital.  He describes how Elizabeth I's
     dabbling in international shipping led to the corporate form in
     England, as a way to avoid financial responsibility.  Lots
     of good stuff packed into a very small volume.

Greider, William, _Who will tell the People - The Betrayal of American
     Democracy_ (New York: Touchstone, 1993).
     An excellent journalist, Greider interviews the actual players in
     the drama, and weaves a compelling tale of how corporations have
     taken total control of the American system, and are now extending
     that control to the globe.  He shows how Nader's opening up of
     Congressional committees to public exposure has actually increased
     the stranglehold of corporate lobbying.  Especially interesting is
     his analysis of the Savings & Loan looting, and how it was
     intentionally allowed to escalate in scale, so that the public,
     rather than the financial community, would be forced to pay the
     bill.  The scope and cogency of his presentation is beyond
     description.

Jantsch, Erich, _The Self-Organizing Universe_ (New York: Pergamon Press,
     1980).
     The myth of entropy-trending is debunked.  Jantsch traces the
     history of the universe -- a continual evolution of increasingly
     complex systems.  Fascinating is his description of the coevolution
     of macro and micro phenomenon.  While the macro goes from amorphous
     plasma clouds, to pre-galactic nebulae, to stars, the micro goes
     from free atomic particles, to atoms, to molecules, to life.

Lederer, William J, _A Nation of Sheep_ (New York: Crest Books, Fawcett
     World Library, 1962).
     A pioneering work in the modern analysis of the shocking ease with
     which the American public can be led by the nose.

Manchester, William, _The Arms of Krupp 1587-1968_ ( ...
     Fascinating tale of the Krupp dynasty and its unique role in the
     development of German nationalism and war capability.  By selling
     arms to all sides, and shrewdly managing the distribution of new
     technologies, Krupp forced nations to continually upgrade their
     arsenals.  Traces Krupp's early support of Hitler, and his role as
     Fuhrer of industry in all occupied territories.  Explains how many
     of the concentration camps were run by private industry, as a means
     of exploiting slave labor, and how Hitler had to be persuaded
     personally by Krupp to pursue this policy.  But save your tears for
     the last chapter, where this biggest war criminal avoids the rap
     at Nurenburg, and the Western powers put him back on his throne
     after the war.

Parenti, Michael, _Make-Believe Media - The Politics of Entertainment_ (New
     York: St. Martin's Press, 1992).
     Describes how myths created in the entertainment media -- as
     opposed to news management -- serve propaganda purposes.  The
     poison of television analyzed.

Parenti, Michael, _The Sword and the Dollar - Imperialism, Revolution, and
     the Arms Race_ (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989).
     Fascinating study of modern imperialism, or didn't you know we had
     any of that?  The myth of "poor" third-world countries is debunked,
     along with the charade of "development".  Most of these countries
     are extremely rich, by any rational measure of resources and human
     skills; it's only the ongoing armed robbery of their resources
     which leaves the people poor.

Sampson, Anthony, _The Seven Sisters_
     The story of the growth of the first multinationals -- the oil
     giants.  A classic tale of conspiracies on a global scale; secret
     agreements to divide and share markets and production capacities,
     to manage profits and subvert national governments.  Time after
     time, US anti-trust laws were overruled in just the instances they
     were most needed, by specious appeals to security interests.  These
     were (and still are) the leading edge of the New World Order.

Shah, Idries, _Learning How to Learn - Psychology and Spirituality in the
     Sufi Way_ (New York: Harper & Row, 1978).
     This is not to be read in an evening, nor summarized adequately
     here.  It is a deep investigation into human wisdom, and a
     remarkable attempt to express ancient learning in modern, Western,
     psychological terms.

Stockwell, John, _In Search of Enemies - A CIA Story_
     One of the best of the many books by former CIA officers whose
     consciences have forced them to go public.  Anyone who thinks there
     aren't major conspiracies going on should read this detailed case
     study.  On the very same day Stockman was importing arms into
     Angola and recruiting ragtag militia forces for the CIA, Herr
     Kissinger was testifying before the Church Committee that there was
     no U.S. involvement in Angola (to give just one example.)

Wells, H.G., _The Outline of History_
     A one-volume romp through world history, with an attitude.  One of the
     science-fiction pioneers, Wells' _The Machine_ extrapolates his
     historical sense forward into his own version of a Brave New World.

Zinn, Howard, _A Peoples History of the United States_ (New York: Harper &
     Row, 1980).
     Zinn goes back to the original sources, starting with Columbus, and
     reveals the history of America as being a story quite unlike the
     one you were taught in school.  Domination by concentrated wealth,
     and continual class struggle against it, has been an integral part
     of the ongoing story.

                       ********************************
                            CyberLib maintained by:

  Richard K. Moore                          •••@••.•••
  (USA Citizen)                                 Moderator: Cyberjournal
  Wexford, Ireland              http://www.internet-eireann.ie/cyberlib

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