How To Get Involved!

So you wanna change the world? Great! I’d love to chat with you if you want more information on starting out as a political activist and organizer. You can reach me at brian@walkingbutterfly.com, or call me at 845-649-2146 or add me on Facebook or Myspace. You can send me a message on AIM or Google Chat at one address: butterflywalking (at) gmail.com (its my AIM Screen name too). For more information about me or walkingbutterfly.com click here! Like Diary of a Walking Butterfly? Consider subscribing by e-mail!

Featured Article: Language Warriors: How Language Can Change Politics

That being said, becoming political active is a process that takes years of learning and growing - its best to enter social movements with that knowledge in mind. Building mass movements to take on the systems of exploitation, to stop rightwing policies, or to bring down repressive dictators doesn’t happen overnight. It takes the careful, patient organizing by lots of diverse people organized into political organizations.

Here are some links, books, and so on, that can help you get involved…

What some ideas about what might replace our current economic system? Visit the participatory economics website for more information on a democratically planned alternative to both market capitalism and centrally planned socialism. If you are feeling cynical, or you buy into Margaret Thatcher’s claim that “There Is No Alternative” or “TINA”, its definitely something to check out. What she really meant was “TINBA” - “There Is No Better Alternative”. Participatory economics is that better alternative. But don’t take my word for it, if you want an economy based on solidarity, diversity, liberty, equity, justice, democracy, and efficiency, check it out and judge for yourself!

Z Magazine and ZNet are great daily news sources for learning about how society’s dominant institutions currently work, and what people are doing to change them. Remembering Tomorrow: From SDS to Life After Capitalism, a Memoir is a great narrative about Michael Albert’s life as a visionary and strategic organizer for social change. I’d definitely recommend people checking it out if you want an overall introduction to various concepts, ideas and stories about what it would take to change the world. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell , though written for business people, can also be applied to social movements and activism.

Don’t understand how American history got where it is today? Check out Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States! Its the definitive introduction to social movements in the United States.

Want to get right into it and join a group? Here are some:

What to join a youth organization? Are you interested in fighting global warming? Consider joining the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC). The Student Environmental Action Coalition or SEAC is a grassroots coalition of student and youth environmental groups, working together to protect our planet and our future. Through this united effort, thousands of youth have translated their concern into action by sharing resources, building coalitions, and challenging the limited mainstream definition of environmental issues.