On 12/26/03 1:41 PM, "Chris Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >> each worthwhile. But the moment that you call yourself a "political >> activist" you become charged with making policy and creating solutions. You >> have taken on the mantle and thus it is your responsibility. >> >> > That's a rather novel and new definition of "political activist" in my > experience. Political activists are now charged with being responsible to the > rest of society as a whole for making policy (with what power? with what > influence?) and creating solutions (implemented how?). I think what Jonathan meant is further illustrated when he went on to say "It is not enough to complain that things are not good enough, if you want to elevate yourself beyond complainer to advocate and activist, then you must be willing to create solutions and work towards them." I'm inclined to agree with that statement. Anyone can sit on the sidelines or outside someone's house and complain about some problem they have or see. The real advocates take the next step and participate in finding solutions to those problems and making them happen. Like the folks who were involved with lobbying the state Public Utilities Commission to adopt the MERP proposed by Xcel Energy to help clean up Xcel's Riverside plant in NE Minneapolis and High Bridge over in St. Paul. Or the folks who were organized the local Bill of Rights Defense Committee and lobbied Minneapolis City Council to pass a resolution supporting our constitutional rights. > Do political leaders by default not deserve the title "political activist?" > Are elected officials by default not "political activists?" Given the large > number of politicians and elected officials who fail to create any solutions > to societal problems, one has to ask. > > A smaller number fail to have influence on public policy. Many don't even > think of planning or acting in accord with some policy, certainly not a policy > addressing society or beyond serving their own personal needs and greed. Vote > to appoint a friend to an executive job? Sure. Vote to line the pockets of > developers who will contribute to my next election? Sure. Think about and > vote to improve the lot of all citizens of Minneapolis, current and future? > Too hard, too frightening, too generous. > > Who here is a political activist? Shall we expect our elected leaders be > political activists? I agree, one should ask. And my answer would be yes, we ought to expect that our political leaders should be political activists. Unfortunately, too many fall short. Whether that should be blamed on the elected leaders themselves, the constituents who elected them or the political system we have in place is worth debating (Minneapolis-specific, of course). Mark Snyder Windom Park REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
