[Winona Online Democracy]
Hello Duane (Peterson) and Others,
I agree that we have many "distractions" in today's world.
At the same time, some of them are very important distractions. Either
volunteering or helping out with Boy/Girl Scouts, church youth groups,
youth task forces, PTA's, local service clubs, t-ball coaching, mentorship
programs, environemental groups, etc. are all the stuff of a real
democracy. I don't think distractions are the problem, except for goofy
football games (I played football in high school and college) and sleazy
talk shows (I love to talk).
As Jeremy Rifkin and many other authors have pointed out, we need to take
back more of our "civic time". To put in bluntly, we need to work less and
spend more time with our families, churches, community groups, gardens, and
ourselves. The way the world is is not the way it should be or has to be.
I believe that most of the solutions to most of the world's challenges
already exist in books or people's minds. The problem is that most of do
not have enough time to learn about the solutions or to help out with them.
Time, time, time.
I believe the solutions do not lie with big business or big government.
The solutions lie with small and medium sized groups of common citizens.
We must reduce our "average" work week.
It is impossible if only a few industries or sectors of our economy attempt
to do it but it would work if it applied to all people and businesses.
Imagine what we could do if we had more civic time.
Dwayne
-----------------
>From: "Duane Peterson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "Dwayne Voegeli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: Re: [Winona] Letter to the Editor
>Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 13:31:30 -0500
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>X-Priority: 3
>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2919.6600
>
>Dwayne, We have too many distractions these days. The world is run by
>those who show up for the meetings. That was how I got involved in
>politics --by being one of those who showed up for the meetings. This
>online democracy should be a part of the answer. I hope that it works.
>Duane M. Peterson
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Dwayne Voegeli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 9:26 AM
>Subject: [Winona] Letter to the Editor
>
>
>> [Winona Online Democracy]
>>
>> >
>> >So why do you think people don't attend city council meetings or take
>much
>> >of an interest in local elections? Are there ways to improve this
>> >situation?
>>
>> ----------
>>
>> Yes, it was a great article by Mr. Selleck about pedestrian rights.
>>
>> Steve Kranz asked a good question about low attendance at local government
>> meetings.
>>
>> I always try to encourage my students to resist the temptation to look for
>> simple answers to complex problems so I want to be careful about offering
>a
>> "simple" solution myself.
>>
>> I believe one of the major reasons is that we live in a representative and
>> not a participatory "democracy". We are turned into spectators who are
>> viewing others having all the fun. I believe this leads to a possible
>> danger of large numbers of us becoming civic couch potatoes.
>>
>> If we remember what democracy was originally like in Ancient Athens, we
>> would see a participatory form of democratic government very different
>than
>> our watered down and dilluted version.
>>
>> Is an active, "hands-on" government of, by, and for the people possible
>today?
>>
>> I would reply "yes" but it would require us to think outside of many boxes
>> and to dream a little bit.
>>
>> What do you all think?
>>
>> Dwayne
>>
>>
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>
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