Imput Required - Might as Well..

[Xvall]

Advice on how I could help the movement would be greatly appreciated. Obviously, yaking and complaning on a message board isn't very useful. What can I do. I live in a suburb near chicago; I do not live close enough for my parents to let me visit it though. Do not suggest starting any sort of 'school party'. I've tried that, it won't work. They don't let you support any political agenda unless it is patriotic. And most of this kids at school hate me. This suburb is very quiet, and I doubt I will find any sort of 'activists' around here. Advice?

[bluerev002]

first (in my opinion): if your fighting for something that the goverment did, id say start with a pettition, then if that doesnt work, protest with picket signs n stuff, if that doesnt work and YOU REAAAALLY dont like whats going on, you should get a whole bunch of ppl and block the streets till the mayor listens to you and agrees with what yoiu have to say.

and dont act alone, the best thing is to get trusted individuals (i guss yoiu can call them friends.........i guess) and plan together.

again, my opinion.

[Xvall]

That is all good; but that's the problem. I do not HAVE thousands of people to help me with a petition, or help me block the streets.

[bluerev002]

hmm, well..........gee i dunno, try and get a cople of ppl at first, and those two ppl will get two more ppl and so on and so forth, hell, theres thousands of ppl here, we could help in something i mean if ppl in more than one city are fighting for the same cause then it might work. as for in yoiur area and not havin lots of ppl i guess then.............talk in front of a croud and get them all flared up. maybe you will if you are a great public speaker and can raise the spirits souls and minds of all these youg, confused and mislead youth.........other than that...........HEY GUYS!!! HELP DRACOLI OUT!!! I THINK WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM THIS ONE!!!

[synthesis]

I dunno. When I was in high school, I'd always wear t-shirts I made about political causes I supported (I'm not that fresh out, Free Mumia, pro-Palestine, etc)

People on the streets would always stop and ask me. (At least once everytime I went out.) I may not have converted the Klu Klux Klan, liberated a third world country, or integrated Palestine, but I know I awakened the people who asked to the intents of the left more than I could have otherwise.

Then again, this is Oregon, so that's certainly not the only thing I did. My parents always took me to peace rallies and stuff like that, but I'm just offering you something you could do.

[Ian]

My advice is to steer conversations you may have with people who you think are intelligent, for example;
Mr X: Hey Ian, what'd you do this weekend?
Ian: Went to church street mall...
Mr X: Sounds alright, buy anything?
Ian: Nah mate, just listened to a speech against war in Iraq... some pretty girls went also (note- this is my way to keep them interested)
Mr X: what did they say?
and on and on it goes...

Point 1. Steer Conversations!

Relate! If someone buys a new pair of shoes compliment them... or use my game and run up and step on their feet a few times yelling "Scuff the noo shoo!"... and then say something about sweatshops

Point 2. Relate!

well I'm done... this strategy has got about 12 friends interested in politics... pm me if you are unsure or something, and for the last time drake, I DON'T WANNA CYBER!

[MiNdGaMe]

Some good cheap action: GRAFHITTI
it works, most of my friends have seen my first artwork, but its risky (cops) and sometimes hard to do in visible places, but it may be different for you.

[killingstars]

drake, i think the flier idea is good, but you don't have to limit yourself on a local level. it's obvious that many young people are into the same stuff you are, from the ages i hear on the board. you should do something with that, emphasizing on youth activism. even if it's an online thing i'm sure it has lots of potential.

[MJM]

Any non political orgs you can get involved with?
You may find people of a similar political philosophy in some of them.
If there's no local activits scene politically, try enviromentally or socially. Maybe the local soup kitchen or whatever you call them over there, the places where homeless people go to get meals. Perhaps theres some damage being done by a large factory or something you may be able to start some actions around. Or a local union you could get into. There are lots of avenues you can look into just to get to know people. The struggle is getting to know people, so set your sites far and wide you never know what you may find.

Don't be too dogmatic in your search either, non political organisations can't be everything to everyone, it's all about getting contacts to start with. From there the world is your oyster.