This is a continuation of last week’s post.
It is not enough to get the ball rolling. We have to keep up the momentum. We have to accept that this is a marathon, not a sprint; and that we will have to maintain our effort for a long time. Many will hang on for only a short time and then bail. We need to overcome this “one and done” attitude and inspire people to stick with our crusade for the long haul. We will have to keep them focused amidst all the distractions and temptations that surround us. No great societal change ever occurred overnight, or smoothly. This effort, therefore, is more than a marathon – it is a relay race, and we must make sure that we pass the batons to people who will work diligently for needed change while keeping their eyes on the prize.
We will face formidable opposition from the Powers That Be and their army of mealy-mouthed, forked-tongued spin doctors, as well as exasperation at pushing against the inertia and fickleness of the general American public. The barriers we must overcome include apathy and helplessness on behalf of the oppressed, as well as voter suppression and right-wing propaganda. The numerous laws that Republicans have passed making it harder to vote prove that they are afraid of high voter turnout, especially by marginalized communities. Fortunately, people are already fighting back.
We need a movement that knows what it represents and what it seeks to bring about, as well as realistic ideas of how to bring about those big positive changes. We need leaders who will lead by example instead of just flapping their gums. We need people who have a true vision that balances idealism and realism. We need leaders who know not only what they are fighting against, but more importantly, what they are fighting FOR. The reason so many revolutions fail, or end up as out of the frying pan and into the fire, is the leaders either know only how to destroy but not how to build, or lead for the sake of leading rather than helping those who follow them, like the pigs in Orwell’s Animal Farm. We need leaders and troop-ralliers who really believe in a vision of a better society, a freer one where people are indeed secure in their persons and people receive not only a living wage but also decent and realistic benefits. We need to be clear that we are socialists, not communists – we believe in commerce and business, as well as individual freedom and rights.
We need our own “spin doctors” who know how to counter the patronizing hogwash of the Powers That Be with intelligent – and devastating – replies. We need people who can do research to back up our claims and provide facts and figures from reliable sources that support what we state. Many people will not join or support a movement that lacks credibility. Our foes will cook up their own figures to discredit us, so we must be ready with answers.
This crusade does sound as though it is “taking on the world.” However, that is what we have to do. Thus, instead of just one big group, we need a coalition of activist groups: some concerned with protecting privacy, some with how to fix our medical system, some with how to improve education, some with encouraging businesses to pay a living wage, and so on. There are numerous activist groups already in place tackling such problems, and they are across the political spectrum. Already there are quite a few progressive coalitions out there, and sites that attract progressive activists and groups, so some necessary work has been done.
We need to get all these groups pointed in essentially one direction. That will not be easy, since some lean to the left, and some to the right; not only that, in every group, though people will agree on one thing, they are bound to disagree on some hot-button issue such as guns, abortion, the environment, animal rights, and who is the greatest all-time player for the Yankees. Thus, leading such a coalition is going to be a lot like herding cats. It won’t be easy keeping everybody focused on the common goal, and infighting and bickering are inevitable. However, somebody who has the right combination of charisma, leadership skills and oratory talent can keep this motley crew on the move in the right direction.
Am I volunteering myself? No. I know myself well enough to realize that I am not that person, not the next Gandhi or MLK Jr. or Nelson Mandela. I have good ideas, and I can help organize; but a movement of this scope requires a person of great charisma, intelligence, compassion, dignity, tact, persistence and insight. Someone good at rallying the troops, making speeches, inspiring others, keeping everyone focused. Someone who can work with people of widely differing backgrounds and opinions. Someone who is bold and not afraid of the limelight, yet modest and unpretentious. Someone who can handle both flattery and brickbats. Someone who can stand firm in this position and recognize barricades to progress as detours rather than dead ends. Whoever this Great Leader is, I will gladly support him – or her.
