*** A Personal Message ***

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unshakentomato's avatar
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Friends and strangers,

Yes, we did. Thank you to everyone who organized and voted, even if you voted for McCain, perhaps we can come together now to make this election mean something.

This is a earnest, personal message to say that this election, however historic, will mean nothing without sustained attention, activism, and solidarity, not out of partisan opportunism, but because we have a shared stake in peace, health, community, and fairness, as well as life, liberty, and happiness.



The last eight years have starkly revealed to me the frailty at the heart of our society. But this weakness is not new, nor is it gone or over. I fundamentally believe we must work assiduously to rescue our communities, our environments, our country, and our world from tragedy-- and I mean tragedy in its deepest sense; that the worst kind of harm cannot be undone: history cannot be erased or remade, lives cannot be resurrected, the silenced voices and suppressed possibilities will never be witnessed.



Let us be proud, and eager, and optimistic, but above all let us be honest to ourselves and others. Let us be fair. Let us be humble.

These are my resolutions, for what I hope is not simply an election, but a new era. Unlike New Years resolutions, these I intend to keep ; ) But I need your help, because I am who I am-- the Avi you know-- and some 22 year old kid is not going to change the world alone. With your help, though, I'll give it the best shot I've got. If you don't agree, that's fine. Talk to me, and maybe we can understand each other better. Or write your own list and get together with someone to materialize hopes; Here are goals I want to share with you:



1. End to the illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq.
2. Renounce the War of Terror in Afghanistan, and cease belligerent behavior toward Pakistan, Syria, and Iran. Close GITMO and diminish military presence worldwide. Disinvest in the military-industrial complex.


3. Engage with the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, and comply with UN resolutions (which we ostensibly attacked Iraq for violating) around the world.
4. Meaningfully investigate and try the current Presidential administration for treason and crimes against humanity.


5. Seriously, substantively, and independently work toward preventing and mitigating climate change.
6. Achieve environmental goals and energy independence by focusing primarily and exhaustively on sustainable, environmentally friendly technologies such as geothermal, solar, hydroelectric, biofuel and not those with significant environmental, social, and political externalities (such as oil, coal, nuclear, etc...). Regrid America. Invest in mass transit. Society and economy both benefit the free and cheap movement of people.


7. Provide efficient and affordable universal single payer health care.
8. Regulate finance while preserving and enabling economic growth for the poor majority.
9. Disinvest from the prison-industrial complex.


10. Reform media ownership and the electoral system, protect the vote, include third parties in debate, and otherwise protect against the destruction of our democracy.

11. Focus on lowering the barriers to and raising the quality of education. Increase teacher salaries. Build schools.
12. Broaden civil rights for all Americans, such as homosexual couples, while granting states ultimate control.


13. Increase and protect women's rights and social resources, while acknowledging the moral standards of opponents of the right-to-abortion. Focus on substantial matters of gender equality, while striking a legal medium and most of all, decreasing the need for abortions by providing sufficient resources to women and families.


14. Work towards a new global financial structure based on democratic representation and choice, debt forgiveness, basic needs and services.
15. Seriously improve the quality of life and rights of indigenous Americans, cognizant of the original sin of the American genocide and displacement of our Native people.


16. Demilitarize relations with Mexico.

I know I am reaching far, dreaming, and perhaps ranting, but these are policies the majority of Americans, especially those with historically little political power, can endorse. The problem is, the same forces that have controlled America in the past will continue to act on or through President Obama, and/or retrench. We cannot be complacent. If we can influence even one of these issues, our effort will be worth it.



If you are willing to reply and discuss any of these propositions, including pragmatic goals for how to implement them, please do.

I mean this with the utmost sincerity and depth of my character. It may be ridiculous of me, but I am not willing to entertain my trepidation.


Avi Conant


© 2008 - 2024 unshakentomato
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