Thursday, November 04, 2004


We Done Good


I'm gonna dispense with news one last time, as much of it would probably concern how Bush managed to successfully trap America in his climate of fear again and set the stage for four more years of war, and domestic polices designed to please a narrow elite.

But I gotta say that I think that we progressives did well in defeat. For a movement that, IMHO, is basically two years old, we made some accomplishments. The e-mails I've received from groups like MoveOn, True Majority, and the following message from United For Peace And Justice all have the same message. That message seems to be, "The election is over--the campaign is still going".

We managed to boost turnout to the highest it's been in years. We showed the world the power of the 'net as a tool for organizing and mobilizing forces. We got people involved in politics again.

And we can't stop. We need to make sure that we keep the heat on Bush and maybe even his handlers. The local chapter of Food Not Bombs called a meeting on Sunday that I hope to be at for awhile (then dash home to change clothes to head out and watch the Steeler's-Eagles game), this is the spirit that all progressives need to have. We need to say "OK, now what", then "how do we do this" and then, get it done.

The future is on the line (for me now more than ever), we can't look back or turn back.



The New Patriot


I'll be 30 in January. And for the first time in my brief life, I see a chance for a mass progressive movement to take hold. The movement that has sprung up to oppose war and empire has become the engine for a movement that seems to pick up steam little by little each day; we have the beginnings of a news outlet, a kind of rapid action team, and, yes, maybe even shock troops.

What the movement lacks, is a kind of nexus. A place where all the groups that make up the movement can intersect and interact. As I possess considerable talents in computer and web programming (you're looking at it!); I figure, "why not me".

So I announce plans to build "New Patriot", a site that will provide a nexus to this resistance. As it stands now this site will have a few basic sections:


Group sites


There are obviously a few groups who stand to gain from the next Bush regime; oil companies, religious fundamentalists, neo-imperialists, etc, but there are also several groups who stand to loose a lot; African-Americans, Hispanics (at least those in the underclass), Gays and Lesbians, Environmental groups, Women, and unions and those groups who oppose the growth of corporate power. Each of the afformentioned groups will have an area that will consist of:

  • News

  • Action Alerts

  • Advocacy Groups

  • Media Outlets



Back To Basics


Of course, the groups that are fueling this movement deserve a place of thier own.

MoveOn, Act For Change, True Majority, Democracy For America, and Wellstone Action all will be represented. If I'm ambitious enough, or can find someone to outsource the work to, I'd like to create a "justice index" for Congress.

'Blogs


Of course "Next War" will be a part of this. It's where all this began. But it will be getting some siblings.

"Religious Liberty Network" will be devoted to informing readers of the threats that fundamentalist Christians pose to the principles of justice and equality this country was based on. I just find it odd that we're fighting religious fundamentalists, while so much of our country is under thier control. Another form of fundamentalism, radical Zionism, will also be looked at in a separate "'Blog in a 'Blog"

"Under Fire" will look at the 2nd Ammendment absolutists and efforts to reconcile the 2nd Ammendment with modern technology and current culture.

There also may be "ad hoc" blogs for things like key legslation and judical nominees.

The Name Thing


Why are you calling the site--"New Patriot"? I'm sure I'm gonna get e-mail on this, so I may as well get it outta the way.

Our founding fathers were the first American Activists, IMHO. They stood against the leading imperial power of the day and worked at great risk to themselves. I see a lot of this in the modern anti-war/anti-imperialist movement.

Fueled By Imagination


Built with MySql and powered by PHP. With a bit of a Flash generator program mixed in. This site is gonna take my development and design skills to the max and maybe a bit beyond.

Much of the content will be fed through a database. And chat, message board and calendar areas may soon follow.

Wanna help


I may like to have a logo for this, as I may want to make and sell clothes, etc. Eventually, I'd like each group to have it's own specialist. Simply drop me a line.

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