More than protests

You know I find myself getting into pointless debates with extremist activists. It's almost like talking to a brick wall. It is always over the same thing which is better trying to force the government to change through citizen protest and violence or actually changing the government from the inside out. Now for my purposes I am going to change the word citizen protest to community organizing and completely remove the word violence. The only thing that violent needs to is unnecessary bloodshed. Now I have no beef with community organizers, and other activists is just that if we think that the only way to change things is through community organizing we would not see effective change. If we examine recent history will find that the most effective community organizing strategies have been developed that were part of a much bigger plan to effect change. Example in 2005 many organizations throughout the country were trying to force the federal government and state governments to pass increases in minimum wage. In Michigan Democratic attempts to get this done increasingly met defeat in the state legislature. But because of the strong movement in the progressive community which was put together by political strategists, politicians, leaders of civic organizations and many community leaders the governor of Michigan was able to sign a minimum wage increase into law. If it did not happen that way is very likely that an amendment to the state constitution would've been added saying that minimum wage was to be increased anyway. This successful campaign took place because it had to key components one there was a strong push in the community to there was a very clear policy goal in place. This is the best way to affect change.

Unfortunately, this strategy that we know works is not something that many extremist racist activists do not want to use. This digest of their strategy talk about how much the government is corrupt complained and didn't take no action. Now some of these activists may think the best way is to educate the community. Educating the community is very important but if it does not follow action day you are just throwing rocks against the wall. In the 1960s Dr. King led a very successful effort to pass civil rights legislation in the United States. Dr. King had a very clear goal and he clearly understood what desired outcome he was looking for. This is why he was successful. Extreme racist activists do not have the same thinking in my. The only thing they do is complain. Understanding politics is the best way to be able to change policy. President Obama when he was running for president understood this. He understood that people in America want a new direction this is why he was successful over other more season Democrats and over and he Republican who had more than 20 years in Congress and was a former naval officer. Detroit city Council is a poster child for what happens when you do not have clear policy goals and good strategic community involvement. More than 40 years the Detroit city Council has set back and allow Mayor after Mayor to do whatever they want without stopping them. The only thing the Council has been able to do is continue to call other people races and complain about how the mayor is doing this that and the other. Now with all of the lawyers that work for the Detroit city Council in the season political advisers that many of these council members employ you would think that they would have or would give themselves the tools to hold administrations in check. Unfortunately that has not been the case. This is why many in the rest of the state of Michigan look at the Detroit city Council as a joke. And it is a well-deserved label.

Now extremist racist activists I talk a lot about how the American justice system is corrupt and is designed to keep the black man in jail. This is a good point to rally the community or around. What they have offered no solutions on how to fix it. I have I say at one of the first things that can be done is to reform the public defender system so that they have the necessary resources to properly to see and their clients. Many extremist racist activists complained that most of the wealth in this country is in the hands of the rich, the white, and the powerful. Yet these same critics has offered no solutions on how to fix it. I have, I have said one of the first things that we can do at least in Michigan is one making sure that every school district is receiving the same number of dollars are student that other schools are being given. To, reforming the way institutions of higher education in Michigan use taxpayer dollars so that we can be sure people are not being priced out of a college education. These two simple reforms would help to bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots. But we have seen no policy recommendations from any of these activists. The most successful community activists and community organizers are the ones who have been able to advocate in the community and in front of policymakers. If we look at history some of the most successful military campaigns have been when the one group of people have been able to get behind or inside of their enemies lines and destroy them from the inside out. That is the way that you are going to see the most effective change in the least amount of time. Complaining about the government is going to do no one any good if you do not have a effective plan by which to accomplish your goal. Now as much complaining that I have her many of these extremist activist have openly admitted that they have not voted. The most effective tool that any citizen in this country has to effect change in their community is by exercising their constitutional right to cast a vote in every single election that is hailed in their community. In my opinion you cannot complain if you do not vote. Now I would like to discuss one more example of where clear policy goals and strategic community organizing has produced legislative victories. In 2008 a friend of mine who ran for state representative in Detroit had been lobbying for Detroit city Council for a number of years to move to a greater portfolio. He sat on the Council President Green task force. Not only did he lobbied the council he worked with many community activists and organizations to get his local community involved. Because of his efforts the Council rejected renewing a trash incinerator contract that they have had for more than 20 years and also the city of Detroit began a new curbside cycling program for 30,000 housing units in the city. These are some very significant victories they were not done just by protest, citizen uprisings in other extreme activities. They were accomplish through a combination of direct policy oriented lobbying and strategic community organizing.

Now I have heard of no significant victories that have come through violent protest and community uprisings. The race riots that occurred in Detroit only resulted in the National Guard having to come in and a city's image being completely destroy. Back in 2006 many of these extremist believed that they will be a new round of riots because the voting rights act required action by Congress for its renewal. What they did know was that during a time when Republicans controlled the house and senate voting rights act would renew with large bipartisan support. 98 Senators in 2006 voted to renew the voting rights act. Even today smart intelligent attorneys are defending the voting rights act before the United States Supreme Court. This cannot happen if the only strategy was to protest outside of the court hall. So I leave my extremist friends with this if you really want change there is a proven that it to get it. You may find that you're both will be accomplished much quicker.