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Think about this movement as a kind of 12-step program for those addicted to mass-media diversion. The first step in getting people to realize that their democracy is at risk is getting them to admit that their ignorance of political and civic issues has had a very real and detrimental effect on the process of government. Obviously, the greatest challenge that this movement has is the fact that it's focus will be on those people who have scorned government, sworn off politics wholesale, or for that matter were never interested in politics in the first place. The heavy lifting that needs to be made by us is going to be made by getting those individuals (and yes this is something that is going to have to happen one person at a time, so the more of us in this movement the better) who feel like government is the enemy to understand that American democracy is not a remote beuracracy housed in tall castles, but that American democracy quite literally is We The People. We must get people to understand that being an American is not simply about rituals. Being an American means far more than saluting the flag, barbecuing on weekends, and talking to your friends about your favorite football team/NASCAR driver/American Idol contestant. Lord knows I love our diversions every bit as much as the next poor sap. We in the VINE movement must teach. We much teach our fellow Americans that their freedom is intrinsic, that they own this beautiful thing called freedom. And in order to make the ownership of freedom a worthwhile pursuit. We need to teach our fellow Americans that democracy truly depends on their incessant and dutiful attention. Being a faithful and constant citizen of democracy is like being a faithful and constant driver. It does me little good to have a driver's licence if I only drive once every two or four or ten years, if ever. Inevitalbly, those driving skills, if they were ever there at all, will fade away to nothing.
Our democracy is fading away because people no longer know how to operate it.
I may have given this movement a catchy name but it sure as hell isn't my idea. I'm going to have to sharpen my own personal skills. I've never taught professionally and it shows. But I'm open to any and all suggestions. Especially those that involve bypassing the media. This movement must get personal if it is to work. We must all learn to sing the praises of freedom face-to-face. You don't have to abandon your message boards entirely. Just put the keyboard down long enough to talk. We can do this.
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