Occupy The Media

It has become obvious to everyone, inside and outside the Occupy Movement, that the media is paying attention to us. So, how do we deal with this? We can either kick mainstream media out of camps and hope that YouTube, blogs, and livestream videos reach audience who need to be informed, and we don't just end up preaching to the choir. However, a much better idea ... is to occupy the media. We cannot fear the media, because must engage the soccer mom sitting at home watching the evening news, we have to get people to discuss this around the water cooler at work, and we have to engage the seventy-five year old woman who watches news non-stop and talks to everyone on bus trips with other senior citizens. Why do we have to engage these people? Simply put, because if we do we may gain their support. They may not bring us supplies, they may not send us money, and many of them will not occupy public lands with us. They will, however, occupy public minds that we cannot.

So, how do we do it? Well, we do it the same way we gave speeches in high school or college level public speaking classes. ... we know who our audience is. This is to say if your buddy is shooting a video for his website, in which you're interviewed, you should engage that audience in a more casual fashion. Most of those people are already tapped into underground media, and are therefore aware of the Occupy Movement. This opens the door for you a little bit wider and you should have some fun with it. You can mock certain aspects of those who oppose you.

Example

Occupy News Reporter: What are your thoughts on the people who don't agree with what you'e saying?

Interviewee: Well, I think it's great they found a way to spend 8 hours a day telling us all to get jobs

Whereas when you're dealing with a local broadcast news channel, you have to address the audience at home a little bit differently. This is, of course, only if you wish to use local and national mainstream media (msm) to help knock down walls or prevent them from being built as opposed to helping them be built or even reinforcing them,

Example

Local News Reporter: What are your thoughts on the people who don't agree with what you're saying?

Interviewee: I think that several of them, have taken what they've seen in the news and decided that should be the final word on the Occupy Movement. I think that if many of these people were to spend an hour just talking with us, or come to one of our General Assemblies they would find we aren't completely dissimilar. And don't think this means we think we can convert everyone to our point of view, we'd like that. But, what we'd really like to do is for people to see that the things we are trying to change have common good for the whole population and not just the people who are part of the Occupy Movement.

Both examples, are great responses. However, it's just a matter of knowing your audience ... and communicating with them on a level they are able to both understand and be sympathetic to. Now, don't think this means you should sell your message or your ideals short in communicating them. You should never do that, you simply know what your central message you need to get across is and you figure out the best way to do it.

To put it in a fashion that seems less like you're catering to MSM, think of it like this. You are talking to your grandmother on the phone and the topic of the Occupy Movement comes up. How would you explain it to her? That's how you should address an audience who may not be fully aware of all aspects of what the Occupy Movement is about. You certainly wouldn't lie or withhold information from your grandmother, however you would use language that she could easily understand and explain it in a fashion that she could relate to. That should be your goal when you are answering questions about the Occupy Movement in a setting where some of the people hearing your responses might have varying shades of knowledge ... to inform them without making them feel ignorant.

Remember, whatever information you can put forth in a fashion an audience can understand, is information that audience will have fewer questions about after the fact. You can control the information you dispense to the general public, controlling where and how the general public gets information outside of you is out of your hands though. To put it in a different light, if you were looking for information on a historical event, the best information you are going to be able to find will come from people who were present or alive when the event took place. Certainly a book, written after the fact, or an internet source, like Wikipedia, are great sources to go to after that. But, you want as much information as you can get from people who were there at the time, this can include newspaper articles (though you'd want several in order to make sure the view you were getting from the newspapers was well rounded)

In conclusion, when interacting with the media you should be thinking of yourself as as liaison of information between the Occupy Movement in your area, and an audience whose knowledge of the movement you have no way of knowing. While it is certainly important for anything you say to be true to the movement, it is equally important to dispense this information using language that does not include jargon. Remember, when a news reporter comes to you information concerning the Occupy Movement you are being given a great opportunity to fully inform the public about the issue you are being asked about. So, do yourself and the Occupy Movement a huge favor ... be informed before answering, articulate in your answers, and also know that when you do not know the answer to a question, it is okay to say you do not have enough information to answer that question in an informative matter at that time.

Occupy Your Mind - Vital Resources For Educating Yourself

Today's blog, will have less original content in it than anything I have posted so far. Instead, I will be posting a list of resources and a brief guide on how to use them. It's my hope, that you will be able to use these resources in order to better educate yourselves about the various elements The Occupy Movement has been questioning for what is now over a month.

Open Secrets - This website is a great resource for finding out who politicians are taking campaign contributions from, and to see which politicians are supported by companies who make products you use the most. While we are striving to get corporate dollars out of politics, at the moment our best recourse against the way things are is to be intelligent with our spending. In addition to that, we should also write our politicians and ask them what legislation and committees they are members of that have political influence over the industries their contributors operate in.

Example of Use: 2012 Presidential Candidate Fundraising Summary (All information from Center For Responsive Politics)

Top 5 Fundraisers In 2012 Presidential Elections (Financial Q1, Q2, and Q3 Combined)17

Obama, Barack (D) - 86.2 Million Dollars
Romney, Mitt (R) - 32.2 Million Dollars
Perry, Rick (R) - 17.2 Million Dollars
Paul, Ron (R) - 12.6 Million Dollars
Bachmann, Michelle (R) - 7.5 Million Dollars

Percentage of Funds From Small Individuals* Among Top 5 Fundraisers in 2012 Presidential Elections (Ending September 30, 2011)

Obama, Barack (D) - 46%
Romney, Mitt (R) - 10%
Perry, Rick (R) - 4%
Paul, Ron (R) - 48%
Bachmann, Michelle (R) - 52%

* - Open Secrets considers a Small Donor to be anyone who makes a contribution of $200 or less. They make this distinction, because campaigns do not have to disclose personal information of small donors. It should be noted that based on this definition, a donation over $200 does not equate with a corporate donation.



KnowMore - This website is a wiki based resource that allows consumers to look up companies and look at how they treat their employees, the environment, where they spend their money, and the like. While this does not have as much of a role in terms of the political arena, remember you vote with your wallet. See if the five products you buy most frequently are doing things you disagree with, if so write a letter. The great thing about this site, is they offer critique and praise for companies ... allowing you to decide if the good outweighs the bad. It also gives you other brands under a company's umbrella to allow you to make further informed choices when making purchases.

Example of Use:

Company Query: Urban Outfitters (All info from KnowMore.org)

Company Profile: Urban Outfitters, Inc. is a clothing chain headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The company's 140-plus namesake stores -- mainly in the U.S., but also in Canada and Europe - sell casual clothes, accessories, gifts, housewares, and shoes. The retailer also courts women 30- to 45-year-olds at about 120 Anthropologie shops. Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie also distribute catalogs and operate e-commerce sites. Its wholesale division makes and distributes clothing under the Free People label to its own and about 1,800 department and specialty stores worldwide. Chairman and president Richard Hayne, who founded Urban Outfitters as The Free People's Store in 1970, owns about 30% of the company.

Criticisms

Worker's Rights: 

• Chief Executive Officer Glen T. Senk had total pay of $4,013,380 in 2008 according to the AFL-CIO Executive PayWatch Database.[2]
• Denying Collective Bargaining Rights, November 27, 2009. Urban Outfitters drew the attention of the Swedish press for denying collective bargaining rights to employees at their Stockholm store by making all 48 workers redundant and re-hiring them through employment agency Academic Work. In response to the move, ombudsman Jimmy Ekman called for tougher laws to prevent other firms denying collective bargaining rights in this way.

Praise

Business Ethics:

• Urban Outfitters Goes Fur-Free Following PETA Plea, March 23, 2009. In response to PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) letter and nearly 4,000 e-mails from PETA supporters, Urban Outfitters has agreed to stop selling fur in its stores. In an e-mail to PETA, Urban Outfitters Senior Public Relations Manager Andrea Cuscik wrote, "I can confirm that there is no fur in our stores and this will continue to be the case." PETA goes on to say - Why are caring people concerned about the sale of fur? Animals trapped in the wild may suffer for days before dying from exposure, frostbite, shock, or infection or by being strangled, stomped, or bludgeoned to death by trappers. Animals on fur farms are confined to tiny, filthy cages where they often go insane before they are gassed, poisoned, or electrocuted or have their necks broken.[3]
  
• Urban Outfitters Partners With NonProfitShoppingMall.com, May 4, 2009. NonProfitShoppingMall.com works with consumers, retailers, and charities to turn every day shopping into every day giving. Shoppers choose from more than 300 brand-name retailers featuring clothing and accessories, home and garden decor, travel deals, health and beauty products, pet supplies, action sports gear and more. Retail partners include Home Depot, Target, Macys, Urban Outfitters, Staples, PetCo and many others, including a wide range of green and eco-friendly merchants. E-commerce, or online shopping, can help reduce the environmental impact of shopping by using about a third less energy than traditional retail. A recent study by the Carnegie Mellon Green Design Institute found that the carbon footprint from e-commerce is a third smaller than bricks-and-mortar retail. Avoiding express airmail and reusing and recycling shipping boxes further reduces impact.

Brands and Subsidiaries:
Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain, and Leifsdottir




   

What Does Leaderless Mean?

A lot of people, both inside and outside of The Occupy Movement, have had some confusion over the concept of a leaderless movement. From the outside, you have people wondering how this is even possible and from the inside, you have people who wonder what the people leading meetings and groups are if not leaders. I hope to shed some light on both of these in this entry. My hope, is that I am able to dispense good information that answers questions while also not putting words in anyone's mouth or squashing anyone's view of what they are doing personally.

To say The Occupy Movement is a movement without leaders, is a truthful statement. There is not any single person saying do this, do it this way, and do it now. This is because every major decision in The Occupy Movement is made via vote at General Assembly meetings. A major decision would be characterized as anything that would play a factor in the direction the movement should take, not a minor decision like whether the coffee should be Decaff or not. Beyond the General Assembly there are committees responsible for certain aspects of the movement such as Direct Action, Media, and Education. Within these groups, decisions can be made and then taken to the General Assembly if needed where they will be voted on. All voting in the General Assembly meetings are made on the basis of consensus which is explained in relation to The Occupy Movement in this YouTube Video. It should be noted that while this is the process being utilized to vote on a decision, the process used to arrive at this point may be altered to meet the needs of a local movement.

With this being said, The Occupy Movement is also a movement without followers. Every person who brings their talents and skills to the movement, whether they are leading a committee or coming down on the weekend to hold a sign and lend their voice, are all the same at the General Assembly. Your voice is not based on your involvement, your voice is based on your willingness to use it. For anyone in this movement to say I did 75% more than that person did, their vote shouldn't count for as much as mine does would be to spit in the face of one of the central points of the Occupy Movement. This point is that one person has one vote and that vote should be counted with the same regard of every other individuals'.

With this in mind, some may be wondering if there are no leaders then why do the same people organize the meetings? These are the people who began to organize the movement at their local level, and that is simply all they are organizers. They are only there to give structure to General Assembly meetings, to make sure they move forward in an orderly fashion. Anyone who has a concern about anything these organizers say or has a point to make that the organizers have not can utilize a process for that voice to be heard, and your voice will be heard whether you are a regular presence at the camp of an Occupy Movement or you are involved when your professional and private life allow you to be. This process is known as being "on stack", one gets on stack by raising their hand during a General Assembly meeting, someone will come to you and take your name down, and you will be given your chance to be heard by everyone. Just like the people who are organizing the General Assembly.

While I have yet to experience or hear of any issues that would result in an organizer being asked to leave their role; I feel safe in saying that if a dialogue to resolve these issues did not prove productive in reaching a resolution that fixes the issue a vote would take place. This vote would hold just like a vote concerning any other major issues within local Occupy Movements.

With all of this in mind, it is important to remember this system is run by people and there may be the occasional communication break down and misunderstanding on an issue. It's important to remember that if this happens, and you feel as though you've been ignored ... there was no intent behind it. Dealing with large crowds in this fashion is an adaptation all involved in it are still making. Please address your concerns using the stack process at the next General Assembly meeting. Issues can, and should, be addressed as often as needed to make sure they are still effective in moving us forward as one.

To sum it all up, we lack leaders because we all lead. We lack followers because we stand together. We all have a voice, and it is time for us all to use it.

Misconceptions About The Occupy Movement - Corporations

There has been a lot of talk in the news media, editorial news media, and various internet memes that have said The Occupy Movement is filled with hypocrites for their use of various products and services made by corporations in a movement that has been painted as anti-corporation. There are two major misconceptions in this idea, both of which I hope I am able to address in a fashion that leaves anyone who visits this blog for informative purposes with a refreshing new perspective.

The idea that we hate corporations, is an overstatement of the highest degree. The Occupy Movement does not hate corporations, they simply have certain reservations about corporations. Most sensible people are aware of the fact that corporations do some things well. They manufacture goods or provide services that we, as a society, need to function. We don't want Apple to quit making IPods, we don't want Nike to quit making shoes, and we don't want Polaroid to quit making cameras, we want them to stay out of the political arena. One million dollars in campaign contributions should not count for more than one million votes, for that matter a five dollar campaign contribution should not count for more than one vote. To take that idea and reduce it to the hatred of corporations, much like a focus on the way some of us dress, allows people to not actually think about the message. It allows them to say this is bad, without taking an hour to find out why it's bad. If the only reasons people can give for disliking what you are doing or discrediting a social movement you are part of is by saying things you know are untrue try to educate them. While you may not convert them to your beliefs, you will have engaged them in a fashion someone else might not. We can occupy the streets of American cities all we want, however if we cannot engage and educate our fellow citizens our occupations are not going to change as much as they otherwise could.

It should also be added, there is world of difference between using tools to help a movement, and letting the people who make these tools dictate your next move. The Occupy Movement utilizes various different tools made by various different corporations to accomplish what it is we've set out to do. That's all they are though, is tools. Apple is not dictating our agenda, Facebook is not dictating our agenda, and Starbucks is not dictating our agenda ... our sleep schedules maybe .... but not our agenda. It is not and should not be necessary to have our ideas co-opted by those who make our world function.

The next major misconception is that by using products made by corporations we are hypocrites. Saying that, is, essentially, the same thing as someone saying "Love It or Leave It." Most educated people would agree, that life is not that simple ... nor should it be. Yes, The Occupy Movement uses cell phones, social networking, and cameras that are all made by corporations. We also live in houses or apartments that are composed of products made by corporations, assembled by corporations, and owned by corporations in some instances. We heat our residences using either gas or electricity from corporations, eat food that is sometimes grow and sold by corporations, and wear clothing that is, in most cases, made by corporations. Saying that in order for someone to criticize an undue influence upon government by corporations one must become a homeless nudist who lives off the grid would be like someone saying you shouldn't drive if you complain about the price of gas. To take either view, would be to place an unreasonable expectation upon people who must exist in society that they feel is far from perfect. That existence, is the duality of humanity and is something we must all tend to, on some level, every day of our lives.

In closing, social movements are a lot like life. They are understood in retrospect and confusing as they happen. It will only be years from now when people look back on what took place that, most of them, will place an honest judgement on what The Occupy Movement is doing. Hindsight is 20/20 and for most people, it is only looking back on what is happening now in the streets of America, and the world, that they will be able to form an even handed opinion of what is taking place. We all need to work together to make sure that opinion results in them being benefited more than they are now. The Occupy Movement isn't just for the people out in the public eye, it is for the people sitting at home wondering why things are the way they are. They may not be our brothers and sisters in arms, but they are our fellow citizens and this is not for the singular us. But, rather, the collective us.

Misconceptions About The Occupy Movement - We're Hippies, Drug Users, and Leftists

A quick Google News search for the terms "Occupy Hippies" brings up 518 articles. Some of these characterize the movement as hippies while others refute this claim. It should be said we are not hippies.

The characterization of this movement as hippies, mostly by Conservative media groups and think tanks, is nothing more than a great method of discrediting The Occupy Movement in the media. By characterizing us simply as hippies, or in some instances, users of any number of drugs those who disagree with our message are able to say "they're wrong" without engaging an audience in an intelligent discussion concerning why. While the term hippie to some may be a positive thing, to others it characterizes one as a leftist who is simply protesting because there's a protest. By doing this, those working in the media wishing to discredit the movement are simply able to build a wall to divide people further, which is much simpler than assembling a panel to discuss the issues at hand.

Having been to a number of Occupy Dayton events, I can safely say that we're not a movement composed entirely of hippies, drug users, or leftists. While it is impossible to say how someone views their personal identity in the world, without asking them directly, I feel safe in saying The Occupy Movement has a very diverse population. I have seen college students, business men and women, punk rockers, soccer moms, high school students, senior citizens, college professors, and even a hippie or two at Occupy Dayton events. The use of the clothing we wear to create an Us vs. Them mentality shouldn't be insulting to members of this movement at all. It is simply a media tactic, as mentioned before, to build walls between people. Who it should be insulting to, are the audiences of these shows. This methodology is, in effect, saying that the audience either won't understand the message or they'll agree with it. While editorial news shows certainly have an audience, and a ratings chart, which they must cater to. The reduction of a social movement down to its fashion shows, in my opinion, that they fear our message may hold truth with their audience. So, rather than report on the message and make intelligent and concise arguments against it, which even as a supporter of the movement I feel someone who disagrees could and should be able to do, they've chosen to not use whatever intellect they may have and make judgments based on fashion. Because, when attached to the right set of character traits ... even the most noble concepts can be obscured into absurdity.

The characterization of the members of The Occupy Movement as drug users is also off base. I make no claims to know what people do in their free time or in the privacy of their own homes, but I can safely say Occupy Dayton maintains a policy calling for sobriety when you are actively participating with us. It is my hope that this is a policy that is both in place and enforced to the best of each individual Occupy Movement's abilities. As with the clothing we wear, this is just another tactic by the media to obscure the our message without addressing it in a direct and intelligent fashion.

Finally, there is the issue of the political alignment of The Occupy Movement, which has been considered leftist regardless of media bias in almost all cases. This is not a strictly leftist movement. While being an active member of Occupy Dayton I've discussed various political issues and politicians with a multitude of people. I've met people who like Obama, dislike Obama, didn't vote for Obama, support Ron Paul, are Republicans, are Democrats, are Libertarians, are Liberals, are Conservatives, and Moderates. This isn't a movement based around a specific political identity. You don't have to be Liberal to feel like private corporations can do things that are socially and politically destructive and you don't have to be a Conservative to feel like the government is corrupt. There are very few ideological traits that are specific to any political ideology. Perhaps, members of this movement will afterwards realize, like I have begun to, that you take your allies where you can get them. An example, from history, I've used frequently is that of the Civil Rights Movement and the Labor Movement. They may not have agreed on everything, but when they did agree they worked together. The Occupy Movement is bigger than Liberal or Conservative and it's certainly bigger than any party affiliation. This is a movement of people united by common questions, and we're putting our voices together so that our questions can be heard.

I spent a decent amount of time trying to figure out how to best sum up this blog. And every conclusion I came up with were ideas that had been said better by someone before me. So, I leave you with three quotes from three different individuals.

"We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."
- United States Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis 

"One percent of the nation owns a third of the wealth. The rest of the wealth is distributed in such a way as to turn those in the 99 percent against one another: small property owners against the propertyless, black against white, native-born against foreign-born, intellectuals and professionals against the uneducated and the unskilled. These groups have resented one another and warred against one another with such vehemence and violence as to obscure their common position as sharers of leftovers in a very wealthy country."- Howard Zinn

"‎"We all assign blame in our own best interest. So one of the most important functions in society is who controls the blame patterns." - Utah Phillips

Misconceptions About The Occupy Movement - Lists of Demands

The media has recently been drawing quite a bit of attention to the forum section of www.occupywallst.org which has more than a couple posts on it indicating a "List of Demands" exists among the Occupy Wall Street movement or the various satellite movements operating in solidarity. It should be known, that at the moment there is no official "List of Demands" from the Occupy Movement. The posts being made on the forums are being made by individuals, and those beliefs are as personal to them as yours are to you.

The only thing The Occupy Movement is attempting to do, is draw attention to questions we have about the way both our economic and political landscape in this country operate. We are in no way trying to overthrow the government, tear down a Capitalist Economy, or impede on elections. We are simply trying to raise awareness towards issues we feel are important ... issues we feel our leaders must address at this junction in our nation's history.

It has been said by some, in the media, that the nature of this movement is thoroughly anti-American in it's nature. Much of this is based on "Lists of Demands" that have been posted by individuals within the movement, lists that are only representative of their own opinions. Which as stated previously, are not indicative of  The Occupy Movement as a whole. As a contrary, to the anti-American point, I would argue that Americans gathering in public places to engage their leaders on issues they feel are important is not only American. But, that it is also the essence of what makes any democracy function well.

In closing, the Lists of Demands being circulated online and in the media are the works of individuals and not a unified message of The Occupy Movement. Also if you find that after learning something about this movement, either through the media or word of mouth, that you agree with us but you have some questions, please ask us. We may not be able to answer all of your questions completely. But, we all do our best to be informed, so that we can inform anyone who has questions concerning just what The Occupy Movement is and what its intentions actually are.

What Is Occupy Dayton?

Greetings, and thank you for taking the time to checkout Occupy Dayton. This post is to acquaint you with what Occupy Dayton is about, and also to clear up any possible misconceptions you may have concerning The Occupy Movement as a whole.

To get started, Occupy Dayton is a movement consisting of Dayton residents and residents of the surrounding areas acting in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street Movement. Which by now, you've most likely read about online, in a newspaper, or seen a news report about. We are based out of Court House Square in Downtown Dayton.

If you are still unsure about what The Occupy Movement stands for, there are several major points the movement stand for. There are also points that relate specifically to each local Occupy Group. The points of local importance, at least for Occupy Dayton, are decided at General Assembly meetings at our events by a simple majority vote.

The major points that are, for the most, relevant to The Occupy Movement are as follows:

1. End Corporate Personhood and Get Corporate Money Out Of Politics
This means that a corporation should not be allowed to use their profits to influence legislation being passed in their favor when it hurts the rest of the country. Also, due to a recent United States Supreme Court Decision (Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission) corporations are now allowed to give unlimited amounts of money to politicians during campaigns. You may be asking yourself, why is this bad? Well, to put it simply when one group gives a large amount of money to a political campaign they are going to expect a return on that investment. The return that corporations, generally, seek on these donations are favorable legislation once the candidate gets into office. Sine we, as private citizens, would have a very difficult time donating money to a campaign at this level it puts the interests of the corporation before the interests of the individual citizen. Which damages the way our government is supposed to operate, especially when the majority of a politician's constituents disagree with the possible end result of the legislation that might be passed.

2. Closing Tax Loopholes
Within our current tax code, there are taxes that companies in certain industries are supposed to pay based on certain factors. However, there are also holes in the legalese of these laws that allows companies to avoid paying these taxes as well. It is The Occupy Movement's contention that these loopholes need to be closed in order to allow for a fairer across the board system of taxation under current tax policy in this country.

3. Sincere Effort Toward Anti-Trust Breakup
Put into laymen's terms, this simply means that a monopoly by one company over any industry is a bad thing. It falls back onto that old adage that something is "too big to fail". As we have seen with our banks over the past several years, finding something that is "too big to fail" is quite difficult. To take it out of the financial realm and put it into another light. If one were to take an especially large basket out to collect eggs on a farm, it would be faster and easier than if they took several small baskets. However, if you place all of your eggs into one large basket, and that basket breaks you are in a bad way. Not only do you no longer have any eggs, but you also have a mess you need to clean up. By using several smaller baskets, you won't lose all of your eggs if the basket fails. Plus, the mess will be much easier and faster to clean up. This same concept, can be applied to any situation economically speaking.

4. Punishment Of White Collar Crimes
To date, there have been almost no arrests in regard to the melt down of economy based on the extremely questionable practices of those working in the financial industry. While some of this can be attributed to the idea that while banks may not have been too big to fail, there was too big of a mess to figure out where to point the blame when it came to individuals. By refining the laws governing how Wall Street invests our money, and then enforcing these laws, we would have been able to actual hold individuals accountable for their role in the melt down of our economy.

These points are present, in all Occupy Movements in the United States. As previously stated, you will find that some local movements are taking on other causes that are of importance to their local movement or just their local community.

It should be noted, that my thoughts on these four main points are by no means definitive in their scope nor am I an expert in any of these topics. I am going to begin looking for individuals who are more knowledgeable in each of these four points to address them in future entries on this blog. Until then, if what has been said here has sparked your interest in Occupy Dayton we welcome you down to join us in Court House Square. More information regarding what is going on down there can be found on our Facebook Page. If after reading this, you are interested but would like to know more about these issues at hand, please read more and learn more. Actually, even if you agree with our points, are picking up a sign or have picked up a sign and marched with us ... read more and learn more. Knowledge is the greatest weapon any of us can have.