Moving Masses

The house meeting is a basic component in community mobilization. This tool allows the organizer to speak on a private basis with potential supporters and activists. This is where all the different aspects of mobilization we have talked about, the rap, list building, etc. come into play. If we are truly serious about building political power and ideological unity then we must make it our business to speak with as many different members of the community as possible.

Setting up the house meeting is done with a high-pressure pitch. Normally calling someone up and asking if you can come over to speak with them about an important matter is the most direct of beginning the conversation. Organizers should not feel constrained to speak only with individuals they know. You never know who will get involved. It is best to let others make that decision for themselves. Our job is to tell them about what is going on. The following outlines the action steps each organizer should follow for setting up and conducting house meetings with in their community.

This idea of conducting meetings at the homes of individuals from the affected community is also a proven and time-honored method of education. The benefits of doing this are immediate and quantifiable. Meeting people where they are the most comfortable is important to their and your success. If they are allowed in the privacy of their own homes to ask unlimited questions surrounded by friends and family then we, as organizers are able to have more meaningful conversations with them about the issues we are organizing around. For most people opening up their house for an educational meeting is a strong first step toward involvement in any issue.

House meeting campaign run in 8 week cycles. During that time the organizer holds a series of meetings in peoples homes. These meetings should have somewhere between 5 - 8 people. It is organized in three parts personal visit, House meeting, Area meeting. At the end of four weeks a mini area meeting should be held where everyone contacted during that time are called and invited to the meeting. At this committees should be established, perhaps even working to recruit individuals who can begin holding house meetings on their own. At the end of eight weeks everyone contacted during the two month period should be contacted to meet and kick off the new campaign. After this a new eight week campaign should begin again.

This is the type of campaign where it is important to develop a rap for (1) personal visit, (2) the house party, and the (3) area meeting.

What to say to set up a personal visit

1. Thank your for agreeing to meet with me.
2. Urgent Situation needs your help.
3. Only with your help can we change the economic downslide of today’s government.
4. Need you to set up a meeting at your house with people that you know we can explain this urgent situation to them.
5. All over the city people like you are having meetings like this.
6. Conservative forces from around the state are working to mislead voters on economic issues. This affects our lives and our children.
7. Give details of moral misleading.
8. Just need a few people.
9. When and what time is good for the householder.
10. Meeting will be only one hour long. Refreshments at the end of the meeting.

Steps to a house party
1. Last for one hour with four parts: Rap, questions, what can you do and invitation to attend area meeting.
2. Each homeowner will invite between 3-6 persons for the meeting – no more than eight,
3. The rap will be given,
4. All questions will be answered,
5. Each person attending will be asked to do three things –
a. give money, b. have a house meeting, c. suggest other people who would be interested in having a house meeting immediately.
6. Everyone is invited to attend and help build for the area meeting.
7. All house-meeting attendees will be data based and contacted on a regular basis

Area Meetings
1. Half hour presentation will take place.
2. Attendees will meet with respective organizers.
3. Each attendee will be asked to join a committee.
4. Mobilization for Fall Event will continue.
5. Take reports from other cities.
6. Discuss the necessity of raising money.

Using this type of organizing methodology could make the idea of a national political party for Xicanos/Mexicanos in the United States a reality. Sooner or later we have to make that choice. Work for ourselves or someone else. Building power within communities is an intentional act of resistance. As resisters we pursue the realization of justice and as organizers we “swim like fish in the sea of the people.” We take from our oppressors by any and all means our acquiescence to their domination. It is not enough to explain the world where we live and struggle. We must re-determine our relationship to this world and rethink our struggle.

Scheduled Departure

Sounds like a bad movie, a very very bad movie.

Most of the discussion around issues facing the Xicano/Mexicano community is focused on immigration and how it is being handled by and rightfully so because the thought of doors to our homes being knocked down in the night while we are dragged in the dead of the night with our families to some unknown detention center is a bone chilling beginning to one of the worst scenarios I can imagine. Separated from our families and children the uncertainly of their safety would be paralyzing. It panics me just to think about it. 

This makes the discussion on how we begin to build a party in the United States placed within a context of real world happenings. 

According to an July 31, ICE press release the "Scheduled Departure" program ran from Aug. 5 to Aug. 22. and, "may be expanded as ICE continues to evaluate the program." The program was piloted in five cities around the country.

Immigration agency scraps self-deportation program

AMY TAXIN / Associated Press | August 22, 2008

SANTA ANA, Calif.—U.S. authorities have drawn sharp criticism for showing up at homes before dawn to capture illegal immigrants who have skirted court orders to leave the country.

A three-week pilot program in five cities was intended to show a softer touch by allowing illegal immigrants to surrender. But after getting only eight volunteers, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the plan doesn’t work.

ICE is ending its “Scheduled Departure” program when the trial period concludes Friday.

“Quite frankly, I think this proves the only method that works is enforcement,” Jim Hayes, acting director of ICE’s detention and removal operations, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

ICE said it hatched the plan to give illegal immigrants more control over their departure and to quell criticism by immigrant advocates that its enforcement efforts were disruptive to families.

“They want amnesty, they want open borders, and they want a more vulnerable America,” Hayes said.

While immigrant rights activists ridiculed the program, they’re now worried its failure will embolden enforcement.

“My hope is it isn’t going to empower them or fuel their enforcement even further,” immigration lawyer Lisa Ramirez said Thursday.

“We do not believe they were really interested in having people turn themselves in,” said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, director of community education for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

There, but for the grace of God goes I. (wikipedia)

A "more vulnerable America"? The burden of holding the line against the heathen hordes must be almost unbearable for someone like Jim Hayes, acting director of ICE's detention and removal operations who has vowed, "We are going to continue our enforcement of immigration law whether it is convenient for people, or whether it's not conveinent. Congress has mandated that we enforce these laws and that is what we intend to do. (Article)

Noble. Upholding the force of law. This is what makes America great.

So how do we work this out? First by (1) acknowledging we will not protest ICE into submission, because actually it is not about ICE. Remember, "congress has mandated we enforce these laws" so (2)  any changes we force ICE to make are limited reforms. Reforms that bring immediate relief to some people but do nothing to provide long term fundamental change in society. (3) We must develop a different way of looking at community organizing. 

Low Intensity Organizing (LIO) is non-traditional approach to solving or reforming issues within the community based on theories of Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) which gained prominence in U.S. military thought during the 1980s.

In practice Low Intensity Organizing would follow the same guidelines as LIC the emphasis being on: political considerations with the stress on ideology and ideals including propaganda and psychological operations; non-organizational and organizational mechanisms are brought into play; “conflict is viewed as a long-term endeavor and therefore strategy and tactics must be flexible and adaptive.” 

This model adapted by the U.S. government was derived from military anti insurgent theories and is completely opposite of prevailing methods of organizing within community and labor organizing. In particular, communities, regardless of race or class, working for change have been derailed over and over again by reformist issue and needs base organizing. (1)

The following is a beginning discussion of how Low Intensity Organizing might be theorized, “into the category of indirect strategy” and then implemented as “a total strategy in the indirect mode” that views conflict “as having a dual nature” and understands strategy is like music that “can be played in two keys. One is direct strategy and the other is indirect strategy.” LIO is the second and organizes people for change through indirect resistance. Some initial thoughts on how LIO could be discussed are as follows.

LIO is educational: The primary goal of low intensity organizing is to politically educate the people. Since it has been shown that no substantial change or action can be supported to its conclusion without the understanding and support of the community this is the first step. Education and an understanding of their/our personal relationship to the greater structure are paramount. 

LIO builds structure through political education: Only after the people and organizers have become educated can the physical structures we need to create as a distinct people emerge. Until we work to build these institutions through political education we will be locked into the dominant reactionary activist/protestor paradigm constantly playing out the role of the squeaky wheel. 

LIO is total resistance: Every facet of the community must be mobilized or attempted to mobilize. 

LIO maintains: a constant presence and teaches resistance to accepted paradigms, creates new norms, and free spaces for the participant. 

LIO questions everything beginning with our personal and group relationship to the greater structure.

This is the beginning of an urban insurgency – not one with guns but an educational and organizing insurgency where the colonial paradigm is exposed and challenged outside reformist liberal frameworks on a daily basis. In building this popular will to resist insurgents should understand concerning their efforts to educate the people that “revolutionary propaganda must be essentially true in order to be believed… If it is not believed, people cannot be induced to act on it, and there will be no revolution.” (2)

-----Footnotes----

(1) Shultz, Richard H. “The Low-Intensity Conflict Environment of the 1990s” Annals of the American Academy of the Political and Social Science, Vol. 517, New Directions in the U.S. Defense Policy (Sep. 1991) p. 125).

(2) Taber, Robert “The War of the Flea: A study of Guerilla Warfare Theory and Practice” p. 172

Don't let'em fool yah.

This just in from the West Coast. Latinos are the fastest growing population of registering voters. Huh? Who would have thought something like that? A recent article posted on the Daily Bulletin website titled Many Groups Recruit Latinos to Vote brings some important points to the discussion of a political party for Xicanos/Mexicanos and other Latinos in the United States. In part it states,

"There are an estimated 50,000 Latino voters in San Bernardino and Riverside counties who are not registered and many others who do not vote, according to Latino advocacy groups. 

Latinos could play a crucial role in determining not only who winds the presidency, but the fate of local races and ballot measures as well. 'It is very, very critical that we have a voice in being able to elect someone who can best represent our communities,' said Jose Zapata Calderon, a professor of sociology and Chicano Studies at Pitzer College in Claremont."

That is a lot of people interested in participating in the political process. Maybe not the exact process we want them to but participating none the less. We have to ask ourselves seriously - how many of them would work to build a party that represents the Xicano/Mexicano community in the United States. Think about the numbers quoted above. It is not a joke. 

For those of you out there shaking your head, thinking it could never happen consider these next few things. Recently a report titled "The Myth of Widespread Non-Citizen Voting" released by The Truth in Immigration organization has categorically refuted very serious allegations by the Heritage Foundation that "large numbers of non-citizens, including undocumented immigrants, are voting in federal elections and could be the deciding factor in November's elections"

The introduction of the report goes on to say the Lou Dobbs segment which broke the news of this "scandal" is based on a report for the Heritage Foundation written by a former recess appointed Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Hans von Spakosky, titled "The Threat of Non-Citizen Voting".

In brief, my point is this. Lots of people are taking the emerging possibility of a Xicano/ Mexicano political organization very seriously. Why don't we? 

What is a simple tool we can use to help our community get more organized? Face to face communication throughout the community about the issues facing us is an important step toward political self reliance. In order to have these beginning conversations we need something called a RAP.

While it may be obvious to you and members of your organization why the issue (or issues) you are working on are important that doesn’t mean everyone can automatically see the issue.
You have to write it down.
What are the main points?
What information is vital and what can wait?
More importantly what do the people in the community want to know?
What are their issues?
What are they talking about to each other?

Can you explain yourself in two minutes or less? When this basic declaration of your ideas and major issues are made to a person or group of people in a mobilization campaign it is called doing THE RAP. Without doubt this is one of the most important tools in any campaign and is a basic element in any organizing effort. 

It is an opening conversation that allows continuity in the communication/message. Often organizers, especially those just starting out, will develop a rap without even thinking about it as a necessary step. They just look it as “what they say to people to get them interested.” The key to success in any project is effectively communicating what you want to accomplish. That may seem a simplistic statement but think about how many conversations you have had in your lifetime where the words “what I mean by that was…” were used. Since we have already established that the political education and mobilization of the community is our primary objective. Clear and concise communication is required to make this happen. Since, community support is not generated overnight and comes only from methodically developing relationships over time and is an integral part of any mobilization campaign. 

You should have a short rap and long rap - something that gets right to the point.
It may seem simple but if no one knows what you are doing then how will you ever accomplish the change you desire. Open communication and transparency in your organizing efforts are important when working with people on a community grass roots level. This keeps the organizing and mobilization efforts you are undertaking with others from becoming isolated from the greater community you are working with. Working in the community is a privilege and a trust.

Communicating with others – Often, the greatest obstacle to successful mobilizing is our inability to effectively communicate about the issues facing the community. Change is all about people understanding each other and how their respective visions of the world work together. If you cannot speak to people in a meaningful way about the change you want that change will never happen.

Use language people can understand –Talk to people at a level you and they are both comfortable with. Inexperienced organizers often try to talk at someone else “level.” This is a mistake. It is arrogant and elitists. What usually ends up happening is “talking down” to people. Big mistake.

Communication demands respect for others – Listening to one another creates respect. The dysfunctional relationships in society we are organizing against stem from lack of communication and respect. This is particularly true in gender power dynamics – people are constantly interrupting each other – constant interruption is a sign of disrespect and a sign you aren’t talking the person talking serious.

Listening is a form of communication – When you take the time to really listen it does a number of things. First, the respect and empathy that you feel for others is immediately recognized. Individuals and groups you are assisting will take your listening approach as a sign of solidarity and willingness to work on the needs of the community from their perspective.

Talk to People - Articulating to others the group's goals will help more clearly define the vision for you and for those listening. The more you do it the better you'll get at delivering your message, and the more powerful the message will become.

Listen To People - Be open and listen to how others respond to the articulation of your vision. You'll know by their response if they understand and support your vision and goals. Use this feedback to make modifications if required.

WHY OBAMA IS GOING TO WIN

Good old fashion hard work and organizing. It is really that simple.

Across the country, in all 50 states, organizers for Barack Obama are building committees in villages, small towns, cities and large metropolitan areas. The structure is simple and effective.

This is how it works: (1) organizers are sent into an area where they begin cold contacting people who have signed up for the campaign online, (2) When they establish a group of people who are willing to do some work they hold a organizing meeting and make these individuals "team captains." (3) each of these "captains" are then responsible for recruiting a five person committee with these positions: Team Captain, Data Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator, Resource Coordinator, Phone Bank Coordinator, Canvass Coordinator (4) Groups are given responsibility for areas where they live usually based on wards and precinct maps from the city etc. (5) from here the different teams begin to organize different events e.g. canvassing, phone banks, house parties, persuasion parties, anything to get people together. (5) calls are made based on voter registration lists usually supplied through the Democratic Party. Here in Michigan that list is known as the Voter Activation Network (VAN) (6) The entire effort of this structure is geared toward Get Out The Vote (GOTV) on election day.

So here we have a well-documented, successful and proven method of organizing and mobilizing people to accomplish an agreed upon goal, in this case electing Barack Obama president. With the Obama campaign there is a emphasis in their meetings on telling personal stories, i.e. why they are here, what Barack Obama means to them personally etc. All of this is important because it creates a sense of belonging as well as an emotional investment in the future success of the campaign.

How easy would it be for Xicano organizers working in grassroots organizations to take this same model and apply it in the neighborhoods and towns where they live? In the society we live in, this is one well established route to political power. It is not rocket science, but it does take determination, hard work and the ability to try new things to make this happen. Unfortunately, that is where many of us fall short. If we see someone doing work and we think (usually based on political differences) that person is a vendido then we (unfortunately) make the connection their process is also corrupt and or not worth learning.

There are of course many different ways to approach this so my goal here is not try and press on anyone this is the way, it is one way and it is something we as a community are not looking at on a large scale. The bottom line is this type of organizing can provide something RAZA isn't used to seeing - victory.

Anytime we are working in a community, even if it is one we grew up in there must be a recognition of power differentials. So within organizing developing a pedagogy or a way of teaching is vital to our personal and community success. Paolo Freire, the Brazilian educator was very clear about this in his advocacy for talking circles among other things said, "The revolutionary's role is to liberate and be liberated with the people - not to win them over" (Freire).

How often do we go to RAZA with unrealistic goals about revolution, Aztlan, things people are not prepared to think or talk about. Using the strategy above and applying it even to organizations that already exist would provide another outlet for the frustration and hopelessness people feel. Our job is not to provide people with answers. It is to work along side others to create organization.

Change is inevitable - how that change is made is what we have control over.