Its time for a Party

Vote Vote Vote Vote Vote.

We live in a time of political upheaval. Across the world the seemingly indisputible authority of the United State government is being disputed on a daily basis. Outside of its border and within - the recent arrest of a paramilitary Christian group in Adrian, Mich., not far from where I live is certainly an indication of how everyday 'normal' white folks are very very very upset with their government.

So how do we handle the ideological force feed we experience around the issue of voting? It appears for many voting has become the default action when it comes to political involvement. How did we come to this pitiful state of affairs regarding participation in the social and political affairs of the nation?

The abdication of personal responsibility through voting (or opting out of voting) has reached epidemic proportions. The ubiquitous 'if you don't vote you can't complain' cliche has taken on the sound of everyday common sense and any proposed solution that doesn't include some type of voting is dismissed summarily. Coupled vote tunnel vision with so-called service learning projects around the country and social action is reduced to painting fences and picking up trash. We've got a real problem!

When legislation designed to disengage a significant portion of the population even further from the political process of everyday life is not only introduced but passed and approved of by the majority of the residents of that state - I hate to break it to you but painting fences isn't going to get it.

When did we give up trying to have a say in our own lives? For the most part the political activities we have access to are monumental failures. Mostly because very few people in our community have ever seen them work for our community. Is it any wonder why the best ideas we can come up with only center on voting and lobbying elected officials. Please understand my point - I'm not saying voting and lobbying elected official doesn't work - I'm saying it doesn't work for us.

I'm also convinced at this point the disenfranchisement we experience daily is a lot our fault. Mostly because we have no presence within the political structure and aren't interacting with the present one or trying create one of our own. Xicanos as a group do not access any of the areas of decision making on a local, state or federal level. It's pretty much a shut out.

We need to get started. We need a party that represents the interests of Xicano, Latinos and Indigenous people in the United States. One that comes up from the grassroots and represents the interests of working people - not the interest of big business and international capitalism.

We start by having local realistic talks about politics and what it means to form a political vehicle that represents the broad interest of our community. It won't be easy. We have a ways to go in terms of identifying our role of complicity in our own economic, social and political oppression. We need ideas about how start this very necessary process of resistance.

Where to start then? Easily available and free on the internet are some materials assembled by Dr. Gene Sharp of the Albert Einstein Institute which could prove interesting. There are two in particular that bear special consideration From Dictatorship to Democracy and Col. Robert Helvey's On Strategic Non Violence two books most likely funded by monies from the Central Intelligence Agency to provide guidance to 'pro-democracy' agitators around the world.

If it works in Georgia and the Ukraine then why not in Arizona, Michigan or Ohio. Its time to step up and get serious about organizing broad based low intensity counter hegemonic responses to these systemic attacks on our community.

Freedom isn't free and neither are people who are hunted based on the color of their skin.