THE ACTIVIST PATH

 Many alternative people, myself included have actively participated in an ongoing spiritual discipline of some kind.  These disciplines are characterized by their practices of devotion to peace, harmony and to the earth.  How many of us though, have  gone out into the community to take a proactive stance in caring for the earth and following through on those principles?  I have been guilty of being very lax as I am sure many others on the spiritual path have. 

 I was never a political activist per se.   It is interesting now, in light of recent events since Sept 11 how many people have had their roots and their world shaken up.  Those who have never in their lives participated in activism of any kind can now be seen holding a sign on a street corner and protesting the War on Iraq.  Something very deep and disturbing has shaken up the collective consciousness.  That something is waking many up to a new kind of truth for the first time ever.  That new truth is based on the survival instinct. 

 I can now personally say that I am on my own way to becoming an official activist for earth related causes.   The problem is a very large one though.   For most people a sense of paralysis is the first obstacle to the path of the earth-devoted warrior.   You have a feeling as if you are on a bicycle trying to outrun a very large freight train.  Government power and corporate businesses have literally monopolized the majority of things that we depend upon in our daily lives.  Not just nationally but Trans-nationally.   These companies and organizations are global.  The first mode of defense for the majority of us is very simple.  Why bother?  They are just going to control everything anyway.  There is nothing we can do.

 Well, that may be true in a sense on the surface level.   I would like to encourage those of you however, who have considered it, that the effort is well worth the while, win or loose.  A change in perception is in order to move beyond this obstacle.

 First of all, someone has to do it just to say they did and if you have the inclination it may as well be you.   The more someone does, the more powerful will the effects be felt in the subconscious collective of our deepest selves.    That’s where change happens.  It’s a well-known occult truth.   The first thing to do in order to combat this feeling is simply to make an internalized committement to what it is you truly believe in.   If you believe in it, then win or loose there is no wasted time ever in moving forward with your personal principles.   The trick is you have to have a personal relationship to your cause, that means something to you in order to be motivated to follow through with it. 

 The second obstacle to the newcomer on the activist path is usually the following question.  How do I do this?   I've never done it before.  Where do I begin?  Possibly you're not very educated on politics.   Possibly you never really paid attention in history class.   Possibly you have no idea where to find the information your looking for.  Possibly these things were never important to you before, but now suddenly with a quick shift in national events, your sense of mortality is creeping up on you and you have an un-nerving sense that you must do something, QUICKLY.   Possibly you can't even define it or do not know how to formulate the urgency of this newfound shift in your subconscious relationship to the plight of Gaia.  Possibly you are feeling guilty that you are so late getting on this wave, that perhaps if you had cared more in the past, things wouldn't be so bad now.  I know I've gone through almost all of the above myself. 

 Self-forgiveness is in order if you have these issues.  Acknowledge it, honor that those feelings were there and then thank them for teaching you a valuable lesson…. Then give it no more thought.  Just dive in.  If you talk about it with other people you'll find you're probably not alone.

 Many people just feel that something very big and very terrible is happening and now they are a part of it.  The decisions of the nation will affect us all very profoundly from this time forward.  We no longer have the luxury to just sit back and hope the nation will simply take care of us like it always has.  We've bought into what Helen Caldicott, a well known anti nuclear activist, refers to as, "the comfortable lie".   

 There are a few very important factors in learning how to walk this road and learning how to do it safely and efficiently.  Taking the time to become educated about some sensible protocols for action is highly recommended.  This newsletter in future editions will be dedicated to giving practical advice in these matters.  It will also be dedicated to keeping you posted on up and coming civil liberties abuse issues that may at some point have a personal effect on our lives ESPECIALLY if you are dedicated to supporting earth and alternative related causes. 

 This path is not without its dangers.  In a very conservative community, one feels as if one might be burned on their front lawn if one so much as states an opinion.   Job security is an issue for some.  Family relations and the things that are expected of some behind closed doors inside of closed family systems can be very challenging for those who feel they no longer want those restrictions on their lives.  It takes a lot of personal courage to stqnd up and have a difference of opinion in opposition to the local mob mentality.  It takes even more courage to stand up to your own government when you feel that political procedures are undermining constitutional integrity.   Some people loose their lives.  It’s a very real concern. It doesn't just happen on TV.   It’s the kind of thing that can put you to the test in order to see what you're really made of.  Some people have what it takes to face the onslaught.  Some people don't.   Knowing yourself, understanding your abilities and talents, and knowing your limitations are very important before you even begin.  Take the time to do a little soul searching. 

 Those of us who have been out in the world a little bit do live with a slight amount of fear and maybe even paranoia depending on what an individual activist experience has been like.  You first have to make the decision to figure out what it is worth to you, what risks might be inherent on that path and what effects it will have on your personal life.  If push comes to shove, how true to your decision will you be if you are ever unfortunate enough to be faced with threat, vandalism or blackmail?   How strong of a support system do you have?  How many people do you know that are on the same page as you?  Who can you call on for assistance if things ever get sticky? 

 I for one am a fighter by nature.    I tend to take a very aggressive stance on my personal opinions and issues.  There are other people who are not wired that way.  There are other people who may have personal issues about being dis-empowered, abused, and who feel invisible in general.  One of two things will happen if you are of this kind of temperament.  You will either develop a new found sense of empowerment which may greatly add to your healing journey, or you will struggle a great deal with allowing your voice to be heard, and find yourself rolling up in a ball, or crawling into a hole at the slightest conflict of interest with someone who has a differing opinion about a loaded subject.   If you fall into this category before you get too deeply involved you would do well to explore some of your own personal healing modalities to help you get through the more difficult interpersonal difficulties that come up when faced with conflict in the community.  Self-confidence and assertiveness are qualities that are  a great asset, but the integration of those qualities is an acquired skill for most of us. 

 WHAT ARE THE DANGERS?

 Countless people have been arrested at protests.  They've been arrested at peaceful protests.  They've been arrested at not so peaceful protests.  People have been put on lists, kept track of, followed, harassed, blackmailed, threatened, shot at.  The list is endless.  In fact now with the new issues revolving around the Homeland Security Act, there are federal officials keeping lists of activists and they are being detained at the borders of our country, interrogated or imprisoned, just because they wanted to cross the border into Canada and participate in something totally benign.  In some parts of Montana, military officials are hiding in bushes at the borders and setting up watchtowers very much like East Germany, while touting machine guns.    The terrorist paranoia and propaganda is so great right now that our civil liberties are going straight down the tubes.  When your fingernail cutters are taken away from you at the airport, you begin to feel as if you're starting to live in the nightmare of a police state.   In fact, very frankly in my own personal opinion, that is what the trend is heading toward.  It scares the hell out of me.   I will not however stop having an opinion on the matter even when faced with that fear.     

 There is one very real danger to be aware of if you participate in any so-called peaceful protest.  This is something that most people are not very aware of.  There are such people known as "agent provacateurs."  These are people who usually have federal links, who dress up like radical activists, come to peaceful protests and begin committing acts of very radical violence, or vandalism at the protest site.   If ever you are involved in an alleged peaceful protest, sitting there quietly, chatting with your fellow protestors, holding a sign and sipping a cup of coffee and you start to see any activity of this kind, GET THE HELL OUT.   The police are coming next and they will probably turn the dogs loose as well as the tear gas. 

 The psychology is this:  These kinds of activities are usually staged by the federal officials themselves.  It’s a type of propaganda that imprints itself  on the public.  See look, we need to protect the world from these evil radical activists.   They are a pain in our ass.   They hurt people.   The truth is the activists themselves are usually not guilty of these crimes.  But it gives the officials an excuse to begin to make the arrests to get rid of the annoyance at the protest site.  They get media attention.  They get to make a huge drama.  They stir the hornet nest and PROVOKE INTENTIONALLY acts of violence from other activists in order to prove their points to the general public.   Don't buy into it.  Just quietly get up and leave.   If someone pokes you in the chest, turn around and walk away, take your sign and go somewhere else.  You can be much more effective in what you believe by keeping your head.    Don't fall for it.  It’s the oldest game in the book. 

 You have to be very discriminating about your surroundings and you should always enter into these activities with the assumption the police will show up eventually.  Look around you.  Look around your protest site.  Take note of who is there.  An agent of this kind can look like a street bumb.  Maybe he or she is a street bumb.  Maybe they were paid off.   Maybe its really an official agent in plain clothes.   There is a good bet that at many of these activities especially in highly volatile areas such as Berkeley or Santa Cruz, someone is lurking who is playing dumb like a fox and smoozing with the activists on the inside.  At the first sign of behavior that goes against the principles you are there for…. Leave.    Very simple.   You're are there for a PEACEFUL protest.  You are not doing anything illegal.  You are not violating any constitutional principles.  If it does not remain peaceful, then your principles have just been violated and you will do well to show that you are not condoning that behavior.  You're on the side that is representing the integrity of the law and law enforcement, constitutional rights, and freedom of speech.  You are not there to break the law.   LEAVE.  Take your toys and go somewhere else, quickly, quietly and without drama.  There is no shame in this.  It's not a cop out.  It's common sense.  Yes, they got what they wanted, they dissipated the crowd.  But the important thing to remember is that you were there.  Even if only for a few minutes.  You took the time to be there. There will be other opportunities.   Leave the hard core conflicts to those activists who have been at it for a long time and know the ropes.  You have a lot to learn before you can dive into that level of conflict resolution with the authorities.

 If you feel thwarted, go home and write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.   Educate people about what happened at the protest site.  The other hard core die hards will need your assistance in that area anyway because they might be locked up for awhile.  They need a voice in the community after the fact in case something happens to them.  Keep the personal emotional charge out of it.  Stick to the facts.  I was present.  This is what I saw.  These were the results.  The end.  Remain concerned, professional, and cool in your expression.  You're educating, not rallying.   Your still doing your job and your finessing a difficult highly charged situation.  Your learning diplomacy.   Most importantly, your not in jail for a completely  stupid reason.  

 There are new crowd control techniques being developed.  The old stand by's are tear gas and police batons or police dogs..   With new up and coming technology, they are now developing new high tech  lazers which can be aimed at people from great distances even from aircrafts which leave burn marks on the skin and cause damage to the eyes.  This is on the federal drawing board now at this very moment as a new breakthrough in crowd control technology.  Its considered a more non violent form of controlling mobs.   They are pursuing it with active interest.

 IF YOU ARE EVER INTERROGATED BY THE AUTHORITIES:

 Here are some tips:

1.      If you are ever brought in for questioning, do not EVER admit/confess to something you did NOT do.  EVER !  This sounds like an easy thing, however , some law enforcement officials will go to great lengths to coerce a confession, especially if you have no legal representation present.  Screaming, yelling, extended "interview" sessions, good cop/bad cop, providing false info, threatening jail time, interrupting you when you try to speak and refusing bathroom breaks are common ploys.  Interviewers can take breaks, you might not be allowed to rest.

2.      If arrested, insist that your rights be read to you, if they aren't forthcoming.  Be aware YOU ARE FULLY WITHIN YOUR RIGHTS TO REMAIN SILENT until you gain legal aid.

3.      LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE HONEST DURING INTERROGATIONS.  They can lie about supposed information and informants to trick you into confessing or agreeing to "deals" that you would otherwise not accept.  If something sounds like it couldn't p ossibly be true, it probably isn't.  If it sounds like they are trying to "mess with your head", they probably are.  Always try to have a legal rep present.

4.      Only 2 states require that police interviews be videotaped.  Alaska & Minnesota.  Unless your interview is being taped voluntarily it is your word against theirs as to what happened during the interview, unless you have a lawyer present.  Juries tend to believe a confession regardless of how you claimed it was gotten.  Once again if you didn't do it DON’T CONFESS.  You may find it hard to retract later. 

Bear in mind this is "worst case scenario" information.  There are a lot of good law enforcement officers out there who do act within the boundaries of the law and conduct interviews and arrests accordingly.  This is just for the time you might end up with less then "upstanding" types.  Also if you are involved in activism on a very polarized issue or an exceptionally hot topic you might find your treatment more aggressive.  For instance, consider demonstrations during Viet Nam. 

STAY IN YOUR INTEGRITY

It has been said that there is a difference between walking a path and being a path.  Stick to your principles.  Become as educated on your topic as possible.  Research what it is you are protesting and learn basic self defense skills.  Develop forsight.  Look ahead at all possible outcomes your actions may result in.   You can't go too far wrong if you follow those basic guidelines.  Instinct and intuition are valuable assets as well.  These things are not difficult for those already well on their way spiritually

PersephoneRC & Michelle Brown