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Round
Table Discussion Groups
The Reclaiming of Democracy
How
do we, as citizens of the United States of America, take back ownership
of our own nation? In theory, we retain that ownersip through the democratic
system of electing people to represent our interests in deliberative,
legislative bodies. The elected president and lifetime members of the
Supreme Court provide administrative leadership, guidance and constitutional
oversight to this overall process. The news media acts as a citizen watchdog
over the process, informing us of issues and what our representatives
are doing about them.
With
all this in place, we are asked to be knowledgeably aware of the issues
and vote on Election Day. Not much to ask.
Does
it work?
Not very well. But then, I don't see how
it can. Millions of people in their busy lives, constantly distracted
by the illusions of the entertainment world, often do not take time to
think through the issues. Politcal strategists then take advantage of
our personal biases, our racial or political leanings.
Politicians themselves use their stance
on issues to get elected, but then concentrate more on getting re-elected,
and fail to get the job done. The support of wealthy lobbyists becomes
more important then the will and welfare of the people.
A religious right has discovered a way to
not only be noticed and have its voice heard like everyone else's, despite
the separation of chursh and state, it's taste for power has become instiable
and now threatens to takeover our democratic system and replace it with
a theocracy!
The media, so caught up in making money
as political entertainers and rabble rousers, is perhaps the greatest
disappointment. They have turned their backs on their sacred charge, and
allow themselves to be manipulated by sensationalism that actually shapes
our national focus. Whereas once they were charged with policitcal bias
because they, as Americans with consciences, supported such issues as
racial equality (we forget, that equality was not just a human issue,
but a political one as well with liberals at the forefront), they now
blatantly take sides without a sense of conscience at all. They have destroyed
as many politicians as they created—not for the good of the people,
but for sound-bites and ratings. By and large, they can no longer be trusted.
But we are all at fault. Fascinated by incivility
and outrageousness, we allowed the contagion to grow until it largely
divided us across an irrational ravine.
We need to do more than just watch media
celebrities rattle on with their contentious prattle and then vote once
in a while. If we want democracy to work, we have to directly participate
in it. We have to make ourselves knowledgeably informed and open dialogs
among ourselves. We then have to let our representatives know how we feel
and what we think, so that they represent us and not just special interests.
With this in mind, Seeds For Thought
offers a grassroots dynamic that we can all take part in that is community-oriented
and democratic to the core. We call it Round Table Discussion Groups.
You can start one among your friends and neighbors in your own home.
When
representatives receive letters (or e-mail contacts, or phone calls)
from everyday citizens like you and me, they carry more weight than we
might anticipate. Politicians consider each letter to represent fifty
to a hundred people who did not bother to write. Our letters represent
the opinions of fifty to a hundred people! Representatives take our letters
very seriously. When we take the time and energy to write them, they know
that the issue is important to vocal and knowledgeable members of their
constituency. They respond. The more like-minded letters they receive,
the more impact they have.
Letter writing empowers us as citizens
to control our government on the issues weel beyond Election Day. This
is an important and powerful responsibility, and should not be taken lightly.
It is important that we study the issues we write about, make informed
conclusions, and articulate our opinions as intelligently as possible.
Using the forum of community discussion
groups, citizens can meet every couple of weeks, or once a month, or whenever
they feel the need for it. The meetings don't have to be anything more
than informal social gatherings of neighbors and friends. Take an hour
to discuss various topics. Study up beforehand. Give everyone a chance
to speak, but respect general time limits, so no one dominates the discussion.
Do not belittle or disparage anyone's opinion! Remember civility
at all time! (We do not have to emulate the course, ridiculous exchanges
we hear every night on television and radio.) Since we are not elected
officials, we do not have to staunchly defend partisan extremes to the
point of closing our minds. We can rise above that. This, perhaps more
than anything, illustrates our vital purpose. As American citizens, we
can say the truth without having to worry about lobbyists, past records,
or party loyalty. We can study issues to find the truth, rather than "framing
them" to support a lie. We own that freedom. Only by using such freedom
can truth readily be expressed. This responsibility is essential to the
proper functioning of our system. We have no one but ourselves to blame
for its failure.
It is important for everyone to keep an open mind and even encourage diversity
of thought. It is patriotic to respect the opinions of other Americans.
When someone speaks, listen carefully. Ask questions if you feel the need,
but always with proper respect. Consensus does not have to be the end
result of group discussions. You do not have to agree with anyone. Meetings
should be enjoyable, a good time to make friends, solidify neighborhoods,
and bring new life to your community. Democracy, should be more than just
a system of representative government. It is a way of life that melds
individuality and community into something grand.
Discussion groups should be designed to
exchange information in a friendly atmosphere. It is a place where knowledge
is shared and expanded, and opinions can be formed. Once you come to a
knowledgeable conclusion on a topic, you should then take the time to
write to your political representatives—as individuals, or as a group.
The letters do not have to be long. They are usually best when they are
short and concise. Give reasons for your opinions. Show an understanding
of both sides of the issue. Avoid sounding like a partisan lunatic. (We
have media pundits for that.)
Remember, if each letter from a discussion
group is valued as fifty to a hundred letters (that you participated in
forming), you play a very important part indeed. Multiple signatures are
also effective (although no one in the group should be pressured to sign
anything; develop ground rules).
Presently, there are lobbying groups peddling
their influence to all our representatives in well financed, systematic
efforts. There are companies that offer these lobbyists paid experts who
will solicit letters from like-minded individuals (ignoring those who
disagree), and will even transfer phone calls directly to representatives
in order to support targeted causes. Such activities give politicians
a very unbalanced picture, and overwhelm our true voice in government.
We remain silent while all this high priced distortion goes on, and then
feel helpless.
For democracy to work, for it to exist at
all, we have to make a more concerted effort to express our voice in government.
