Immanence staff,
Thanks so much for your progressive voice in this age of skepticism and new age cliquish dialogue! I’ve glanced at this publication haphazardly over the past few years, but I finally took some time with your winter 2010 issue and was surprised and astounded.
The articles I read were amazingly clear and to the point with a definite progressive attitude that is quite refreshing in these days of widespread pessimism. As a somewhat over-the-hill child of the sixties, I’ve gone through many different phases in a lifetime of constant change. I’m sorry to admit that I was starting to lose hope. I watch as we seem to continue to spiral downwards with over consumption and and destruction of limited resources.
The breath of fresh air I experienced when I read the Immanence articles rekindled my hopes for tomorrow. Here’s a few lines I wrote for you....
haiku
immanence delight
opens eyes to see beyond
stagnant yesterday
by Bill Vander Zalm
Our campaign to defeat the HST has exploded across the province. It has become a massive people’s movement that is reaching beyond the Initiative Petition to repeal the Hated Sales Tax, into a popular uprising to reclaim democracy.
Over capacity crowds filled every town hall room we attended. Kamloops: 240 + people. Vernon, 300+. Kelowna 250+ (even with the Rockets’ playoff game on the same night). Penticton: 510+ on a Sunday morning. Osoyoos 250 people! Trail: 160. Cranbrook: 300+. In some places, like Revelstoke, we had virtually no advertising, not even an organizer in place for the meetings – and yet people came in droves to fill the hall.
In Salmon Arm, the room was set up for 200. After nearly 300 people packed the halls and walls of the venue there, the fire marshal came in and closed the doors. But rather than go home, people stood outside in the doorways to hear the presentation.
We finished our Okangan/Kootenay Tour with a final stop on the way home in Chilliwack, where 300+ people showed up, forcing the organisers to add three more rows of seats, and still it was standing room only.
Everywhere we go, people tell us they are outraged that when so many people reject a government policy—a government policy they have no mandate for—not one of the MLAs on the government side will stand up for their constituents. Not one MLA will represent the people who pay their salaries and pensions. Instead, they arrogantly plow ahead with a cruel, hurtful tax that nobody wants, and which will do massive harm to the BC economy.
They won’t listen, so we will force them to. The Citizen Initiative petition is the best tool we have ever had to make the government abide by the wishes of the people they are supposed to serve.
Starting on April 6th, the people of BC are going to teach their government the biggest lesson in the history of Canadian democracy.
It’s about time – isn’t it?
by Ellie Langford Parks
Do you want to change the world? If so, you are not the only one. There are 23,000 non profit organizations in BC, with 1.5 million people volunteering. They raise awareness and dollars for worthy causes: AIDS/HIV, environment degradation, climate change, health, peace, homelessness, local food and many more. If you are working to make the world a better place, here are a few things to consider.
Don’t be intimidated by the ‘experts’
You likely aren’t an expert, but you can read and understand the experts. Use critical analysis to judge for yourself. Experts are sometimes wrong or biased. Do research, know the facts, know the players, know the laws, know the issue. Knowledge is power.
Consider the level of impact
Impacts can be made at the personal, organisational, community, national or even global level. We can change our personal choices: what we eat, where we shop or bank, where we travel, and what method of transportation we use. Changes in lifestyle choices and in government and corporate policies are important. Shifts are needed at all levels to effect change. By joining groups, coalitions and movements, we increase our visibility and impact.
Keep on learning
A commitment to ongoing learning is essential. There are many ways of learning: from experience, from others, online, from books and videos, and in training workshops and degree programs. Analyse your skills and then go fill the gaps.
Plan trigger events
It is a myth that Rosa Parks decided spontaneously she was not going to give up her seat on the bus. In fact, she and many others in the civil–rights movement had trained at the Highlander School. The movement was planning and waiting for the right moment to mobilise support for the bus boycott. Decide what trigger could help your cause get noticed, plan for it, and be prepared when it occurs.
Create clear, measureable goals
So you want to end poverty or stop global warming, but how do you measure gained or lost ground? A few clear measureable goals can focus your attention and efforts and can draw others in as well. Opportunities 2000 in Waterloo focused on families living in poverty and aimed to affect 2000 families by the end of that year. 2000 by 2000 was not only a great sound bite—it was a clear, measureable goal.
One of the best things about BC is the many passionate, involved citizens who care about others and work for positive change. As Julia Butterfly Hill said, “The question is not ‘Can you make a difference?’ You already do make a difference. It’s just a matter of what kind of difference you want to make during your life on this planet.”
Ellie Langford Parks is involved in many social change efforts; she works in the adult education and community development field and volunteers in her home community of Saltspring Island. She has a Master’s degree in adult education and community leadership focusing on social change.