From: Jonah Minkoff-Zern

Hi Democracy Leaders,

We have made an exciting connection and realization recently. There are nationwide Marches for Democracy being planned for October 7 (www.themarchfordemocracy.org) with already about 2,000 people signed up to attend the one in D.C. and approx. a thousand in a few major cities.

I wanted to encourage you to plan one or assist in one if there’s already one being planned near you. A list of current marches is here. You can reach out to ute@themarchfordemocracy.com (cc me so I know who is getting involved) and she can plug you in or sign up a march for your city.

Ute Haker, who is organizing the marches will join us on our next Democracy Leaders call next Wednesday, July 26 at 4 p.m. Eastern (Dial-in number: (712) 770-4340, Participant access code: 303153).

 

MISSION

The march’s underlying theme of the common good encompasses everything that is beneficial for all, or most, people participating in the great experiment of the U.S. democracy.

As event organizers we hope that on this Columbus Day weekend in 2017 we will be able to focus on the common good that binds us or at least find common ground or tolerance.

Our goal is to create a joyous national experience in which any differences are set aside and respectful, peaceful people of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, colors, age groups, political persuasions, spiritual beliefs, gender identifications, sexual orientations, reproductive choices, physical and mental abilities, and immigration statuses come together in search of a more perfect union.

VISION

To the march organizers’ minds, a more perfect union needs to see people, other creatures, and the health of the planet as more important than profit-driven corporate interests and power thirst, greed, and selfish ego pursuits in any arena.

This more perfect union needs to see that we are only as good, strong, and moral as reflected by the conditions we create or accept for the most marginalized and unfortunate among us.

This more perfect union needs to see the deep nourishment that is derived from households, neighborhoods, communities, regions, states, and nations in which each member’s physical, psychological, intellectual, and emotional requirements are gently and benevolently addressed.

This more perfect union needs to see that everyone has the right to clean air; clean water; safe, comfortable shelter; wholesome food; large expanses of unspoiled nature; justice; governments and political campaigns unpolluted by wealthy, powerful entities’ shameful attempts to disproportionally influence and benefit from public resources, policies, and practices beyond the one-person-one-vote principle; government officials who clearly and consistently understand themselves as public servants and not as party-line ideologues or big-money helpmates; and excellent, affordable or free education, health care, and other civilized infrastructures.

This more perfect union needs to see that women and men are equal and must be treated equally throughout their lives. Women rights ARE human rights.

This more perfect union needs to see the basic necessity of an education that is much more than vocational training and includes comprehensive civics lessons and critical thinking skills from elementary school forward.

This more perfect union also needs to see the basic necessity of viable employee-owned-and-directed businesses and cooperative ventures — as well as equitable pay, high degrees of profit-sharing, and high degrees of decision-making in employment situations.

This more perfect union needs to see the value of honesty, integrity, love, compassion, kindness, nonviolence, and democratic institutions and workplaces.

This more perfect union needs to see that true happiness can never be achieved at the expense of others.

This more perfect union needs to see the importance of presidential elections in which every vote is equal and the majority of We the People decides who occupies the most powerful office in the land.