Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
I discovered a new under the radar movement of otherwise inactive people talking to each other. These were citizens freely acting on their own initiative to link up with others as citizens with the aim of making real the promise of democracy.
Like the profuse blooms of the brown-eyed susan, a multitude of people must come forth to fully pursue, serve and save life.
Despite their differences, the intense time pressure, and being continuously filmed by a crew from Canadian TV (for an hour-long public affairs program) these ordinary citizens by the end of their third day had all signed a detailed, co-created, visionary agreement charting a course to greater mutual understanding by all Canadians.
All the modern short-cuts (such as self-help, esotericism etc.) are tools that can give us an illusion of being free in an unfree world. Actual freedom is nothing short of genuinely democratic action.
After nine long years of an increasingly far-right, climate change denying Liberal National Party coalition (LNP) government, the citizens of Australia voted for change.
At a time when rights hard-won in past struggles are being wrested away from us, we can draw strength from the knowledge that if people-power has prevailed in so many such struggles before, it can prevail again.
By forming citizens’ assemblies people can proceed to develop a vision of how they want their world to be, at the center of which are people actively engaged as citizens.
What forms of self-governance will enhance our efforts to create resilient local communities?
This is not a democracy. But it may be… soon… if we just acknowledge that it is not democracy. And start working toward making something that is.
It is time for the radical democratization of cities, in order for a meaningful and resourceful plan for action from the grassroots to be initiated. Anything less than this is simply a waste of time.
Mass protests that began in 2019 in Chile — and have deep roots in the country’s militant history of resistance to neoliberalism — are about to bring about a new constitution.
Thom Hartmann has been the nation’s #1 progressive talk show host for over a decade.
Recorded in the lead up to the US presidential election, Thom shares his thoughts on What Could Possibly Go Right?
