notes from our 11/12/04 Think Tank discussion

Here are the notes made on the flip chart from our 11/12/04 Think Tank discussion.
Followed by some morning after brainstorming by Susan and Vance.
Everyone should be able to vote in a reasonable amount of time and verify that their vote was counted.
What has worked in the past to bring about change? The Vietnam photo of child running, burning.
Reframe Bush as a weak leader.
Next meeting, suggested viewing "Bringing Down the Dictator" (film)
Our Values
basic goodness
honesty
community
fairness
security ( or protection )
diversity
equal opportunity
equality
responsibility
compassion
openness
prolife ( military? )
pro "the troops" life ( show pictures of our maimed troops )
for life
value life
Ideas for large photo posters
America in Iraq
baby killer = You know who
Iraqi babies
This is what collateral damage looks like ( photo )
The Liberation of Iraq
This is a surgical strike
This is an insurgent ( hurt child )
Iraqi infrastructure decimated
How censored is your News?
"computerized voting" sounds less reliable than "electronic voting"
"Voting doesn't matter - what matters is who counts the vote" - Joseph Stalin
Democracy Now (recommended satellite dish channel)
Amy Goodman
Free Speech TV

Vance and Susan brainstorming Saturday morning after 1st meeting
S Study the right - how can we expect conservatives to understand our POV if we aren't willing to try to understand theirs?
What changes minds?
V Every time we think of some issue or program we care about, try to identify its underlying value.
Why is this so important to me? Can I boil it down to one word or a phrase?
S Make a website - left-wingthinktank.org ?
or yahoo group to manage e-mail, or set up a discussion at a free blog site.
V ( based on one of Paramahansa Yogananda's suggestions for encouraging world peace )
Learn about and emphasize the best qualities of each country ( of each culture, of each religion )
and seek to rid ourselves of the worst qualities of each.
What would our country ( or a person ) look like if we cultivated the best qualities of each ( liberals and conservatives ),
and eliminated the negative qualities.
Value Education - "The Value Tales"
a series of children's books that teach values ( many of the same that most religions teach ) based on heroes and heroines
in history. For example, one Value Tale is of Abraham Lincoln and the value of honesty.
This type of value education, free from religious jargon could be used in public schools, and hopefully gain support from both conservatives
and progressives. ( a compromise to the wish of the Christian Right to have religious principles taught in school, and to the
desire of progressives to maintain separation of church and state )
Envision a future where good values are taught while freedom of religion is maintained.
PROMOTION OF OUR VIEWS
Express our views with effective framing, without resorting to denigrating the people to whom we are appealing.
S Research and Study
book discussion group - have a suggested book each month, or a subgroup of readers who present a topic to the larger group.
Action Groups
For those who can't stand waiting to do a project - engage in projects that promote progressive values, using means that express
those values ( for example, avoid name-calling, demonizing or dehumanizing your opponents ).
In fact, seek to think outside of the US / THEM box. Find a way to present a poster or radio or TV ad or web ad that will appeal
to both progressives and middle(moderate) conservatives.
Speak to one audience the human race.
Appeal to their decency, and the best of their values.