We, at The Blitz, believe that we don't need talking points because we have the truth. Here are a few of those truths:
As one of the basic tenets of The Blitz philosophy maintains that war is immoral and non-productive and has no place in the 21st Century. The only purpose being served is to further enrich those who have already lined their pockets with blood. Our troops must be brought home and utilized in assisting to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, the following is a proposed plan of action to educate the public, and impress upon our government that these wars must be ended now.
- The United States spends 700 million dollars a day on the war.
- Our young men and women in the military are committing suicide at an alarming rate.
- Homelessness and poverty in the U.S. is at an all time high.
- There were 1 million home foreclosures last year.
- Our roads, bridges, dams, public transportation, and general infrastructure is crumbling.
- The biggest consumer of oil in this country is the military with little being done to create renewable energy sources.
- Unemployment is at an all-time high.
- Funding for many needed social service has been cut or wiped out.
- Ending the wars and bringing our troops home would free up the United States the billions of dollars that it spends each month to be used to help the People in this time of crisis and end the death and destruction that is currently taking place in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Issues or Problem to be Solved: The Untied States has been engaged in an immoral and non-productive war for over 13 years. Far too many lives have been lost and countries devastated and pillaged. Our own country sits on the brink of economic ruin; poverty and homelessness is at an all time high; and our infrastructure is in a state of decay while trillions of dollars are being spent on a fruitless and unsustainable war.
Goals:
- Stop all aggressive military actions.
- Bring all U.S. military troops home.
- Train and utilize U.S. military troops in rebuilding infrastructure and new energy resources.
- The Executive and Congressional branches of our government make the final determinations regarding war and federal spending.
- The Industrial Military Congressional Complex promotes and perpetuates these wars without regard to the internal damage brought to this country.
Core Constituencies: We, the People, who have been ravaged by the economic downturn created, in large part, by the financing of these wars; veterans who realize that the wars are unsustainable and far too costly both economically and in the toll on human lives; anyone who has been victimized by war or oppression.
Allies:
- Progressive organizations
- Environmentalists
- Those concerned about government spending
- Those concerned about civil liberties
- Human rights activists;
- The United States Government
- The U.S. Industrial Military Congressional Complex
- The Oil Industry
- Large corporations who profit from military spending
- All war profiteers.
Key Messages
- The wars have devastated both Afghanistan & Iraq and have cut short far too many innocent lives - both civilian and in our military while taking away the necessary funds to insure Americans a sound economic existence.
- The United States, the only superpower remaining on earth, currently spends more on military than the next 45 highest spending countries in the world combined. The U.S. accounts for 48% of the world’s total military spending.
- Homelessness and poverty are at an all-time high because of the current housing and economic crisis while we spend 700 million dollars a day on an unjustified war.
- The United States infrastructure is in a deplorable state of decay. Brides and roads are falling apart. Abandoned buildings lay as eroding, rat-infested, and disease breeding rubble. Thousands of our dams have been listed as unsafe. Yet we account for more than 48% of the world's military spending.
- What we seek is an ethical and moral solution to the world's problems without violence. We seek to improve world relations while providing for the American People and the land which we all cherish.
- Educate the American People to the true cost of these wars
- Pressure the Executive Branch of our government to end these wars
- Question the Industrial Military Congressional Complex's motives and waste as well as its' funding
- Refuse to further support those corporations and individuals who profit from the blood of innocents
- Exercise all rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States to thwart and resist any further military operations, or Congressional legislation that promotes and perpetuates aggressive actions anywher in the world.
- Resist attempts of military recruitment.
- Disruption of Corporate practices through non-violent disturbance of everyday business transactions.
- Resisting the status-quo through massive boycotts, protests, street-action, work-stoppages, and displays of passive-resistance.
- Community outreach, recruitment, and education.
- Demonstrations of public outrage and other media attention-getting methods such as flash-mobs and guerrilla theater.
- Exerting public pressure on the President and Congress, as well as corporate America to meet our demands or meet with further resistance from the populace.
- Utilization of all media forms to educate and recruit.
The Blitz is a Progressive Movement. Unlike an organization, the structure is built around a framework of ideas. As a movement, we are comprised of individuals working toward many common goals. The work begins in the community and moves in a groundswell toward the national level. Decisions to join into certain activities are made by the individual and at the local levels. Decisions to support activities being engaged in by other groups, organizations, or movements are all made by the individual.
While all work and decisions are made on an individual basis, approved publications, will be available via the internet for all individuals. Any spokeperson for the movement should be articulate and familiar with our philosophy, goals, and mission.
Volunteers:
As The Blitz is a movement which is centered around numerous issues, those who join with us are an ever-changing blend of individuals who are passionate and dedicated to creating a better world. The number of people needed to complete any given task or activity will vary greatly depending on the nature of the business at hand.
Sending our message to end these wars will require that we have people willing and able to engage in all of the activities listed above. It necessitates that each individual determine where they will best serve the movement, and where their talents lie. Ideally, we will have representatives in all 50 states willing to tackle all of the above activities. Much of what we are proposing can and should be accomplished on a local level. Other activities will require some travel. Everyone should prepare accordingly.
Timeline:
Because of the nature of this action, we will not see immediate results. Nothing of this magnitude happens overnight. However, the following should begin today:
- Find all activities already planned both locally and nationally that opposes the wars and sign on where you can as a member of The Blitz.
- Gather a few of your volunteers and begin a mass literature distribution. Pointers for this will be found on the blog.
- Once your distribution has started, prepare for the possibility of local media attention. Know what you are going to say, and make sure that your voluteers are trained to answer questions and talk to commentators.
- Post all news articles, interviews, and letters to the editor relating to your activities and to The Blitz either on the blog or on your state website.
- Start to schedule community meetings and demonstrations.
- If you are going to do a flash-mob, make certain that someone videos it and then post it.
- Contact any local Progressive media for exposure.
- If you have access to a local radio venue, utilize it.
Community Building Activities:
- While distributing literature, be sure and get the names and numbers of people who engage you in discussion and seem interested in what you have to say.
- Schedule a small meeting in your home, public library, in the park, etc. Invite those who you know to be interested.
- Branch out. For the next meeting - advertise. Pass out flyers, get a small ad in a local newspaper, put announcements on bulletin boards around town. Don't forget your area universities and colleges. Make sure people know there is a meeting and that people know why they should be there.
- Make certain that everyone who shows an interest in getting involved is given something to do. Empower them. People are frustrated and need to be doing something - contributing.
- Make certain that a list of all upcoming events, both locally and nationally, are available at all meetings.
- Schedule an activity.
- Find out if there are anti-war or human rights groups in your area and bring in a speaker, or schedule a seminar.
- Get your information out there - advertise, advertise, advertis
Evaluation:
As this is an ongoing project, evaluation will be accomplished in phases:
- Are we gaining positive media attention?
- Have we gained an ear in Congress...gotten our foot in the door at the White House?
- Are people in the streets protesting the wars?
- Is new legislation to end the wars being discussed?
- Is new legislation to end the wars being voted upon?
- Are our troops being brought back home?
- Are the wars over?
- Is there a new committment to ending all military aggression?
- Is the money being saved by ending the wars being appropriated in a manner that will benefit We the People?
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