If you do not know the nature of your enemy then, to paraphrase Sun Tzu, you are toast.  Here is the nature of humans:

We are pattern seeking organisms, often seeing patterns that are not there --- ie conspiracies.  Hey folks, the evil dooers could not maintain for more than a couple of years a secrete involving a dozen or so people involving the murder of three terrorists, in a secure government facility and yet some of you claim that they hid a conspiracy of thousands for 9 years re 911.  Yea ... right!

Humans are authoritarian.  They tend to be obedient to authority.  See any number of studies on the subject.  Most humans are afraid of responsibility and liberty.  

This behavior is part and parcel of hating to think for themselves and being against facts that do not conform to their beliefs.  In other words a refusal to learn new data.  IE a built in bias to be stupid.  You say you want to be with like minded individuals?  Ones who will not challenge your premises?  Welcome to the world of STUPID!!

 If you have an hour or so visit my article --- and the links at

factotum666.livejournal.com

 The "division" is only among those "activists" who all want to be the national leader on "movement" strategy. 

All politics is local and even for "street activists" the "movement" is in the streets.  Since you cannot be in more than one place at one time, street activism is also local.

The 10,000 national strategic experts commenting on what the (sometimes lame) national HQ have done, I will bet $1,000,000 are doing NO activism: not street activism, not getting engaged in their local political parties, because those of us that do have little to no time to become and implement our national strategic expertise as there is too much work to do right here.

Bottom line: who gives a crap? If you don't have enough to worry about each day here at home, you're not paying attention.

Hint: Of the 10,000 activists who are asserting their national strategic expertise, how many do you believe are in fact experts at national political strategy?

If you are indeed a "street activist", then what's next here in AZ or your state?

(BTW, according to C4L national HQ, the money for the CO ad came exlusively from CO. So, what is the issue again for the other 49 states?)

How do you take on an anonymous poster? Line by line:

 anon: "The "division" is only among those "activists" who all want to be the national leader on "movement" strategy."

Disagree strongly. Divisions seem to be happening along core ideological lines. My article makes this clear.

anon: "All politics is local and even for "street activists" the "movement" is in the streets.  Since you cannot be in more than one place at one time, street activism is also local."

Disagree strongly. We have many activists that focus nationally or on national issues. Even street actions are often coordinated at the national level.

anon: The 10,000 national strategic experts commenting on what the (sometimes lame) national HQ have done, I will bet $1,000,000 are doing NO activism: not street activism, not getting engaged in their local political parties, because those of us that do have little to no time to become and implement our national strategic expertise as there is too much work to do right here."

I'd like to see if you can back that up statistically. You keep returning to street activism as if it's the only form. It not even close.  One could argue that it's the best form of activism (as could all the rest) but could it have this effect without the rest? In other words, do you go so far as to suggest all other forms of activism are worthless?

anon: "Bottom line: who gives a crap? If you don't have enough to worry about each day here at home, you're not paying attention."

The giraffes of the movement disagree. We can see things coming from a distance.

anon: "Hint: Of the 10,000 activists who are asserting their national strategic expertise, how many do you believe are in fact experts at national political strategy?"

Wait, in your world, all politics is local therefore there is no such thing as national political strategy. Now it's obvious I can't answer your question with a finite percentage. We have MANY, MANY SUCH PEOPLE. In a very wide spectrum of expertise. And it's the same as the rest of the movement in terms of who's popular or supported at any given time is a function of whatever seems to grab the movement's attention at that time.

anon: "If you are indeed a "street activist", then what's next here in AZ or your state?"

Too numerous to count sometimes it seems. But recall that Arizona is very big and not all of us converge at single time/location. However, it seems you are trying to box me into the corner of being a street activist. This is not the thesis of this article. The fact is that over the years, I've done many forms of activism. And over the years, I haven't always my been fulltime, unpaid. I take sabbaticals from time to time. And sometimes I just refuse new projects to spend more time on me,  my people, my business. I guess I'm roughly on my 3rd decade of overall involvement, it's part of who I am.

anon: "(BTW, according to C4L national HQ, the money for the CO ad came exlusively from CO. So, what is the issue again for the other 49 states?)"

Yes, I'm relieved to see that. I hope C4L (CFL) weathers this out, it's still a great organization and I'm still a supporter. In my article I'm not criticizing C4L so much as I'm making a point about where this criticism comes from, how it relates to our larger issues and maybe some ideas about how it can be positive. Overall, it seems like you have a clear idea about how you are being effective so it's not necessary to "give a shit" as you say. You have my respect, young Street Activist.