It's becoming clearer every day that we are living in a time of great political turmoil and transition. The Republican Party swings wildly between the extremes of the outright nihilism of abolishing government to a fascist consolidation of militarized corporate rule over all spheres of society.
The Democratic Party is simpler. They are merely corrupt with no larger vision than money and positions of privilege.
A Republican vote brings on the apocalypse. A Democratic vote is a long, painful, incremental step towards collapse. That's pretty much what the 2012 elections are all about: quick death or slow death. I'm hoping the body politic is still sane enough to choose the slow death that gives us some time to open up a tiny window of possible freedom.
Here in Seattle a small group of us, without the backing of a big organization or money, have begun the process of placing an initiative, I-103, on Seattle's ballot.
It aims to end corporate personhood, and elevate the rights of people and the environment above corporations.
What a world we live in, and what savages we have become that we have allowed a corporate person to evolve and rule over us? What has happened to our moral imagination, our courage, our creativity and our heritage of independence from oppression? Who was it that broke our spine?
It's time to make some noise, pull up our panties and serve notice that we won't go voiceless into tyranny. It took the fascists 40 years to consolidate their coup. It will take us at least a generation to dismantle their evil. But we need to start.
At 7 p.m., Thurs. March 29 at University Temple United Methodist, 1415 NE 43rd St., we will launch I-103. It will end corporate personhood and limit corporate rights, ban corporate spending on elections and corporate lobbying except in public forums, close the revolving door of employment between elected officials and large corporations, provide citizen oversight of the Seattle Police Department, provide constitutional rights for workers, give neighborhoods the right to approve major zoning changes, provide equal access to a free and open Internet and give rights to the natural world.
Let's shake up 2012 with positive moral values and a vision of a better world for better people. Whether or not we win, at least we can get into the game and push the ball further down that long road to freedom and justice for all.
Want to know more? Look us up at i103.org, or find us on Facebook at End Corporate Rights Seattle.
Let's dream big.