- A Medal
for Marla: The immediate goal for this project is for martyred
human rights activist Marla Ruzicka, who was killed while helping others
in Iraq, to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and/or the
Congressional Gold Medal. I want to expand its focus, though - there are
many human rights activists (Rachel Corrie and Tom Fox among them) who
have sacrificed themselves for the good of others, and it's my contention
that they deserve at least as much honor and respect as we accord soldiers
who fall in the line of duty.
- No More
Bye-Byes: This project presses for policies that
would keep expectant parents, or parents of very young childen, out of
combat situations. The main timeframe for this project is the window
between Mother's Day and Father's Day (which just happens to encompass
Memorial day as well).
- The
Book Report Project: The USA PATRIOT Act included various
provisions regarding the government's abilities to track who's reading
what (by monitoring bookstores and libraries). So I figured, well, if
they want to know what we're reading that badly, then let's tell them...
lots of us, all at once. Book recommendations are included.
- 1984+20
Project: Soon to become the "1984+25 Project," in
anticipation of April 4, 2009 - the 25th anniversary of the beginning date
of George Orwell's novel Ninetheen Eighty-Four - on which we will
again encourage folks to stage marathon readings and/or performances of
the book, in order to provoke discussion of the issues of
freedom, surveillance, war and peace it raises. In the meantime, the
1984
Index continues to track how close we're getting to the full
realization of Orwell's vision.
-
Bush Regime
Memorial Society: Before the history books get rewritten...
what would be a fitting monument to the unparalled incompetence and
mendacity of the Bush Regime?
-
Delightist
Project: "Joy defeats terror" ... "Peace absorbs terror" ...
"Justice undermines terror" ... The Delightist memes seek to spread
virally, and reframe the War-on-Terror debate.
- Two, Not Ten (a/k/a 2not10) (in preparation): I
have been puzzled for a while now by the way that some fundamentalist
Christians and American Nationalists have been insisting on public
displays of the Old Testament Mosaic Decalogue, a/k/a "the Ten
Commandments" - not just because of the church/state issues involved, but
because as Christians I would imagine they really ought to be focusing on
the way that Christ Himself condensed the Law into just Two Commandments
(see Matt. 22:34-40). This project posits the possibility (and possible
effects) of putting
the Two - "LOVE YOUR GOD" and "LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR" on things
like courthouses, prisons, and military bases, and poses the question
"HOW MANY MORE COMMANDMENTS DO WE NEED, ANYWAY?" - with the hope of gently
and lovingly knocking some folks out of their unthinking locksteps.
- Synecocracy (in preparation): This project coins a
new word for a community-based political philosophy - "synecocracy" - and
explores ways to define it.
- Bad Pennies Project (in preparation): Individuals
who
have been pardoned by a President for possible offenses committed while in
that President's employ should bear certain consequences. For starters,
they should never be allowed back into government service, or do business
with the government in any capacity. This kind of provision needs to be
enacted before the November 2008 elections, since afterwards it's a good
bet that George W. Bush is going to set a record for pardons of his own
personnel.
- Assorted Chitworkers of America (in preparation):
An idea for an "un-union" for un-unionized, underemployed, misemployed, or
otherwise disaffected workers... Also known as "Assorted
Shiftworkers of America" - motto: "Hey, somebody's got to do it!"
If you'd like to help me keep this stuff going, it's easy:
Thanks for your interest and support!
latest update begun 25 Sept 06