Promoting Nonviolent Civic Activism

By Larry Walker

Civics is the study of rights and obligations of citizens in society. Civic education is the study of the theoretical, political, and practical aspects of citizenship, as well as its rights and duties. American awareness of Civics has reached alarmingly low levels and needs to rise substantially.

 This website aims to help fills this gap and provide concerned activists with methods for movement to address the improvement and transformation of our society.  Nonviolent Civic Activism focuses on three threads of activity:

1.    Forming local community groups passionate about advocating for one or more of the issues identified.

2.    Getting out the vote for candidates most likely to support the issues.

3.    Continuously contacting elected officials to address these issues.

This site is a Knowledge Base that includes concepts and resources to support transformation.  For each issue, there is at least one potential solution path.  If you know other approaches, contact us, and they will be added.

The Purple Alliance is one method to convene people you know who are passionate about one or more of the issues identified to study the issue and persistently urge your political representatives to implement solutions for that issue.  The collective of these local community groups provides inexorable pressure to act.

The following candidate questions guide activities.

Questions

This Knowledge Base has resources: identified systemic issues plus potential paths to address them.  Initial questions follow and initial answers are suggested. If you have related questions or suggested answers, let us know, and we will address them.

Planning for Systemic Transformation

What updates to civic activist thinking are required to address the rapidly changing and complexity of Society?

• This Knowledge Base is a resource to address this question.  Let us know what is missing, and we will find resources to address it.

• The opening sections present a strategy for change.

• Pick an issue you are passionate about as your area of focus.

 What is the purpose of this transformation initiative?

• See the Mission, Principles, and Declaration.

• Establish enough local action communities nationally to deliver meaningful pressure on our government representatives to move to transformation.

• Cultivate broad, nonviolent unity to persuade Congress to implement the will of the people.

• Promote personal and collective self-development such that we overcome traits that led to our current unjust social system.

• Advance synergistic, holistic, and systemic change throughout society.

• Overcome oppression based on skin color and other arbitrary traits.

• Support policies that improve living conditions.

What strategy guides the promotion of these values and principles? 

• Introduce throughout the K-12 system.

• Engage State and Local governments.

• Recruit businesses (large and small).

• Introduce to various immigrant communities.

• Engage nonprofits.

• Spread to the adult population.

• Approach leaders from our President down to gain support for this initiative.

·How will this transformation opportunity be promoted nationwide?

• Purple Alliance activist groups.

• Sharing this opportunity with our Internet Networks.

• Rotary Clubs.

• Chambers of Commerce

• Foundations

• Nonprofits

• Alignment with existing movements addressing specific issues.

How do we get Americans to accept profound responsibility to understand how we are governed?  How will the initiative be brought to the attention of all stakeholders?

• Could it be embedded throughout the K-12 system?

• Could it be part of the acculturation process for immigrants?

• Could it include adults?

• Could it be used in prisons?

How will our nonviolent civic activism movement encourage participation by stakeholders nationwide?  Could we use gaming and interactive artificial intelligence interview videos to attract greater interest? 

• Different teaching vehicles could intrigue more learners, including families, and can be targeted/adapted to specific cultures and not be undermined by poor teaching techniques. 

• A series of games could incorporate incremental approaches to cover differing issues as well as learning stages. 

• Game design could simplify the introduction of new materials and the re-teaching of teachers.