Katherine Smith, PhD

Want to find real community in the United States? Go to Portland Oregon. Across the USA, from New Hampshire, the “Live Free or Die” state to Portland, Oregon, there are 50 “City Repair” projects springing up around America.  Americans have proven they can confront suppressive governments and come out the winner.

Portland City Repair began when the citizens of Portland wanted to convert certain public areas of their community into, “Public Space that fosters participatory democracy.”

Without explanation, the Portland City Council and the its Department of Transportation said, “No,” essentially relaying to Portlanders, “Your public spaces aren’t reeeeally public.”

People in one hundred other cities would have given up and waited till the next election to vote…for the lesser of two evils.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to

Vote…for the lesser of two evils."

The Transparent Conspiracy by Michael D. Morrissey, makes a prima facie case that The Powers That Be (TPTB, a non-conspiracy acronym) are responsible for our feelings of isolation and helplessness. They utilize what he calls, “The Mass Psychology of Partial Disclosure” to keep the majority of the population from real and effective activism by keeping our emotional band just above apathy but below real activism. [2]

Why would that be their goal? Answer: Apathetic people don't go to the polls and Vote!

At first one might surmise that a light turnout would be an advantage because it is easier to manipulate, spin and claim the results were a mandate from the voters, but experience with our “democratic” system should tell you otherwise. 

Just ask the 3,201,420 people who viewed JibJab’s Time for Some Campaignin', how much money and effort it takes to poke us in the rear every four years.

Here is a typical sentiment:

The current difference between most Republicans and most Democrats right now is more like the shit on a plate and good tripe at the least. 

Why bother with this expensive charade, imagine how much money they could save by letting us wallow in a despondent state.

What is not immediately obvious is that our vote is necessary, because when we vote for the lesser of two evils we agree to be governed by evil. [3]

Morrissey’s book is a definite departure from other conspiracy literature, and he makes the case that our government’s propaganda arm (whatever they call it now), is fully aware that a well-managed conspiracy cover-up creates negative energy, disperses our attention and efforts, and prevents people from exercising their Power of Community. [4]

Portlanders are one of 50 communities that were not intimidated by the power structure. The community was able to overcome the negative energy created by endless mainstream, above and below ground media rants about how unfair the system is and were able to make a difference.

They politely smiled, shrugged and ignored their arrogant City Council.

They noticed their city was “shovel ready,” so starting in 1996, a lot of determined minds and bodies showed up in public spaces with shovels, hoes, rakes, seeds, seedlings and water hoses. The words “a lot” is paramount.

Portlanders transformed their city into a place that “honors the interconnection of human communities, the natural world, and inspires people to both understand themselves as part of a larger community, and fulfill their own creative potential.”

They took time to clearly show the City how important the projects were. There was no huge confrontation, no actions designed to provoke Billy clubs. The people simply showed their unyielding intention, the value of their end result, and their willingness to do hands-on work toward public benefit. They were not asking for a handout. In the words of one Portlander, “Opposition became support, which has been pivotal in the success of our efforts.”

From nothing, they created a sustainable community effort that everyone wanted to join, to include law enforcement. When the police arrived to enforce the “law” of public places, officers and vans left without making any arrests. 

Portland City Repair, and the State of New Hampshire have proven that participatory democracy works. If we are “Willing to Stand Up and Work Together” then “People can do anything they set their Collective minds To.”  http://cityrepair.org/

Opednews, DailyKos, Readers, Writers and Commentors Everywhere let's Jump In

Now that DailyKos has “jumped into” what Kos calls the “key weapon in a modern activist organization's arsenal” let’s tell him we want to “Kick up an action campaign” to stop any talk of a preemptive strike on Iran.

We can do this, we did it in 2006, 2008 and we can do it in 2010.  

Normally I don't recommend those "take action" campaigns – you know the ones going around the net that appeal to our selfish and divisive nature. We ignore them because they reinforce our feelings of helplessness and isolation.

But a campaign to stop World War III is different because our emails and faxes demonstrate and attest to our power…of community. [5]

Chris Bowers is committed supplementing ideas from everyone and designing campaigns with our creativity and insight.

I am sure he will get on this right away (so far he hasn’t done it), but in the meantime you can start by contacting the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and demand she honor the commitment made by President Obama during the 2007 Democratic debate when he said that he would, “As president, be willing to meet without preconditions with Iran's leaders, and that the notion of not talking to one's foes was ridiculous." [6]

E-mail President of the United States, (202) 456-1414 Phone, (202) 456-2461 Fax

E-mail The Secretary of State,  (202) 647-6575 press 1 to leave a comment

TPTB knew the day would come when the people would realize the power they have when they work together for their own survival. That day is here!

Katherine Smith, PhD  mandrell2010@gmail.com

Footnotes:

[1] G. William Domhoff, a Research Professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz first coined the non-conspiracy acronym TPTB. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Miami. He has been teaching at the University of California, Santa Cruz, since 1965. Four of his books are among the top 50 best sellers in sociology for the years 1950 to 1995: Who Rules America? (1967); The Higher Circles (1970); Who Rules America Now? (1983); and the non-"conspiracy" critique and theory of the U.S. power structure, The Powers That Be (TPTB) in 1979.

The majority of the population in an emotional band below real activism but just above apathy, the minority who operate above apathy, from fear, anger to mild interest and enthusiasm are vectored into useless activism because they read and follow websites managed by the CIA. Rense, etc.

[3]There exists a metaphysical explanation of why TPTB need us to vote, contact me for the details.

[4] July 31, 2010 They Want Us to Know: On Conspiracies and Cover-ups

The Transparent Conspiracy by Michael D. Morrissey: A Review

The Mass Psychology of Partial Disclosure

The Transparent Conspiracy is a collection of essays written between 2006 and 2010, mainly about the 911 and JFK conspiracies and cover up, with a short collection of poems on the same topic. Morrisey’s latest book is a definite departure from other conspiracy literature. Morrissey has no interest in proving or disproving either the 911 or the JFK conspiracy – he feels this territory is well-covered by other authors. The topic of this book is mass psychology. Morrissey believes our government’s propaganda arm (whatever they call it now) is fully aware that a well-managed conspiracy cover-up can have a very intimidating effect, which can be very effective in keeping the public docile and obedient.

He then lays out the hypothetical question: if the reality of the 911 conspiracy were widely accepted by the American public, would they be capable of doing anything about it? Morrissey believes that at this point in history they would be powerless (that they lack the power to bring the culprits to trial or even impeach them). Which he contends is a powerful basis for demoralization and alienation.

The Government Wants Us to Know

Specifically he argues there is major value (from the government point of view) in disclosing a limited amount of information concerning government culpability in atrocities such as the JFK assassination and 911. He bases his view on something he calls “Transparency Theory” – thus his title The Transparent Conspiracy. He says the CIA has long recognized that “telling part of the truth is the best way to lie.” They even have a term for it: “white propaganda.” Morrissey argues that for the government to brazenly commit criminal acts can be quite effective in demoralizing and alienating the tuned-in segment of the population that fully comprehends the corrupt nature of our government institutions.

He then lays out the hypothetical question: if the reality of the 911 conspiracy were widely accepted by the American public, would they be capable of doing anything about it? Morrissey believes that at this point in history they would be powerless (that they lack the power to bring the culprits to trial or even impeach them). Which he contends is a powerful basis for demoralization and alienation.

He initially tended to side with media critics who believe Chomsky plays some deliberate “left gatekeeping” function (having to do with right wing foundation funding). He now believes Chomsky more likely has other reasons – relating more to what is increasingly self-evident in the 911 Truth movement – that the endless investigation of government conspiracies playing little pragmatic role in the massive institutional change (such as the end of capitalism) which is the only hope for real and permanent change in the US.

The poems make a moving addendum to the essays. They convey quite poignantly Morrissey’s personal struggle with the despair and heartache of learning a government you believed to be fair and democratic is actually deeply corrupt.

[3] Those "take action"- campaigns that appeal to our selfish and divisive nature don’t work. These are going around the Internet:

Subject: Sign the letter to Google. Tell them to stop being evil and protect the free and open Internet.

Subject: Hi -- this is Jason Rosenbaum, a new campaigner at the PCCC. I've got some urgent news. Can you sign our promise to oppose cuts in Social Security and then ask your representatives to sign on as well?

All they accomplish is to reinforce our feelings of helpless and isolation. They create  negative energy, consider a typical rant:

“These people have been robbing us for years. I don't for the life of me know why we keep sending the same people that keep doing the same things over and over again. We need to empty Washington! Send them home in wholesale fashion. Take the profit out, of public service and put the public service, back in!”

[6] Mr. Obama first made waves with his views on Iran policy in 2007, when he said during a Democratic debate that he would, as president, be willing to meet without preconditions with Iran's leaders, and that the notion of not talking to one's foes was "ridiculous."

Since becoming president, Mr. Obama has pursued diplomacy, but his stance has become steadily more confrontational. Iran’s Nuclear Program, The New York Times