Yet even in student government, it was clear that factors such as popularity, quality of campaign posters and (no joke!) how funny the final speeches were played larger roles in the election than how capable the “elected officials” actually were. There’s a certain amount of disillusionment that comes with many aspects of high school as a microcosm for the real world, but among them, student government still stands out as one of the most memorable.

The idea of a “fair” democracy, then, of having a truly effective and representative body working to help further our wishes and solve our problems, clearly didn’t always apply. And the main block between a desire for a representative democracy and actually fulfilling that desire was simple: those who had the optimism to believe that their vote mattered were the ones who came to control the way the student government ran. The rest of the apathetic student population could complain all they wanted, but realistically, by failing to take action, they had forfeited their right to criticize.

Over time, and through the haze of high school, college and post-college living and a quickening pace of life, that initial faith in democracy has since waned. For our generation, blind faith that a true democracy exists on its own has been replaced by the understanding that nothing worth it comes easy — and this, too, includes that elusive concept of a perfect government.

The beauty of the democracy is that it provides an open forum for anyone who wants to participate, should they choose to. The truth about the democracy, however, is that this freedom of choice often leads to the decision (conscious or not) that the fate of societal problems lies in someone else’s hands.

And this is the side of “democracy” they didn’t teach in jr. high text books.

It has been a while since I’ve heard the sound of an old record on the turntable with all of its scratches and ticks and pops, but I think I recently heard its digital equivalent. My Skype connection to Roni Segoly in his home in Israel was noisy and his words thus difficult to understand on occasion—not so much, I hope, that his message gets missed. Our talk in mid-June yielded a recording I wish were better, but through all the noise it was still quite inspiring and I’m happy now to be sharing it with you.

Roni is a member of Combatants For Peace, an activist group based in the Middle East which calls for a peaceful end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the creation of two separate states, each with Jerusalem as the capital. The most unique thing about this group, however, is that it consists of former Israeli military and former Palestinian militants who have been there and done that and decided on following a different path—people who are standing up for what they believe in with bravery and fortitude in circumstances that range from difficult to life-threatening and desperate.

Our talk covered the topics of news and success. On the media, Roni explained that the Israeli media—with few exceptions—are broadcasting what the government wants people to hear. They are to some extent a propaganda machine: in step with the official talking points, offering very little criticism. At the same time, limited media exposure has still been enough, along with barrels of elbow grease, to grow CFP from the original couple dozen members in 2005 to around eight hundred today. These descriptions paint Israel as a fascinating halfway point between our own media culture, free and eager to print criticism and investigate every little wrongdoing, and a truly restrictive or even oppressive regime like North Korea and Russia.

And on success, as you might expect, Roni was quick to broadly summarize that CFP is not a success and will not be until the goals on which they were founded are achieved. But he added that in the incremental successes that represent steps along the path, he is proud of the successes of CFP in growing in size, gaining media exposure, and broadcasting their message.

Asked to consider the chances for success in the greater mission, Roni first explained that he considers himself an optimist and feels that the enormous pressure the world is currently exerting on both the Israeli and Palestinian governments has been effective, creating less room for these governments to maneuver. He also thinks a broader base of people are accepting that the two-state solution “because they understand it is the only way.” And in a moment of surprising candor, Roni offered this view of how the conflict will be resolved:

I’m sorry to say but I hope that the Israeli gov’t will just crush, will break under the pressure. I’m not sure what will happen after. I hope it will be good. But I think [all parties] should just keep on pressing and pressing and pressing until they break.

And all of this comes from the mouth of a man clearly dedicated to his cause. After a few years with the group, this husband and father of three tells me he is leaving his comfortable full-time job — a senior position in a high-tech company with a good salary — to become a full-time activist for Combatants and a few other causes. He cites the famous Ghandi quote about “being the change you wish to see in the world” and explains that true success in life entails “the need to fulfill your own mission and do what you believe in.”

* * * * * * * * * *

The Combatants For Peace website.

Listen to an NPR interview in 2008 with two of the founders of Combatants For Peace.

About 30 days ago, I started a Compassion Food photo blog on Facebook. (I’ll save the details for next week’s topic on Food.) For 30 days, I made a vow to eat only grass-fed organic meat, mostly greens, ultimately making sure that whatever traveled to my plate was treated compassionately and in turn, I was showing compassion to body. The response on Facebook has been so encouraging. I had people I haven’t talked to in years emailing me, encouraging the message behind the photo blog. People I didn’t know also messaged me. This got me thinking about social networking and the power behind finding a niche audience to push for social change; perhaps for purposes of this article, we’ll call this group a tribe.

The idea of tribes is age-old. People have come together in clumps around gender, ethnicity, kin, and religion for thousands of years. Today, with the plethora of ideas out there, it can seem overwhelming to get people organized around a given cause. For example, I am particularly interested in environmental advocacy. There have been times were I felt like any work I do barely makes a dent on the larger issues at hand. I am starting to realize, specifically through the research of folks like Seth Godin and David Logan that you don’t need to get thousands of people on your team to see societal progression. You just need to find a tribe that believes in what you believe in and connect them to other tribes who can act as allies. That is how we can achieve sustained change. The people who commented on my photo blog are probably coming from a similar mindset; they are thinking about what kind of food to put in their bodies and perhaps how to eat healthier and more aware of the impact our consumption has on the world.

For those of us interested in demanding a higher consciousness of society, progression and social justice, the idea of finding a few passionate people on our side seems much less overwhelming than finding scores. Social networking can be a tool used to find these people. Be it through Facebook, Twitter, Linkedn, what have you, the possibilities of connecting with like-minded individuals is boundless. Now, let’s get to it!

He ended the phone call by thanking all of the volunteers and supporters for being his inspiration and asking them for their continued efforts in the weeks and months to come.

Here is the audio from this fascinating and rather historic conference call:

Obama Thanks His Volunteers On Conference Call

The human mind is curious in that regardless of environmental variations, there are certain qualities ingrained within it, present in people of all backgrounds and upbringings. In the balance between nature and nurture, some things are still naturally begot, and a rebellion against authority is one of them. Tell a six-year-old to eat his vegetables and (with the rare exception) compliance won’t be the first response. We learn “no” before, if not immediately following, “yes,” and decorum and fear of authority are principles that we learn as we grow up in a tussle of trial and error with our own teachers, our parents and our older peers.

It’s not surprising, then, that the grown-up version of the disciplinarian, our government in the form of law enforcement and committees, is often vilified. It’s “The Man,” the cultural stick in the mud, the overbearing control that people must rise up against. Call it what you will, but the government as it is often viewed today has a foreboding quality to it, a “Big Brother” kind of blank-face authority that heartlessly implements rules in order to put a damper on free will.

This is, however, where definition is often misconstrued and perception misaligned. The original intention of government, as it was created in the United States, was to serve “of, for and by” the people. Democracy means that this abstract concept of a governing body is supposed to shift and reshape as its people see best fit. In turn, then, attacking and criticizing the government does nothing to directly change policies that might be displeasing at least, harmful at most, to the average citizen.

Instead, ours is a government that encourages active response — instead of wailing on about what’s wrong with the direction the country is taking, the United States encourages citizens to take that dissent and dissatisfaction and do something about it. In a nation where it is constantly insisted that “anything is possible,” opportunities are vast and choices many. It is therefore wrong to assume that “somebody else” — namely, the government — will solve a problem if we are not actively doing something to create a solution as well.

This is, of course, not to say that the government or big corporations — the backbone of our nation — are not at times inconsistent with that view, instead becoming a mechanism controlled by an elite few. When the big decisions about health care reform or spending on education are made, the hands that vote either yes or no are not literally our own. A few representatives in the Senate, a man or woman we’ve never met before, will make those decisions. If we’ve done our part in the government, however, we’ve raised our voices, picked up the tools and made enough of an impression on that representative for him or her to see how the average citizen would be impacted by their vote. Having that kind of say, having any kind of say, in the government really isn’t a right — it’s a privilege, and one that many people might dismiss or not use because they take it for granted.

And really, missed opportunities are no one’s fault except that of he who missed the opportunity.

The truth about the government is that it is what we make of it. In a perfect world, it really is serving the people, and hidden agendas wouldn’t exist (the term would instead refer to calendars being scribbled upon under the desk). The beauty of a country with so many backgrounds and interests and variety is that there is never a “right” answer, and that there is always an open forum for discussion. What determines if this beauty translates into this government, however, is how persistent we are in doing our share to continue the discussion. One-sided conversations are lectures. The government shouldn’t be a lecture.

Because rebellion, a fierce love of independence, is something that all brains are wired to chase, there often exists an urge to act against a force without thorough reason to. In looking at the government as a whole as the enemy, we do ourselves a disservice. Individuals run the government; disagreements lie with them, not the concept of a governing force. And until we can fully see the government as a group of individuals rather than a daunting entity, it will be hard to push for change.

Put simply: “Of, for and by the people” — none of the three points would matter without the other two.

Gahh! No more seats on the subway! My arm shot up at the hand railings lining the top of the car, in hopes of finding free space amongst a crowd of tired and hungry workers ready to call it a day. During peak hours, the subway defies all social norms of personal space.

On occasion, I have found my face in armpits, smelling scents I wish I hadn’t and avoiding glaring eyes awkwardly positioned in front of me. These occurrences evoke an uncontrollable, yet thankfully silent snicker within. Expecting the usual today, I gripped the hand railing, bracing myself for a bumpy and claustrophobic ride.

Despite the subway quirks, being in a space that is shared by so many people creates opportunities for interaction, having the potential to inspire us. I noticed a girl reading a book called Water Wars. Thus began my journey into understanding the global water crisis. It started with a girl on the subway and deepened with the discovery of a soul sister, Vandana Shiva, the author of Water Wars.

A literal tree hugger, Vandana Shiva was inspired by Chipko movement in India, where women resisted deforestation by practicing the Gandhian method of satyagraha, non-violent resistance. Shiva is an environmentalist and eco-feminist, authoring numerous books on these topics. Luckily, I got my hands on Water Wars and started learning of the global water crisis that plagues much of the world, prompting some to say that water is the next oil.

Thankful for the newfound wisdom that Shiva provided me, I started to delve deeper into her background. Being a South Asian woman, I identified with the gender and cultural similarities we share. I found it endearing to know of a kindred spirit coming from the land tilled by my ancestry. She stands up against opposition which seeks to manipulate the land as they see fit without any regard for the present ecosystem. Particularly sensitive to women’s issues, Shiva recognizes that women are oftentimes the most likely to suffer from environmental degradation. They are the ones who travel miles for water, feeling the affects of arsenic-polluted water pumps on their bare feet. In a documentary, I saw her marching with women who opposed a Coca Cola plant from withdrawing groundwater and polluting a city in India. From her work, it is clear that Shiva believes it is imperative to provide information to people so they can take control of their environment, not falling prey to internal governance issues or foreign aide regulations.

Feeling inspired from Shiva’s activism, I couldn’t help but question where I stood with my passions. Being an activist is no easy gig. With a high turn-over, it can be a lonely journey. In fact, especially with environmental activism, the issues are so expansive that our efforts feel like a drop in the ocean. Even legitimacy in the eyes of policy-makers can be hard to attain. It is fair to say that Shiva faced a lot of opposition from people who didn’t share her world-view. But at the end of the day, she followed her conscience and she continues to do so.

When thinking about my own passions, I can only hope to do the same, even though I struggle with much of the aforementioned issues. Without conflating ‘activist’ and ‘radical’ too much, I am reminded of my dear friend who shared with me the meaning of ‘radical.’ It comes from the word ‘root.’ Yes! Root! Negative connotations are attached to the word ‘radical’ because it has been used to label abnormal acts. But if we take a step back and try to understand the source of the word, maybe we can begin to grasp a deeper understanding of what it means to be a radical. A radical individual is focused on getting to the root cause of a given issue. They are in search for truth and justice. It is not an easy position to take because it can be difficult to internally sustain but I believe that a radical is someone who finds satisfaction in the normative view of the world. They have a vision of what the world should be like with justice and equality—-this belief is deep-seeded within their soul. It is a self-sustaining. The radicals who are able to fight for their cause day-in and day-out recognize the cause is bigger than them and they can only sustain this world-view if their soul is aligned with their action.

And this is Vandana Shiva, who continues to spend her life aligning her desire to see justice with the world she resides in—-she is truly an inspiration.

I have no doubt that there is foul play from either faction. I have no doubt that plenty of innocent by-standers from both sides have been caught in the cross-fire being exchanged. I have no doubt that our American government supports all kinds of these “regrettable accidents” through providing much of the machinery, arms and money to people on both sides.

In today’s economy with the job market and the stock market dwindling, it is easy to forget that we are still in the middle of a war. It is easy to imagine that life can’t be all that bad elsewhere but it makes me nauseous simply knowing that American people and other internationals willingly give up comfortable, privileged lives to physically place themselves between destruction and what seems to be people’s right to exist let alone to put food in their bellies or to have a job. How can we not be offended by the way some of these people are treated? How is it that we, the United States, support so much of this violence and prejudice?

Despite a lack of media coverage when the incident occurred, many conflicting opinions and reports have been posted in response to the play if not to her untimely demise. Although I cannot pretend to be eloquent on these subjects, I think you will find that Rachael Corrie writes with a great deal of eloquence about her experiences in the midst of these abhorrent events. She is one woman who gave her life in an effort to affect the world for the better. I can only hope that even in her death, she can inspire us to better inform ourselves and to not take for granted the fact that- despite our myriad issues- the US is an incredible place to be fortunate enough to exist. In her own words, “We should be inspired by people… who show that human beings can be kind, brave, generous, beautiful, strong-even in the most difficult circumstances.”

http://www.rachelcorrie.org/ for some of her correspondences

http://www.rachelcorriefoundation.org/

http://rachelcorriefacts.org/default.aspx for another point of view

http://www.democracynow.org/2005/3/16/family_of_rachel_corrie_sues_israeli

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/3735