Friends,

Happy Nov 2. the moment we've all been waiting for!
please share this info with your lists and networks.

over 30 communities are demonstrating tomorrow no matter the outcome of 
today for an end to the war and to build a real democracy! way to go! 
check out www.beyondvoting.org

Also check out No Stolen Elections: www.nov3.us and This Time We're 
Watching www.ttww.org !!

Lots of stuff happening in cities and towns everywhere--it will surely 
be a very interesting next 24 hours! And apparently demonstrations in 
the UK and Bagdahd too?!

From: info@beyondvoting.org
Date: Tue Nov 2, 2004  2:39:05 PM America/New_York
To: undisclosed-recipients: ;
Subject: Networking & Conference Call Tonight 9:30EST

Networking & Conference Call Tonight 9:30EST

The Beyond Voting campaign is thrilled to announce that no matter who 
wins
the presidential election, there will be mobilizations in the name of
justice and democracy occurring in over 30 cities nationwide!  Your 
city is
listed as one of these on our website [BeyondVoting.org] and you are 
listed
as one of the contacts.  If any of our information is incorrect, please 
let
us know.

The Beyond Voting campaign is coordinated through a decentralized 
grassroots network of
local organizations organizing around the elections, regardless of the
winner, emphasizing that we all share a powerful and clear demand:
democracy not empire.  The campaign supports local organizing through
shared resources and networking – which we would like you to take part 
in!

The following are some immediate ways you can participate:


TUESDAY CONFERENCE CALL
On Tuesday, November 02, Beyond Voting will be hosting a conference 
call for
us all to check-in.  The call will be a quick 45 minute go-around of 
actions
in different places, updates, and discussion.  There won’t be any heavy
decision making: just sharing, exchanging, and feeling connected.  Start
Time: 9:30p.m. Eastern Std Time (6:30PST).  Dial-in Number: 
1-805-620-4000
(Ventura, CA)  Participant Access Code: 20041103


TEXT MESSAGE ALERTS
The Michigan IMC will be sending text message alerts with vital 
information.
  To sign up, visit:
http://voip.radicaldesigns.org/subscribe.php?organization_ID=6


NETWORKING LISTSERVE
Currently around 14 of us from different cities are using an email 
listserve
to network and share resources.  If you would like to be added to this
listserve, respond to this email and you will be added.


MEDIA CONTACTS
Already we have had contact from many media sources asking for local
contacts.  If you would like to get your message out, please provide us
with a media contact for your event, including full name and phone 
number.
These will be displayed on our press releases and at BeyondVoting.org


CONTACT DATABASE
We have compiled a useful excel spreadsheet of Beyond Voting contacts 
that
can be sorted by city or state.  Let us know and we’ll send you a copy.


STAY IN CONTACT!
Much will happen these next days and it will be important to stay 
connected
and show the scope of people power in our nation.  Make sure to keep in
contact by sending up reports of how your events worked out.  Photos and
video would be especially helpful – a section of BeyondVoting.org will 
be
set up for reports from actions nationwide.


TALKING POINTS
Below you’ll find some talking points courtesy of the smartMeme 
strategy &
training project that will be handy to have ready for reporters and
skeptics.  We have a larger lists of messaging we can send.

_________________________________________________________________

November 3: Beyond Voting Core Messages and Talking Points
Prepared  for beyondvoting.org
Nov 3 2004
	
Tips:
1) Be calm, and passionate. Speak from your heart and your own 
experience.
2) Its not about the question they ask. It’s about creating a real
democracy
3) Everything is on-the-record.

Core Messages

•	We’re here to defend the rights of everyone to vote and participate in
democracy--to have their vote counted and to have real choices and real
power to make the decisions that affect our world and our lives.

•	Voting is just the first step, and today is just the beginning!  
There is
so much more to Democracy than voting on Nov 2—that’s why we’re going
beyond voting on Nov 3 to demonstrate what real democracy looks like.

•	Some of the most important issues facing our country and our lives 
are not
being addressed by the 2 candidates, and we are taking to the streets to
demand real social change in America:

•	Nov 2 we went to the polls Nov 3 we are going to the streets. We stand
united on the day after the election for peace, democracy and global
justice, and united against an empire agenda of aggression abroad and
repression at home.



What is “Beyond Voting”?
Beyond Voting is a decentralized grassroots effort to demonstrate what 
real
democracy looks like in cities and towns all over the country the day 
after
the election. Today there are over 30 groups around the country doing 
what
we are doing here today—gathering together as neighbors and working
together for change beyond Nov 2, because getting rid of Bush is just 
the
beginning of the fight to take our democracy back.

…Because the crisis of our democracy didn’t start yesterday and it 
won’t end
tomorrow. Beyond Voting is part of the history of grassroots struggle, 
for
suffrage, for civil rights, for the environment—the history of people
working together at the grassroots level to make democracy happen.


Isn’t it undemocratic to be protesting the outcome of an election?
We’re demonstrating for a real democracy.  There’s more to democracy 
than
just a once a year choice between 2 rich white guys who have many of the
same opinions.  We’re also highlighting the deep flaws in our electoral
process – from Big Money donors buying the candidates, to rampant voter
disenfranchisement.  Democracy is more than voting at the ballot box, 
it is
mobilizing in our communities to have control over the decisions that 
effect
our lives: our jobs, health care, education, are all under attack by the
Empire agenda of the Bush Administration and we’re in the streets to 
say --
Democracy not empire!

How do you respond when people accuse you of being sore loserss?
The real losers today are those who were intimidated and 
disenfranchised at
the polls…the 45 million who go without healthcare…the 1000 families who
have lost a loved one in Iraq…the 100,000 Iraqi families who have lost
loved ones in this brutal war…

What is the definition of a stolen election?
This election was stolen from millions of black and Latino voters who 
are
disenfranchised by the system. Lets not forget whose land we are 
standing
on—this country was stolen in 1492! So when we talk about stolen 
elections,
let’s be clear, that the majority of people don’t vote, and millions 
can’t
vote—that this system has historically denied women, African American, 
and
politically marginalized communities a voice in the process…

Isn’t America a republic, not a democracy?
America is a country with a dark past of genocide of native peoples, 
slavery
and the vast majority of people (except rich white men) being denied the
right to vote.  200 years of grassroots movements struggling for justice
have given women, African Americans and others the vote.  However we are
still seeing efforts to prevent people voting and to give them still 
have
massive disenfranchisement of people trapped in America’s growing prison
system. The mobilizations around the country on Nov 3 are part of this
ongoing effort to make America a real democracy by building grassroots
movements for democracy, peace and justice.



====================
Doyle Canning
doyle@smartmeme.com
802.860.1155--office
802.999.7502--mobile
====================
19 Church St. Suite 07
Burlington, VT 05401 USA
====================
*The SmartMeme Strategy & Training Project*
Amplifying the impact of grassroots social change movements with new 
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