Thomas Linzey Lectures on Democracy School in Seattle
In February of 2005, I invited Thomas Linzey and Richard Grossman of the Democracy Schools program to lecture in Seattle. I've finally put the videos up on YouTube. Thomas' lecture won great praise from all who saw him. In the lecture, he tells the story of the emergence of a new kind of rights-based organizing in Pennsylvania which is helping communities fight to protect themselves from corporations wrecking the quality of life in their region and threatening the democratic process.
With Linzey’s help, 78 municipal governments across Pennsylvania have written laws that ban corporations from environmentally destructive agribusiness such as industrial hog farming and sewage-sludge spreading. Corporations in turn have had to sue to assert their “rights” – setting up court battles framed in favor of local communities seeking to protect their way of life and rights of self-governance. A key piece of the Democracy School curriculum is retraining activists to see that the traditional avenues of fighting corporations e.g. the state and federal regulatory arena exist primarily to permit corporate harms. “The only things these laws regulate are workers and environmentalists. And they enable and empower the corporations,” said Grossman.
Thomas is a fantastic speaker and great thinker. I recommend this lecture and Richard's for every American:
Video Introduction to The Democracy School
NOW Program on Pennsylvania Community Organizers in St. Thomas
Is "Rights-Based" Organizing a Future Strategy for Environmental Activism?
Schedule of National Democracy Schools.
If you are interested in having us plan another Seattle-based Democracy School, email me of your interest.
Technorati Tags: democracy school, lecture, linzey, pennsylvania
Comments