Excellent observations Starchild...I agree completely.
Michael Denny
Libertarian Party of San Francisco
(415) 986-7677 x123
mike@...
www.MichaelDenny.net
I would like to join Mike Denny in also thanking Starchild for the
inspirational article on the Hip Hop Convention. I would also like to
add a couple of observations: (1) We at the LPSF, or for that matter
most who attended the LP Convention at the "luxury hotel" are past
the Hip Hop stage; can learn from the Hip Hop activism, but not
necessarily copy the unique Hip Hop style. (2) Although Hip Hop
might have the general reputation of being "confrontational," I see
nothing radical or confrontational about signing up voters, attending
workshops on leadership, or gathering peacefully in a convention; I
propose we start with the sign up part by committing to a schedule of
tables at public places from now until the November election.
Marcy
Excellent observations Starchild...I agree completely.
Michael Denny
Libertarian Party of San Francisco
(415) 986-7677 x123
mike@M...
www.MichaelDenny.netFrom: Starchild [mailto:sfdreamer@e…]
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 11:11 PM
To: libertystudents@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LibertyStudents] How it can be done - Natl. Hip Hop
Political
Convention a potential model for future LP gatherings
From an article about the event held June 16-19, 2004 in
Newark,
New
Jersey, as printed in The Black Commentator, July 5, 2004:"The 3,000 young people who attended the National Hip Hop Political
Convention in Newark, New Jersey, June 16-20, were determined to
define
themselves through a politics of struggle - to begin to redraw the
map
of the world through the prisms of their own experience...
We are here today as young people under the hip hop umbrella," said
Ras
Baraka, the 34-year-old Deputy Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, and one
of
the organizers of the event. "Politics is about the seizure of
power,"
Baraka told the crowd. 'Some of us don't understand what that
means.
Our kids think that seizing power is standing on a corner and doing
the
things they usually do.' Each of the 500 official delegates from 17
states had registered 50 voters to earn the right to represent
their
generation.
With a seriousness that wholly contradicts hip hop stereotypes,
conventioneers fanned out in the scorching sun over three connected
campuses - Essex County College, Rutgers-Newark and New Jersey
Institute of Technology - to attend 50 workshops on every
conceivable
aspect of organizing."
The following key points from the three short paragraphs above
bear
noting:-a focus on the convergence of art and politics
-3,000 young people attending (the recent LP convention had how
many
young people out of the 800 or so attendees?)
-event held on college campuses (not in a luxury hotel)
-"workshops on every conceivable aspect of organizing"
-use of radical, confrontational approachFurther details on the event available here...
http://www.hiphopconvention.org/
A radical anti-establishment youth political movement will
rise
Hi Marcy,
I wasn't suggesting that we organize LP gatherings around hip-hop music and culture. Simply that we could take some cues from the organizers of the National Hip Hop Political Convention. I listed what I thought were the "key points" in my message below, and did not include playing hip hop among them (though a bit more than we have now couldn't hurt). Also, my mention of having a radical, confrontational approach was not a reference to the music, but to the rhetoric. I don't think we should try to be rude/offensive to the general public, but we shouldn't be afraid of telling people the truth.
On a side not, I'm not quite sure why you put "luxury hotel" in quotes. That's what hotels like the Marriot, DoubleTree, Hyatt, and the other usual LP convention suspects often call themselves. There's sort of three categories in accomodations -- those being the top end, places like Best Wester, Comfort Inn and Days Inn in the middle, and Motel 6, Super 8, and most of the little mom & pop places at the budget end.
Yours in liberty,
<<< Starchild >>>
Hi Starchild,
I never said a word about Hip Hop music!! And I agreed with you that
we should follow the example of the Hip Hop Convention attendees, and
start being more active. Where we differed is (1) I do not like the
word "confrontational", and (2) I love "luxury"!...in conventions, in
fund raisers (thank you Rob), etc. So, again, how about we all
commit to a schedule of tables in public places to sign up the
undecided?
Marcy
Hi Marcy,
I wasn't suggesting that we organize LP gatherings around hip-
hop
music and culture. Simply that we could take some cues from the
organizers of the National Hip Hop Political Convention. I listed
what
I thought were the "key points" in my message below, and did not
include playing hip hop among them (though a bit more than we have
now
couldn't hurt). Also, my mention of having a radical,
confrontational
approach was not a reference to the music, but to the rhetoric. I
don't
think we should try to be rude/offensive to the general public, but
we
shouldn't be afraid of telling people the truth.
On a side not, I'm not quite sure why you put "luxury hotel"
in
quotes. That's what hotels like the Marriot, DoubleTree, Hyatt, and
the
other usual LP convention suspects often call themselves. There's
sort
of three categories in accomodations -- those being the top end,
places
like Best Wester, Comfort Inn and Days Inn in the middle, and Motel
6,
Super 8, and most of the little mom & pop places at the budget end.
Yours in liberty,
<<< Starchild >>>> I would like to join Mike Denny in also thanking Starchild for the
> inspirational article on the Hip Hop Convention. I would also
like to
> add a couple of observations: (1) We at the LPSF, or for that
matter
> most who attended the LP Convention at the "luxury hotel" are past
> the Hip Hop stage; can learn from the Hip Hop activism, but not
> necessarily copy the unique Hip Hop style. (2) Although Hip Hop
> might have the general reputation of being "confrontational," I
see
> nothing radical or confrontational about signing up voters,
attending
> workshops on leadership, or gathering peacefully in a
convention; I
> propose we start with the sign up part by committing to a
schedule of
> tables at public places from now until the November election.
>
> Marcy
>
>
> --- In lpsf-discuss@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Denny" <mike@d...>
wrote:
>> Excellent observations Starchild…I agree completely.
>>
>> Michael Denny
>> Libertarian Party of San Francisco
>> (415) 986-7677 x123
>> mike@M…
>> www.MichaelDenny.net
>>
>>
>> From: Starchild [mailto:sfdreamer@e…]
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 11:11 PM
>> To: libertystudents@yahoogroups.com
>> Subject: [LibertyStudents] How it can be done - Natl. Hip Hop
> Political
>> Convention a potential model for future LP gatherings
>>
>> From an article about the event held June 16-19, 2004 in
> Newark,
>> New
>> Jersey, as printed in The Black Commentator, July 5, 2004:
>>
>> "The 3,000 young people who attended the National Hip Hop
Political
>> Convention in Newark, New Jersey, June 16-20, were determined to
> define
>> themselves through a politics of struggle - to begin to redraw
the
> map
>> of the world through the prisms of their own experience...
>>
>> We are here today as young people under the hip hop umbrella,"
said
> Ras
>> Baraka, the 34-year-old Deputy Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, and
one
> of
>> the organizers of the event. "Politics is about the seizure of
> power,"
>> Baraka told the crowd. 'Some of us don't understand what that
> means.
>> Our kids think that seizing power is standing on a corner and
doing
> the
>> things they usually do.' Each of the 500 official delegates from
17
>> states had registered 50 voters to earn the right to represent
> their
>> generation.
>>
>> With a seriousness that wholly contradicts hip hop stereotypes,
>> conventioneers fanned out in the scorching sun over three
connected
Marcy,
Is it the word "confrontational" you dislike, or the concept? Do you believe that it's essentially true, as Einstein said, that "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds?" Or do you subscribe more to Rodney King's idea -- "Why can't we all just get along?" Should we of "great spirits," or great understanding, hide our lights under a bushel? Or stand up and speak truth to power? Confrontation doesn't have to be arrogant or violent -- Gandhi was quite confrontational.
I love luxury too, it's just the costs and limitations imposed by trying to plan large-scale LP events around it that concerns me. And it's not just the luxury, it's the generic blah-ness of the venues the LP chooses. If we were talking *real* luxury rather than these feeble bourgeoisie attempts at it -- for example, being able to lie around on pillows in our bath-robes under the stars while serenaded by belly dancers and troubadours and being hand-fed multi-course meals by ladies and gentlemen of pleasure, with reenactments of historic battles for entertainment and complimentary massages and hot mud treatments every evening in an architectural setting along the lines of the Taj Mahal -- well, that would be just fine by me. 8)
Yours in liberty,
<<< Starchild >>>
Of course, with few exceptions, the Comfort Inn, Motel 6 and Days Inn
facilities are usually for highway travelers and rarely include the
meeting rooms necessary for a convention of 200+ people. Some other
alternatives that should be explored by convention contractors are such
conference centers as the Asilomar Conference Center (with buildings
designed by Julia Morgan) in Monterey County or the Marconi Center in
Tomales Bay (which used to be known as Synanon in the 70's). These are
specifically designed for meetings organized by think tanks and other
similar groups and feature not only comfortable sleeping accommodations,
but also meeting facilities and spectacular ocean views. The one irony
of using these facilities by Libertarians is that they are "government
property" and are run by the state of California Parks Department.
While they do not cost any more to rent than hotel facilities (and may
even be quite a bit less), it would require the LP to pay money to a
government agency for the use of the facilities, rather than supporting
private enterprises such as hotels.
Terry Floyd, Treasurer
Libertarian Party of California, East Bay Region