Taking the leap into activism

Like many of you, we were tired of feeling helpless. Tired of complaining to each other--after watching the Daily Show and Colbert Report--about how the government is corrupt, and most of all tired of hearing people say they have no power, that they're "waiting on the world to change" (no offense, John Mayer). You see, that's how they get us to lie down: they create a climate that makes us afraid to speak up and convince us to believe there's no hope, that the machine will go on with or without us. The last thing they want us to do is use our voices.

We know, because we thought the same things: maybe if we lived in DC or San Francisco we could do something, but who's going to listen to us tucked away in a this tiny valley at the far corner of VA? And then we realized that if we remain silent, we ensure that no one will.

Signing online petitions at MoveOn.org can only accomplish so much. And after all, we see injustices locally--and problems that need passionate solutions... Maybe it's just a matter of growing up, but we realized that if no one else is stepping forward, maybe that means it's OUR TURN.

So we've decided to start an Operation Democracy Council right here in Radford. If you live in the area and feel it's time to get involved, please join us or search for a council near you.

In the meantime, we'll be posting entries about our progress--one small group's fight to make a difference where they are.