Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[childers.paula AT epamail.epa.gov]

Shea;

I think it is admirable and excellent that you have addressed such a
huge and important issue here on Internetworkers, and I, too, implore
everyone who is not already informed of the full implications of the
Patriot Act to take a few moments and become informed, regardless of
your political leanings.

However, given what I have seen is the typical tenor of this list, I
must wonder if your email might not be somewhat "preaching to the
choir." In that light, I would also encourage everyone here to discuss
the topics we chat about here, ESPECIALLY those of political and
governmental import, with at least a few people who are NOT on this
list, and perhaps NOT informed.

For example, I try to throw a few bits every week into a conversation
with someone at work, with my mom or one of her friends, or even
occasionally with a total stranger in the grocery line or something.
Not big overwhelming hate-filled propaganda statements, but just little
things like, "wow, unemployment is bad, I wish the government supported
fair trade instead of free trade to keep our jobs here."

We are all in this together, democrat, republican, green, libertarian,
white collar, blue collar, young and old. There's really not much of a
debate about who is "we" and who is "them," when the division between
the ultra-wealthy and everyone else becomes vastly greater every year.
"We" support "them" whenever we buy sweatshop products, use subsidized
fossil fuels, and whenever we support divisions (black/white,
gay/straight, redneck/liberal), and whenever we don't vote, and whenever
we abdicate personal involvement in our own governance, whether that is
federal, state, or local.

The only way for the "we's" to take power back is by masses - masses of
votes, masses of protests, masses of purchasing habits.  Part of being a
good citizen involves responsibility, the responsibility of informing
yourself and taking appropriate informed action, whether that is by
voting, shopping locally, or waving a sign, or helping a neighbor, or
doing a good deed for someone you don't know.

Anyway, sorry for the Monday soapbox.
Register to vote!
http://www.co.durham.nc.us/common/db-dept.cfm?ID=2
http://odc.nc.lwvnet.org/Contents.html
Paula