Part 1 - Recruiting supporters

When you're trying to attract more following to your causes there are certain 'rules of engagement' you must always follow.

Be ready to do a lot of talking, as well as listening to people in your community. The very first thing to do is to seek out potential symphatizers, the people you know personally or someone you think might be interested in your causes. Listen when they talk about things that upset them, and things they're unhappy with. People always react to injustice with a noticeable amout of frustration and anger. Those are a kind that is easier to approach to.

When you encounter resistance, people with different political views, that's when things start to get interesting.

First off, never try to slap them around with facts, that almost never works. NEVER tell them they've been brainwashed by the corporate media.

People have their own opinions, just like you do and no amout of 'proven' facts will help change them right away. Instead of jumping into a heated argument, try to listen to them first. Let them let you know what's on their minds. Never give them "I'm right and you're wrong" attitude, it will only alienate them. At first steer your conversation more toward things that you both agree on. Analyze their opinions and look for flaws in their logic, but don't point it out to them just yet. Through your conversation, let them realize it gradually on their own.

Always communicate in 'people's terms', don't use big, educated-folk's words, they will make you look like a smartass and create a further rift between you and your potential recruit.

Try to maintain a healthy amount of humor throughout your conversation while at the same presenting your ideas with confidence. Healthy amount of humor means don't be a clown or you won't be taken seriously.

Don't quote anybody and don't try to pass-off already existing, non-working ideologies. People hate that!

You can always criticize your president, government and the entire political structure of your country, but NEVER criticize your country and your people. That's an instant turn-off.

If a person seems extremely pissed off at movements such as yours, it could also mean that his/her convictions are seriously shaken. Such a person can subconsciously feel that everything you say makes sense, but it conflicts with his/her prior convictions. Using the right tactics, winning their support might be easier than you thing.

Always keep in mind that you're not trying to 'convert' anybody, you're trying to win them over!

No matter what, NEVER go knocking door-to-door like a Jehova's Witness, all that would accomplish is piss a lot of people off.

(more coming soon...)

stay tuned for more on

http://a16alliance.cjb.net/

Great advice, people need to be listened to, if you shut them out how are you ever going to open them up!

PEACE

I'm flattered that you'd want to 'borrow' my handle rather than using your own.

FIRST IRAQ

THEN FRANCE

NEXT HOLLYWOOD

Now not only stealing my name, you are copying and pasting my previous posts!

FIRST IRAQ

THEN EAST ST. LOUIS

THEN PLANET X

In trying to talk to people I think we have to be very careful because it is likely that splitting the country is part of the agenda of the Bushies. The danger is in escalating our actions too far simply because things aren't changing quickly. It is a classic problem in any system where without feedback the system overshoots its goal and ends up breaking.

My fear is the war machine has chosen a strategy of ignoring the protests in the hope it will either fade or go too far and fragment or become violent or identified with hate more than they are. I think they underestimate the power of non-violence.

The advice provided is helpful, thank you.

If you are dealing with someone who will not even look but is lost in a haze of denial the first step is to find something they do agree with.

Getting angry does not help. When you get angry you cease communicating.

The objective is to communicate a message.

If it is someone you know and love realize it may not be accomplished in one setting. Particularly if they are already convinced that the lies told by the media are true.

First step is to find a point of agreement.

Next step demonstrate where the media lies by something provable. Ex.: Do you remember when 20/20 got caught rigging trucks to explode for their story?

I am sure most people who post here are aware of other examples, but key is that it must be REAL to the other person.

Once you have them thinking and looking you have begun the process.

Some people are so admamant about not looking that it is a waste of you time. Drop them and move on to someone else. Don't get trapped into thinking that you must convince every person. Don't get locked into convincing one person whom you care about who just WON'T look. (I had this happen and it cost me a good friend because I did not back off soon enough.)

VIVA LA RESISTANCE'!!!

Diogenes speaks wisely. I was talking with a teacher friend of mine in a local high school and she was distressed at how most Amercians are not educated to think critically and low reading lieracy limits their ability to educate themselves. In fact, a lot of people are not neccesarily opposed to our point of view in wanting peace, but are terrified that they might have to think for themselves because other people are. As things progress, people are actually saying this explicitly-- "please don't say anything other than agreement with X" where X is Bush, press, etc.

This is important in talking with people, because in our fear-filled culture frightening people more is not good. Anger at them will not help. And it may well take time for them to begin using mental muscles that have been neglected. The best is to show that we are a community, we are strong, our anger is healthy and channeled to constructive and non-violent ends, and that democracy and freedom must be defended by vigilance free thought and dissent.

Anyone who leaves their home to protest for anything is in a turbulent state. This is especially true if all they are doing is protesting a protest of a widely accepted government policy. Something's gotten them off their butts and into the dangerous street, and it's not a desire for fresh air and sunshine.

They are scared (who isn't), and on some level something's going on in there. The secret it to find out what.