WWW and Unity

[RWalker]

As ragged as our movement and organizations may seem, we have managed to continue to function under very adverse conditions. It is because we have such a historic, heroic foundation to build on, given us by our ancestors at great cost in blood as well as sweat and tears. When we look back at the organizational successes and modes deployed by our great organizations, the CPP, the UNIA, the Nation of Islam, SNCC, SCLC, CORE, PAC, ANC (the progressive elements of its pre-1950s era and certain contemporary elements such as Warrior Queen Winnie), the BPP, the Deacons, the PDG, the MNC, Robert William's NAACP chapter, the OAAU, RAM, the revolutionary armies created by the Africans in Brazil, Haiti, Jamaica, and other parts of the Caribbean and South America, the Africans in the US allied and or merged with the indigenous Seminoles in their very effective anti-settler military front and many others, we know that our people can and do wage successful struggles on every level.


Now, we have a great advantage none of our early movements and organizations, such as those mentioned above did not have, even though a few of the organizations, or their organizational offsprings do, such as the modern day PAC, SCLC, CPP, NOI or the A-APRP, APSP, PRSP, AAPRUP, PUSH...and that is computerized technology.


Since we have some limited access to this technology, as we have nothing remotely resembling that which the enemy has, we must use what we have wisely and precisely. If we can do this, it will go a long way towards helping us build the mass based organizational structures we will need to get over the top.



We can easily deploy the power of the web if we conceptualize the experiences we have shared together so far and then put the lessons we learn into the hands of every organizer we can reach and thereby impart such knowledge. The web gives us a powerful tool that facilitates both personalized, two-way communication between organizers, supporters and allies and group communications using alias and similar mass emailings – avoiding spam, that is making sure that the recipients are willing recipients, egroups, such as those hosted by Topica, AOL, Google, Yahoo!, independent activist social network systems such as the Assata Shakur forum, blogs, wikis and the like.

Obviously, the nature of what is communicated over the internet should be carefully determined no sensitive information of any kind, anything can be portrayed by our opponents as illegal, or otherwise not suitable for the world wide web and so forth. If we avoid these basic traps, and of course the tricks used to defeat our efforts, such as introducing inappropriate content, virus infections, spyware, phishing or any of the other ways that such communication is handicapped, this process can be an excellent supplement, but never a replacement for, direct and other forms of communication between humans that are not subject to such easy invasion by outside hostile elements.

Properly organized a strong online presences can provide searchable content, such as reading lists, reading material, such as books in Word or PDF or other format, which the organizer can then print, graphical, video, and audio.

Most group solutions, such as egroups or forums and the like provide group space for collaboration and other group actions facilitating production and ideological development. Even chat groups can be used to implement some aspects of group learning and projects online. Obviously, the chat groups should not be a general or specific purpose chat hosted by AOL or some similar agency, but a chat group that is the property of the organization itself, a group of its members, one member or at least a highly trusted ally or supporter.

Many organizations also used their web presence to create online bookstores and even whole schools.

Indeed even the existence of an online social network with the correct philosophical and historical view of reality would be exceedingly useful, even if the topics are as simple as sharing personal experiences or work techniques, all under the banner of keeping in contact, keeping in touch or touching base, however you see it.

A strong web based network can also be used to manage and post events with interactive calendars that are accessible to all valid parties.

Such a setup could be used to empower promotion and marketing committees, teams or task forces, to build specialized web pages using standardized templates and procedures specific to the particular organizations’ needs

It can even be taken to the e-commerce platform level which would radically enhance the development (that is fund raising) activities of the organization; for example, if a group wanted to sell caps with their emblem or initials, t-shirts, books, plates, or anything that is printable (which is pretty much anything from plates to skateboards to gym shoes.)

This will provide not only a means to raise funds, but also a conduit for the distribution of philosophical and pedagogically sound information in a virtually infinite number of forms.

Generally speaking a group’s online content allows it to meet the needs of their base anytime, anywhere, thus vastly helping the develop of essential and critical competencies. Such content can then potentially be provided on an ad hoc and ubiquitous basis limited only by our access to the hardware and competencies in information and communication technology.

[Im The Truth]

Great post. Now the challenge is getting orgs/individuals to adapt.