Deep Demonstration Dates
Deep demonstration dates are annual event dates commemorating historical events that can be used to educate the public and provide a variety of organizations opportunities to work in more coordinated ways to garner support and get their messages out.
We have witnessed different approaches to public demonstrations ranging from reactive single events to the sustained efforts of the occupy movement. Single events fade quickly from the public’s memory and Occupy's persistence was too easily discredited as a bunch of kids and homeless people with nothing better to do.
The Moral Monday protests in North Carolina became a good example of a compromised strategy and the Reverend William Barber is now high on the lists of those who would like to model the Moral Monday Movement.
By utilizing a series of reoccurring dates with interrelated themes, it should help to build a more cohesive narrative for those who strive to restore the political integrity of our nation and other democracies around the world.
The following is a partial list of Deep Demonstration Dates and how they may be utilized.
Dec. 19 – Buy Local Day
This date is the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Few people know the true history of that event and if you have any doubt, just ask some people the following questions…Whose tea was thrown into the harbor? And why?
The correct answers are that the tea belonged to the East India Trading Company (the world’s first modern multi-national corporation) and was destroyed by protesting independent importers because the British government gave that giant corporation a big tax break (the Tea Act of 1773) giving the East India Trading Company an unfair advantage in the tea market.
Small business owners can utilize this day, one week before Christmas, to push back against the unfair advantages that giant corporations have favored from corrupted government officials. This also provides an excellent opportunity to revive the real history if small merchants include a pamphlet recounting the real history of the Boston Tea Party and the implications thereof. This is also an opportunity to correct the misguided attitudes and beliefs of the present Tea Party people. If they were true to history, they would be as anti-corporate as they are anti-government.
July 20 – United We Can Day or Amer-we can day
This was the date of the Apollo moon landing. This is the time to celebrate the incredible things that can be achieved by a people united through a good and functional government.
This is a date for all liberal groups to rally together in an effort to restore the integrity of our political system. This is an excellent day for voter registration, to reveal patterns of voter suppression and to shine a light on real causes of governmental corruption (the undue influence of big money within our government). Move On, Move To Amend, Root Strikers, and many other organizations should use this day to get out the message.
Other dates could be utilized in a similar fashion such as;
The completion of the Panama Canal
The creation of the Interstate Highway Project
Sept. 1 – Fair Money Day
On September 1, 1764 the British government passed the Sovereign Currency Act that repealed the use of Colonial Script (money printed by the American colonists because of the currency shortage created by British taxation). That act created deep resentment of the colonists due to a shortage of British currency. Commerce is very difficult without the use of appropriate supply of money.
This is an important date to commemorate for anyone with interests in sound fiscal policy.
Similar dates could be used such as the dissolution of the first federal bank.
August 6 – Signing of the Voting Rights Act 1965
Anti-democratic forces have enjoyed incredible success intimidating and suppressing voters in the US while stealing elections through the guise of battling voter fraud. Greg Palast has done the best job exposing the truth and maintains an invaluable website, www.ballotbandits.org. Anyone who knows the truth should be outraged and encouraged to spread the word on the anniversary date of the law intended to strengthen and fulfill the dream of democracy.
June 25 – Supreme Court Invalidates portions of the Voting Rights Act
Yeah, same theme as August 6. Two dates, weeks apart should help to make it more of a movement.
With enough deep demonstrations dates, we will be able wisely choose appropriate dates throughout each year so that these demonstration dates will fall on or near the weekends enabling greater participation.
Other dates could be utilized to strengthen democratic principles and enthusiasm across the globe such as the fall of the Berlin Wall. More global democratic dates will work in conjunction with a Society of Global Democrats (refer to page __ of this document)
Some other dates may include
May 10 – Fair Tax Day
Commemorating the passage of the Tea Act of 1773 leading to the Boston Tea Party
March 28 – Justice for All Day
On this day in 1774 the Coercive Acts laws were passed. Colonialists often referred to this as the Intolerable Acts as it granted immunity to British officials
September 1 – Fair Money Day
On this day the Currency Act was enacted that repealed the use of Colonial Script, the money printed and used by colonialists because of currency shortage created by the British
August 23 – Freedom for All
Fall of the Berlin Wall and the publishing of the infamous Powell Memo
April 19 – Fight violent oppression day?
The shot heard around the world happened in 1775
