TimesSorry I lost the original message this responded to, but it's self-evident: There are all sorts of positions, obviously, to take on this. Some of my friends want repression, that old theory... things will get worse and people will rise up ... blah, blah, blah. And I used to take this position. Today I ask, what is possible? I can run in front of the train, but I'll likely be squashed. Maybe I could feel like a martyr? Blowing up buildings and stopping trains, which I formerly advocated, somehow seems to miss the point. Or it would be hard to make a point with that type of action today. Except for the WTO in Seattle. Hats off the young anarchist. At least the establishment knows there COULD be a price to pay for polluting and robbing the earth. But what can I accomplish? The current issue of establishment environmentalism, Sierra, the Sierra Club magazine, features young people with some radical actions to change the politics on the environmental front. They could use our support and encouragement. Politics slipped a ways back there and most of us noticed... there are few "pure" political movements today (except for a number of us white ex-radicals with big ideas). People work in all sorts of capacities for change, so we might as well hook in for the ride and see what we can do. Sometimes it feels like a losing battle, a dam stopped here, a creek saved there, a vote in the state legislature to affect foreign policy there, etc. Gradual, slow, prodding but we keep at it for some dogged reason. Elections are a time to promote our politics... a politics of the possible, not a politics of what "should be" or "what it makes sense to be," but politics that we can get others to go along with. Hence I criticize the Democrats for their middle of the road conservatism, vote for the lesser of two evils as you all say, with hold funds and lobby them to change their ways. Basically, we missed educating people to our point of view part. The right has been excellent at it; they have the whole country moved to the right by lavishly spending on changing people's opinion. We've been out maneuvered. They convince people that their right wing way of looking at things is the only way. We need to rally our constituency and speak to people's basic needs today. If we can't change their minds-and it's not a bad idea to try to reach them anyway-we can, change their hearts. Things will continue the way they have... Aren't many of the conditions we protested back in the 60s worse today? Some are better. It's a tall order, but we can affect some change. We just didn't expect so many of our generation to replace the old farts like Cheney, first of all, and secondly, we have to compete, not with religion, but with shopping. A hell of a large order. Support the young! best, Don Monkerud Santa Cruz