Democracy School gave us some tools.   This email is going out to the hundred plus people who have signed up to take those tools and put them to work.

I am now extending the invitation to the community at large to join the work party.  And have no doubt this is going to be a party. This is the original email. 

Hello People!!!  You are getting this email because at some point you signed up to be a part of the Right to Clean Water Action. This list goes all the way back to the Eaath conversation after the Bill Mckibben talk last November, Earth Day at El Chorro in April, and most recently Bioneers Expo in San Luis in October.

Welcome all. Quick update. Just held a Democracy School conducted by Global Exchange and CELDF.  30 people in attendance learning how to change the rules of the game in local government and live to brag about it. It was about 150 other communities in the US who have bravely and boldly gone where no laws had gone before. Communities saying no to Fracking, GMO’s, corporate personhood, sludge, Big Box stores, water extraction, weather modification, writing Food  Bill of Rights, Rights of Nature and our unalienable right to self-governance.

It’s not a new idea, that’s how this country got started. Bunch of volunteers getting together and writing the Declaration of Independence and saying NO to one of the most powerful countries in the world and Yes to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

We are just revisiting that whole concept.  Oh yea, and there is a big difference between inalienable and unalienable and unalienable is in the Declaration and that is what we are talking about here.

Fracking was most probably the most immediate clear and present danger and on everyone’s mind when you signed up. Fracking is all about the Water. Water is all about life. All life on earth depends on Water for its existence. And not just any water. CLEAN Water. Fracking is all about taking our essence, 9 million gallons a well, and regurgitating it back to us in a deadly toxic soup. No thank you. Not drinkable. Not livable. And here’s the rub. WE can’t just say NO to this deadly process because over time our right to say NO got all tied up in knots, changed, exchanged, modified, codified and indemnified into a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo of administrative regulatory rules and regulation.

We haven’t got time to go back and untie all the knots. Instead we are going back to the beginning, to our essence, and make that the subject and topic.  Our essence is Water. This ordinance  has to be about what we stand For Not about what we stand against. This ordinance is a declaration of our right to exist, to prosper and thrive and giving thanks and honor and homage to the one and only thing that can make that possible. Water. Banning,  in particular, Fracking at this point in time leaves the door open for whatever  other threats and there will be others, that haven’t even surfaced yet threatening our Water. This puts us in constant defense mode always having to be ready to write another law banning the new threat.

This is where the Democracy School training and Tom Linzey of CELDF comes in. Using the community rights based tools we write the ordinance that insures that Nature, as our Benefactor, has a voice. By giving Nature the legal status as our Benefactor we give ourselves legal standing as the beneficiary. All the laws of Nature which we are duty bound to respect and honor take precedence over man-made laws and the exemptions to them. This is Offense mode talk.   Big difference from what we what we have been dealing with . Offense is the power position.  Nice place to be for a change.

Now Nature and our precious Water from which all living organisms are conceived has legal rights that we are obligated to protect and preserve and in so doing protect and preserve our rights and well-being.  Tom Linzey will back us up with all the power and authority that is packed into our Declaration and Constitution. Rights Rule. If it comes down to a fight of our unalienable rights vs some fictitious corporate rights who among us would not say Bring it on Baby!!!! This is what Offense mode  feels like people. This ordinance is about reclaiming our rightful place in our community with Nature by our side. Makes one feel kind of invincible doesn’t it?

So, That was one year rolled up into a couple of paragraphs and now we are all on the same page.  What’s next is why you are getting this email.

November 7 is Transition Towns one year old Birthday. Transition Towns SLO, where this all began, is meeting from 7-9pm at the Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

The Rights to Clean Water Action would like to now extend that invitation to our community at large. If you want to get in on the Action this is the place to be.  It will be the first opportunity for all the volunteers to meet and greet each other and the master plan for our group is on the table. We will only have about 15 minutes to take care of business as a group. There are 5 groups.  You will be amazed at what is going on.

For those interested in Our Right to Clean Water Action You will need to come to the meeting fully prepared to commit to one of many roles needed to get this ordinance on the ballot. Or just come to see where you would like to jump in at some point. There will be jumping in spots all over the place and we can work this in relays so everybody gets a chance to do something and nobody has to do everything.

I am going to give you everything, o.k. that is a stretch, you need right now so you know exactly what you are getting into, at least for starters.   And keep in mind we are approaching this issue of our right to self govern and Clean Water in much the same spirit and fervor as our founders. Taking the Offense.

That is to say you may have to let go of some preconceived, indoctrinated ideas of business as usual in order to make room for the creative genius in you that will spark this action into a work of art. This is an ACTION group. That being said our plan of action is going to be modeled after a community production of a Play.  Why?  Because putting on a play  has all the elements necessary to getting this show on the road. We are writing and we are producing the Play of our lives. It is ours. We are using the play writing and production format to get  everyone outside of their comfort zone and to be able to play parts without holding back. Life is but a stage and we are all just players.

The script is the Ordinance.  The star of the show is Water. We are writing a 10 minute play with a beginning, middle and an end. Keeping it simple. Short and sweet.

Then there is the whole other element behind the scenes which is the production crew. Here are the positions and production crew assignments.  There are 10 of them. Look for the sign up sheets at the self-governance table. Got to do your homework first and see what crew you want to sign up for, we only have 15 minutes. Or there will be a sign up sheet at the bottom of the production crew page above. We are making it easy.

Looking for Point persons to head up the teams.   So please specify your role on the sheet.  Point or support.  No effort is too small. Every person has a special unique talent that will be a contributing factor to our success. You will all make a difference. This is your time to give that talent a chance to shine. Share it and I can promise there is a place in this production to put it to good use.

So I am just remembering a quote, Inch by inch life is a cinch, yard by yard it is very hard. If everybody does something nobody has to do everything.  This is our first inch. A drop in the bucket if you will.

Craig Spease has volunteered to be our scribe. Thank you Craig. So appreciated. Will publish the minutes of this whirl wind meeting, a force of nature to be sure, and keep everyone posted. Get on the contact list.

That’s it folks. Let’s start humming a few bars and get this show on the road.

See you all on Weds. Nov 7 7-9pm.

Jeanne Blackwell

rsvp ing would be nice. thanks.