We’ve Always Been New Yorkers

I love this campaign spot for Freedom To Marry.

Off Message But Genuine

I’m cross-posting this message from my friend Deborah Grayson. Reasons 2 and 3 are pretty compelling to me.

As many of you will know, I’ve spent the last 6 months working for the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign, which goes to the polls about changing our voting system tomorrow. You’re probably all sick to death of the official campaign messages from both sides (and I fully admit our campaign has had its weaknesses) so I just wanted to share my personal reasons for wanting a Yes vote.

1. This is as much a referendum on First Past the Post as it is on the Alternative Vote. First Past the Post is rubbish primarily because it allows elections to be decided by 1.6% of the electorate in marginal seats, reducing politics to a fight for middle England swing voters and leaving everyone else – from small c conservatives to Greens – completely ignored. AV won’t make entirely change that but it will increase the number of people who matter.
2. If we still have First Past the Post when they bring in the boundary changes it will allow the Conservative Party to win majorities in parliament on an even smaller minority of national the vote. Only twice in the 20th century did the Conservatives win over 50% of the vote overall – the last time was in 1931 – and yet they were in power for most of the century because of the distortions of the voting system. The majority of Britain is progressive and centre-left and our Parliament should reflect that. Again, AV won’t entirely solve this, but it will help because the centre-left vote won’t be split anymore.
3. We’ve got to change something. We have to. I’m so scared about where politics is heading, and what’s going to happen after four years of austerity, sky-high youth unemployment and increasingly oppressive policing. I’ve got no hope for party politics. All I can imagine is some sort of cross-party coalition running on a general platform of reform, and that’s going to seem pretty naive if we couldn’t even get a half measure like AV through. I don’t know how we’re supposed to get the kids who voted for the Lib Dems last year to ever cast another vote if we can’t show that change is possible.

So those are my main reasons – entirely off message, but genuine. If you’re thinking Yes, feel free to forward this on to anyone you still think needs convincing; if you’re thinking no, well, I hope for your sake you’re in the minority. But whatever your opinion, please turnout and vote tomorrow – this decision is too important to be left to other people.

Link Loving 04.05.11

• Climate laws don’t wait for the UN. Richard Black.
• Hilarious ‘honest logos’, like ‘Cat Videos’ instead of YouTube. Josh Spear.
• The US youth climate movement has ‘the awesome’. Bonnie Frye Hemphill.
• Is it time to stop talking about behaviour change? Ro Randall.
• 11 reasons to vote ‘YES’ on the AV referendum tomorrow. Adam Ramsay.
• Class and activism. Liz Eny.
• The history of the universe in eighteen minutes. David Christian.
• What drove the innovations behind the Industrial Revolution? Ralf Meisenzahl and Joel Mokyr.

What Makes A Leader?

A view from Tim Macartney from Embercombe. They run a very bold youth training programme ‘Catalyst‘ each year, and I understand there are still places available for this July.

Link Loving 03.05.11

• Joe Brewer on understanding economic paradigm shifts – especially the work of Carlota Perez.
• George Monbiot on our collective lack of a theory of change. Make sure you’re sitting down for this one – it’s depressing.
• This looks like a great read – ‘Moral Clarity‘ by Susan Nieman. A good overview by Simon Blackburn in the NY Times.
• Some insanely cool ukelele playing by Ryan Imamura and Jake Shimabukuro.
• Exciting to see the new FairPensions/Citizens UK campaign launch – Just Pay.
• You have no idea how massive Africa is. No seriously, it’s enormous.
• Very nice stickers on the central line in London.

Women In Advertising – What It Means And Why It Matters

Not Even An Enemy

*UPDATE: Turns out only part of the quote was originally from MLK. The sentiment remains, though. Full story on how this spread like fire yesterday from The Atlantic.*

With front pages like this one today, it’s worth remembering Martin Luther King’s words below.

“I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

Link Loving 02.05.11

• 10 Conversations On Racism I’m Sick Of Having With White People.
• The danger of the single story, a wonderful TED talk by Chimimanda Adichie.
• A very good interview from Ed Miliband.
• Seven ways to make our protests more powerful. A brilliant article by George Lakey. 
• I finally watched Inside Job, and it’s worth doing. Love the fact that Matt Damon narrates it – as he does Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States.
• A great insight into the post-Apartheid Mont Fleur Scenarios. Written in the 90’s, it looked at what South Africa might look like in 2002?
• Wonderful report from Community Links Living Values.
• The internet is increasingly showing us what it thinks we want to see, instead of what we need to see. Eli Pariser on the Filter Bubble.
• Sam Harris on neuroscience and God.

How To Use Art As/In Campaigns

From 350.org’s Kevin – this is amazing.